"Increase Our Faith" - The Hidden Treasure of Luke 17:5-19

Part 1 - The Hidden Treasure of Luke 8
Part 2 → Video Audio Download
Part 3 - Faith, Wishcraft and Figures of Speech
Part 4 - Lessons About Faith, Concealed and Revealed

In the gospel of Luke, there is a passage in the 17th chapter that complements the lessons of chapter 8. I previously introduced what I like to refer to as the Hear-Do cycle, the operative principle of the trending ways of the increasing or decreasing of our ability to hear. This can be equated to faith. There are some truths involved that are rather hidden and that are really quite profound. Most Christians believe that having "more faith" is the key to a more powerful life. The apostles did too but Jesus challenged that way of thinking, giving those who would have a hearing ear more insight into this essential in the life of a saint!

The Greek word translated, increase, is prostithemi, which has the sense of adding to what one already possesses. The Newberry Interlinear translates the request as, "Give more faith to us." To understand Jesus' response, note that, according to Mark 4:31 and Matthew 13:32, the mustard seed "is smaller than all other seeds." So, if all that's required for a rather spectacular miracle is having "faith like a grain of mustard seed," the common way of thinking about a proportional amount of faith clearly misses the point. Jesus isn't just saying no and denying their request. He's signaling the apostles that he understands what they want but that it just doesn't work the way they were thinking it did. He's confronting their error and correcting their doctrine, offering a valuable insight into how to get what they really need.

Now, when Jesus says that, "you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you," he points to the exercise of authority. The one with authority gives a command and the one under their authority must naturally obey. Jesus's initial response to their request is a lesson about relative authority.

Jesus continues to instruct them with a hypothetical example by referencing the protocol for a master commanding a servant.

Jesus concludes this lesson with a key observation. When a command is given and the servant has obeyed, the minimum requirement has been met. The servant has done their duty. Their obligation was fulfilled to the satisfaction of the master. For this service, the servant is due the acceptable benefit for their service, perhaps some level of provision of care and protection. The master has no obligation to give his servant anything in excess of their customary due, which includes thanking them. With verse 10, Jesus informs his apostles that they are like the hypothetical servants. He himself is their master, of course. If their service is limited to the strict performance of duty, no increase is merited. When Jesus indicates that they who have done all they were commanded are "unworthy" servants, he means they are unworthy of receiving any extra benefit. If the apostles want their "faith increased," which is to say, to gain authority in the spiritual realm, they must go beyond duty! This usually means taking initiative in ways that honor the Master's desires and purposes like a trusted friend.

The practical reality is such that some servants are better than others. If a servant is untrustworthy, lazy, or apathetic, they deserve less than those who can be trusted to faithfully perform their duties. A servant who excels in the accomplishment of their assigned duties and consistently exceeds the master's expectation merits more consideration. If one merits more, this doesn't require a master to give more by way of obligation. However, if we accept what's clearly implied in verse 10, an increase will be granted in some commensurate form. For an earthly servant, compensation on the basis of merit might come in the way of a pay raise, better wardrobe, better accommodations, or a promotion in rank. For those who serve our Master and Lord Jesus Christ, the benefit will manifest as an increase in relative authority in the spiritual realm. I believe that, when one of the Lord's servants does what is worthy of that, it's even attended by the Lord's personal expression of approval, perhaps even gratitude! How awesome is that!

The Healing of the Lepers, The Nine and the One

The lesson seems to be over when the narrative turns to present an account of the healing of ten lepers.

According to the requirement of the law set forth in the 14th chapter of Leviticus, the priests were required to perform special sacrifices for and with lepers who were healed. The lepers understood that the promise of their healing was implicit with the command to go show themselves to the priests.

What great feat had this one leper performed to be acknowledged and recognized for his faith? He left the other nine, turning back, praising God with a loud voice! He fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks!

Some might argue that this one leper actually disobeyed by not going directly to the priests. The leper was a Samaritan, and I'm not really sure what kind of provision he would have had, but it's reasonable to think that he would have gone to the priests (Levitical or some cultural equivalent) after leaving the scene. But here's something more significant. Considering that Jesus is the ultimate High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16 and 7:17), and the leper turned back and fell on his face at Jesus' feet, well, the one responded better than the nine!

While that encounter with the lepers may seem unrelated to the preceding lesson, it's actually a vivid demonstration!

According to what was expressly implied in verse 10, one leper went beyond duty. The other nine were doing all that they were commanded but they merely performed their duty, so we must see them as unworthy servants, meaning unworthy of additional benefit. But as for the leper who went beyond duty, he merited an increase and received it! While the nine were called out for failing to return and give thanks, the one who did was acknowledged, recognized, and acclaimed for doing so. If you don't think that's a big deal, look around at what people are doing for a similar reward. While all ten lepers were cleansed (v 14), which equates to being healed (v 15), only the Samaritan leper is said to have been made well. "Your faith has made you well," Jesus said. (Using a figure of speech, as noted in a subsequent study in this series.) To be made well is perhaps another bonus of sorts!

What the Samaritan leper did should well be noted! His going beyond duty was more than just his action of turning back and falling on his face at Jesus' feet. He praised God with a loud voice! And, when he had fallen on his face at Jesus' feet, he gave him thanks! Sincere expressions of praise and thanksgiving count!

Other observations can be made that reveal the connection between the encounter with the lepers in Luke 17:11-19 and the lesson of verses 5-10. Compare how commands are given and then obeyed with dramatic results. In verse 6, the hypothetical command is given to the mulberry tree and, like a servant, it obeys. Meaning, It would be uprooted and planted in the sea! In verse 14, the command is given to the ten lepers and, like servants, they obey. They are cleansed!

It seems likely to me that the apostles were still contemplating the Lord's response to their request as this encounter with the lepers unfolded in their midst. When Jesus remarked about the Samaritan leper's faith, I can imagine that the apostles might have looked at each other and said, "Ahhhhhhhh! Now we get it!"

You might ask why the Bible doesn't just add some narrative to explain things more fully instead of leaving it up to us to infer what is of such exceptional value? This matter of concealing and revealing serves the Lord's purposes, as you may recall from earlier in this study.

Does the Lord choose some but not others for receiving such a treasure? Certainly, and He is entirely justified in doing so. See scriptures like Romans 9 and 2 Timothy 2:20-21. So, while it is true that we have no degree of influence in some matters, in others, we do, and we will quite fairly be required to give an account for our stewardship. This is why we're given instruction and examples to follow for direction and inspiration and why we're encouraged to persevere!

When we read in Luke 17:16 that the one leper was a Samaritan, we should recognize that a point is made about the value of cultural status and privilege. The Samaritans were generally considered by the Jews to be like dogs, a far lesser class of merely "wannabe" chosen people. The one leper was given honor even though he lacked the pedigree or privileged status that might have qualified him in the minds of many. The Lord was and is no "respecter of persons" in that regard. He sees us not as others do. His judgment is righteous.

I don't want to skip lightly over the value of simple obedience. When it comes to the topic of the performance of one's duty, we're dealing squarely with the subject of obedience and therefore with love!

There is that as a foundation! And, there is the matter of passion and zeal!

Note well the conditions that the blessings are subject to.

No - REALLY!

The Literary Design Illustrates the Connection

It should already be pretty well established in your mind that that the encounter with the lepers followed the lesson as a demonstration of the principles taught. But to give the message further emphasis and perhaps add some inspiration, let's consider how the literary design of the text beautifully illustrates the connection between Jesus' lesson and its demonstration!

In the seeking of wisdom and understanding in my study of the biblical text, I am at times led to employ one of the special tools at my disposal. The tool isn't one that you'll commonly find on the shelf in a pastor's office. It has to do with a way of peering deeply into a little known feature of the Bible. Because the biblical text is highly ordered in its linguistic construction, the patterns that exist can be discovered and analyzed to yield up some surprising insights.

Here's the featured version, presented in an interactive format. Explore it by hovering your mouse over (or tapping on) the various lines of text and the bars spanning the lines and considering the highlighted pairings.

If you can appreciate a technical yet simple description of the structure, this version presents verses 5-10 as a 3+3 chiasm and verses 11-19 as a 5+5 chiasm. In both parts, the central pairings at the pivot are the only ones that subdivide, exhibiting 2+2 parallelism.

You will notice that comment windows pop up when you click (or tap on) the colored bars. The comment embedded in the bar spanning verses 5-10 has this to say. "In this version of the structure of Luke 17:5-19, we find paired chiasms."

I consider them paired because of their matching constructions. And, if you look at this in a brighter light, so to speak, there's a correspondence in meaning.

"There is a profound sense in which what appears in verses 5-10 is repeated in 11-19. This is all regarding the question asked by the apostles and the Lord's response to it. Consider the first section as theory and the second as its practical demonstration."

There's another comment embedded in the bar spanning verses 5-7. "A kind of structure that I've rarely (if ever) seen has a very important role to play in this passage. The rarity captures our attention and gives special emphasis. This rare form appears not once but twice in this passage! The point made is that the two parts are meant to be compared. This affirms my insight about the connection, that the lesson about faith and the servant's duty is demonstrated by the encounter with the lepers!"

"The rarity involves the way the parallelism is placed at the pivot of a chiasm. I could go on at length and offer a description using the familiar labeling of constructions like ABCab C'a'b'B'A'. But here's another approach. When I present a 2+2 parallelism, it's my custom to use 3 bars to visually group them. One bar spans all 4 lines. In a column just to the right of that, one bar will span the first 2 lines and another will span the last 2. This is almost always the case when the 4 lines are consecutive. (When they're not consecutive, which isn't that uncommon, there is, of course, no single bar that's going to span just those 4 lines.) Are you following me? The 2+2 parallelism of verses 7 and 8 spans 4 consecutive lines but it's not suitable to span them with a bar because they are at the pivot of a chiasm. The same situation applies for the lines of verses 15b-16b. Think about it. The Author makes His point well!"

In addition this version, I've worked out and published another that presents verses 5-10 as a 2+2 chiasm and verses 11-19 as a 4+4 parallelism. You can explore that interactive presentation in the same way and judge for yourself as to its legitimacy, whether it's a faithful representation of the thematic structure. Both versions can be found here: Luke 17:5-19: Two Inspiring Versions!

Part 1 - The Hidden Treasure of Luke 8
Part 2 → Video Audio Download
Part 3 - Faith, Wishcraft and Figures of Speech
Part 4 - Lessons About Faith, Concealed and Revealed

In reflection upon Luke 17:5-19, we found that the apostles had asked Jesus to increase or add more faith to what they already had. But faith doesn't work that way. This has to do with wielding authority in the spiritual realm, and that which may be given must be earned through meritorious service. The strict performance of duty merits no thanks, recognition or additional benefit but service that goes beyond duty does, and sincere expressions of praise and thanksgiving count!

In closing, I pray that this study will help you become more able and more willing to please the Lord and that you will become a more fruitful laborer in the Lord's harvest field in these last days - bringing glory and praise and honor to Him!