INCREASE OUR FAITH?

I maintain that confronting a brother or sister in Christ when they have sinned against us in some way and then forgiving them if they repent (as commanded in Luke 17:3) is the exact opposite of what we want to do in such circumstances and thus it is the exact opposite of what we typically do. 

What Jesus asks flies in the face of not only our fallen human nature, but also our sense of justice. The other person sinned against us and now we are the ones on the hook? We are the ones who have to do the hard thing and confront and rebuke that person to their face? And then offer forgiveness even if their repentance is short-lived?

It is clear that the disciples understood how hard it would be to do what Jesus commands here. Just look at their response when Jesus drops this commandment on them:

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5)

This is a protest couched in spiritual language and Jesus calls them on it. His reply has two parts.

Part One: Jesus replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." (Luke 17:6)

Part Two: "Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Won't he rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (Luke 17:7-10)

Although I hadn't noticed this before, it seems clear to me now that all these verses hang together as part of a single conversation Jesus has with his disciples. [The next verse pivots to a new episode in Jesus' ministry - meeting ten lepers as he traveled toward Jerusalem.]

Check me if I'm wrong, but here is my outline then of this entire conversation:

Jesus: If a fellow believer sins against you, here's the only proper response: you have to go to that person and rebuke them and then forgive them if they repent. Perhaps repeatedly.

Disciples: Are you serious? Increase our faith!

Jesus: This isn't about having more faith. It's about having more obedience. Don't forget that you are the servants and I am the master. Do what you're told. Increase your obedience!

Boom!