Matthew 21:18-22 NIV
Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. [19] Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. [20] When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. [21] Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. [22] If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
At first this sounds as if it is just about prayer, an important lesson on what prayer can achieve. It’s easy for us, however, to miss the ‘political’ overtones. ‘This mountain’ is not just any old mountain, but the Temple mount, home to the Jewish religious and political leaders of the day, the very institution that Jesus is accusing of excluding the blind and lame, those that were supposed to be blessing the world. Is he specifically saying that prayer can overturn oppressive institutions and politics?
Teach us to use prayer to make this world a better place.
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