Matthew 21:21–22

Context

The event takes place on the morning after Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem and cleansed the temple. Returning to the city from Bethany, Jesus saw a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit and declared that it would never bear fruit again, and the tree withered at once (Matthew 21:18–20). When the astonished disciples asked how it had withered so quickly, Jesus answered with the words of this passage. In the parallel account in Mark 11, the cleansing of the temple falls between the cursing of the tree and the discovery that it had withered. In Mark, Jesus' answer ends with an added instruction to forgive others when praying (Mark 11:22–25).

Interpretation

• A promise concerning the prayer of faith: Many churches read this passage as a promise that God answers prayer offered in faith. The saying about casting a mountain into the sea is generally regarded as hyperbole for things that seem impossible.
• Reading within the will of God: Many interpreters, including those in the Reformed tradition, read this promise alongside the teaching on prayer found throughout Scripture. They point to 1 John 5:14–15, which speaks of asking "according to his will," and to James 4:2–3, which speaks of asking amiss in order to consume it upon one's lusts. In this reading, "whatsoever" is limited to what accords with the will of God.
• Reading in the context of judgment on the temple: Some biblical scholars regard the fig tree episode as a symbolic act portraying judgment on the fruitless temple and its leadership. In this view, "this mountain," spoken on the way to Jerusalem, refers to the mount on which the temple stood.
• Pentecostal and charismatic readings: Pentecostal and charismatic churches have emphasized this passage as support for prayer offered in faith that expects divine healing and miracles.

Debates and Issues

• Relation to prosperity theology: The so-called Word of Faith movement is known to have taught, chiefly on the basis of the parallel passage Mark 11:23–24, that what is declared and confessed in faith will come to pass. Many Reformed and evangelical critics hold that such teaching turns prayer into a means of obtaining what one desires. They also contend that it blames those whose prayers go unanswered for a lack of faith. This criticism is often raised together with criticism of prosperity theology. As counterexamples, critics cite Paul's prayer concerning his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7–10) and Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, "not as I will."
• "And doubt not": The Greek verb used here is understood to mean "to be divided in mind." It belongs to the same word family as "he that wavereth" in James 1:6.
• Differences in wording between Matthew and Mark: Matthew records that what is asked "ye shall receive." Mark records "believe that ye receive them," a phrase frequently invoked by interpretations that emphasize the confession of faith.

In the Korean Church

The passage is frequently used as a sermon text to encourage prayer at early morning prayer meetings, special early morning prayer meetings, and set periods of committed prayer. The phrase "faith that moves mountains" functions almost as an idiom in preaching and worship music; the expression also appears in Matthew 17:20 and 1 Corinthians 13:2.

Related Passages

• Mark 11:22–25
• Matthew 17:20
• 1 John 5:14–15
• James 1:6–7
• James 4:2–3