What does "increase our faith" mean in this passage?

When the apostles say, “Increase our faith,” they are admitting they feel too weak to live out what Jesus is asking, especially forgiving others again and again and facing temptations. They know they cannot do this in their own strength, so they ask Jesus to give them more faith. This shows that faith is not something we work up by ourselves. It is something God gives and grows. Their request is a simple, honest prayer that many believers still need: asking God to help them trust him more in daily obedience.

What does faith "as a grain of mustard seed" mean here?

Faith “as a grain of mustard seed” means even a very small, seemingly tiny amount of true faith in God is powerful, not because of us, but because of the God we trust. Jesus uses the picture of telling a deep-rooted sycamine tree to be planted in the sea to show that real faith can face things that look impossible. He is not mainly teaching us to move trees, but to see that no command he gives is too hard when we depend on him, even if our faith feels little.

Why does Jesus talk about a servant coming in from the field?

Jesus uses the picture of a servant who has worked all day plowing or tending animals, then comes in and still has to serve his master at the table. The master does not thank him as if he has done something extra, because the servant is simply doing his job. This picture teaches that God has full right over our lives. All our effort and obedience are what we already owe him. So we should not think that our work for God earns special credit or puts God in our debt.

What does it mean to say, "We are unprofitable servants"?

Saying “We are unprofitable servants” means we admit that even when we have done everything God commands, we have only done our duty. We have not given God anything that was not already his. Our life, strength, time, and gifts all belong to him. So our obedience does not make God owe us. Any “reward” he gives comes from his kindness, not from our merit. This keeps us from pride and self-righteousness and helps us serve with humility and gratitude instead of boasting.

How does this passage correct pride and self-righteousness?

This passage cuts down pride by reminding us that faith itself is a gift and that our service never puts God in our debt. We often want to feel we have earned something from God by our prayers, giving, or good works. Jesus shows that we are like servants who already owe everything to their master. Even perfect obedience, if we could reach it, would still be only duty. Remembering this helps us rely on God’s grace instead of our performance, and keeps us from looking down on others.

What does the sycamine tree picture teach about faith and obedience?

The sycamine tree was known for strong, deep roots, so it was hard to remove. Jesus says that with faith like a mustard seed, they could tell such a tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea and it would obey. This picture joins with his earlier teaching on hard commands like repeated forgiveness. It shows that nothing he calls us to is too deep-rooted or difficult when we trust God. Faith is not about showy miracles only, but about relying on God to obey him in all things.

How should believers apply the idea of "we have done that which was our duty"?

Believers can apply this by seeing every act of obedience, big or small, as simply part of what they owe to God as their Creator and Lord. Instead of serving to gain praise, they serve because they belong to him. This checks pride when they do well and cuts off despair when they feel unnoticed, because God sees, but they do not need to bargain with him. It encourages steady, lifelong service: praying, loving others, forgiving, and doing good, knowing it is their rightful duty.

What does this passage teach about God’s rewards for our works?

This passage shows that if God rewards our works, it is because he is gracious, not because we have earned payment from him. By nature, he owes us nothing, since we already owe him our whole life. The picture of the servant reminds us that even the hardest day of obedience gives God only what is rightfully his. Still, elsewhere God promises reward for obedience. We should see those rewards as free kindness, not wages we can demand. This turns any reward into a reason for deeper thankfulness, not pride.

Luke.17.5

Luke 17:5

KJV

And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

The Power of Faith

5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

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 shalt eat and drink?

Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

So 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.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.