And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7 “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? 8 Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? 9 Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”
Jesus is teaching His disciples on the road to Jerusalem. The apostles respond to His earlier teaching by asking for stronger trust in God.
vv. 5-6. The apostles say, “Increase our faith” (v. 5). Jesus answers with a comparison: if faith is as small as a mustard seed, it can command a deep-rooted tree to move and be planted in the sea (v. 6). A mustard seed was one of the smallest seeds known to His hearers. A mulberry (also called sycamine) tree was known for strong, spreading roots. The point is not that believers perform tricks, but that even a small, genuine trust in God brings about what human strength cannot. The focus is on God’s power, not on the size of the believer’s faith.
vv. 7-8. Jesus then gives a short picture from daily life. A master does not ask a servant who has been plowing or tending sheep to sit down and eat first. He tells him to prepare the evening meal, tie up his outer garment as an apron, and wait on him; afterward, the servant will eat. Jesus is not endorsing harshness. He is using a familiar household order from His time to make a clear point about roles. In first-century Palestine, a single servant often had multiple tasks and was expected to complete them before resting. The image clarifies how disciples should think about their service to God: it is a normal, ongoing duty, not a basis for claiming special credit.
v. 9. Jesus asks if the master is “grateful” (literally, does he “have thanks”) to the servant for doing what was commanded. The implied answer is no, not in the sense of a special reward for ordinary duty. This does not deny God’s generosity; it sets the frame for the next line. The relationship between God and disciples is not a business contract. Obedience does not place God in our debt.
v. 10. Jesus gives the conclusion in plain words: “So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’” “Unprofitable” here does not mean “useless.” It means “we bring no extra gain; we have no claim on God.” Disciples belong to God. Their obedience is real and required, yet it never earns a right to boast or to demand. This line protects the meaning of faith in v.6. God works wonders by His power; the disciple’s part is faithful service without self-congratulation.
Bringing the two parts together (vv. 5-10). The two images—mustard-seed faith and a servant’s duty—belong together. Faith is not a measure of personal force; it is trust that relies on God. Duty is not a ladder to status; it is the normal life of those who belong to the Lord. When faith is small but real, God acts beyond human ability (v. 6). When service is faithful, disciples still speak humbly (v. 10). Both protect the heart of Christian discipleship in Luke’s Gospel: God is the one who saves and sustains; the disciple listens, obeys, and does not boast.
Almighty God, teach us to trust You even when our faith feels small. Keep our hearts humble, and let our daily service be steady and sincere. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- The Navarre Bible: St. Luke (Faculty of the University of Navarre, 2008).
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, “Luke” (Paulist Press, 2018).
- Raymond E. Brown et al., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (Prentice Hall, 1990).
- Bernard Orchard et al., A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture (1953).
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