Luke 17:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Nonetheless, let us not act in expectation of His thankfulness, hoping to be recognized, but rather fulfill our duties out of obligation. Indeed, every good act is an expression of duty, and everything we accomplish is merely the enactment of our responsibilities. If we, having acquired servants for a price, desire them to give their entire lives for our sake, how much more should we owe to Him who created us from nothing and redeemed us with precious blood? He paid a cost for us that no one would offer even for their own child—He shed His blood. Therefore, if we possessed a thousand souls each and offered them all, could we repay Him adequately? Absolutely not. Why is this so? Because He acted for our benefit, not out of compulsion, but purely from His grace; we are indebted to Him. He, being divine, took the form of a servant, and though He was free from death, He experienced it in the flesh; and if we do not offer our souls for His sake, by the very law of nature, we will inevitably lose our lives—we shall shortly be separated from this existence. It is similar with wealth: if we choose not to give it for Him, we will necessarily part with it upon our death. It is the same with humility: if we do not embrace humility for Him, we will face challenges, suffering, and oppression that will humble us. Can you perceive the magnitude of His appreciation? He didn’t question, “What remarkable deeds did the martyrs perform? Had they not died for Me, they would have certainly died regardless;” yet He rewards them with immense thankfulness because they willingly offered what they would have had to surrender involuntarily by nature’s order. He didn’t deem insignificant the actions of those who share their possessions, knowing they would ultimately do so; yet He grants them immense gratitude and is unashamed to acknowledge that He was supported by servants. Truly, it honors the Lord to have grateful servants, it reflects His glory to cherish His servants abundantly, it is His glory to claim what rightfully belongs to them, and it is His glory to openly profess this before all. Let us feel a righteous shame at such love from Christ and let our hearts ignite with love for Him. When we learn of someone’s love for us, even if they are humble and poor, we respond with special affection, showing them great respect and loving them in return; yet our Lord loves us profoundly, and we remain indifferent? No, I urge you, let us not neglect the salvation of our souls, but strive to love Him with all our capacity, graciously offering Him everything—our spirits, our possessions, our honor, and all else—joyfully, willingly, and diligently, not considering it advantageous for Him but beneficial for ourselves. This is indeed the nature of love: those who love find joy in their own suffering for those they cherish. Let us commit ourselves in a similar manner to our Lord, so that we may receive the blessings of the future in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and throughout all ages. Amen.

Since this attitude is a grievous sin in the eyes of the Lord—the serpent, the instigator of wickedness, can sometimes lead individuals to believe, perhaps mistakenly, that God owes them the highest honors simply because their lives are admirable and distinguished—He presents the essential teachings from the recent readings to guide us away from such inclinations. He uses these examples to illustrate that true authority demands obedience from its servants as an inherent duty. As the Lord states, a master expresses no sense of gratitude towards a servant, even when the servant fulfills all that is expected of them, in accordance with their role.

Acknowledge that you are a servant bound to multiple duties! Avoid elevating yourself just because you are regarded as a child of God; appreciate the grace extended to you but remember your true nature. Do not take pride in having served well, as it was your duty to do so (Cf. Luke 17:10). The sun obeys, the moon yields, the angels serve. The vessel chosen by God for the Gentiles (see Acts 9:15) stated, "I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Cor. 15:9). Later, in another context, he made it clear that even without any faults, he added, "But not by this am I justified" (1 Cor. 4:4). Thus, we should neither commend ourselves nor hasten to judge or anticipate the verdict of God, leaving those matters to the appointed time when the true Judge will render His decision.

The Gospel also admonishes the ungrateful (see Luke 17:11-19), leading us into a discourse on the future judgment.

Nevertheless, God, in His goodness, treats His servants as if they were hired laborers, rewarding them for their toil, recognizing their service as triumph, and bestowing upon them rewards that greatly exceed their efforts. His benevolence surpasses the demands of justice.

However, regardless of the heights of faith they achieve or the wonders they accomplish through it, Christ advises them to remain humble and acknowledge, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.” This analogy of a servant reinforces the idea that just as a laborer does not expect special commendation for fulfilling their obligations, they too should not overestimate their own significance for merely carrying out their responsibilities.

In reality, by performing acts of kindness and relieving others of their hardships, we are merely obeying God’s command to love our neighbors and do good unto them. If we serve our neighbors and merely fulfill our obligations as servants of our Lord, we are not entitled to expect either gratitude from those we help or commendation from others. Moreover, how often does the ingratitude of those we assist serve as a form of chastisement for the benefactors, as they may have acted not out of love for their neighbor but from vanity? They may forget Christ's command to do good discreetly, as stated: “so that your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing.” Therefore, if your acts of kindness are met with profound ingratitude, do not be resentful. Remember the words of Jesus and humbly acknowledge, “I am an unworthy servant, having done only what was required of me.” Only those who lack the illumination of Christian love—who either ignore or forget that they must love even their enemies—will exploit a favor without attempting to return it, or fail to express gratitude. Sometimes those who have benefited, having escaped their needs through the kindness of their helpers, feel embarrassed to acknowledge it, showing not only a lack of gratitude but even hostility towards those who aided them, repaying good deeds with malice. Such individuals have succumbed to darkness, embodying the evil that opposes goodness.

Concluding the account of Jesus’ dialogue with the apostles, we should reflect on His words: “The Son of Man ... came ... to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The Greek term 'lutron,' which translates to 'ransom,' refers to a price paid in ancient times for those captured in battle; without payment, captives remained enslaved and lost to their homeland. Jesus characterizes His salvific work on behalf of humanity as a ransom because all are sinners, held captive by sin, and facing condemnation and eternal suffering. Through His teachings, the example of His life, His sufferings, and His death, Christ demonstrated to humanity the path to liberation from such bondage, redeeming those who wish to be freed. But why is it that only many are redeemed, rather than all? The ransom is offered only for those who seek it—those who adhere to Christ's commandments. Many desire freedom and strive to fulfill God's will, but not everyone does; hence, it is stated that it is for the redemption of many, not all. Additionally, some interpreters position the parable of the unworthy servants after the apostles' request for an increase in their faith. This perspective stems from the order in which Luke documented his accounts. However, since Luke did not present all of the events and teachings of Jesus in a strictly chronological sequence, and given that the parable of the unworthy servants is more closely connected to Jesus’ teaching related to the request of the sons of Zebedee than to the apostles’ plea for a greater faith, I have opted to place it here after Mark 10:45.

In response, the Lord directed their focus to the immense potential of faith, noting that even a nascent belief, akin to a tiny seed within the soul, could achieve remarkable results: “if you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move, and nothing would be impossible for you.” Previously, the Saviour had conveyed this same message and, when likening the Kingdom of Heaven and faith to a mustard seed, He aimed to instill the importance of growth and strengthening of the faith sown in their hearts. The disciples needed to nurture this faith within themselves, allowing it to gradually envelop their entire being. However, cautioning them against self-righteousness and pride in their spiritual achievements, the Lord used a familiar scenario to illustrate humility: “Which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’” Although, as St. Nil of Sinai notes, fulfilling one’s duty is cause for rejoicing, it should not lead to arrogance. The expectation of duty suggests that one is not to take pride in obligations fulfilled, especially in service to Christ, as no one should boast of being a benefactor for simply returning what is owed.

The example of the servant returning from the field, who chooses not to rest or nourish himself but continues to serve his master, serves as a reminder for us to remain devoted to God's service, regardless of our labors and tasks. The parable indicates that a master rarely expresses gratitude toward his servant because the servant is merely fulfilling his obligations, which, in itself, does not warrant special acknowledgment or appreciation.

Even after fulfilling all that is commanded of us, we should still regard ourselves as unworthy servants because we would only have completed what was required, and our righteous deeds remain deeply flawed. Our good works are imperfect because often we perform them not out of genuine willingness but merely to escape punishment, acting as slothful and undeserving servants. Furthermore, we do not accomplish them solely by our own strength, but with the aid of divine grace, while the Lord expects our actions to reflect His boundless majesty.

Why is there such a high expectation for Christians? It is because we have been granted numerous gifts at our creation and redemption, and many blessings await us in eternal life. Thus, none of us should ever decline the opportunity to serve God, nor consider any amount of good works sufficient for Him. Whenever we have tasks to attend to, we ought to prioritize our duties to God before anything else. If I feel fatigued from worldly endeavors, I should not neglect worship services on that account. If I have prayed in church, I must not abandon my regular home prayers upon returning.

The following scriptures relate to the servant returning from the field:

1. "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation! Let no one stumble in anything, that his service may be blameless; but in all things let him present himself as God's servants, in patience, in tribulation, in distress, in hardship." 2 Cor. 6:2-10.

2. "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your Lord." Matthew 25:21.

3. "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, my Father will honor him." Jn. 12:26.

4. "For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, for necessity is laid upon me; woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I am entrusted with a stewardship." 1 Cor. 9:16-17.

5. "But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." 1 Cor. 15:9-10.

6. "But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'" 1 Cor. 2:9.