The gospel reading presents two consecutive pronouncements of Jesus, perhaps initially unconnected but joined in Luke to underscore the power of faith, (17: 5-10). πίστις (pistis) is the common term denoting “faith” in the NT with the underlying senses of “belief, trust and conviction” in the person of God and the power manifest in Jesus. Specifically, it is a prerequisite for healing or salvation. In most cases, the meanings of belief and faith are interchangeable, (cf Mt 17:20; Lk 8:25; Acts 14:9, 27; Rom 1:8, 17; Eph 6:16; Heb 10:22; Jas 1:3; 1 Pt 1:5f). In Luke the correlation of faith and salvation is central to his theology.
In the context of today’s gospel, faith may carry more of the nuance of personal commitment to Jesus, an attitude that can grow or diminish, involving Christian discipleship. Thus, the request of the disciples that Jesus increase their faith, literally “to add faith to us”, which could mean ‘add more faith to what we already have, (v5, cf Acts 6:5;11:24). Coming from the apostles, a certain amount of faith must be understood as present. Jesus’ response to the request of the disciples veers away from being quantitative. Any person’s basic faith, even though incipient, is capable of producing remarkable results and defies human expectations, and makes all things possible, (v6).
To connect the pronouncement that follows the petition of the apostles,(vv7-10), it could be understood that even a well-intentioned request for an increase of virtue must be seen in the context of servanthood. Those who rendered services for which they are employed deserved nothing more than the terms of the agreement; so, too with the Lord’s disciples. What Jesus said is not a “put down” of his disciples or a lack of appreciation. The point is that the Christian vocation, a gift in itself, gives no one a claim on the Lord. God’s added favor while very frequently not lacking is supposed to be received with gratitude, surprise, and awe even.
The prophet Habakkuk tries to console his fellow citizens besieged by sorrow and distress to remain steadfast in their faith for God will surely deliver them (Hab 1:2-3, 2:2-4). While St. Paul reminds Timothy that belief must be manifest in courage and strength and preserved integrally as a precious patrimony, (2 Tim 1:6-8, 13-14). It will go well for us, therefore, to constantly ask the Lord to help us to mature in faith and to strive continually to show it with conviction in our daily lives, without staking a claim to any favor from God for we are just ‘unprofitable servants doing what we are obliged to do’. It is enough to know that being the beneficiaries of God’s saving work in Christ, we are already “gifted”.
