Today's Verse: Matthew 17:20 (ESV)
He said to them, h“Because of your little faith. For itruly, I say to you, jif you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, kyou will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and lnothing will be impossible for you.”5
h [John 11:40]; See ch. 6:30
i ch. 21:21, 22; Mark 11:23
j Luke 17:6; [ch. 13:31]
k ver. 9; [1 Cor. 13:2]
l Mark 9:23
5 Some manuscripts insert verse 21: But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting
It is at this point in Matthew's Gospel that Jesus shifts his focus from His Kingdom to the cross, and he starts to prepare His disciples for both the events to come and for their ministry after He is taken from them. The Teacher's Commentary defines faith as a trusting response to God and His promises. In the context surrounding this particular verse, Jesus had just healed a boy with a demon after his disciples could not. Jesus then suggests that their faith was still too immature, to even be compared to the size of a mustard seed (one of the smallest of seeds in the world) and suggesting that with just that small amount of faith, they would be capable of moving mountains.
Today's Comments: The implication here is that, whatever the circumstances, we need to maintain our faith. That means continuing to fast, pray, and worship. We cannot give up. For if we do, we will become as powerless as those disciples who, at that particular time, may have suffered a temporary let-down. Just a little faith will give us power that will take us a long way. Just a little faith will enable us to move our mountains.
He said to them, h“Because of your little faith. For itruly, I say to you, jif you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, kyou will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and lnothing will be impossible for you.”5
h [John 11:40]; See ch. 6:30
i ch. 21:21, 22; Mark 11:23
j Luke 17:6; [ch. 13:31]
k ver. 9; [1 Cor. 13:2]
l Mark 9:23
5 Some manuscripts insert verse 21: But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting
It is at this point in Matthew's Gospel that Jesus shifts his focus from His Kingdom to the cross, and he starts to prepare His disciples for both the events to come and for their ministry after He is taken from them. The Teacher's Commentary defines faith as a trusting response to God and His promises. In the context surrounding this particular verse, Jesus had just healed a boy with a demon after his disciples could not. Jesus then suggests that their faith was still too immature, to even be compared to the size of a mustard seed (one of the smallest of seeds in the world) and suggesting that with just that small amount of faith, they would be capable of moving mountains.
Today's Comments: The implication here is that, whatever the circumstances, we need to maintain our faith. That means continuing to fast, pray, and worship. We cannot give up. For if we do, we will become as powerless as those disciples who, at that particular time, may have suffered a temporary let-down. Just a little faith will give us power that will take us a long way. Just a little faith will enable us to move our mountains.
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