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The parables of Luke contain soliloquies. The prodigal son is the classic example. The anti-hero not only abandons his old life. Before doing so, he ponders: "How many of my father 's have bread, and I perish here with hunger! I will get up, and go to my father." In this and in other parables, the words of the soliloquies undress the soul of the character. They show whom he is. In Luke 17, the only difference is that the monologue comes at the end, when Jesus commands: "Say, I am an unprofitable servant, for I did only what I should."
Those who find the center of the parable in the soliloquy at its very end do not exaggerate. Faith is to utter that sentence and preach it with the verve with which Anthony preached to the fish: "God gave men reason without the use, and gave fish its use without reason." Faith is to exhort ourselves to repentance, attend the court of conscience, and confess our own futility with downcast eyes and a naked soul. Without this attitude, there can be service to God, but no kingdom of God.
The monologue of Luke 17,10 is what gives birth to the servant of God. Without uttering it intimately, the worker for God is only a false servant, someone ready to take the step of betrayal. He only becomes a true servant, when he becomes a servant inside. Echoing this principle, Paul said to Philemon that Onesimus had been useless before (Fm 11). In these words, the scent of Luke 17,10 can be distinguished. Onesimus had been Philemon’s slave, which means he had been useless. This is the biblical concept of servitude.
Luther was a hot tempered man. Catholic historians have tried to portray him as a stubborn sinner. But it cannot be denied that Luther reached a deep sense of his misery and utter worthlessness. In a famous passage, he expressed it clearly: "We are all beggars, that’s the whole truth." One needs to ignore human condition to deny this verdict.
However, the world is full of people who think they are able to serve God without regarding themselves useless. How many know everything about everything! How many were with God, when he laid the foundations of the earth, when he established its measures and stretched the line upon it, when the foundations of the world were probed, and the morning stars sang for joy (Job 38:4-7). How many have ready answers to give about these and all other mysteries. They can say what took place in remote antiquity, they can teach all that is written from Genesis to Revelation. They also know all it takes to fix others and the very church of God. The only thing they do not know is that they are totally useless.
It is amazing how this swarm of wannabes are not willing to lift a finger to pursue wisdom. They do not want to go into the field, come back, and prepare the supper table.Thus they are far from proclaiming their worthlessness. And the parable does not exhort them to do so, but to go into the field, shed their sweat, learn the meaning of fatigue and that they are miserable, poor, blind and naked.
One thing is to do nothing and confess to be useless. Quite another is to do all, complete a splendid work, and exclaim: "Lord, I am a useless servant, because I did only what I should do." This is the masterpiece of the Spirit of God in man. God’s creation consisted of bringing forth things, and saying "It's good". His new creation is produced when man, the crown of his works, pronounces the good soliloquy.
