Luke 17:5

The power of faith, and caution against pride in that power, Luke 17:5-10.

5. The apostles The twelve, in distinction from the disciples in Luke 17:1, to whom the last remarks were addressed. The faith which they asked was a faith to empower them for the duties and struggles of their high office.

The Lord The use of the term The Lord for Jesus is more habitual with Luke than with any other evangelist. This is the only passage in which the apostles are represented by Luke as styling him Lord, or requesting anything from him.

Increase our faith This conversation we do not view as a continuation of that in the four preceding verses; but rather as a later conversation induced by the same general circumstances, namely, the pressure of the Pharisees of the Herodian party upon the converts and upon the religion of Jesus. See notes on Luke 13:32; Luke 13:18; Luke 13:10; Luke 15:1. What they desired was not simply a belief in Jesus and his Messiahship. It was a faith to be miraculously bestowed, energizing them with a burning zeal and eloquence, a clearness in preaching, and an efficiency for performing signs and wonders to demonstrate the divinity of their mission. Some faith, indeed, they had; faith enough at any rate to go to Christ and ask for more.