3 George Kennedy Allen Bell, Bishop of Chichester, and Ecumenist, 1958. John Raleigh Mott, Evangelist and Ecumenical Pioneer, 1955

4 Francis of Assisi, Friar, 1226  was an Italian Roman Catholicfriar and preacher. He founded the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women’s Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land.^[1] Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history.^[1]

6 William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale, Translators of the Bible, 1536, 1568 first name also spelt Miles (1488 – 20 January 1569), was an English ecclesiastical reformer chiefly known as a Bible translator, preacher and, briefly, Bishop of Exeter (1551-1553).^[1] Regarding his probable birth county, Daniell cites John Bale, author of a sixteenth century scriptorium, giving it as Yorkshire.^{[1][note 1]} Having studied philosophy and theology in Cambridge, Coverdale became an Augustinian friar and went to the house of his order, also in Cambridge. 

7 Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, Lutheran Pastor in North America, 1787

8 William Dwight Porter Bliss, Priest, 1926, and Richard Theodore Ely, Economist, 1943

9 Wilfred Thomason Grenfell, Medical Missionary, 1940

10 Vida Dutton Scudder, Educator and Witness for Peace, 1954

OLD TESTAMENT: Lamentations 1: 1 - 6 (RCL)

Lame 1:1 (NRSV) How lonely sits the city

that once was full of people!

How like a widow she has become,

she that was great among the nations!

She that was a princess among the provinces

has become a vassal.

2 She weeps bitterly in the night,

with tears on her cheeks;

among all her lovers

she has no one to comfort her;

all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,

they have become her enemies.

3 Judah has gone into exile with suffering

and hard servitude;

she lives now among the nations,

and finds no resting place;

her pursuers have all overtaken her

in the midst of her distress.

4 The roads to Zion mourn,

for no one comes to the festivals;

all her gates are desolate,

her priests groan;

her young girls grieve,

and her lot is bitter.

5 Her foes have become the masters,

her enemies prosper,

because the LORD has made her suffer

for the multitude of her transgressions;

her children have gone away,

captives before the foe.

6 From daughter Zion has departed

all her majesty.

Her princes have become like stags

that find no pasture;

they fled without strength

before the pursuer.

Habakkuk 1: 1 - 4; 2: 1 - 4 (alt. for RCL)

Habakkuk 1: 2 - 3; 2: 2 - 4 (Roman Catholic)

Haba 1:1 (NRSV) The oracle that the prophet Habak'kuk saw.

2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not listen?

Or cry to you "Violence!"

and you will not save?

3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing

and look at trouble?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

4 So the law becomes slack

and justice never prevails.

The wicked surround the righteous--

therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

2:1 I will stand at my watchpost,

and station myself on the rampart;

I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,

and what he will answer concerning my complaint.

2 Then the LORD answered me and said:

Write the vision;

make it plain on tablets,

so that a runner may read it.

3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time;

it speaks of the end, and does not lie.

If it seems to tarry, wait for it;

it will surely come, it will not delay.

4 Look at the proud!

Their spirit is not right in them,

but the righteous live by their faith.

PSALM: Lamentation 3: 19 - 26 (RCL)

Lame 3:19 (NRSV) The thought of my affliction and my homelessness

is wormwood and gall!

20 My soul continually thinks of it

and is bowed down within me.

21 But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,

his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"therefore I will hope in him."

25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul that seeks him.

26 It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the LORD.

Psalm 37: 1 - 9   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 37:1 (NRSV) Do not fret because of the wicked;

do not be envious of wrongdoers,

2 for they will soon fade like the grass,

and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;

so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

4 Take delight in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him, and he will act.

6 He will make your vindication shine like the light,

and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

7 Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;

do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

over those who carry out evil devices.

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.

Do not fret-it leads only to evil.

9 For the wicked shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

Note : verse numbering in your Psalter may be different from the above

37   (ECUSA BCP)

Part I   Noli aemulari

1  Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; *

     do not be jealous of those who do wrong.

2  For they shall soon wither like the grass, *

     and like the green grass fade away.

3  Put your trust in the Lord and do good; *

     dwell in the land and feed on its riches.

4  Take delight in the Lord, *

     and he shall give you your heart's desire.

5  Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, *

     and he will bring it to pass.

6  He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *

     and your just dealing as the noonday.

7  Be still before the Lord *

     and wait patiently for him.

8  Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *

     the one who succeeds in evil schemes.

9  Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *

     do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.

10  For evildoers shall be cut off, *

     but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.

Psalm 137 (alt. for RCL)

Psal 137:1 (NRSV) By the rivers of Babylon--

there we sat down and there we wept

when we remembered Zion.

2 On the willows there

we hung up our harps.

3 For there our captors

asked us for songs,

and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,

"Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How could we sing the LORD's song

in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand wither!

6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

if I do not set Jerusalem

above my highest joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, against the E'domites

the day of Jerusalem's fall,

how they said, "Tear it down! Tear it down!

Down to its foundations!"

8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator!

Happy shall they be who pay you back

what you have done to us!

9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones

and dash them against the rock!

137   Super flumina   (ECUSA BCP)

1               By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, *

     when we remembered you, O Zion.

2               As for our harps, we hung them up *

     on the trees in the midst of that land.

3               For those who led us away captive asked us for a song,

and our oppressors called for mirth: *

     “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

4               How shall we sing the Lord’s song *

     upon an alien soil?

5               If I forget you, O Jerusalem, *

     let my right hand forget its skill.

6               Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth

if I do not remember you, *

     if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

7               Remember the day of Jerusalem, O Lord,

against the people of Edom, *

     who said, “Down with it! down with it!

     even to the ground!”

8               O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, *

     happy the one who pays you back

     for what you have done to us!

9               Happy shall he be who takes your little ones, *

     and dashes them against the rock!

Psalm 95: 1 - 2, 6 - 9 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 95:1 (NRSV) O come, let us sing to the LORD;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

6 O come, let us worship and bow down,

let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

7 For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

and the sheep of his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice!

8 Do not harden your hearts, as at Mer'ibah,

as on the day at Mas'sah in the wilderness,

9 when your ancestors tested me,

and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Timothy 1: 1 - 14   (RCL)

                                    2 Timothy 1: 6 - 8, 13 - 14   (Roman Catholic)

2Tim 1:1 (NRSV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I am grateful to God--whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did--when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lo'is and your mother Eu'nice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul was made an apostle as part of God’s plan of salvation (vv. 1, 11) to bring eternal “life”, found in the Christian community (“in Christ Jesus”), to all. Paul worships God in continuity with his Jewish “ancestors” (v. 3). V. 4a probably recalls Paul’s departure from Timothy: may sorrow be replaced by “joy”. Timothy’s faith has been handed down from generation to generation (v. 5). He was given and received “the gift of God” (v. 6), through Paul (“my hands”) but now this gift, “a spirit of power ... love ... self-discipline” (v. 7, or ethical behaviour) has become dormant through neglect. God has not withdrawn it, so, Timothy, “rekindle” (v. 6) the gift! The teaching of Jesus (or the preaching about him, “testimony ...”, v. 8) and of Paul’s servitude (“prisoner”) are not shameful; rather Timothy should emulate Paul in suffering for spreading the good news (“the gospel”). Our godly “calling” (v. 9) is based on God’s plan and his gift of love (“grace”). Grace, in Jesus’ becoming human, was part of the plan since “before” God’s creative act. In his “appearing” (v. 10, in taking on human form) Christ brought eternal life (“abolished death ... immortality”). The body of faith (Christian doctrine) has been entrusted to Paul until “that day” (v. 12) when Christ comes again. So, Timothy, faithfully hand on the valuable teachings you have received from me, with the help of the “Holy Spirit” (v. 14), which is present and active in us.

2:1-2: “my child ... faithful people ... others”: It is possible to see three generations here, so perhaps the parousia (the second coming of Christ) is now known to be delayed. See also 1 Clement 42, 44. [ NJBC]

2:2: “through many witnesses”: In the presence of is also a possible translation. Timothy’s ordination may be in view: the author writes in 1:6: “I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands”. See also 1 Timothy 1:18; 4:14 but consider also Deuteronomy 19:15 (the requirement for at least two witnesses). [ NJBC] On the other hand, through many witnesses may mean that Timothy learned from Paul and what he learnt has been confirmed by many.

2:2: “entrust”: 1 Timothy 6:20 says “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you”.

2:2: Timothy’s function is to hand on apostolic teaching: see also 1:8; 2:15 (“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him ... rightly explaining the word of truth”), 24-25. [ CAB]

2:3-6: All of the illustrations make the same point: hold nothing back from your work. They are used by Paul in 1 Corinthians in a somewhat different sense: see 1 Corinthians 9:7, 24-27. These examples are often found in Greek philosophical tradition. [ NJBC]

2:3-4: Paul uses a military image in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (“... we do not wage war according to human standards ...”) and Philemon 2 (“to Archippus our fellow soldier”). [ CAB]

2:5: 4:8 says: “From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing”. See also 1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12. [ CAB]

2:8: “Remember”: See also 1:4-6 (“Recalling your tears ... I am reminded of your sincere faith ... For this reason I remind you ...”) and 3:14-15. [ CAB]

2:8: “descendant of David”: In Romans 1:3-4, Paul writes that Jesus “was descended from David according to the flesh”. [ CAB] Curiously, Christ’s resurrection is mentioned before his birth. [ NJBC]

2:8: “that is my gospel”: i.e. Paul taught this. See also Romans 1:1; 2:16 (“according to my gospel”); 16:25. Curiously, Christ’s death is mentioned before his birth. [ NJBC]

2:9-10: NJBC says that there is no thought in the Pastoral Epistles of other apostles who would act were Paul’s work impeded.

2:9: “the word of God is not chained”: In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul says that his imprisonment has made many Christians “confident in the Lord” so that they now “dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear”. [ NOAB]

2:11-13: 1 Timothy 3:16 says: “Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory”. See also 1 Timothy 6:15-16. [ JBC]

2:11: “sure”: i.e. reliable. Titus 3:8 also says “The saying is sure”. [ NJBC]

2:11: “we will also live with him”: In Romans 6:8, Paul writes “... if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him”. See also Colossians 2:12, 20; 3:1. [ CAB]

2:12: Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:8: “... Quite apart from us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we might be kings with you!”. Revelation 3:21 says: “To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne”. [ CAB]

2:12: “if we deny him”: In Luke 12:9, Jesus says “‘whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God’”. In Matthew 10:33, he says: “whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven”. See also Mark 8:38. [ NOAB] [ JBC]

2:13: “he remains faithful”: In Romans 3:3-8, Paul writes: “What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written, "So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging ...”. See also Romans 11:29-32. [ JBC]

2:14-3:9: This section focuses on the negative behaviour of the false teachers and how Timothy should act in view of it. [ CAB]

2:14-26: Each of the sections (vv. 14-15, 16-21, 22, 23-26) points out actions to be avoided and urges, either directly or by implication, the contrary correct behaviour. [ NJBC]

2:14: The function of Timothy's office is to safeguard the tradition, to pass it on, and to admonish when others do not abide by it. In 3:14, he is counselled to “continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it”. See also 4:2. [ CAB]

2:14: “wrangling over words”: According to 1 Timothy 6:4-5, a characteristic activity of false teachers. [ CAB]

2:15: “rightly explaining the word of truth”: See also 1:8; 2:2, 24-25; 3:14; 4:2; 1 Timothy 6:20. [ CAB] NJBC offers guiding the word of truth aright, and says that the image is of cutting a straight line or hewing out a straight path for the word.

2:16: “profane chatter”: In 1 Timothy 6:20, Timothy is advised to “ avoid the profane chatter”. [ CAB]

2:16: “impiety”: The opposite of piety (Greek: eusebia ), a virtue often praised by the author: see Titus 1:1 (where eusebia is translated as “godliness”). [ NJBC]

2:17: “Hymenaeus”: In 1 Timothy 1:20, he is paired with Alexander. [ NJBC] Here he is still part of the community but there he has been “turned over to Satan”, expelled. [ CAB]

2:18: “the resurrection has already taken place”: In Acts of Paul and Thecla 14, a different pair of opponents of Paul, Demas (see 2 Timothy 4:10) and Hermogenes (see 2 Timothy 1:15) teach that the resurrection, which Paul says is to come, has already taken place in the children we have, and that we are risen again (already) because we have come to know the true God. Their teaching is that resurrection is purely spiritual: they deny the future bodily resurrection and glorification, restricting resurrection to the mystical experience in baptism or conversion. [ NJBC]

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:12: “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?”. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 says “As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here”. It seems that this misunderstanding predates the Pastoral Epistles.

2:19-20: The language is from 1 Corinthians 3:10-12 and Romans 9:19-24 (“... Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use? ...”). The image of God as the potter is also found in Jeremiah 18:1-11 and Wisdom of Solomon 15:7. [ CAB] [ NJBC]

2:19: “God’s firm foundation”: 1 Corinthians 3:10-12 identifies the foundation of the Church as Christ; Ephesians 2:20 sees it as “the apostles and prophets”, with Christ as its “cornerstone”. Here it is probably God’s true revelation. [ NJBC]

2:19: “inscription”: NJBC offers seal. Two texts serve as a seal or distinguishing mark upon this “firm foundation”.

2:19: “‘The Lord knows those who are his’”: The quotation is from Numbers 16:5. To NOAB, the notion here is predestination. The quotation is from the account of God’s destruction of Korah and other opponents of Moses. God knows who are his own, and destroys those who are not! [ NJBC]

2:19: “‘Let everyone who calls ...’”: This may be a combination of Sirach 35:3 (or 7:2) with Leviticus 24:16. It warns true believers to shun wrongdoing. [ NJBC]

2:20-21: Although the Church is a mixed body containing both valuable and ignoble members (the various “utensils”), the ignoble, through cleansing, can become valuable. [ NJBC]

2:20: “In a large house”: Such as the church is. [ NOAB]

2:21: ” ready for every good work”: For the Pastoral Epistles, this is a hallmark of the true believer. Titus 1:16 speaks of those “profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work”. See also Titus 3:1; 2 Timothy 3:17. [ NJBC]

2:22: Flee passion and pursue virtue. [ NJBC]

2:22: “passions”: 4:3 foretells a time when “people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths”. See also 1 Timothy 6:9. This may be an allusion to the negative actions listed in vv. 14-16, 23. [ CAB]

2:22: “from a pure heart”: 1 Timothy 1:5 says: “But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith”. See also 1 Timothy 3:9 (“with a clear conscience”) and 2 Timothy 1:3. [ NJBC]

2:23: See also 1 Timothy 1:4, 7; 4:7; 6:4, 20. [ CAB] This verse is close in language to Titus 3:9-10, verses that refer specifically to the behaviour of false teachers: “... avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless ...”. [ NJBC]

2:25: “correcting opponents with gentleness”: Nothing is gained by becoming angry; patience and avoidance of controversy may lead some to repentance. [ NOAB]

2:25: “God may perhaps grant that they will repent ...”: NJBC offers God may give them a change of heart. Despite the hostility of the author to false teachers, he remains convinced that God “desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (see 1 Timothy 2:4).

2:26: “him ... his”: While the Greek pronouns are ambiguous as to their antecedent(s), both probably refer to “the devil”. [ NJBC]

GOSPEL: Luke 17: 5 - 10   (all)

Luke 17:5 (NRSV) The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

7 "Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, "Come here at once and take your place at the table'? 8 Would you not rather say to him, "Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'? 9 Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, "We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'"

Jesus has told his followers that

there will be times when you lose your faith, but if you cause another to do so, your fate will be worse than death! (vv. 1-2) and

if a fellow Christian sins, rebuke him; if he repents, forgive him – however often he sins and repents (vv. 3-4).

The twelve (“the apostles”, v. 5) now speak to him, asking him to give them enough faith to remain faithful. (The “mustard seed”, v. 6, is very small. The “mulberry tree” is large with an extensive root system, making it hard to uproot. It would not normally take root in the sea.) Jesus tells them that with genuine faith, however small, anything is possible. Quality of faith matters more than quantity.

Jesus now tells a parable (vv. 7-10). Slaves were expected to do their duties, and no master would absolve a slave of them, so the disciples would answer of course not! to the question in v. 7: should a slave eat before his master? The master stands for God and the slave for his people. The Greek word translated “worthless” (v. 10) means those to whom nothing is owed, to whom no favour is due, so God’s people should never presume that their obedience to God’s commands has earned them his favour. (The Revised English Bible translates v. 10b as We are servants and deserve no credit; we have only done our duty .) However, as 12:35-38 says, God will reward those who are prepared when Christ comes again.

Verse 11: “On the way to Jerusalem”: Luke’s description of Jesus’ journey towards returning to the Father begins at 9:51: “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”. Later, in 19:28, Luke writes: “After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem”. Jesus has entered a new stage in his career; he is on the last leg of his journey to God. [ CAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 11: “through the region between Samaria and Galilee”: The word translated “region” is meson (meaning middle). This verse illustrates Luke’s ignorance of the geography of Palestine. In 9:52, Jesus left Galilee and entered Samaria, so being on the way to Jerusalem, he cannot now be in Galilee. [ BlkLk] Perhaps he means an area where Jews came into contact with Samaritans.

Verse 12: In the Bible, leprosy is a skin disorder of uncertain nature. Several diseases were referred to by this name: see Leviticus 13:1-59; Numbers 5:1-4. Matthew 8:2 tells of a single leper coming to Jesus and saying: “‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean’”. [ NOAB]

Verse 13: “Master”: Peter calls Jesus “Master” in 5:5; 8:45; 9:33. In v. 6, Jesus has told his disciples: if you had the slightest faith (faith the size of a mustard seed), you could work miracles.

Verse 14: “‘Go and show yourselves to the priests”: Leviticus 13:2-3 commands: “When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a leprous disease on the skin of his body, he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. The priest shall examine the disease on the skin of his body, and if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous disease; after the priest has examined him he shall pronounce him ceremonially unclean”. See also Leviticus 13:49 and 14:2-32.

Verse 15: “saw”: i.e. understood what had happened. Not only does he see that he is healed; he sees too that he has found God and his salvation. He is converted. [ NJBC]

Verse 15: “praising God”: Luke’s favourite response to manifestation of divine power and mercy. See also 2:20 (the shepherds); 5:25 (a paralytic), 26 (the crowd); 7:16 (at the raising of the widow’s son); 13:13 (a woman who had been crippled); 18:43 (a blind beggar); 23:47 (the centurion at the Cross); Acts 4:21; 21:20. The Samaritan praises God for what Jesus, God’s agent, has done. [ NJBC]

Verse 16: “thanked him”: The word used for thank has connotations of proclaiming God’s forgiveness. While the word in the Greek is eucharistein, it appears that it has not yet acquired an exclusively liturgical connotation. It also occurs in a non-*eucharistic sense in John 11:41, and frequently in the Pauline epistles. [ BlkLk]

Verse 16: “Samaritan”: On the role of Samaritans in Luke/Acts, see also Luke 9:51-55 (the people of a Samaritan village “did not receive” Jesus); 10:33 (the Good Samaritan); Acts 8:4-25 (Philip proclaims the good news in Samaria). To Jews, Samaritans were considered unclean and were despised, both because of their ancestry (they had mixed blood, being the descendants of Jews left behind during the Exile and of Gentiles whom the Assyrians resettled in Israel) and because they had their own temple and a variant version of the Scriptures. [ NJBC]

Verse 17: “the other nine”: Presumably they were Jews. [ NOAB]

Verse 18: In 7:2-10, we read of the centurion whose slave is gravely ill. He says to Jesus: “only speak the word, and let my servant be healed”. Jesus then says to the crowd following him: “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith”.

Verse 18: “foreigner”: i.e. not a member of the Jewish community. [ CAB]

Verse 19: “your faith has made you well”: The same Greek word for made well is used in Matthew 9:21-22; Mark 5:23, 28, 34; 10:52; Luke 8:36, 48, 50; 18:42. See also Mark 11:23-24. [ NOAB]

For other miracles in Luke’s travel narrative, see 11:14 (curing the dumb man) and 13:10-17 (curing the long-crippled woman). See also 14:1-6 (curing a man with edema).

What was promised in 2 Kings 5:8-19a (the healing of Naaman, the Syrian commander) and repeated in 4:27 and 7:22 has come to fulfilment in Jesus: God’s salvation is for all peoples. [ NJBC]