Once let the light of grace shine into a man's heart, and the reign of self-righteousness is over. The roots of pride may remain, and often put forth bitter shoots. But the power of pride is broken when the Spirit comes into the heart, and shows the man himself, and God. The true Christian will never trust in his own goodness. He will say with St. Paul, "I am the chief of sinners." — " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of otir Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Tim. i. 15 ; Gal. vi. 14.)
Notes. LtJkb XVII. 5—10.
6. — [The Apostles said.] Both Stier and Alford remark, that this is the only instance we have of the ** apostles," as a body, saying anything to oiir Lord, or making any request. Yet I venture to doubt the correctness of the remark. I think it a high pro- bability that in Matt. xvii. 19, and Acts i. 6, those who spoke to our Lord together were the " apostles."
[Inerease our faith.] The literal rendering of the Greek word here would be, ** add to us faith," — that is " give us more faith." The reason why this request was made, I have given in the exposition. It follows a discourse extending from the beginning of the fifteenth chapter, and containing no less than five most important parables, beside other things. No wonder that the disciples said, '* Increase our faith."
6. — [As a grain of mustard seed.] This is a proverbial expression for something very smedl and insignificant in size.
[Say.,, sycamine tree,,. plucked up.] This is a proverbial ex- pression, apparently common among the Jews, for doing great works, and overcoming apparently insuperable difficulties. St. Paul's expression is like it, "though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains." (1 Cor. xiii. 2.) Major remarks, " When the Jews intended to extol any of their doctors, they said of him, that he plucked up mountains by the roots." Whether the tree mentioned is a mulberry tree, or a sycamine, commen- tators aie not agreed.
r Wkieh of you, dc] Our Lord's object in this and the three following verses appears to be, to check any idea of merit or worthiness in the disciple's minds. However great their faith might be, and however mighty their works, they were not to suppose they would have any claim on God, or any right to His favour.