Luke 17:18

οὐχ εὑρέθησαν. Ingratitude is one of the most universal and deeply seated of human vices, and our Lord was perfectly familiar with it. But in this instance He was moved by the depth of this thanklessness in so many recipients of so blessed a favour. Hence His sorrowful amazement. He felt as if all His benefits “were falling into a deep silent grave.”

“Blow, blow, thou winter wind;
Thou art not so unkind

As man’s ingratitude.”

ἀλλογενής. ‘Alien,’ 2 Kings 17:24. See on Luke 10:33. The word is from the LXX[308] (Leviticus 22:10). The classic equivalents are ἀλλοεθνής, ἀλλόφυλος. Josephus says that the Samaritans eagerly called themselves ἀλλοεθνεῖς when they wanted to disclaim a consanguinity which might be perilous (Antt. IX. 14, § 3): but it is almost impossible to suppose that Samaria was swept clean of every inhabitant, and the ethnographical and other affinities of the Samaritans to the Jews seem to shew some mixture of blood, which they themselves claimed at other times (Jos. Antt. XI. 8, § 6; John 4:12).

[308] LXX. Septuagint.