Study Bible
Luke
Chapter 17

Quality of faith

Luke 17:5-6Luke: List of Major Bible Charts, Maps, & PicturesJesus' Journey to JerusalemJesus' Teaching on Money and ServiceAn issue of authority

Quality of faith

Luke 17:5-6 (cf. Matt 17:20) involves a request by the disciples for faith. Jesus' reply pointed out that what is needed is not a "quantity" of faith but a "quality" of faith. Even the smallest amount of true faith - a mustard seed's amount - could do amazing things. Hendriksen says:

. . . this probably means, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, and if you would constantly put it into practice, you would say to this mulberry tree," etc. In other words, no task assigned by the Lord, including even causing a mulberry tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea, would be impossible for you to accomplish, as long as you remain in trustful contact with God.
Thus also a mustard seed, be it ever so small, because of its vital and uninterrupted contact with its nourishing environment, grows and grows until it becomes a tree so tall that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches. Cf. Matt. 17:20.

Luke 17:5

The apostles understood that Jesus's calling (vv. 3-4) was difficult. Therefore, they asked for greater faith. Only by trusting God, can we overcome our own sin and forgive others. We can ask for faith because faith is a gift (Eph. 2:8; see John 3:3; Rom. 8:7-8).

Luke 17:6

mustard seed. See note 13:18-19. mulberry tree. Uprooting and casting into the sea any tree would be a miraculous feat! Jesus used this picture to speak about the power of God for forgiveness. faith. Jesus's responded to the disciples (v. 5) by explaining that the size of one's faith doesn't matter. It is the quality and object of one's faith that matters. By faith, God is our help. He is able to overcome our thirst for justice and longing for vengeance and enable us to forgive others completely (v. 4). This reflects Jesus's own willingness to forgive those who crucified him (23:34).

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