(Mark 11:20-24 NKJV) “(20) Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (21) And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” (22) So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. (23) “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” (24) “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive [them], and you will have [them].”
V20 “Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw a fig tree dried up from the roots.” Jesus, along with His disciples, now returned to Jerusalem. Judas Iscariot was present at this time. They noticed that the fig tree was dead and brown without any life.
V21 “And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” Peter was shocked.
V22 “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.” Jesus told Peter to “have faith in God.” Note how Jesus uses illustrations to teach. Jesus stresses the importance of faith in God, not science, philosophy, not ourselves, not in a church or teacher, but God. See Galatians 2:20, Romans 5:1-2, and 1 Corinthians 2:4-5.
Jesus explains that He believed His Father, God the Father, who gave the Lord Jesus the authority to do this. A principle is taught that if and when God commissions us, we should go forth in His name.
Precept Austin (https://www.preceptaustin.org/mark-11-commentary#11:22) has this comment: “Wuest ties this together nicely, explaining that “This is just another instance in the life of our Lord that brings to view His humanity and His dependence upon God the Holy Spirit, for the words He uttered, the prayers which He prayed, the miracles He performed, and the life which He lived, was as the Man Christ Jesus, doing all this in the energy of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord exercised faith in the cursing of the fig tree. He presses home the lesson of the necessity of faith to the disciples. The word “God” is in the genitive case, showing here the object of faith.” (Borrow Mark in the Greek New Testament for the English reader. )
“Peter came to fully comprehend this truth of Jesus’ dependence on the Spirit, declaring, “You yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good (HOW? BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!) and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:37-38+).”
V23 “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” There is no guarantee that if we believe we can do anything and everything. We must remember (1 John 5:14 NKJV) “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
V24 “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive [them], and you will have [them].” All things? To all prayers, God answers yes or no. Yes may mean to wait. Sometimes the no is granted, but (Psalm 106:15 NKJV) “And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.” Let us always remember 1 John 5:14.
We learn:
- Jesus lives by faith.
- Jesus ministers with grace from the Holy Spirit.
- That we are to rely on God’s grace as well.
Questions:
- Are we relying on God’s grace to live the Christian life?
- Do we believe that God can use us for His glory?