Teaching On Prayer; The Authority Of Jesus
TEACHING ON PRAYER; THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
MARK 11:20-33
The things that kept people from following Jesus Christ years ago are often the same things that keep people from following him today.
The morning after Jesus had cursed the fig tree it was found to have withered away. Peter was surprised by the fulfillment of the word of Jesus and remarked on the incident. Jesus replied with some remarks on the broader theme of faith and prayer. After proclaiming a general principle (11:22), he gave an example to show what he meant. “This mountain” would be the Mount of Olives or the hill of Zion, and the sea would be the Dead Sea which can be seen from there on a clear day. This is one of Jesus’ vivid, hyperbolic statements (like Matthew 23:24) which are not meant to be taken literally. It is to be taken metaphorically like Zechariah 4:7 and simply confirms the practical principle in 11:24 (cf. Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6). This principle is one of vital importance in prayer (John 14:13f.; 15:7; 16:23; 1 John 5:15), but there is a condition which must also be fulfilled, expressed in 11:25 (cf. Matthew 6:14f.). Note how Paul makes the same point (1 Corinthians 13:2). 11:26 is omitted in the best manuscripts; similar words occur in Matthew 6:15 to which 11:26 may owe its origin.
There now follows a series of incidents in which the conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities flared up for the last time and led to their decision to do away with him. In the first of these incidents what seems like an official delegation came to question the credentials of Jesus. What was his authority, whether as a rabbi or as a prophet, to teach and act as he did, especially in the temple? Jesus’ reply, with a counter-question, neatly placed them in a dilemma and implicity claimed the same direct authority from God as John had possessed (“heaven” is a Jewish periphrasis for the name of God, cf. 8:11). Note how Jesus here places himself alongside John; there is never any hint that the two men saw each other as rivals.