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7But which of you, having a servant ploughing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by [immediately], when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat 8[recline at table]? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou 9shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that [the] servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 10So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
Unto His disciples.—Comp. 16:1. Doubtless to be distinguished from the ἀðüóôïëïé , Luk_17:5, since now it is rather in part publicans only lately converted, Luk_15:1, who for this reason are named, as being yet weak in faith, ìéêñïß , Luk_17:2.
Offences.—Perhaps with definite reference to what had just taken place, Luk_16:14. ÓêÜíäáëïí , in the sense here meant, is that which the sincere disciple of the Lord with reason stumbles at, because it is dishonorable to the Lord and harmful to the church. The non-occurrence of these scandals is ἀíÝíäåêôïí , disadvantageous or impossible, ïὐê ἐíäÝ÷åôáé , non usu venit, Luk_13:33. It is of course understood that the Saviour speaks not of an absolute but of a relative necessity, proceeding from the sinful state of the world. But although the case is now by no means to be altered, yet this lessens not the responsibility of him who induces the coming and increase of the óêÜíäáëá .
Luk_17:2. It were better for him.—The Perfects indicate that the Saviour will describe the condition of a man, around whose neck the millstone has been already hung, and who has been already drowned. He finds this fate, terrible as it is, yet still more desirable than if he were yet in life, in order ( ἵíá ) to give offence.—A millstone, ëßè . ìõëéêüò , so must we doubtless read with Lachmann, Tischendorf, a. o., instead of ìýëïò ὀíéêüò , which appears to be taken from the Recepta, Mat_18:6. The signification of the imagery is in both cases the same, only it must be remarked that here not only a simple drowning, but at the same time a sinking into the deepest abyss of hell, whose image the sea is, is meant Comp. further Lange on Mat_18:6.
Luk_17:3. Take heed to yourselves.—According to the connection, “Take heed especially of the giving scandals, against which such heavy punishments are threatened.” Just such scandals they would give, if they were lacking in forgiving love. The Saviour foresees that, notwithstanding His endeavors to speak a word for the publicans, the chasm between these and the proud Pharisees will still continue. Therefore His new disciples must exhibit more than common love, if the friction with the others is not to be renewed every moment, and for this reason He now gives to them also the precept which He, according to Mat_18:21-22, had previously already given in another form to Peter. If they were of one accord among themselves, and willing to forgive, then it could not be hard for them to take many a stone of stumbling out of the way even of their enemies.
Luk_17:3. If thy brother.—From the whole connection it appears that the Saviour is not speaking of sins in general, but particularly of such as one brother commits in intercourse with another. For this case He ordains no judicial rebuke, but a milder brotherly admonition ( ἐðéôßìçóïí ), a helping him to come right and to amend himself, in all long-suffering of love. Comp. 1Th_5:14. If such correction brings him to humble acknowledgment of fault, forgiveness must not then be withheld, even if the trespass had already been six times repeated. If the Saviour here speaks only of a sevenfold trespass, He means essentially nothing else than when He spoke at another time of seventy times seven, and expresses therefore here also the qualitative infinity of forgiving love, in a symbolical number. But there prevails here greater moderation in the form of His saying, because He will not, by a seemingly overstrained requirement, repel and offend the ìéêñïß , to whom He speaks. It is moreover worth while to compare the precept which He here gives for private intercourse, with that which He ordained for the exercise of discipline in the church, Mat_18:15-18. To the individual brother, there is not permitted what at last may be allowed to the church, namely, to put one out as a publican and heathen. The forgiveness must be repeated as often as even the least trace of repentance is shown.
Luk_17:5. And the Apostles.—No wonder that in hearing such requirements of the Saviour, which really first of all concern themselves, the apostles feel a pressing necessity of inward strengthening, and with shame acknowledge how much they were yet lacking in that higher principle which could alone enable them in the severe conflict with flesh and blood really to gain the victory. As one man they utter the prayer for increase of faith; and it is noticeable how those who at other times could be so wretchedly divided by pride and emulation, now agree in so amiable a manner in this humble supplication, “really the sole example of such common so designated address in the Gospels,” Stier. As often, Luke here names Jesus emphatically The Lord, comp. Luk_7:31; Luk_22:61, et alic. in order to bring into view in what light He stood before the eyes of His apostles, when they felt themselves constrained to address themselves to Him with this supplication.
Increase our faith.—Literally, “Add faith to us,” ðñüóèåò ἡìῖí ðßóôéí . With thankfulness they feel that they are not wholly lacking in faith, but at the same time they humbly consider that the intensive power of their faith is not yet great enough to enable them for such a work as was proposed to them, Luk_17:3-4. To understand here especially the faith of miracles (Kuinoel, a. o.), is entirely arbitrary. The Saviour’s answer also by no means requires this. It was something higher than external wonders; it was a victory over themselves that had just been spoken of, a triumph of love that could only be the fruit of an augmented faith. Whether they with this prayer desire a direct immediate strengthening of faith, is hard to state, but certain it is that the Saviour grants immediately a direct hearing to their prayer, and strengthens their faith, inasmuch as He gives them to hear first the word of encouragement (Luk_17:6), then afterwards also a word of humiliation (Luk_17:7-10).
Luk_17:6. If ye had faith.—The Saviour does not deny that they had any faith, but only gives them to feel how far they are removed from faith in the highest ideal sense, which alone can make them capable of fulfilling His own so strict requirement. How much faith accomplishes in the spiritual world, He indicates to them by pointing them to what alterations faith, when it is really necessary, brings forth in the natural world.—To this sycamine tree, äåéêôéêῶò . Perhaps a proof that this address was delivered in the open air, while the Saviour was continuing His journey. By a strong personification, the fig-tree is represented as a rational being which is capable of understanding such a command of faith, and obeying it. The óõêÜìéíïò , a tree frequently met with in Palestine. Comp. De Wette, Archäol., § 83. Perhaps, however, here the óõêïìïñÝá , Luk_19:4, is meant, which, like our oak, has a sturdy trunk and strong branches, deep and powerful roots, so that it is in a certain sense something as great to command such a tree, as to command a mountain: ἐêñéæþèçôé . Nay, the Saviour here expresses Himself still more strongly than in the parallel passage, Mat_17:20, since the tree is not to sink itself, but actually to plant itself in the sea, where an ordinary tree can neither take root nor grow; and there is therefore a plain intimation, that often that which according to the ordinary laws of nature is entirely impossible, may in a higher order of things, in which faith has the dominion, come immediately to pass. As to the question how far we may expect a literal fulfilment of such promises, without falling into absurdities, Stier deserves to be compared on Mat_17:20.
Luk_17:7. But which of you.—The old complaint of lack of connection with what precedes (De Wette), is, with an attentive psychological exegesis, sufficiently disposed of. The Saviour could not have known His disciples, if He had not at once considered that even the bare prospect of the accomplishment of so great deeds was capable of making them immediately again selfish and haughty. He therefore, without delay, calls their attention to the truth, that even if faith strengthened them to the highest deeds they on their part could never talk of a special merit. The parable of the Ploughing Servant, also, may have been occasioned by the view of one laboring at the plough, under the eyes of the Saviour and the Twelve, and the question: which of you, is the less incongruous, since at least the sons of Zebedee belonged to a class above the lowest, and might therefore well have äïῦëïé , comp. Mar_1:20.
A servant ploughing or feeding cattle.—Two kinds of work are mentioned, in order definitely to designate the apostolical labor to which they should afterwards be called, and that on its more difficult as well as on its easier side. By the servant, äïῦëïò , we are not to understand a ìßóèéïò , but a serf, who was entirely dependent on His lord, and was most strictly bound to do in blind obedience what was imposed upon him, “Quid magni facit ad arandum positus, si arat; ad pascendum, si pascit?” Grotius.
When he is come.— ÅὐèÝùò is not to be connected with ἐñåῖ (De Wette, a. o.), but with ðáñåëèþí (Stier, Meyer), as appears evident from the antithesis ìåôὰ ôáῦôá in the following verse. The work must be indefatigably accomplished. Rest follows afterwards, and there is no need of hurrying for that. When the work on the field is accomplished the domestic labor must then be performed, before one can be seated, and the master’s meal of course precedes that of the servant. The slave must be content to remain girded till the lord has at his leisure finished eating and drinking.— ÐåñéæùóÜìåíïò , a figurative mode of speech taken from the long garments of the Orientals, which they had to lay aside or gird up, if they wished to journey or to do any work.
Luk_17:9. Doth he thank that servant?—A question of holy irony, by which the Saviour does not precisely mean to approve the fact, that so many acts of service in daily life are performed without even a word of thanks, but simply reminds of what is continually wont to happen. On the added ïὐ äïêῶ , the stamp of originality is in our eyes too strongly impressed for us, with Lachmann and Tischendorf, to doubt its genuineness. For the interpolation there is no reason, but the omission is easy to explain. Meyer, ad loc.
Luk_17:10. So likewise ye.—The Saviour will have His disciples, even after their work is faithfully accomplished, not esteem themselves higher than such servants.—Which are commanded you.—As well in the field as in the house. Everything, even the hardest not excepted. They have even in this case, instead of expecting special thanks, to say in deep humility: we are unprofitable servants, ἀ÷ñåῖïé , not “poor, insignificant” (Rosenmüller), and as little in the unfavorable sense in which this word is used, Mat_25:30, but simply such as have done nothing more than might be expected from äïῦëïé . If they had accomplished less they would have been even the cause of loss; had they accomplished more than what they were charged with, they would then have been ÷ñåῖïé ; but now they could, as ἀ÷ñåῖïé , expect, it is true, the food and drink which was the servant’s portion after his day’s work was done, but no reward such as was conceded only to an extraordinary service. The Saviour does not demand that His people shall despise and reprobate themselves; He says still less that He Himself is disposed to view them as unprofitable servants; He disputes least of all that a rich reward awaits them, such as He had promised, Luk_12:31; but here only every meritum e condigno is denied, and they are expressly reminded that whatever reward they may at any time receive, it is always a reward of grace, which they are in no case to demand. How very especially this instruction was adapted to the case of the Twelve, and how their faith would increase in the measure in which humility grew in their hearts, they have perhaps even at once felt, and certainly afterwards experienced.
2. It is remarkable how, in this didactic discourse of the Saviour, the direction to exercise forgiving love and that to practise unfeigned humility are connected with one another by the prayer for increase of faith. In order to be able to exhibit love, faith must first exist, but in order for us to have faith, humility must first be deeper and more grounded. It appears here, at the same time, how the Saviour strengthens the faith of His people not in a magical but in an ethical way. He leads them towards the mountain heights of a more developed life of faith, through the obscure depths of self-knowledge. “Out of the narrow place into the broad, out of the depth unto the height.”
3. The Saviour’s declaration about the transplanting of the sycamine-tree, must not be overlooked when the question, so variously answered, in respect to the possibility of a continuous gift of miracles in the church of the Lord, is discussed. Without any limitation whatever, He connects the gift of miracles with faith, and the assertion that this promise is exclusively applicable to the Twelve and their immediate successors, is purely arbitrary. The hyperbolical form of the imagery does not entitle us to deny the essence of the fact. And if history offers no perfectly attested proofs of the literal fulfilment of the promise, this comes from the fact that the greatest hindrances which faith must overcome, do not commonly show themselves in the physical, but in the ethical, sphere. It is true, so high a development of the force of faith will ever belong to the rarer facts, so long as there is yet so great lack of that humility which the Saviour here so emphatically commends.
4. The saying respecting the unprofitable servant remains a locus classicus for the main doctrine of the gospel, and of Protestantism,—the doctrine of the justification of the sinner by grace alone; and it is therefore for this reason fully in its place in the Pauline gospel of Luke. If the existence of a thesaurus supererogationis were possible, then the language which the Saviour here will put in His disciples’ mouths would only be the expression of a hypocritical humility. We may, on the other hand, evidently see that whoever refuses to call himself, in the here-indicated sense, a äïῦëïò ἀ÷ñåῖïò , makes Christ Himself a äïῦëïò ἀ÷ñåῖïò . Comp. Gal_2:21. With the assertion (J. Müller, Chr. Lehre von der Sünde, 1. p. 48) that here at least the possibility of a virtue is presupposed by which one can do more than what is commanded, since otherwise even Christ would have had to bring His holy life under the category of äïῦëïò ἀ÷ñåῖïò , we cannot agree. For Christ stood to the Father in an entirely different relation from that of servant, with whom He here puts His people on a level. Nor is there a proof for the view that here it is a limited Jewish obedience that is spoken of, which, on an evangelical position, one could raise himself far above. On the other hand it is plainly shown, that he who believes himself to be able to do more than he is under obligation to do, must have very singular notions of the ideal perfection which the law demands. As to the rest, “this commendation of humility contradicts the passage Luk_12:37 only in appearance, inasmuch as Christ at that time wished to encourage, at this time to humble.” De Wette.
5. The parable of the Ploughing Servant is even yet of special significance for the pastoral office. The Saviour here shows plainly that His disciples are to be used for different labors in His service; the one for hard ploughing—the other for quiet pasturing; that they must never be disgusted if their work in a certain sense is never ended; that all which they really need and can justly expect, even for their temporal life, will be provided for them at the suitable time; but that they, even after the most faithful labor, must forever give up the hope of their receiving a recompense as their right, which they have represented to others as a gift of grace. How much fewer would have been the desolations caused by the cancer of the spiritual pride of hierarchs and clergy, if no minister of the church had ever desired or assumed for himself another point of view than that of the Ploughing Servant.
6. This whole instruction of the Saviour is justly used to controvert the doctrine of the holiness of works in the Ap. Augsb. Conf. 3: “Hœc verba clare dicunt, quod Deus salvet per misericordiam et propter suam promissionem, non quod debeat propter dignitatem operum nostrorum. Christus damnat fiduciam nostrorum operum, arguit opera nostra, tanquam indigna. Et prœclare hic inquit Ambrosius: agnoscenda est gratia, sed ignoranda natura, promissioni gratiœ confidendum est, non naturœ nostrœ. Servi inutiles significant insufficientes, quia nemo tantum timet, tantum diligit Deum, tantum credit Deo, quantum oportuit. Nemo non videt, fiduciam nostrorum operum improbari.”
Starke:—Quesnel:—God, with whom all things are possible, could easily prevent all scandals, but He admits them for holy reasons.—Bibl. Wirt:—Take care that thou to no one, but especially to young children, give the least scandal.—Love never grows weary in forgiving.—Brentius:—Christians may well be elevated above all prosecutions for trespass, because God the Lord has in such holy wise reserved to Himself all vengeance.—Faith grows not like tares; because it has its root in God, it must also grow through God.—Zeisius:—Even weak faith is a Divine power, does miracles, saves, and is not rejected, Mar_9:24-25.—Let one examine himself whether he be in the faith, that he may not account his unbelief for a weak faith.—Nova Bibl. Tub:—It is not enough for us to begin our spiritual labor and service of God well,—we must also continue it uninterruptedly till the Lord Himself gives us our holiday.—Canstein:—A devoted and faithful servant gives his lord the honor, and concedes to him in all things of good right the preëminence.—First the work, after that the reward. The first we owe, the latter follows from grace.—Hedinger:—Away spiritual pride: where is perfection? Genuine servants of God never in their own view do enough; they would ever be glad to have done yet something more, so great is their desire to serve God and to win souls.
Heubner:—Faith is the power as for all good, so also for invincible placableness.—Prayer the means of strengthening faith, and therefore daily necessary.—It is not the chief concern that faith should be at the very beginning strong, if it is only fresh, sound, impelling.—To uproot even that which is deeply rooted and appears impossible to move, is through faith in Christ possible.—Without labor no repose, without conflict no enjoyment.—He is the worthiest who esteems himself unworthiest.—Faith bids: Ever at rest; love, faith’s daughter: Never at rest.—Arndt:—The utterance of humility in reference to the good that we have done: 1. It confesses that all good which we do is only our duty; 2. that we succeed in it only through God’s grace; 3. that it ever remains imperfect.—Lisco:—How necessary for every citizen of the kingdom humility is.
Footnotes:
Luk_17:1.— Áὑôïῦ has a decided weight of authority. See Tischendorf, ad locum.
Luk_17:4.—The more this åἰò óÝ is required by the connection, the more probable is the conjecture that, strongly as it is attested, it is an interpolation a seriore manu.
Luk_17:9.—The ἐêåßíῳ of the Recepta is lacking in A., B., D., [Cod. Sin.,] L., X, &c., and appears to be only an explicative addition.
Luk_17:9.— Áὐôῷ . The spuriousness of this word is pretty certain [only found in D., X. of the uncials], and is conceded by most of the modern critics.
[Luk_17:9.— Ïὐ äïêῶ . This sentence is not found in B., Cod. Sin., L., X., although it has 11 other uncials for it, with most of the cursives, the Vulgate, most copies of the Itala, both the Syriac versions, &c. Tischendorf retains it, Lachmann brackets it; Tregelles, Alford omit it. Meyer vindicates it, and Bleek is doubtful. Alford meets Meyer’s allegation that it might have been inadvertently left out on account of its resemblance to the following ïὕôù , by remarking that this is always written ïõôùò in the ancient MSS. if we suppose it an interpolation, it must be the marginal ejaculation of some ancient scribe at the hypothetical presentation of so preposterous an inversion of relations. But it appears more natural to take them as our Lord’s own words.—C. C. S.]