Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 17:10

10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

The 7, 8, 9. verses are plainly a Parable, a part of a discourse wherein our Lord, under an earthly similitude instructeth us in a spiritual Duty. This Duty is easily learned from the Epiparabole, v. 10. and it lyeth in two things. 1. That we ought to do all those things which our Lord hath commanded us. 2. That we, when we have done all, are to look for our reward, not of debt, but of Grace. He illustrateth this by a Similitude or Parable. He supposeth a Man to have a Servant, Plowing or feeding Cattel for him. By Servants we must understand, such Servants as they had in those Countries, who were not day Servants, or Covenant Servants, who are only obliged to work their hours, or according to their Contracts with us; but such Servants as were most usual amongst them, who were bought with their Money, or taken in War, who were wholly at their Masters Command, and all their time was their Masters, and they were obliged by their labour only to serve him; such Servants our Lord supposeth to have been abroad in the field, Plowing, or Sowing, or feeding Cattel, and at Night to be come in from their Labour. He asks them which of them would think themselves obliged presently to set them to Supper, (for Meat, Drink, and Clothes, were all such Servants wages) or would not rather set them to work again, to make ready their Masters Supper, and then to wait upon him, tying up their long Garments, which they used in those Countries to wear, promising them, that afterwards also they should Eat and Drink. And suppose they do that without Murmuring? he asketh them again, whether they would take themselves obliged to thank them, for doing the things which their Master commanded? He tells them he supposeth they would not take themselves to be under any such obligation. Now what is the meaning of all this, he tells them, v. 11. So likewise ye, when you have done all those things which are command you, say, We are unprofitable Servants, for the infinitely Glorious and Blessed God, can receive no benefit by our services; we have done that which was our Duty to do. By which we are instructed. 1. That we are wholly the Lords, all our time, strength, abilities; we are obliged to love the Lord, with all our Heart, and Mind, and Soul, and Strength. 2. That our labour for the Lord must not cease, till the Lord ceaseth commanding; till we have done all that the Lord by his revealed Will lets us know we have to do. 3. That when we have done all, we shall have merited nothing at Gods hands. 1. Because we are Servants. 2. Because we have but done our duty. 4. That the Lord may delay our reward till we have done all that he hath commanded us. 5. That when we have it, it is not a reward of thanks, but of Grace. This Parable is excellently added to the former discourses, our Saviour had before pressed the Doctrine of Charity, he had also shewed what must be the root of it, viz. true and lively Faith, he here sheweth us what we should propose to our selves, as our end in such acts, viz. not to merit at the hand of God, not meerly in hope to receive a reward from him, but the Glorifying of God, by a Faithful obedience to his Will, owning him as our Lord, and our selves as his Servants, without any vain Glory, or Ostentation, and in all Humility, confessing our selves Servants, unprofitable Servants, and such as have but done our Duty, no tho we had done all that he Commanded us, waiting for our reward with patience and taking it at last as of his free Grace with thankfulness, which is indeed requisite to the true and regular performance of every good work which we do, and our Duty if the infirmity of our flesh would allow us to do all whatsoever God hath commanded us; but much more when our performance are so Lame and imperfect, that the greatest part of what we do, amounteth not to the least part of what we leave undone.