Posts
Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."
And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted on the sea,' and it would obey you.
"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"
- Luke 17:1-10
In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave a parable: "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to them, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"
Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." My study bible explains that little ones means "small children or those of humble status who are unable to defend themselves, but are under God's care." Jesus has just finished telling the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This was to the Pharisees, and it is all about the values with which we look at the world, and therefore one another. These "real treasures" of the Kingdom, the values He teaches, will be necessary in the age to come. But here He's speaking to the disciples -- yet the topic remains the same, and it is all about their administration of His Church, and practice within the Church.
"Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." My study bible says of this passage, "Christians are to practice unlimited forgiveness." I think it's important that we note the pattern: we're to speak out when something has gone amiss. But this is for the purpose of repentance, and peace between us! Therefore "unlimited forgiveness" is possible through real dialogue and truth. Note the responsibility for both sides!
And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" It's a hard saying! The apostles now ask for greater faith. My study bible tells us, "Although faith is a gift from God, it can increase in strength and wisdom by God's grace and human willingness." I think it's interesting that Luke now tells us this was the request of the apostles, those who are sent out on a mission of the Kingdom to the world.
So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted on the sea,' and it would obey you." My study bible says here that "Jesus uses a deliberate exaggeration to emphasize the strength of genuine faith."
"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'" This is a compelling teaching, giving us an example of what we are called on to do with our lives. He's speaking, we remember, to the apostles. He's telling them to ask more from themselves, and that more will be asked of them. It's also a teaching on humility; we remember that these men will go on to be the founders and bishops of the Church. But the example is for each of us.
Today's reading is all about the responsibility within the Church, as members of Christ's body, our duties and responsibilities to one another, through our responsibility to Him. In other words, He's making it clear that all His teachings here are commandments. The apostles respond with real power to teach us when they ask for their faith to be increased; actually, here, it's quite a demand! The language implies that they wish their faith to be added unto. Because Christ is teaching them now about responsibility, and the constant need to practice these commandments, it's a greater faith that helps them to fulfill what is being asked of them. This isn't a one-time agreement but a constant practice. And, He's teaching them that as His true servants, more will be added unto them. That is, more responsibility, more discipline, and more commandments. The life of a Christian therefore is to be one of constant growth and challenges. As God teaches so God expects of us great things, and teaches us our true capacities as His servants. Therefore the teaching in the last verse plays itself out in our lives, if we are truly devoted disciples. Our attitude is really about taking on the commands of our true Master, the One to whom we're devoted. We remember these men are to be the leaders and founders of the Church, but I believe the example is to us all. Constant forgiveness, in Jesus' rather simply put and eloquent expression here, is a matter of awareness and responsibility; it is a pattern for real dialogue and truth between people, as well as owning up to our own mistakes. We're also responsible for correction! Let us consider then, what kind of truth He teaches. We remember from Matthew's Gospel that Jesus likened name-calling and insults to the Law against murder; abuse is never countenanced. But real dialogue is our responsibility, truth and self-awareness as well are our responsibility, a kind of mutual correction system is advocated here, which He also teaches in Matthew's Gospel. Let us remember our responsibility as His servants, and the challenge He puts before us. It is His full confidence in us, that we are capable of so much more than we know. It is His trust in us as well, that we are responsible to bear His Kingdom into this world -- and that there is so much more that we are capable of performing as His servants than we can know. We ask, like the apostles, "Increase our faith!" Thereby, our capacities grow, with His help!
