Luca 17:5

5 Allora gli apostoli dissero al Signore: Accrescici la fede.

Luca 17:5 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 17:5

And the apostles said unto the Lord
Either on account of what was now said by Christ concerning offences, and forgiving injuries; being conscious to themselves of their own weakness to withstand temptations; and fearful lest they should be stumbled and offended with what they should meet with; or that they should give offence to others: and being also sensible of what spirits they were of, and of the difficulties of conquering them, and mastering the resentment of their minds, when injured and provoked; and also the necessity of divine assistance, of having fresh supplies of grace, and of having their graces, and particularly faith, strengthened, and drawn into a lively exercise; or on account of their not being able to cast out a devil from one that was possessed, ( Matthew 17:19 Matthew 17:20 ) when words, to the same purpose, were spoken by Christ, as in the following verse; on occasion of one or other of these, though more likely the former, the apostles addressed Christ in this manner,

increase our faith;
both the faith of working miracles, and the grace of believing in him: by which, as they express their sense of the weakness, and imperfection of their faith; and their great desire to have it increased, which might be for their comfort, and his glory; so they acknowledge his divine power, and that he is the author and finisher of faith; and that as the beginning, so the increase of it is from him: wherefore faith is not of a man's self, or the produce of man's freewill and power, but is the gift of God; and even where it is, it is not in man to increase it, or add to it, or to draw it forth into exercise; this also is the operation of God. And if the apostles had need to put up such a petition to Christ, much more reason have other men.

Luca 17:5 In-Context

3 Prendete guardia a voi. Ora, se il tuo fratello ha peccato contro a te, riprendilo; e se si pente, perdonagli.

4 E benchè sette volte il dì pecchi contro a te, se sette volte il dì ritorna a te, dicendo: Io mi pento, perdonagli.

5 Allora gli apostoli dissero al Signore: Accrescici la fede.

6 E il Signore disse: Se voi avete pur tanta fede quant’è un granel di senape, voi potreste dire a questo moro: Diradicati, e piantati nel mare, ed esso vi ubbidirebbe.

7 Ora, chi è colui d’infra voi, il quale, avendo un servo che ari, o che pasturi il bestiame, quando esso, tornando dai campi, entra in casa, subito gli dica: Passa qua, mettiti a tavola?