The mustard plant.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20. And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
Matthew 17:19-20
Contrary to popular belief the infamous passage of the mustard seed is not primarily focusing on 'quantity' of faith, ie; the size of the mustard seed, rather it is referring to the quality of faith ie; the nature of the seed. Now there are some translations that reads 'as little as a mustard seed' but King James and many other translations do not use little or small to describe the seed. Either case it is not the prime focus of this blog.
Why is this important to understand? Well Jesus was answering the question put to Him by His disciples about freeing a troubled soul that was possessed by an evil spirit. The disciples had failed because of their lacked faith. Jesus, taught in rabbinical methods, uses the mustard seed as a simile to explain His answer.
If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed...
Note the comparative word 'as'. Obviously we all aware that seeds do not have faith so we are left with what is unquestionably a comparison. Now the onus lies on us to understand what is significant about a grain of mustard seed.
The mustard plant is a weed that grew and still grows everywhere in Israel. They flourish in various climates, including harsh and dry conditions. It was common to see this plant along roadsides. Mustard seeds can be planted in rocky area because of their resiliency. As it grows, the roots can push through rocky terrains and have been known to push through foundations. And there lies the answer. The mustard seed is resilient, tenacious, and flourishes in great abundance. The Master was highlighting the tenacity of the mustard seed.
...ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
The mountain is another simile referring to obstacles or in this specific case demonic possession. So breaking this verse down without similes one could infer;
If you have faith that is resilient and tenacious you can move all obstacles, all hindering spirits; and nothing shall be impossible for you."
Don't let your faith quiver. Let it be deeply rooted and unshakable.
Thank You Father. Although we may be small, our faith makes us resilient through Jesus.
__________________________
Further reading 'Understanding Jesus'
joeamaral.org
The above author's teaching inspired me to write this blog.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20. And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
Matthew 17:19-20
Contrary to popular belief the infamous passage of the mustard seed is not primarily focusing on 'quantity' of faith, ie; the size of the mustard seed, rather it is referring to the quality of faith ie; the nature of the seed. Now there are some translations that reads 'as little as a mustard seed' but King James and many other translations do not use little or small to describe the seed. Either case it is not the prime focus of this blog.
Why is this important to understand? Well Jesus was answering the question put to Him by His disciples about freeing a troubled soul that was possessed by an evil spirit. The disciples had failed because of their lacked faith. Jesus, taught in rabbinical methods, uses the mustard seed as a simile to explain His answer.
If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed...
Note the comparative word 'as'. Obviously we all aware that seeds do not have faith so we are left with what is unquestionably a comparison. Now the onus lies on us to understand what is significant about a grain of mustard seed.
The mustard plant is a weed that grew and still grows everywhere in Israel. They flourish in various climates, including harsh and dry conditions. It was common to see this plant along roadsides. Mustard seeds can be planted in rocky area because of their resiliency. As it grows, the roots can push through rocky terrains and have been known to push through foundations. And there lies the answer. The mustard seed is resilient, tenacious, and flourishes in great abundance. The Master was highlighting the tenacity of the mustard seed.
...ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
The mountain is another simile referring to obstacles or in this specific case demonic possession. So breaking this verse down without similes one could infer;
If you have faith that is resilient and tenacious you can move all obstacles, all hindering spirits; and nothing shall be impossible for you."
Don't let your faith quiver. Let it be deeply rooted and unshakable.
Thank You Father. Although we may be small, our faith makes us resilient through Jesus.
__________________________
Further reading 'Understanding Jesus'
Home - Joe Amaral
Joe Amaral is an author, teacher and speaker—teaching on the Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith. He also teaches on Story in the Stars.
joeamaral.org
The above author's teaching inspired me to write this blog.
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