When you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’  (Luke 17:10 ESV)

In the latest post, the same passage based on a translation where ἀχρεῖος, achreios, the word above ‘unworthy’, was better rendered as ‘unprofitable’.  Is ‘unworthy’ poor translation? Hardly, for it correctly conveys the sense that someone or something is ‘lacks utility’, the very literal meaning of achreios, and it is short step from ‘useless’ to ‘being without merit’ – but it may possibly mislead if taken in isolation from all the Jesus taught, and indeed, all Scripture.

Jesus is teaching his disciples that their utility, or worth if you will, is not determined by what they do.  Whether they possessed ‘vast’ faith, great purity or any noble quality, or should they live an ascetic life or more to the point obey his commandments to the letter, none of these changes their status.  They will still remain douloi achreioi, ‘unworthy slaves.’

But do not slaves have value?

The Old English noun weorþ has not changed in meaning essentially, ‘worth’ is the value of something.  And we should note that under the ‘Dooms’, the laws set by Anglo-Saxon kings (hence ‘kingdoms’) þeówlingas, slaves, had a monetary value, so that if a slave was unable to perform their duties through malacious injury or murder, they might be replaced. 

And this was no different in Biblical times, under the Law of Moses, for instance:   

If anyone makes a special vow to the Lord involving the valuation of persons, then the valuation of a male from twenty years old up to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. If the person is a female, the valuation shall be thirty shekels… (Leviticus 27:2-4)

And of course, in the Roman Empire slaves were bought and sold, hence they had a value on placed on their heads.  If the world can ascribe value, albeit in this demeaning and degrading fashion, cannot God do better?

So, what is a disciple’s worth then from God’s perspective.  Rather than being based on anything they do, it is entirely measured by what Jesus does. 

Perhaps the briefest career of any disciple was the thief on the cross, it is can be condensed into five verses:

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’

But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ 

And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ 

And he said to him, ‘truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’  (Luke 23:39-43)

At that point, it could be said, that given his chosen disciples had deserted him (apart from John, who was they in the capacity of male relative), that Jesus died solely for that criminal.  A man thought utterly worthless and completely disposable.  In fact, had Joseph of Arimathea not asked for Jesus’ body, Jesus would have joined the criminals’ corpses as they were thrown onto the rubbish heap of Gehenna to be eaten by the dogs and rats.

Yet, in God’s economy the value of the thief, by his declaration of faith, is now has infinite worth, reckoned by the metric of Jesus’ priceless blood.  The worth, then, of any disciple is ascribed by God.  The Bible is completely clear that the disciple brings nothing other than their sin to the cross, and no amount of good work can justify or vindicate, and yet:

… God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

And so the faithful, the followers and disciples of Jesus, are thus invaluable in God’s economy.