The Power of Forgiveness · Day 3
Luke 17:1-6 — a devotion
Luke 17
- 1예수께서 제자들에게 이르시되 실족케 하는 것이 없을 수는 없으나 있게 하는 자에게는 화로다Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come!
- 2저가 이 작은 자 중에 하나를 실족케 할진대 차라리 연자맷돌을 그 목에 매이우고 바다에 던지우는 것이 나으리라It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.
- 3너희는 스스로 조심하라 만일 네 형제가 죄를 범하거든 경계하고 회개하거든 용서하라Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him.
- 4만일 하루 일곱 번이라도 네게 죄를 얻고 일곱 번 네게 돌아와 내가 회개하노라 하거든 너는 용서하라 하시더라And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
- 5사도들이 주께 여짜오되 우리에게 믿음을 더하소서 하니And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
- 6주께서 가라사대 너희에게 겨자씨 한 알만한 믿음이 있었더면 이 뽕나무더러 뿌리가 뽑혀 바다에 심기우라 하였을 것이요 그것이 너희에게 순종하였으리라And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
KJV and World English Bible — Public Domain · 개역한글 ⓒ Korean Bible Society
Background
Luke 17 contains teaching Jesus gave His disciples on His journey toward Jerusalem. Through this travel narrative (9:51-19:27), Luke explores the meaning of discipleship in depth. Verses 1-6 deal with the ethics of relationships within the community: the warning against causing others to stumble, the command to forgive, and the conversation about faith form one organic unit. This passage comes right after the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in chapter 16, moving naturally from teaching about wealth to teaching about relationships in community. The disciples' request, 'Increase our faith,' is a scene that honestly reveals how difficult the task of forgiveness is, while also showing the tension between human limitation and God's power.
Reflection questions: 1. Have you ever grown weary in a situation where you had to forgive again and again? What emotions did you feel then? 2. What does it mean to me that the power to forgive comes not from my own ability but from God's? 3. Is there a relational difficulty right now that I could entrust to God with faith even as small as a mustard seed?
Today's reflection
In this passage Jesus teaches two things together. First He warns about the seriousness of causing another person to stumble, and then He commands repeated forgiveness. The stark warning in verses 1-2 — that it would be better for the one who causes others to stumble to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown into the sea — shows how great an influence we have on one another within relationships. Then in verses 3-4, the command to forgive someone who sins against you seven times in a day and returns seven times in repentance is deeply challenging.
The key here is the condition that the other person 'turns again.' True forgiveness leads to the full restoration of a relationship when it goes hand in hand with repentance. Hearing this, the disciples immediately asked, 'Increase our faith.' They felt that such repeated forgiveness was simply impossible by natural human ability. This response is very honest and realistic. Jesus answers that with faith even as small as a mustard seed, a mulberry tree could be uprooted and planted in the sea.
This means that what matters is not the size of our faith but its object — the power of God. Even the smallest faith, when connected to the almighty God, makes what seems impossible possible. Feeling frustrated when you face situations that call for forgiveness over and over is a natural emotion. In those moments, lay down the burden of having to do it in your own strength, and lean on God with even a small faith. Upon that small faith rests God's great power.
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