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Luk 17:10. Ὅταν ποιήσητε, when ye shall have done) The consideration of the apostles was at the time fixed too intently upon the obedience which they had heretofore rendered, especially as they saw the scandalous perversity [or the perversity which took offence (σκάνδαλον) at the Saviour] on the part of others. See ch. Luk 16:14. The Lord calls them back from the remembrance of such things [which tended to lead them to exalt themself by the comparison].-[λέγετε, say ye) We are to understand and supply the following, So your faith will become great. When the obstacles to faith have been taken out of the way, among which rashness and self-confidence easily hold the first place, faith of its own accord increases. For then the pure and unmixed grace of the Lord has unrestricted room for its exercise.-V. g.]-ὅτι) ὅτι seems twice to have the same force by Anaphora.[183]-ΔΟῦΛΟΙ ἈΧΡΕῖΟΙ, unprofitable [dispensable] servants)[184] The emphasis lies on the word servants (slaves), and every servant ought to confess himself unprofitable from the very fact that he is a servant who owes all things [to his heavenly Master], who, if he is guilty of a delinquency, deserves stripes; if he does all things required of him, he deserves nothing as a matter of debt; he ought to feel as if he had done nothing; no thanks are to be considered due to him, whose part it is not to demand aught of importance to be assigned to him as regards either trouble or reward. God can do without our usefulness (services), being Himself alone ‘good.’ Rom 11:35. [Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again], Mat 19:17. David saith, ἔσομαι ἀχρεῖος [Engl. Ver., vile], ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου καὶ μετὰ τῶν παιδισκῶν, ὧν εἶπάς με μὴ δοξασθῆναι, 2Sa 6:22, where the antithesis δοξασθῆναι follows, not without mention of servants [παιδισκῶν]. He is wretched whom the Lord calls an unprofitable servant, Mat 25:30 : Happy is he who calls himself so. As to the word ἀχρειο͂ς, see Eustathius.[185] There is a Metonymy of the consequent for the antecedent. Say ye, We are unprofitable servants; that is to say, there is no greater return of thanks due to us, than if we had done nothing: Job 9:21; Job 10:15.[186] Even the angels may call themselves unprofitable (dispensable) servants of God. And also the servant of a man may call himself an unprofitable servant, although he be profitable (serviceable) to his master. The reason is, I. The condition itself of a slave or servant [which makes service a matter of course, not something that can claim a reward]. II. In respect to God, there is to be added His own perfect blessedness. Act 17:25 [Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things]. Ἀχρεῖος is either used transitively, of one who is not profitable to another: or intransitively, of one who is of no profit to himself: and this again either of one’s own accord, as David says that he will be [in the passage quoted above, 2Sa 6:22], (not in the Hebrew, but in the Greek), or else involuntarily, as a servant or slave.-ὨΦΕΊΛΟΜΕΝ, we were bound by our duty) as servants. The emphasis rests on this word, rather than upon the word, πεποιήκαμεν, we have done.
[183] The figure by which the same word is repeated in the beginnings of sentences, clauses, etc. But ὅτι is omitted before δοῦλοι, and before ὃ ὠφέιλομεν by Lachm. AX Syr. Vulg. abc Cypr. omit the ὅτι before δοῦλοι. But BD Orig. have it. ABDLabc Vulg. Memph. Orig. 3,565c Cypr. omit the ὅτι before ὅ. Rec. Text has it without any of the oldest authorities.-E. and T.
[184] Ἀχοεῖος is not worthless or of no value; for that servant is not useless who does all that his master orders him. Ἄχρηστος is not one who does not what is commanded-one who yields no benefit-one useless. But ἀχρεῖος is one οὗ οὐκ ἔστι χρέια or χρέος, of whom there is no need, a person we can dispense with, dispensable, one to whom God the Master owes no thanks or favour. Human pride is liable to fancy that it has done God a favour by doing well. and that God could do without men’s services. See my note Mat 25:30, and Tittm. Synom.-E. and T.
[185] Mat 25:30, the servant is condemned for being ἀχοεῖος: whereas here the servant is commanded to call himself ἀχοεῖος. The reason is, because the former had been also ἄχρηστος, one who did not work and yielded no benefit, and in this sense was not wanted (ἀχρεῖος). But here he is ἀχρεῖος in the sense, not indispensable to his Lord.-E. and T.
[186] Comp. Job 35:7-8, “If thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? or what receiveth He of thine hand? Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.”-E. and T.