New Testament · Gospel

Matthew 17:20

Glory on the Mountain

“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 · Berean Standard Bible

What It Means

Matthew 17:20, in plain English

Jesus says it was because of their little faith. If they had faith even the size of a tiny mustard seed, they could tell a mountain to move and it would. Nothing would be impossible.

Why it's here

You don't need great faith; you need real faith, even if it's small. It's not about the size of your faith but the size of the God your faith is in.

Who's speaking

Jesus answers with one of His most famous teachings about faith.

Where it sits in the story

The answer isn't more technique or effort. It's genuine faith, even tiny genuine faith. That's what connects human weakness to divine power.

A Closer Look

The scholar's commentary

Jesus attributes their failure to oligopistian ('little faith') and introduces the mustard seed metaphor: faith the size of kokkon sinapeōs ('a grain of mustard seed') could command orous (mountains) to move. The concluding ouden adynatēsei hymin ('nothing will be impossible for you') is absolute.

Language and setting

The mustard seed was proverbially the smallest seed in Palestinian agriculture. Jesus' point is not the quantity of faith but its genuine quality. Even the smallest authentic faith connects to infinite divine power.

Voice

Jesus answers the disciples' question about their failure.

Significance

Jesus reveals that the issue isn't the amount of faith but its authenticity. Even the tiniest genuine faith can accomplish the impossible because it connects to God's unlimited power.

In context

Matthew 17:18–22

18Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

19Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

22When they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.

Read all of Matthew 17 — Three disciples witness Jesus transfigured in blinding light alongside Moses and Elijah. Then they come back down to a world that still needs healing.

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