Luke 17:5-6
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The apostles' simple request, "Increase our faith!", reveals they understood that truly forgiving others, as Jesus taught, wasn't just a good deed but required a supernatural strength. They recognized that overcoming their own natural impulses to hold grudges demanded a faith beyond their current capacity.
Immediately after Jesus instructs his disciples to forgive repeatedly, even forgiving someone seven times a day, the apostles feel the immense difficulty of such a command. They recognize that this level of grace and selflessness goes against their natural inclinations and the way the world operates, prompting them to ask Jesus directly to strengthen their faith so they can live up to this challenging standard.
Jesus had just spoken about a radical, unlimited kind of forgiveness. How did the disciples respond? With a plea that resonates through the ages.
Jesus had been teaching about how to treat those who sin against us, emphasizing forgiveness that goes far beyond what's natural. He said to forgive not just seven times, but seventy-seven times (Luke 17:4), meaning an endless, unconditional release.
This teaching was so counter-cultural, so demanding, that the apostles felt completely out of their depth. It wasn't just a difficult concept; it was a task that seemed impossible with their current spiritual strength. They recognized that to truly live out this kind of radical forgiveness, they needed more than just human effort. They needed divine enablement.
Their prayer, "Increase our faith!" wasn't about a desire for some abstract spiritual gift. It was a direct response to Jesus' command, a recognition that faith is the very engine that powers Christ-like forgiveness.
Where does true faith come from? The apostles' humble request points us to the source of all our spiritual strength.
The apostles didn't try to muster up more faith on their own. They went directly to the Lord with their need. This shows a profound understanding that faith itself is not something we generate, but something that is given and grows through reliance on God.
Jesus, the "Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), is the one who strengthens our belief. The apostles recognized His divine power and authority, calling Him "Lord" in this petition. They understood that the ability to believe Him, especially when His commands stretched them beyond their limits, came from Him alone.
This isn't to say we are passive recipients. Faith requires a response – a willingness to ask, to seek, and to act. But the increase, the strength, the capacity to believe more deeply and act more boldly, originates from God.
Understand the original words
kyrios · Greek Noun
The title 'Lord' signifies sovereign authority, master, and divine ruler. In the New Testament, it is the primary confession of faith in the deity and lordship of Jesus Christ.
pistis · Greek Noun
The reliance or trust in God, based on the belief in His character and promises. It is the necessary channel through which believers receive the power to live as God intends.
pistis · Greek Noun
In a biblical context, this is a firm conviction or trust in God, specifically in His character and power, which allows for the accomplishment of God's will. It is not defined by the size of the believer's subjective belief, but by the object of that faith—God Himself.
The apostles' request for more faith wasn't just about believing in miracles; it stemmed from the profound difficulty they perceived in fulfilling Jesus' radical commands for love and constant forgiveness, highlighting how deeply these teachings challenged their natural inclinations.
c. AD 28
Jesus Calls the Twelve Apostles
Jesus selects twelve men from his disciples to be his closest followers and to spread his message. This event marks the beginning of their formal training and ministry under his direct guidance.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus Teaches on Forgiveness and Love
During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly taught his disciples about the importance of unconditional love and forgiveness, often challenging their preconceived notions. This instruction set the stage for their later struggles and requests.
c. AD 30— this verse
The Apostles Ask Jesus to Increase Their Faith
After hearing Jesus' challenging teachings on forgiveness, particularly the parable of the unforgiving servant and the command to forgive seventy times seven, the apostles feel overwhelmed. They recognize the immense difficulty of living up to these standards and cry out to Jesus to strengthen their faith.
c. AD 30
Jesus Explains the Power of Mustard Seed Faith
This passage shows a father directly asking Jesus for help with his faith, mirroring the apostles' desire for an increase in their own faith. It highlights the honesty of acknowledging weakness and seeking divine strength.
Hebrews 12:2This verse identifies Jesus as the 'founder and perfecter of our faith.' This directly supports the apostles' plea, as they recognized Jesus as the source from whom their faith could grow.
Matthew 17:20Jesus' response to a similar situation about faith speaks of a mustard seed's size. This connects to the idea that even a small, but genuine, increase in faith, empowered by God, can achieve seemingly impossible things like forgiving endlessly.
Ephesians 4:32This verse teaches believers to be kind and forgiving, just as God forgave them in Christ. The apostles' request for increased faith likely stemmed from recognizing how difficult this divine command of forgiveness was for their natural selves.
clarkeLuke 17:5: "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith."
Increase our faith - This work of pardoning every offense of every man, and that continually, seemed so difficult, even to the disciples themselves, that they saw, without an extraordinary degree of faith, they should never be able to keep this command. But some think that this and what follows relate to what Matthew has mentioned. Matthew 17:19 , Matthew 17:20 .
pulpitLuke 17:5: "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith."
Verse 5. - And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. The disciples, moved by the severe and cutting rebuke of their Master - a rebuke they probably felt their harsh, self-congratulatory state of mind had well merited-come to him and ask him to give them such an increased measure of faith as would enable them to play better the difficult and responsible part he had assigned them. They evidently felt their weakne…
The apostles' simple request, "Increase our faith!", reveals they understood that truly forgiving others, as Jesus taught, wasn't just a good deed but required a supernatural strength. They recognized that overcoming their own natural impulses to hold grudges demanded a faith beyond their current capacity.
Immediately after Jesus instructs his disciples to forgive repeatedly, even forgiving someone seven times a day, the apostles feel the immense difficulty of such a command. They recognize that this level of grace and selflessness goes against their natural inclinations and the way the world operates, prompting them to ask Jesus directly to strengthen their faith so they can live up to this challenging standard.
Immediately after Jesus instructs his disciples to forgive repeatedly, even forgiving someone seven times a day, the apostles feel the immense difficulty of such a command. They recognize that this level of grace and selflessness goes against their natural inclinations and the way the world operates, prompting them to ask Jesus directly to strengthen their faith so they can live up to this challenging standard.
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In response to their plea, Jesus uses the analogy of a mustard seed to illustrate that even a small amount of genuine faith, when deeply rooted and active, possesses immense power to overcome great obstacles and accomplish difficult tasks, including the challenging command to forgive.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ascension and the Coming of the Holy Spirit
Following Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit empowers the apostles at Pentecost. This divine enablement significantly transforms their ability to live out Jesus' teachings, including the practice of unwavering forgiveness and love.
"The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you." — The apostles' simple request, "Increase our faith!", reveals they understood that truly forgiving others, as Jesus taught, wasn't just a good deed but required a supernatural strength. They recognize…
