21<\/strong>. and doubt not<\/em> ] The Greek verb implies the doubt that follows questioning and discussion. The active voice is used of discerning<\/em> the face of the sky (ch. Mat 16:3<\/span>): from the sense of deciding litigation the meaning passes to disputation in general, and thence in middle voice to its force in the text. The last usage is not classical. The context of Act 10:20<\/span>, where the same word is used, illustrates this passage.<\/p>\n Verse 21<\/span>. If ye have faith, and doubt not<\/B><\/I>] See on Mt 17:20<\/span>. Removing mountains<\/I>, and rooting up of mountains<\/I>, are phrases very generally used to signify the removing<\/I> or conquering<\/I> great difficulties<\/I>-getting through perplexities<\/I>. So, many of the rabbins are termed rooters up of mountains<\/I>, because they were dexterous in removing difficulties, solving cases of conscience, c. In this sense our Lord’s words are to be understood. He that has faith will get through every difficulty and perplexity mountains shall become molehills or plains before him. The saying is neither to be taken in its literal sense, nor is it hyperbolical<\/I>: it is a proverbial form of speech, which no Jew could misunderstand, and with which no Christian ought to be puzzled.<\/P><\/p>\n Jesus answered and said unto them<\/strong>,…. His disciples wondering at his power, in causing the fig tree to wither so suddenly:<\/p>\n verily I say unto you, if ye have faith<\/strong>; that is, in God, in his power, which reaches to all things: the object of faith is expressed in Mark, and by way of exhortation, “have faith in God”, that he will enable you to perform whatsoever ye shall desire; which must be understood, not of spiritual faith in the promises of God, and person of Christ, but of, the faith of miracles, or faith in the power of God to perform things that are above the strength of nature:<\/p>\n and doubt not<\/strong>; either of the power, or will of God to do for you, and by you, the thing desired; for this kind of faith would not admit of the least degree of doubting: there must be no hesitation in the mind, no reasoning upon the thing, how it can be performed; the mind must not be divided between the power and will of God, and the difficulties and discouragements which attend the case, but must believe in hope against hope, with a full persuasion of accomplishment: for want of this faith, without doubting, the disciples could not cure the child that was lunatic.<\/p>\n Ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree<\/strong>; cause one to be dried up, and wither away by a word, as Christ had done to this, which, comparatively speaking, was but a lesser sort of miracle;<\/p>\n but also, if ye shall say to this mountain<\/strong>; the Mount of Olives, where Christ and his disciples now were, and were passing over, or, at least, were very near it; or any other mountain wherever they might be, to which they should, upon any occasion, think fit to say,<\/p>\n be thou removed, and cast into the sea<\/strong>; which was many miles off from Mount Olivet, and must he a very surprising performance for a mountain to be rooted up, so large as that was, and be carried several miles from its former situation, and be thrown into the sea; and yet, as difficult and amazing as this may seem,<\/p>\n it shall be done<\/strong>: that is, provided the person doubts not; or, as it is said in Mark, “shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things, which he saith, shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith”: for this must not be confined to the particular instances of drying up a fig tree, or removing a mountain, but the doing of any sort of miracle, how great soever. Nor is it our Lord’s meaning that they should do these particular things; nor is it certain that they ever did: but his sense is, that, had they faith, they should be able not only to do such lesser miracles, as, comparatively speaking, the withering of the fig tree was, but they should be able to perform things much more difficult and surprising, whenever the good of the souls of men, the propagation of the Gospel, and the glory of God required them.<\/p>\n Doubt not <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). First aorist passive subjunctive, second-class condition. To be divided in mind, to waver, to doubt, the opposite of “faith” (<\/SPAN><\/span>), trust, confidence.<\/P> What is done to the fig tree <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). The Greek means “the matter of the fig tree,” as if a slight matter in comparison with<\/P> this mountain <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Removing a mountain is a bigger task than blighting a fig tree. “The cursing of the fig-tree has always been regarded as of symbolic import, the tree being in Christ’s mind an emblem of the Jewish people, with a great show of religion and no fruit of real godliness. This hypothesis is very credible” (Bruce). Plummer follows Zahn in referring it to the Holy City. Certainly “this mountain” is a parable and one already reported in Mt 17:20<\/span> (cf. sycamine tree in Lk 17:6<\/span>). Cf. Zec 17:4<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n 21 And Jesus answering. The use of the miracle is still farther extended by Christ, in order to excite his disciples to faith and confidence. By Mark , the general exhortation is placed first, to have faith in God; and then follows the promise, that they would obtain by faith whatever they asked from God. To have faith in God means, to expect, and to be fully assured of obtaining, from God whatever we need. But as faith, if we have any, breaks out immediately into prayer, and penetrates into the treasures of the grace of God, which are held out to us in the word, in order to enjoy them, so Christ adds prayer to faith; for if he had only said that we shall have whatever we wish, some would have thought that faith was presumptuous or too careless. And therefore Christ shows that those only are believers who, relying on his goodness and promises, betake themselves to him with humility. <\/p>\n This passage is exceedingly adapted to point out the power and nature of faith; that it is a certainty, relying on the goodness of God, which does not admit of doubt. For Christ does not acknowledge as believers any but those who are fully convinced that God is reconciled to them, and do not doubt that he will give what they ask. Hence we perceive by what a diabolical contrivance the Papists are bewitched, who mingle faith with doubt, and even charge us with foolish presumption, if we venture to appear before God under the conviction of His fatherly regard toward us. But this benefit derived from Christ is that on which Paul chiefly dwells, when he says that <\/p>\n by the faith of him we have boldness to approach to God with confidence (Eph 3:12<\/span>). <\/p>\n This passage shows also that the true test of faith lies in prayer. If it be objected, that those prayers are never heard, that mountains should be thrown into the sea, the answer is easy. Christ does not give a loose rein to the wishes of men, that they should desire any thing at their pleasure, when he places prayer after the rule of faith; (22) for in this way the Spirit must of necessity hold all our affections by the bridle of the word of God, and bring them into obedience. Christ demands a firm and undoubting confidence of obtaining an answer; and whence does the human mind obtain that confidence but from the word of God? We now see then that Christ promises nothing to his disciples, unless they keep themselves within the limits of the good pleasure of God. <\/p>\n (22) “ Veu qu’il met les prieres apres la regle de foy, et veut qu’elles soyent conduites par icelle;” — “since he places prayers after the rule of faith, and wishes that they should be regulated by it.” <\/p>\n (21) If ye have faith, and doubt not.<\/strong>The promise, in its very form, excludes a literal fulfilment. The phrase to remove mountains (as in 1Co. 13:2<\/span>) was a natural hyperbole for overcoming difficulties, and our Lord in pointing to this mountainas He had done before to Hermon (Mat. 17:20<\/span>)did but give greater vividness to an illustration which the disciples would readily understand. A mere physical miracle, such as the removal of the mountain, could never be in itself the object of the prayer of a faith such as our Lord described. The hyperbole is used here, as elsewhere, to impress on mens mind the truth which lies beneath it.<\/p>\n 21<\/strong>. <\/strong> If ye have faith, and doubt not <\/em> Jesus does not explain the symbolical import of either the triumphal entry, the cleansing of the temple, or the withering of the fig tree. Their symbolism appears from the intrinsic character of the transactions. This lesson of faith is here drawn from the miracle, because Jesus is soon to leave them to their own moral strength, amid the state of surrounding ruin prefigured by the withered tree. This mountain <\/em> Referring, perhaps, to Mount Olivet, over which they were passing.<\/p>\n ‘And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, If you have faith, and do not doubt, you will not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if you shall say to this mountain, ‘Be you taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will be done.”<\/p>\n Jesus replies enigmatically. He primarily uses what He has done as an illustration of what true faith can do, and even expands on it. He will leave the deeper lesson to be understood later. So He points out that nothing is impossible to faith, even the withering of fig trees and the moving of mountains and casting of them into the sea. However, we must not read into that that faith can produce anything that we wish (it did not produce figs for Jesus to eat), for it would be no more moral for us to use faith for our own selfish purposes as it would have been for Jesus. The point is that we can only use faith in this way if there are grounds for such faith. Jesus is not saying to His disciples that they can do anything ridiculous that they decide that they want to do (like moving a mountain simply in order to avoid having to climb over it). He is saying that this is true for anything that they have good grounds for thinking is in the will of God. Indeed He may well have intended them to remember the mountain moved by Zerubbabel (Zec 4:7<\/span>), that is, the achieving of seemingly impossible spiritual objectives because inspired and empowered by the Spirit.<\/p>\n But He then goes on to add a further spiritual lesson. For ‘this mountain’ must mean either the Temple mount, or the Mount of Olives, or the mountain on which Jerusalem was built, probably the first (this is clearer in Mark), while being cast into the sea regularly elsewhere indicates judgment (Mat 8:32<\/span>; Mat 18:6<\/span>; Mar 9:42<\/span>; Luk 17:2<\/span>). Thus He is not only indicating the future fate of old unbelieving Israel, but also the future fate of Jerusalem, both of which are coming, and both of which will take place because of the prayers of faith of the disciples, not so much as a result of praying for such results specifically, but because their prayers for the establishment of the new congregation will inevitably result in it (e.g. Act 4:29-30<\/span>). An Israel denuded of believers will be a withered Israel indeed.<\/p>\n Mat 21:21<\/span> f. Instead of telling the disciples, in reply to their question, by what means He<\/em> (in the exercise of His divine power) caused the tree to wither, He informs them how they<\/em> too might perform similar and even greater wonders (Joh 14:12<\/span> ), namely, through an unwavering faith<\/em> in Him (Mat 17:20<\/span> ), a faith which would likewise secure a favourable answer to all their prayers. The participation in the life of Christ, implied in the , would make them partakers of the divine power of which He was the organ, would be a guarantee that their prayers would always be in harmony with the will of God, and so would prevent the promise from being in any way abused.<\/p>\n The affair of the fig-tree<\/em> ( , comp. Mat 8:33<\/span> ) should neither be explained on natural<\/em> grounds (Paulus says: Jesus saw that the tree was on the point of dying, and that He intimated this “in the popular phraseology”! Comp. even Neander, Baumgarten-Crusius, Bleek), nor regarded as a mythical<\/em> picture suggested by the parable in Luk 13:6<\/span> ff. (Strauss, de Wette, Weisse, Hase, Keim), but as the miraculous result of an exercise of His will on the part of Jesus<\/em> , such a result as is alone in keeping with the conception of Christ presented in the Gospel narrative. But the purpose<\/em> of the miracle cannot have been to punish an inanimate object, nor, one should think, merely to make a display of miraculous power (Fritzsche, Ullmann), but to represent in a prophetic, symbolical, visible form<\/em> the punishment which follows moral barrenness (Luk 13:6<\/span> ff.), such a punishment as was about to overtake the Jews in particular, and the approach of which Jesus was presently to announce with solemn earnestness on the eve of His own death (Mat 21:28-44<\/span> ; Mat 22:1-14<\/span> ; Mat 22:23-25<\/span> ). It is true He does not make any express declaration<\/em> of this nature, nor had He previously led the disciples to expect such (Sieffert); but this objection is met partly by the fact that the of the disciples’ question, Mat 21:20<\/span> , did not require<\/em> Him to do so, and partly by the whole of the subsequent denunciations, which form an eloquent commentary on the silent withering of the fig-tree.<\/p>\n ] Comp. note on Col 1:9<\/span> : what ye will have desired in your prayer<\/em> .<\/p>\n ] Condition of the . He who prays in faith<\/em> , prays in the name of Jesus<\/em> , Joh 14:13<\/span> .<\/p>\n 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done<\/em> to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Ver. 21. If ye have faith and doubt not<\/strong> ] Or dispute not the matter as probable only and somewhat uncertain, but not altogether undoubted. a<\/em> He that doubteth debateth it, as it were, with himself, puts the case to and fro, sometimes being of one mind, sometimes of another. Now “let not such a man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord,” Jas 1:7<\/span> ; “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established,” Isa 7:9<\/span> .<\/p>\n<\/p>\n a<\/em> , est alternantibus sententiis secum disceptare.<\/em> Budaeus. <\/p>\n 21, 22.<\/strong> ] This assurance has occurred before in ch. Mat 17:20<\/span> . That truest and highest faith<\/em> , which implies a mind and will perfectly in unison with that of God, can, even in its least degree, have been in Him only who spoke these words. And by it, and its elevating power over the functions and laws of inferior natures, were His most notable miracles wrought. It is observable, that such a state of mind entirely precludes the idea of an arbitrary<\/em> exercise of power none such can therefore be intended in our Lord’s assertion but we must understand, “if expedient.” Though we cannot reach this faith in its fulness, yet every approach to it ( Mat 21:21 ) shall be endued with some of its wonderful power, in obtaining requests from God. See the remarkable and important addition in Mar 11:25-26<\/span> .<\/p>\n Mat 21:21<\/span> contains a thought similar to that in Mat 17:20<\/span> , .v.<\/em> , the matter of the fig tree, as if it were a small affair, not worth speaking about. The question of the disciples did not draw from Jesus explanations as to the motive of the malediction. The cursing of the fig tree has always been regarded as of symbolic import, the tree being in Christ’s mind an emblem of the Jewish people, with a great show of religion and no fruit of real godliness. This hypothesis is very credible.<\/p>\n Verily. See note on Mat 5:18. <\/p>\n If ye have faith, &c. This is the third occasion that this was repeated. The first was in Mat 17:20; Mar 11:23; and the second in Luk 17:6. The condition is quite hypothetical. See App-118. <\/p>\n doubt. App-122. <\/p>\n Be thou removed, &c. It was a common proverb to say of a great teacher, who removed difficulties, that he was “a rooter up of mountains”. See note on Luk 17:6. <\/p>\n 21, 22.] This assurance has occurred before in ch. Mat 17:20. That truest and highest faith, which implies a mind and will perfectly in unison with that of God, can, even in its least degree, have been in Him only who spoke these words. And by it, and its elevating power over the functions and laws of inferior natures, were His most notable miracles wrought. It is observable, that such a state of mind entirely precludes the idea of an arbitrary exercise of power-none such can therefore be intended in our Lords assertion-but we must understand,-if expedient. Though we cannot reach this faith in its fulness, yet every approach to it (Mat 21:21) shall be endued with some of its wonderful power,-in obtaining requests from God. See the remarkable and important addition in Mar 11:25-26.<\/p>\n Mat 21:21. , …, but Jesus answering, said, etc.) Our Lord frequently led the disciples from admiration of miracles to things more profitable for salvation; see Luk 10:20.-, faith) The nature of Faith is declared by its opposite, which is Doubt.- , to this mountain) sc. that mentioned in Mat 21:1 [i.e., the Mount of Olives]. A proverbial expression.- , the sea) which was far from Jerusalem. Though such things have not hitherto been fulfilled; they may nevertheless be fulfilled hereafter.<\/p>\n If ye have: Mat 17:20, Mar 11:22, Mar 11:23, Luk 17:6, Luk 17:7, Rom 4:19, Rom 4:20, 1Co 13:2, Jam 1:6 <\/p>\n Be thou removed: Mat 8:12 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Num 20:8 – speak Jos 10:14 – the Lord Job 9:5 – removeth Psa 46:2 – mountains Eze 37:4 – Prophesy Zec 4:7 – O great Mat 5:18 – verily Mat 14:29 – he walked Mar 9:23 – If Luk 12:57 – General Joh 14:12 – the Act 3:16 – through 1Co 12:9 – faith 1Ti 2:8 – and Heb 10:22 – in full Jam 5:15 – the prayer<\/p>\n 1:21<\/p>\n For comments on the extent of faith here see chapter 17:20..<\/p>\n Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. <\/p>\n [But if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.] this is a hyperbolical way of speaking, taken from the common language of the schools of the Jews, and designed after a manner for their refutation. Such a hyperbole concerning this very mountain you have Zec 14:4. <\/p>\n The Jews used to set out those teachers among them, that were more eminent for the profoundness of their learning, or the splendour of their virtues, by such expressions as this; He is a rooter up (or a remover) of mountains. “Rabh Joseph is Sinai, and Rabbah is a rooter up of mountains.” The Gloss; “They called Rabh Joseph Sinai; because he was very skilful in clearing of difficulties; and Rabbah Bar Nachmani, A rooter up of mountains; because he had a piercing judgment.” “Rabba said, I am like Ben Azzai in the streets of Tiberias.” The Gloss; “Like Ben Azzai, who taught profoundly in the streets of Tiberias; nor was there in his days such another rooter up of mountains as he.” “He saw Resh Lachish in the school, as if he were plucking up mountains and grinding them one upon another.” <\/p>\n The same expression with which they sillily and flatteringly extolled the learning and virtue of their men, Christ deservedly useth to set forth the power of faith, as able to do all things, Mar 9:23. <\/p>\n Mat 21:21. If ye have faith. Comp. chap. Mat 17:20; Mar 11:22. Such faith also could perhaps exist only in Christ Himself, but as it was approximated by the disciples their power would correspond.<\/p>\n To this mountain. Either the Mount of Olives, the size and exceeding difficulty being thus emphasized, or the mount on which the temple stood. The latter reference suggests that they in their faith should bring about the destruction of the Jewish theocracy. Punitive power is spoken of; hence the faith required forbids arbitrariness and also an unforgiving spirit (comp. Mar 11:25-26, where the latter thought is brought out). This promise has a spiritual application to all believers, but gives no encouragement to fanatical attempts at working miracles.<\/p>\n 21:21 {5} Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and {i} doubt not, ye shall not only do this [which is done] to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.<\/p>\n (5) How great the force of faith is.<\/p>\n (i) The Greek word signifies a fixing or wavering of mind, so that we cannot tell which way to take.<\/p>\n Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this [which is done] to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 21. … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 21:21”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23841\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"