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R. T. Tippett

Luke 17:5-10 - Having faith the size of a mustard seed means servitude to the Lord


The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.


"Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, `Come here at once and take your place at the table'? Would you not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, `We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'"


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In verse five, it is worthwhile to realize that in verse one Luke wrote (literal English translation), “He Said then to the disciples of him”. In that verse, the Greek word “Eipen” is capitalized, meaning (in the third-person) “he Commanded,” “he Brought Word,” of (simplified) “he Said,” where the capitalization elevated that word to a divine level of meaning, equating to the level of Yahweh, where Jesus “Commanded” Spiritually as a Master of Lord over his “students, disciples, learners. In verse five the verse begins with a capitalized “Kai,” which denotes importance to follow, which leads to the lower-case spelling of “eipan,” which bears the same translation as the word “Eipen,” but without the divine elevation in meaning. Then, that “importantly said” is to “those apostles” (“hoi apostoloi”), which is a word stating the “messengers” of Yahweh. This difference must be realized as a focus set upon only those who would carry the message of Jesus to the world (in his name), which did not include the “disciple” by the name of Judas Iscariot.


In verse five, the prior verses have Jesus warning his disciples that the stumbling blocks of life that cause a soul-flesh to sin are as bad as tying a millstone around one’s neck and jumping in the sea. That would most certainly cause death, which means the divine message being taught to his disciples was to not stumble, because stumbling meant walking a path that is unknown and dangerous. That path is wayward and the stumbling blocks are the influences of Satan to sin. To not stumble and fall (a death sentence for one soul, meaning reincarnation to try again with more dangers in one’s new path) means to be unmarried to Yahweh (He is not one’s Father then) and not possessed by the soul of His Son – Adam-Jesus.


This distinction made between disciples and “apostles” has to be seen in the capitalized word “Kyriō,” which is the dative singular noun that says, “to Lord” or “to Master.” Adding in the dative singular article “,” we find the “apostles” have become directed “to this to Lord.” That means the disciples were learning to get “to this” state of divine union, but the “apostles” had indeed come ‘to this,” where the soul of Jesus had joined with their souls, “to Lord” and “to Master” over them. The difference between a physical “lord” and a spiritual “Lord” is divine possession, coming first from a soul marrying Yahweh and being “Anointed” (be a “Christ”) by His Spirit. At that point of Baptismal cleansing of all past sins, then a soul transforms into a “messenger” of Yahweh, as His Son resurrected within new flesh. That means a soul-body has received a “Lord” to guide them as “messengers,” from having joined divinely with each of those wife-souls.


From this setup, we then hear the “apostles” demanding of their soul-flesh’s “Lord” or “Master” that Jesus was then, “Add to our souls faith !” The capitalized second-person singular Greek word “Prosthes” means “you to put to, add,” implying in usage “you place to” or “you do again,” is elevated to a divine level of meaning that equates with Yahweh. Thus, the “apostles” (“messengers”) were commanding Jesus to “Add” his soul to theirs, which is a demand for his divine possession of their soul-flesh. When the alternate meaning is read as, “you Do Again,” this is a divine statement of multiplicity that comes from a spiritual possession. One’s soul (of the “apostles”) is then joined with the soul of Jesus (“Added” to their souls), which IS the truth of his soul becoming the “Lord” over each of their souls. Jesus’ soul is no longer the “Master” of disciples, as the disciples have transformed spiritually to be the “messengers” of Yahweh. To carry His ”messages” to the world, each of their souls needs the soul of Jesus “Added” to theirs. Because verse five begins with a capitalized “Kai,” this demand is most important to those souls in bodies of flesh that are divine “messengers” of Yahweh; and, it is a necessary command that comes from Yahweh speaking through them.


In this command, the dative plural possessive pronoun “hēmin” is written, which typically translates as “to us.” This can equally translate as “to ourselves,” with the ‘selves” part of that pronoun restates as “soul,” as “our souls.” This transformation of a simple possessive pronoun makes this divine text of Luke be stating that the “souls” of the disciples is what changed, making them become “apostles,” or “messengers” of Yahweh. This is important to grasp, when the command ends with the word “pistin,” meaning the demand was to “Add” within “their souls faith” or “faithfulness.” This must then be seen as an admission of the souls in flesh that were disciples possessed no “faith,” although they were strong ‘believers’ in Jesus and Yahweh, as taught to them in their Jewish upbringing. However, to become the “messengers” of Yahweh, they knew the soul of Jesus within their souls (as “the Lord of their souls”) needed to instill within them “faith.” To understand this short reading, this spiritual growth and development of disciples into “apostles” needs to be seen as incomplete without the soul of Jesus as each “apostle’s Lord in their soul-flesh” becoming the source of the “faith” they never had possessed before.


In verse six, Luke began with a capitalized “Eipen,” which matches the spelling used to begin verse one. The same implication applies here, as this spelling stated a divinely elevated statement is coming; and, that divinity comes from Yahweh (through the Son), as a spiritual “Speaking” to souls, not human ears. This then leads to Luke adding, “now this Lord,” which says the inner voice of Yahweh is His Son’s soul having merged with the souls of “apostles” (not disciples). This is why Jesus said he did not speak for himself, but for the Father. This further explains that “this Lord” is not Jesus the man speaking to his followers, but a soul of Adam – the only Son of Yahweh, made by His hand – which is also the soul of Jesus. This says Jesus was also a soul born into a body of flesh, who was born with the soul of Adam already merged with his soul, whereas the disciples would know sin before they could become learners, led to become “messengers.” Only once in this entire chapter of Luke’s Gospel is the name “Jesus” written (when he healed ten lepers); so, the “Lord” over the soul of Jesus was the same spirit sent by Yahweh to join with his soul, as well as other – at the same time (that is well within the capabilities of Yahweh).


This then led the “Lord” within their souls to say, “If,” where the Greek word “Ei” is capitalized, thus raised to a divine level of meaning, equating with Yahweh. The word translates ordinarily as “forasmuch as, if, that,” mostly implying “if,” which becomes a divine scenario being stated about the souls of the disciples transformed into “apostles.” The big “IF” states that not all souls will be willing to submit totally to Yahweh in divine union, thereby becoming a souls resurrected with the soul of His Son, being reborn as Jesus in the flesh. This would explain to the souls of the “apostles” the reason why Judas Iscariot is still only a disciple. Still, the positive direction “If” takes is it identifies the power of “faith” that does come to “apostles, “ “If” they are to be the “messengers” of Yahweh.


When the “Lord” then “Said,” “your souls possess faith even as a seed of mustard,” this speaks of spiritual “possession,” not physical size as measured in such small things as “mustard seeds.” The Greek word “echete” is the second-person plural form of “echó,” meaning “to have, hold, possess.” The second-person is ordinarily implying “you,” but the plural number transforms this to “yourselves,” or “your souls.” This is important to grasp, as the “apostles” and the “Lord” are not physical entities (like are disciples and their Master), but spiritual, as the souls within their beings. The “possession” is then a spiritual “possession” by Yahweh, which is then compounded when the soul of His Son possesses a soul-body as its “Lord.” This makes the words “even as” state metaphor is the essence of “a seed of mustard.” This says a disciple (or any ordinary soul-body not married to Yahweh) does not possess even one iota of true “faith.” True “faith” can only come from Yahweh.


When this bif “If” is stated as the proof od one’s “faith,” the next series of words must then be seen as using more metaphor. It begins (following a comma mark of separation) with the second-person plural imperfect word “elegete,” meaning “your souls would have commanded.” This word is similar to “eipan,” used earlier in verse five, when the “commanded these apostles to this to Lord.” This now says, “instead of commanding the Lord to Add faith to your souls,” then “your souls would have commanded your soul to be to this to mulberry tree.” This demands one understand the symbolic meaning of a “mulberry tree.”

According to the website The Classroom, writer Samantha Belyeu wrote of the “Mulberry Tree Symbolism”:


“It has been the sign of nature, faith, growth and for some death. … Mulberries do not

bud until all danger of frost is past, and so they symbolize calculated patience. When

they do produce buds, it happens so quickly that it seems to occur overnight, displaying

and thus symbolizing expediency and wisdom. For all these attributes, the ancient

Greeks dedicated the plant to the goddess of wisdom, Athena (a.k.a. the Roman

goddess Minerva).”


From this, it must be realized that the disciples had transformed into “apostles,” where their “last frost” of sin had passed. Their “calculated patience” was their time spent in the ‘School of Jesus,’ learning from his teachings. The “possession of one see of mustard worth of faith” is then the rapid transformation (“overnight” to a new dawning of light), where “wisdom” was now the result of them each “possessing faith.” This “faith” does not come from a goddess (as did Solomon’s trust in human wisdom), but from Yahweh, as governed by the “Lord” over each of their souls – Adam-Jesus. Therefore, the metaphor of “a mulberry tree” says “If you are a mulberry tree,” then your souls do not command the “Lord” to give “your souls faith,” as all souls married to Yahweh “possess faith” as each being “one seed” – “one iota” – of His Spiritual presence. A “messenger” of Yahweh does not “command this Lord” to do anything, as “this Lord commands” their soul-bodies to go into ministry.


Following a comma mark of separation, the “Lord” then “Commanded the apostles” “your soul must be uprooted,” which is a statement that sedentary lifestyles are a ting of the past. Here, again, the second-person singular must be converted to say “your soul,” rather than just “you” (a physical being). After Luke wrote the word “kai,” which denotes importance to follow, the importance of “being uprooted” is so “your soul must be planted.” This metaphor is relative to the theme of plants, such as a “mulberry tree,” but the symbolism is for “your soul to be set,” where the act of planting and setting is done by the ‘Gardener,’ which is Adam, who tended the Garden of Eden for Yahweh. When the place of this “planting” or “setting” is then seen as “the sea,” this too is metaphor, in the same way David wrote in his Psalms, where “the sea” is metaphor for the “sea” of souls that are lost in the physical world, in need of being led to the light of truth and a burning desire to marry Yahweh and receive His Son within. Thus, Luke had “the Lord” say “your soul must be planted within the sea,” where the Greek word “en” means a ministry that touches the hearts, minds, and souls of others (the part of us all that is “within”).


Following another comma mark of separation, Luke wrote another “kai,” which denotes more importance to follow. In this, “the Lord,” who was earlier “commanded” to “Add faith to their souls,” replied that “If their souls had one iota of faith [from Yahweh], then they would have instead “commanded their souls to enter ministry,” full of “faith.” Thus, their “uprooting” of their souls, so they could enter “within the sea” of lost souls seeking salvation, then (importantly) would have been a “command (that) would have been heard” by Yahweh. There would be no ‘obedience’ coming into play, beyond the obedience a wife-soul swears to Yahweh at the marriage altar. But, a wife-soul asking Yahweh, “send me to do your work among humanity” will find that request (prayer) “answered.”


It is very important to see this view of the reading selection, as verses five and six are the focal point of what Luke wrote next, in verses seven through ten. Everything hangs upon the exchanges that are “commands,” where the “apostles commanded to this to Lord,” which is the servant telling the “Master” what to do. The “Lord” then proposed the “If” scenario, which states a “Command” that would be listened to by Yahweh. The remaining verse then become an example of what was stated in verses five and six.


Verse seven begins with a capitalized “Tis,” which is an indefinite pronoun of the masculine singular. In the Greek of the New Testament, the masculine gender should be read as applying to souls, spirits, angels, and all that is of the spiritual realm. The feminine, likewise, denotes a human soul trapped in a body of flesh, as it is of the worldly realm. The word “tis” ordinarily asks a question, relative to “who, which, what, or why.” The capitalization here elevates the meaning to a level of Yahweh, so “Who?” becomes a confirmation word for the “If” who “have faith one seed of mustard.” Thus, verse seven begins by the “Lord” asking, “Who now from out of of your souls a servant possessing”. This question, like the “If” scenario, is asking those “apostles,” “Who of your souls now has come out from your soul-flesh as its self-master, becoming instead a servant of the Lord who possesses your souls?” The answer is all “apostles” are servants of Yahweh, led by the soul of His Son as their Lord.


Following a comma mark of separation, the Lord then gave examples of this servitude, saying “plowing or shepherding”. This is not to be taken as some ordinary jobs held by the disciples, or by the lowest of Jewish culture, where “a servant” or “slave” is sent to do menial tasks, such as working in the fields producing food or grazing sheep which are used for clothing and occasionally meat. The metaphor of these tasks is then relative to “a mulberry tree uprooted and planted in the sea” of lost souls that seek salvation. The act of “plowing” is then the hard work that loosens the earth (flesh), so it will be prepared to receive the “seeds of faith.” The job of “shepherding” is then the work involved in herding those souls that have been saved into Yahweh’s sheepfold, while seeking those who have become lost, so they will be found and returned to the fold. Both positions are necessary for “apostles” and this related to the “If you would have commanded” self-ministry (an act of faith), they Yahweh would have “listened” and responded favorably.


After these symbolic comparisons to the service provided by the “apostles,” “the Lord” then stated, “who to having entered from out of of this of field,” which says the souls of the “apostles” had “come in to this” service, “from out of this field,” which is a comparative metaphor for the “sea.” While “plowing or shepherding” are tasks done in the “fields” in a physical sense of the world, the spiritual element of souls had the “fields” be relative to the spiritual realm. Thus, the “Lord” said their transformation form disciple to “apostle” was a willing decision that each soul had made, regardless of what their social status had been prior, each soul left their ”field” of work and service to “enter into this field” of service to Yahweh, which included metaphorically “plowing or shepherding.”


Following another comma mark of separation, Luke shows “the Lord” telling the “apostles, “ “he will command to his soul,” with the Greek word “erei” being a third-person future word that continues the theme of “commands.” When the masculine singular possessive pronoun “autō” is seen not as the soul of the “apostle,” but the soul of Jesus – “the Lord” – who “will command to his souls” possessed. This needs to be firmly grasped, as to see the ‘poor, tired soul coming in from a hard day of “plowing or shepherding” and making demands’ is not the direction this reading selection is going.


With this understood, these two word are separated by a comma mark, leading the “Lord” to ask the souls he possesses, “Eutheōs parelthōn , anapese ?” The NRSV translation above has these three words shown as a question that asks, “Come here at once and take your place at the table?” which is confusing. The capitalized word “Eutheōs” is divinely elevated to a level of Yahweh that says, “At Once, Directly, Soon, Immediately.” When any of those are seen connecting to the prior statement that says, “who will command to his souls possessed,” this divine elevation must be seen as how “Recently” the souls of the “apostles” had transformed from disciple to servants of Yahweh. When the word “parelthōn” is then translated properly to “having passed by” or “having come to,” this (especially with the connection to a “pass over” being a spiritual transformation) their only “Soon having passed by,” so their time of service to Yahweh is not long. Thus, the last word of verse seven, the Greek word “aoulind,” is separated by a comma mark to show the true question being, “to fall back,” which is to return to the selfish state of being that keeps souls in flesh from committing to Yahweh through total and complete self-sacrifice to do His Will. This makes the question by “the Lord” to the “apostles” be, “Would you so soon return to being the ruler over your own soul and flesh, because you possess zero faith?”


After posing this question, verse eight begins with “the Lord” stating an exception, where the first segment of words says, “on the other hand not at all will he command his soul , you Prepare what I might have eaten”. Notice that this new ‘sentence’ following a question mark does not begin with a capitalized first word, proving that rule of normal syntax does not apply to divine texts. These two segments of words state “on the contrary” to “falling back” to a state of selfishness (where the Greek word “aoulind” can imply (when dining) a reclining position at a table, which is symbolic of belief (not faith) that one is royalty and is allowed to recline when eating. Certainly, after being a servant to Yahweh and doing the tasks of “plowing or shepherding” all day long, there are no promises made by Yahweh that being His servant comes with a palatial villa near Rome and hired slaves to do one’s bidding after a hard day at the office.


Thus, the way to read this “on the other hand” or the “exception” is to hear “the Lord” (the masculine singular of “eiri,” meaning “will he command”) giving an order to the soul of an “apostle” that is: “you Prepare what I might have eaten”. In that, the capitalized Greek word “Hetoimason” is the second-person singular aorist imperative form of “hetoimazó,” meaning “you make ready” or “you prepare.” As a divinely elevated word that rises to the level of Yahweh, this command from “the Lord” says to the “apostle, “you ready your soul to lead other souls to me, so I can eat their flesh away from controlling their souls and become their Lord also.” The ‘food’ of issue is not physical, as souls need no physical food to live, being eternal spirits. To be assured of eternal life beyond the death of the flesh, a soul must have married Yahweh and become possessed by His Son, who become “the Lord” over that wife-soul and its flesh, ensuring no sins of selfishness ever occur again.


Following a comma mark of separation, Luke then wrote the word “kai,” which denotes importance must be found in the one word that follows, before another comma mark: “perizōsamenos.” This is the masculine singular aorist participle of the word “perizónnumi,” meaning “to gird oneself.” This word can then be seen as implying “the Lord” saying importantly to a soul serving him, “having dressed in readiness,” as the NAS Exhaustive Concordance shows this word’s usage to state. By reading this important statement in this manner, it says the soul “has dressed in readiness” (the capitalized statement leading this verse: “Hetoimason”) by having put on the robes of righteousness provided by Yahweh’s Spirit of Baptism and the presence of His Son as “the Lord” governing one’s soul and flesh. Thus, an ”apostle” is marked by always “having been dressed in readiness” to serve more flesh to Yahweh, as the food of His Son.


Following the comma mark of separation, “the Lord” then tells the soul of the “apostles,” “you minister to my soul until I might eat kai I might drink”. This says the tasks of the “apostles” is “plowing or shepherding,” in the process of bringing souls in the flesh to find a love and devotion to Yahweh and marry Him, becoming where His Son’s soul resurrects and become their Lord. In this process the souls of the lost will do as John had Jesus explain in his sixth chapter, where Jesus was there for his flesh and blood to be eaten and drank. The presence of a “kai” denotes a greater importance coming from the “drinking” aspect, which is metaphor for being filled with the Spirit, preparing for the soul of Adam-Jesus to resurrect and become one with a soul and its flesh. This is the blood of an Anointed (a Christ) flowing through one’s body of flesh, as one with its host soul.


Following a semi-colon mark that denotes a separate statement relative to that just said follows. Here, Luke wrote another “kai,” denoting importance must be found in what “the Lord” said. Those words are: “in company with these your soul will eat kai you will drink your soul”. This becomes a statement that the soul of the “apostles” are each one with the soul of Adam-Jesus, as their “Lord.” This says that where they go to “minister” in his name (or where they go to “wait the table” in preparation of satisfying the needs “the Lord” has), then every time a lost soul is ministered to, in the name of Jesus, it will be “the Lord” eating the body and drinking the blood of a soul being saved, while each soul-body of an “apostle” will be “eating and drinking within their souls” also. This verse then ends with a question mark, which is “the Lord” asking, “Do you not also eat and drink with me?”


In verse nine, the confusion about this example of “faith” is compounded by thinking this is Jesus telling his disciples a parable about a field worker. When it is understood to be an example of “faith” in “apostles,” where “faith” in anything is impossible without direct personal knowledge and experience of that known to be true, the element of “faith” comes immediately once one’s soul-body is possessed by Yahweh in divine marriage and then possessed by the “apostle” being forever transformed by knowing the presence of Yahweh’s Son within one’s being. Thus, verse nine is “the Lord” asking the “apostles” about their having no need to command “Add to our souls faith,” by saying, “not he possesses favor to this to servant (or slave) because he acted these having been arranged ?” This asks, “is not your personal experience of these lost souls having been saved in your presence, in my name, a favor bestowed upon a servant of Yahweh that adds faith to your souls?”


Verse ten begins by “the Lord” saying, “in this way kai your souls,” which is a statement that says all “apostles” comes to be that “in the same way.” This is importantly not a favor of the flesh, but the grace of “faith” upon the soul of each “apostle.” Thus, “the Lord” then added, “whenever you might have acted all these having been arranged to your souls , you each speak because , Servants useless we exist”. These three segments string together to make the point that the “acts of the apostles” done were so “because” lost souls were in need of a saint in the name of “the Lord” to come answer their prayers to Yahweh. Everything spoken in those exchanges were words sent by Yahweh through His Son, into an “apostle’s” body and soul. Even Adam-Jesus is a “Servant” of Yahweh, just like all soul-bodies “the Lord” possesses, so each are in his name. Without being such “Slaves” or “Servants” of Yahweh, all are “useless existences” on earth. This means “useless” is a soul not redeemed and unmarried to Yahweh.


After a semi-colon mark denotes a new, relative statement is to be made, “the Lord” then said, “this we are indebted to do , we have acted .” In this, the “indebtedness” is one’s sins having been erased by the Baptism of Spirit, given as a wedding gift by Yahweh. While a gift of redemption, the repentance of all that has been removed must still be repaid in full. This makes a wife-soul become a “slave” possessed by His Son, who leads the souls of “apostles” into ministry in his name. That word assigned is then the “plowing or shepherding” each is commanded “to do.” To earn eternal salvation means all “apostles” perform the “acts” commanded by “the Lord.”

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