FINDING FAITH WITHIN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

A Common Problem

It was in my senior year of high school that I drove home from a city-league basketball game. I played in the “church league” and as the miles rolled on the feeling of what had happened that night (again!) slowly sunk in. I had failed. I had failed again. I had lost my temper when a call from the referee did not go our way. I had played with reckless abandon, almost fouling out and the words of the referee began to surface in my memory: “You guys from the church league are worse than the others.” As a senior (and thought to be a very serious person about my beliefs in God) I was a role model for the younger students. I had let them down, and knew more was wrong than I could put my finger on. I had not just made a mistake, it was something more. As I drove on and the realization of failure became more vivid, I pounded the steering wheel of my car in disappointment, disappointment with myself.

It was later that I began to see what it was that bothered me so much. A man who had faith in God would have, by such faith, realized that it was only a game and how we played it was more honoring to God than whether we won or lost. If one had faith in God, one would have kept their temper, played hard (as opposed to playing like a medieval warrior) and believed that good manners and respect for authority (such as a referee) in the long run was best.

In the heat of the game, I did not see these things at first. I was later to read that I was much like the disciples who got in the boat with Jesus but when the stress came had panicked. As they came to shore, they did not talk about their lack of faith but rather focused on His amazing power to calm the storm: In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him (8:25).”

They did not focus on what He said: Where is your faith? It was only later when they would watch others be told that they had faith that the realization and hunger began to grow. Finally, late in the Gospel of Luke the disciples would ask in 17:5: Increase our faith!

Many of us have been asking this question. How does one obtain this most precious of commodities? So many times I said something unnecessarily harsh to my wife when under the stress of an argument, or yelled at my children when they did something I thought was terribly wrong, argued with co-workers too intensely only to gain nothing. Often I did the correct thing, but at times it looked like I had little or no faith in a good or sovereign God. Had I had more faith when I was younger, I would have never worried about who I would marry. Years later, had I had more faith, I would have, by faith, acted in the calm assurance that politeness to my wife is always appropriate, realized that a controlled response to child-misbehavior is better, and that God knew more about my finances, and job prospects than I did. The Gospels taught every hair on my head was counted, and that no bird of the air ever fell without His knowledge, and that He had my circumstances in hand. At times, I have done it right, but at times, I am so like those disciples of old. The stress came while they were in the boat and they buckled. I am so like them. Thus, their question on how to increase one’s faith, is not some general theological inquiry, it is my question.

Perhaps your story is like my story and that of the disciples, if not in the details, then in the broader strokes. Perhaps, your desire is my desire. I know from experience and viewing others in my experience, that real faith is possible. I have seen real faith; my desire is to gain it. It appears that faith is what Jesus wanted the disciples to have. Thus, it is logical that He wants me to have this too. So how did He teach them faith? How is “faith” taught?

The Method

Years ago, while driving a van filled with teenagers, one of them, riding shotgun, asked a most unusual question: “What is faith”? It caught me off guard. I stumbled through my mind (filled with years and years of Sunday School, hundreds of sermons, and a four-year degree in a Christian College) and came out with the following answer: “I do not know, can I get back to you”? Why could I not call up a neat clean answer to a young man who never went to church but had begun to have an enormous appetite for Christian truth? I grew up committed to “solo Scriptura” and had faithfully tried to only give answers from the Bible. I did not want to mislead this student or any other new believers. I wanted them grounded on God’s Word, not man-made denominational theological perspectives. This had proved wise so far, but this time had the Bible let this young believer and me down?

The disciples wrote the Gospels. It seemed the disciples had also failed to properly communicate and clarify Jesus’ message. But could this be a product of how they were taught by Jesus? Did Jesus fail to properly define and simplify His message to them? The question of “What is faith?” exemplifies this ambiguity. Many today, if we are honest, want a real definition. However, when we read what Luke gives us we cannot find one. All Luke tells us is stories about faith. Nowhere does Luke or any of the disciples write for the following generations a proper theological definition in straightforward sentences so we could memorize the correct answer. Do we first have to learn what faith is by learning that we do not have enough of it?

If we lack something so important how is it to be taught? As we read the Gospel of Luke (as an example of Jesus’ teaching) where did Luke and the disciples learn these inconclusive story-telling tactics that appear to refuse to simply give readers a straightforward answer? Could they have learned this from their Master? Do the Gospels “do theology” the way they do, because they are reflecting Jesus of Nazareth?

When the opportunities arose for the disciples to define what faith was, they instead told stories about when faith was or wasn’t present. Is this some communication blunder in their delivery of the message, or is it something more profound? When given the opportunity to tell us directly what faith is, Luke defaults to telling us stories about when Jesus used the word faith. Seven times he shares how people reacted in real life situations, and then has Jesus say whether or not faith was present. While there are three other occasions where the word is used, similar to the seven stories, none of these instances give a clear definitive statement as to what faith is.

In examining this apostolic choice of teaching style, it often appears as if they don’t connect the dots. Whether intentional or not, we readers are forced to draw the lines of faith ourselves by observing how Jesus used the word faith. Jesus always seemed to speak of faith as something that could be watched. After watching it, Jesus never went further to show exactly how to interpret the stories. Jesus, Luke seems to record, believed we could figure it out on our own

Jesus seems to be different from us in His approach to an audience. His form of communication seems to show a respect for the audience, wanting them to feel empowered enough to connect the dots themselves. This seems to fly in the face of well-established, present theological educational models. This lack of clear definition is not considered good preaching from most pulpits or responsible teaching in Christian circles today. This method takes the topic of faith out of the dimension of being a doctrine we can simply memorize and then test our knowledge on with exams. Faith, as taught in the Gospels, does not appear to be tied to a theological proposition. Examination of one’s faith cannot be done by delivering the right words, but can only be grasped by observing someone in the push and pull of life. In Luke’s stories regarding faith each one reveals an amazing variety with no apparent standard or similar action.

What if we failed? What if we became like so many in His day who saw, but did not see and heard but did not understand (8:10)? This lack of clarity can be frustrating because of the value Jesus placed on faith. Perhaps, that is what prompted the statement of Luke (in 17:5): “The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” This is the one time the word faith appears in Luke not coming from the lips of Jesus. Is the apostles’ statement verbalizing for us our frustration in how Jesus taught and is still teaching today?

This question regarding faith was likely prompted by experiences that the disciples had when they traveled about with Jesus. They had experienced their own lack of faith, but had also seen powerful and positive things take place and Jesus crediting it to people’s faith. It is reasonable to assume that what motivated the disciples to inquire about obtaining more “faith” was that they had heard Jesus speak of it in such a praise-worthy manner (5:20, 7:9, 7:50, and 8:48). Jesus’ praise for faith seemed to instill in the disciples a desire to gain more of it. How He is going to answer that desire will show us how He answered so many questions. The disciples must have lived everyday both fascinated and at times frustrated with how He taught. Let’s climb inside their shoes and watch with them what they experienced.

The Seven Stories

As we begin our vigil with the disciples it might be helpful to see them all together. The discussion of faith begins in a most unusual manner.

5:20 The first story is about property-destroying friends of a paralytic who lower him down through a roof where Jesus is speaking. They believe that if they can get their sick friend in the presence of Jesus he’ll be healed. I would have been upset that someone had interrupted my teaching session but Jesus responded in a surprising manner: He observed their determination and called their action faith. Their friend got the healing and more.

7:9 A Roman military officer (a Centurion) representing an occupying intrusive foreign army seeks help for his sick servant and obtains it by aggressively seeking Jesus to come to his home to heal the servant. He then switches tactics and attempts to protect Jesus from critique (coming under the roof of a Gentile would place the famous Rabbi in a state of ritual impurity). His new approach was to speak about the power of words which made it unnecessary to come under his roof. Jesus ‘ response to this man’s action was to say that He has not seen such faith in Israel. His servant was healed.

7:50 As surprising as it was to have a Gentile be the example of faith what followed next was even more unusual. A prostitute seeks Jesus’ acceptance in the midst of a daunting social setting. She approached Jesus under the gaze of intimidating and judgmental religious leaders. Jesus responded with excessive acceptance and told her that her faith had saved her.

8:25 The only exception, or the only “lack of faith” story, involves the disciples. Our heroes panic while almost drowning on the Sea of Galilee. They failed the test, and Jesus questions where their faith is.

8:48 Following the disciples failure, a poor woman is healed of her 12 year long physical suffering by merely touching Jesus’ clothes. Jesus states her faith has made her well.

17:19 A Samaritan leper (along with 9 Jewish lepers) sought healing from their horrid condition. .Jesus gave them a task which though risky, was obeyed by all ten of them. However, this one leper (the one of a questionable theological background), out of the ten who were healed, returned to thank Jesus and in doing so was given valuable information that the other nine healed lepers did not receive. Jesus told him that his faith had made him well.

18:42 Finally, despite discouragement from the crowd, a blind beggar persistently asks for an audience with Jesus. When his persistence was rewarded, Jesus asked him what he wanted, and he told Jesus he wanted his sight. He received his sight and something more; he was told that his faith had healed him.

How to Obtain Faith

All of these stories have an unusual bent to them. The most unusual group of people get told they have this valuable commodity and in addition, the group that does not have faith is the Holy Apostles themselves. All of these stories also clearly show that faith was a valuable commodity to have. By the time the disciples ask their question in Luke 17:5 they had seen faith’s importance. They had seen, right before their eyes, people receive powerful healings or obtain astounding forgiveness. Thus they ask Jesus to increase their faith (given their lack of it). We the readers of Luke’s Gospel are right there with the disciples wanting an answer.

His response is as surprising as the stories about faith. He responds with a two-part answer: a seeming taunt and a parable. In verse 6, He tells them that if they had just a small portion of faith they could do the impossible. “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”. Jesus seems to be metaphorically saying that it doesn’t take much faith, just a tiny bit is valuable and powerful. He almost seems to be taunting them with this first answer. It is almost like He has said, “Too bad you do not have some, even a little goes a long way”.

In verses 7-10, He goes on to more thoroughly answer their question. Before we examine this answer let’s first observe the complete passage and thus place Jesus’ teaching in the context that Luke gives us, which is not 17:5-10, but 17:1-10. We do this for two reasons: one is that it is a good practice when attempting to properly read a piece of literature, but also it is a good practice to truly understand life. Life always takes place in a context.

Beginning Framework

Luke framed the discussion of faith that takes place in 17:5-6 with a short teaching section in 17:1-4 (which is followed by the short parable in 17:7-10). There is a two-fold agenda in the preceding teaching: take care of those who are most vulnerable, for the little ones should be a key concern (17:1-2), and forgive those who have offended you (17:3-4).

In the first instance, great judgment will come upon the disciples’ if they offend or harm children or new believers. Jesus tells His disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause these little ones to sin (Luke 17:1-2).

It is sometimes conflicting to put a real life premium on the “little ones”. Often their needs seem to come in direct conflict with our acquaintances that have power to advance our agenda, often a seemingly righteous religious agenda. The disciples had to take the risk that pleasing God was more important than pleasing the rich and powerful in this life. They were to risk that not accomplishing their agenda, if it involved stepping on the little ones, was the wise and proper thing to do. When at work do we speak politely and give good eye contact to our supervisor and the janitor? When at church, do pastors make sure they speak and shake hands with the politician, the professional athlete, the elder, or that wealthy business man but especially a child from a homeless family?

Much like today, serious damage can be done to one’s career if priority is not given to the “larger ones”. This unfortunately is just as true in the ministry community as it is in the business world. Here in Luke the teaching entails risking personal advancement and benefit by putting the less powerful in the forefront of our consideration and decision making process. Jesus seems to disagree with our common sense. He says great care must be taken to protect the less powerful, as we are threatened with judgment if we don’t.

For years I watched one of my professors consistently respond with great intensity to the needs of his students by writing time consuming personal letters, counseling, etc. I watched him decade after decade give the “little ones” his full attention. He worked intensely so as not to fail them. I was lucky to be one of the recipients of his care until his death. It was only later that we realized what a prolific writer he could have been and the lives of the “little ones”, including myself, had prevented him from fully developing his own academic production and reputation. Not surprisingly a large motivating factor for me wanting to become a teacher was a direct result of wanting to have the opportunity to significantly affect young people’s lives as he had.

In the second teaching, the disciples are instructed to confront in person those who sinned against them concerning what they had done. The disciples were not to talk behind their backs or allow the offense to fester inside. If the offender apologized, then the disciples were to forgive no matter how many times the sin against them was made. Jesus told them in Luke 17:3-4, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Most people have a deep seeded fear that confronting some people could cost their friendship. In the case of others, it could be worse; you could lose face and be punished or humiliated by them. From a worldly perspective it is safer and temporarily easier to resent someone or talk behind their backs than to be bold enough to tell them the truth or humble enough to share with them their offense towards you. Most people, including myself, foolishly believe that we retain a measure of control if we hurt the offender (if we’re stronger) or hold on to the grudge (if we’re weaker). If the disciples were to forgive they had to gamble that they could be content in obeying God. Here too, the teaching demands taking a risk.

Concluding Framework

After sharing a statement with the disciples in Luke 17:6 about the extreme power of faith, it appears that Jesus is explaining how to increase it. However, by the time the parable ends, it seems that the parable is not related to the discussion of faith.

“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?

Would 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

This parable seems to be a statement about fulfilling one’s duty without expectation of praise. The interpretation of this parable (17:9-10) clearly states this. However, this interpretation, like His interpretations which follow some of His other parables, does not spell out for the disciples directly what the parable means. Why was Jesus so deliberately vague? There still remains the mystery of what it has to do with faith. Why doesn’t He directly tell them what faith is or how to obtain it? Is this deliberate action by Jesus where the disciples formed their habit of not telling us everything about Jesus in clear and defined statements but instead constantly chose to tell us stories? Were the disciples so used to having to connect the dots themselves that they used Jesus method of teaching to teach us what He had to say about faith?

The Structure of 17:1-10

So let’s move forward, like the disciples had to do and assume Luke is not going to tell us directly what faith is. Let’s participate in Luke’s challenge (which was originally given to the disciples) and attempt to figure out the structure of Luke 17:1-10 for ourselves. Since Luke put this dialogue in both a framework of teaching (17:1-4) and a parable (17:7-10), perhaps the structure holds insight for us on how to gain faith. If we look at the verses of 17:1-10 as a whole, maybe the parable does tie it all together. The passage’s structure is as follows:

A. Two duties are taught: take care of the weak and confront offenders then forgive offenders: 1-4

B. The discussion of faith in 5-6 has two parts: the request to gain more faith and the promise by Jesus that what they sought was valuable, even miraculously powerful.

C. The parable in 7-10 also has two parts: the parable (7-8) and the exhortation based on the parable (9-10). The exhortation in 9-10 is about doing one’s duty without hope of praise, exhausting as it may be.

The answer to the question of how we gain faith seems to be in the marriage of verses 17:1-4 with 17:7-10. First, they were to obey Jesus’ difficult teaching (17:1-4) without seeking any reward (17:10). They were to risk that His teaching was true and worthy of obedience, and to do this required faith, which would then grow and multiply (17:6). Faith entailed an action that often was mundane (plowing and serving at a table) and was to be done without seeking praise. They were to do the right thing (1-4) because it was their duty (7-10). Faith was obtained in the doing of the proper things that here meant carefully making sure they did not cause the weak to stumble, and by confronting and then forgiving their offenders.

The Stories

Perhaps all seven vignettes speak of faith as a challenge in the daily situations of life. Faith required taking a risk. As we saw earlier in 5:17, faith risked the anger of a famous Rabbi and a crowd to get their friend healed. Jesus was not angry about their interruption of His teaching session, but rather pleased. In 7:10 the centurion took a risk by asking a religious leader of an ethnic minority, who his army had oppressed, to heal his servant. Then the centurion took care of Jesus’ reputation in the hope that words would substitute for Jesus’ presence. Jesus was highly impressed. In 7:50 the prostitute risked the horrible judgmental attitude of the religious leaders in order to get near this man Jesus. Perhaps, she sensed in this Rabbi, that to be near Him was to be near God. Her faith, she was told had obtained her forgiveness. In 8:48, the woman risked the social condemnation of the community for defiling a Rabbi while in a state of defilement. Instead of being insulted or mortified, He demanded she come forward to explain what she had done. Then He called her “daughter” and said her faith had made her well. In 17:11-19 all ten lepers required faith to overcome several impending daunting factors. The first involved approaching the popular Rabbi and taking the risk of being rejected. In addition, to being allowed to re-enter society a leper had to be evaluated by a priest and given the clearance that as a former leper he was no longer a threat to society’s medical well being. One would not approach the priest for a ruling unless they were confident they would be found clean. Thus, the 10 lepers risked facing deeper disappointment and embarrassment by attempting to go to the priest while they were still unclean. They obeyed His words and found the molecules on their bodies had rearranged themselves. The leper that said thank you got the further word that what they had done was called faith. Finally, in 18:42, the blind man risks the displeasure of those around him because they told him to stop trying to speak to Jesus. Beggars can ill afford to anger those who give them alms. No doubt, as a blind man he feared their anger would reduce their charity towards him. He pressed on though. All six of these actions were of an aggressive nature. These were not passive actions and none of them were done in church.

The only ones who failed to actively pursue their faith were “the clergy”, the apostles, who gave into their fears and were unable to risk that God was in control. The others trusted and acted on that trust. It was called faith.

The Necessity of Faith

There are two other times, Luke 18:8 and 22:32, where Jesus teaches how necessary faith is for obtaining what we seek in prayer. In 18:1-8 the issue was not quitting but to continue to pray in the face of injustice. Obstacles were to be met with persistence. It once again takes faith not to quit. In 22:32 the issue was not losing one’s faith, as when Peter made the horrible mistake of denying his Lord. Jesus had prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. As all of us know who have been faced with our mistakes, it takes faith to not be swallowed by shame.

Is God Correct in Selecting His Messengers?

Is it possible that Luke is inviting us to accumulate, contemplate and compare these stories? Is he calling us to be taught (like the disciples) through a life of risk, after pondering what God was doing in real lives? Assuming that Luke knew the stories that he recorded would impact future generations, what are we to conclude?

In all seven cases those who had faith desired to obtain some legitimate desire: healing (the paralyzed friend, the woman with the issue of blood, the leper, the Centurion’ slave and the blind man); forgiveness (the prostitute) and avoidance of death by drowning (the disciples).

In all seven cases, it was not the educated elite or those with easy lives who gained faith, but those who had some type of difficulty that stood in the way of obtaining the desired goal: (the impending waves in the disciples’ case), being the wrong race (the Samaritan leper and Roman Centurion), moral failure (the prostitute faced being publicly despised), the crowds (the paralyzed man and the blind man) and finally religious cultural pressure (the woman faced religious rules that forbade her touching Him). These “teachers of faith” clearly had problems. In all of these cases, those whom Jesus dealt with were the “little ones”.

Faith was the means of overcoming the difficulty and obtaining the goal. The action in all seven cases was unique and appropriate to the situation. If Jesus had not shown us actual situations we might have made rules or doctrines that would not have fit the various situations that come up in our lives.

Often those having faith were of obviously flawed character or from poor religious backgrounds. These faithful individuals were not a prestigious group.

The Samaritan (known to be heretics in Jesus’ day). 17:19

The Centurion (member of a hated conquering army, the Romans). 7:9

The Prostitute (despised for her lack of morals). 7:50

The Property destroying friends of the paralytic. 5:20

The Frightened disciples (losing their courage in a time of stress) 8:25

The Poor: the poor woman (8:48) and the blind beggar (18:42).

The stressful situation produced a need that had to be met. All seven came to Jesus to have that need met. Does Luke record Jesus’ speaking about faith only to those in crises because Luke knew no one could be taught what faith is unless they were in crisis? Is that why Jesus seemed to design the disciples’ near death experience on the lake? Had He created the crisis because their lives were, at that time, crisis free? They were not in need of healing, they were not heretics (Samaritans) or the wrong race (Roman) and they had not sinned in a socially obvious manner as the prostitute had.

Faith was highly prized by Jesus. Does He prize it because it is the doctrine of the educated or those from good backgrounds or because faith causes needy people to finally turn to God and away from their own resources and common sense?

Most disturbing of all, is that all of these examples of faith required that some one took a risk. Faith requires us to take a risk. We cannot play it safe. We have to be willing to brave disapproval, talk to people who may reject us, be persistent when people tell us to be quiet, have courage when we are afraid, etc. People who have had a privileged life or perfect health and a trouble free prosperous life do not need to take a risk. The only ones who could gain faith are those who take a risk and thus they are the only ones who can teach it.

Is the Method Tied to the Message?

As we consider these stories and begin to realize that maybe God is calling us to more than just reading and memorizing how to books on obtaining faith, we notice that Jesus demands that his disciples be active participants in the learning process in their own lives. Passive learning isn’t an option. We are forced to be active learners as in the disciple’s episode on the Sea of Galilee. We cannot learn faith in a book it must be experienced.

Also, what if we considered using Jesus’ methods of communication as portrayed in Luke? What would Luke want us to conclude if we are to be teachers of faith?

Is it necessary for us to be aware that faith is available to all? Can we confidently proclaim that people do not need to be church-goers, have good theology, be free of major sin, be free of mistakes, healthy, or an important person, to have faith? Is there a better way of saying this than by making the heroes of faith come from people of questionable character? Is seeing or experiencing better than hearing words? Is this not why the disciples were portrayed in 8:48 as failures? Can anyone truly obtain faith that is not aware of his or her questionable character? If we are willing to get in the boat with Jesus (instead of hearing the sermon and staying on the shore, just reading this book) will He reveal by a crisis our own need for growth in faith?

Do we need to be put in crisis? Do others need to see that God will put us in crisis, not because He does not love us, but because He does love us? Do not we all need crises? Can faith only be taught when things go wrong either with our finances, health, our friend’s health, our safety, or when we sin? Could not others see in the stories of the Gospels, in their own lives (and in ours) that facing tough times could be God’s way of giving opportunity to gain a great prize? Are we prevented from truly teaching what faith is if it cannot be observed in us by others? Do not others need to see us obeying God’s teaching and taking the risk that we could still be happy if we took care of those who cannot help us (17:1-2) or forgave those who hurt us (17:3-4). Perhaps, the best way to teach obedience (which faith requires) is to let others see such obedience in the living story before them: our lives.

Do we, as the teachers of faith, have to be willing to deal with our own insidious fears? As we look back on these stories in Luke the issue of “fear of acceptance” was present. In all the stories they had to risk they would be accepted by God if they sought Him. In addition, the parable in 18:1-8 and the report of Jesus praying for Peter in 22:32 to not lose his faith were concerned with this issue of acceptance as well. The widow was to be persistent, despite her immediate experience of rejection, that she would be accepted and her petition granted. Similarly, Jesus prayed for Peter that when he realized his sin (22:62) there was hope of reconciliation. Do people need to see in our lives or the lives of others, despite the horrible things we have done, that rejection is not the last word? Do they need to take confidence in the fact that God did accept Peter when he turned again in painful repentance to God? Christ did not want Peter to lose his faith, and it is logical to see that He does not want us to lose our risk taking capacity when we fail.

Were Jesus’ disciples right after all in telling us stories rather than giving us definitions? Can the true nature of faith be accurately taught in any other way? Our conscious understanding of our own life is primarily understood as our own personal story (with new installments added daily). So as we see stories in the Scriptures and in the lives other humans they can encourage us to believe that our story can become like theirs. We have to see that faith is open to a surprising type of person, who faces difficulty but has to risk and obey and fight through the fear of acceptance. The stories all stress that this cannot be learned in any other way than in doing some physical act that God wants us to do.

I should have turned to that high school student in the van years ago and said, “let me tell you a story.” Then I should have been willing to obey the challenging teachings of Jesus in my own life so that student could see in my life the risks I took and that similar risks were demanded of him to obtain faith.