Today's reading is entirely devoted to describing the spiritual state of those who come into contact with the Kingdom. It is no accident that it begins by affirming human spiritual freedom. Of course, in a world lying in evil there will always be sinners, until its complete transformation, but this in no way excuses those who...
Today's reading is entirely devoted to describing the spiritual state of those who come into contact with the Kingdom. It is no accident that it begins by affirming human spiritual freedom (vv. 1–2). Of course, in a world lying in evil there will always be sinners, until its complete transformation, but this in no way excuses those who choose the path of evil and sin: each person is answerable before God for his own choice. Yet in the Kingdom a choice, like repentance for any sin, remains possible until the end of time, when the Kingdom is revealed in all its fullness. That is why Jesus commands us to forgive a brother who has sinned if he repents and asks forgiveness for what he has done (vv. 3–4).
But genuine repentance is impossible without the inner spiritual wholeness that the disciples have in mind when they ask Jesus to “increase our faith” (v. 5). In reply, Jesus not only points out what the faith of a spiritually whole person can do (v. 6), but also explains how such faith can be acquired (vv. 7–10). He compares His disciples with slaves not in order to belittle them, but to explain how a person seeking the Kingdom must regard his ministry. Just as it does not occur to a slave that by carrying out his master's command he has earned something or may lay claim to something, so a person who has fulfilled what God entrusted to him must under no circumstances think that he has deserved anything or has a right to anything. Such an attitude is evidently possible either out of having no alternative, as is usually the case with a slave who has nowhere to go and knows that he will receive no reward for his work, or out of the fullness of trust, when the relationship with God and with people is so deep that His will is fulfilled as something self-evident and a person does not even think of demanding any reward for his labour. Such relationships require a person to surrender himself completely to God's will, and if he resolves to do this, he truly acquires the spiritual wholeness that makes faith able to “move mountains.”
But what comes to the fore here is, of course, neither the possibilities that open up nor even the spiritual state in itself, but the relationship with God and with the One Whom He sends into the world. It is no accident that Jesus pays such attention to one of the people He healed, who returned to thank Him (vv. 12–19). Of course, Jesus recedes into the background here: the healing itself takes place on the way, as though without His direct participation. But perhaps He acts in this way so that those who were healed will look upon Him not as a wonder-worker, but as the One Who brought the Kingdom into the world. He leaves them free: anyone who does not wish to thank Him need not do so, and will not fall ill again. It then becomes clear that a relationship with Him mattered to only one of the ten. Ten people came into contact with the Kingdom, but only one entered it: the one to whom not only health mattered, but also the One Who brought this Kingdom into the world.
17
17:1 It is impossible but offences will come - And they ever did and do come chiefly by Pharisees, that is, men who trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others. Mat 18:6; Mar 9:42.
17:2 Little ones - Weak believers.
17:3 Take heed to yourselves - That ye neither offend others, nor be offended by others. Mat 18:15.
17:4 If he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day return, saying, I repent - That is, if he give sufficient proof that he does really repent, after having sinned ever so often, receive him just as if he had never sinned against thee.But this forgiveness is due only to real penitents. In a lower sense we are to forgive all, penitent or impenitent; (so as to bear them the sincerest good will, and to do them all the good we can;) and that not seven times only, but seventy times seven.
17:5 Lord, increase our faith - That we may thus forgive, and may neither offend nor be offended. Mat 17:20.
17:6 And he said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed - If ye had the least measure of true faith, no instance of duty would be too hard for you. Ye would say to this sycamine tree - This seems to have been a kind of proverbial expression.
17:7 But which of you - But is it not meet that you should first obey, and then triumph? Though still with a deep sense of your utter unprofitableness.
17:9 Doth he thank that servant - Does he account himself obliged to him?
17:10 When ye have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants - For a man cannot profit God. Happy is he who judges himself an unprofitable servant: miserable is he whom God pronounces such.But though we are unprofitable to him, our serving him is not unprofitable to us. For he is pleased to give by his grace a value to our good works, which in consequence of his promise entitles us to an eternal reward.