Faith, Prayer, and the Call to Forgiveness
Mark 11:20-26
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Mark.11.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- παραπορευομενοι: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,pl,m
- πρωι: ADV
- ειδον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- συκην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εξηραμμενην: PART,perf,pass,acc,sg,f
- εκ: PREP
- ριζων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
Parallels
- Matthew 21:19-22 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel account of the withered fig tree and Jesus’ subsequent teaching on faith and prayer (same event in Matthew’s Gospel).
- Mark 11:12-14 (structural): Immediate narrative precursor: the episode in which Jesus finds no fruit on the fig tree and curses it — together these verses form the single pericope of the cursing and discovery of withering.
- Mark 11:21-25 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation: disciples’ amazement and Jesus’ teaching on faith, prayer, and forgiveness that explains the theological significance of the withered tree.
- Luke 13:6-9 (thematic): Parable of the barren fig tree — uses fig-tree imagery to teach about judgment, fruitfulness, and God’s patience, thematically related to the fig-tree episode in Mark.
- John 15:1-8 (thematic): Vine/fruit imagery about abiding and bearing fruit — thematically connected through the motif of fruitfulness as the mark of true discipleship and divine judgment/reward.
Alternative generated candidates
- And in the morning, as they went by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
- And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
Mark.11.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αναμνησθεις: VERB,aor,mid,ptc,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Πετρος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Ραββι: PRON,dat,3,sg+NOUN,voc,m,sg
- ιδε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- συκη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- κατηρασω: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- εξηρανται: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Mark 11:12-14 (structural): Immediate context: the account of Jesus cursing the fig tree (the action Peter recalls in v.21 occurs in these verses).
- Matthew 21:18-22 (verbal): Synoptic parallel that describes the withering of the fig tree and Jesus' subsequent teaching on faith and prayer (closely parallels Mark's wording and sequence).
- Mark 11:22 (structural): Direct continuation in Mark—Jesus' response ('Have faith in God') and teaching about faith follows Peter's observation about the withered fig tree.
- Luke 17:6 (thematic): Jesus speaks of faith enabling one to command a mulberry/sycamore tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea—thematically parallel to faith's power over trees in Mark's pericope.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look — the fig tree which you cursed has withered.”
- And Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look— the fig tree which you cursed has withered.”
Mark.11.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αποκριθεις: VERB,aor,pass,ptc,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Εχετε: PRO,dat,pl,3;VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- πιστιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- θεου·: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 21:21 (verbal): Closely parallels Mark's command to have faith and links it to the power to speak to and move a mountain—same exhortation to trust God's power.
- Matthew 17:20 (thematic): Teaches that even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains; develops the same theme of trusting God to accomplish the impossible.
- Luke 17:6 (verbal): Uses the same mustard‑seed image for faith; underlines the idea that genuine faith in God enables extraordinary results.
- Mark 11:24 (structural): Immediate literary continuation in the same pericope—commands belief in prayer (that one has received what is asked), explicating what 'have faith in God' entails in practice.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
- And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.”
Mark.11.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αμην: PART
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- οτι: CONJ
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- αν: PART
- ειπη: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ορει: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- τουτω·Αρθητι: DEM,dat,sg,n;VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- βληθητι: VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,sg
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θαλασσαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- διακριθη: VERB,aor,pass,sub,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- καρδια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- αλλα: CONJ
- πιστευη: VERB,pres,act,sub,3,sg
- οτι: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- λαλει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- γινεται: VERB,pres,mp,ind,3,sg
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 21:21 (verbal): Synoptic parallel with nearly identical wording about saying to a mountain 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea'—same teaching in Matthew's account.
- Mark 11:24 (structural): Immediate literary continuation in Mark: links speaking in faith to prayer, 'believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.'
- Luke 17:6 (verbal): Similar saying about faith addressed to a tree ('Be uprooted and planted in the sea'); same formula 'if you had faith' with command to speak.
- Matthew 17:20 (thematic): Jesus teaches that faith 'as small as a mustard seed' can move mountains—same theme of even little faith producing impossible results.
- James 1:6-7 (thematic): Stresses that one must ask in faith without doubting or one will receive nothing—echoes Mark’s warning against divided/doubting heart undermining efficacy of faith.
Alternative generated candidates
- Truly I say to you: whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
- “Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass, it shall be done for him.
Mark.11.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- δια: PREP
- τουτο: PRON,nom,sg,n
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- οσα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- προσευχεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ind,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- αιτεισθε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- πιστευετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- ελαβετε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
Parallels
- Matthew 21:22 (verbal): Nearly identical wording and promise: whatever you ask in prayer you will receive—direct verbal parallel to Mark’s assurance of answered prayer when one has faith.
- Mark 11:23 (verbal): Immediate context in Mark: Jesus teaches that speaking and believing removes a mountain—same faith-based certainty that undergirds the promise in v.24.
- John 14:13-14 (thematic): Jesus promises that whatever is asked in his name he will do—a related assurance about the efficacy of prayer, here framed by praying in Christ’s name.
- John 15:7 (thematic): If believers abide in Christ and his words abide in them, they may ask whatever they wish and it will be done—similar conditional promise linking answered prayer to a right relationship/faith.
- 1 John 5:14-15 (verbal): Affirms confidence that God hears prayers and that when we ask according to his will we have what we asked—echoes Mark’s assurance that requests made in faith are received.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
- Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark.11.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- οταν: CONJ
- στηκετε: VERB,pres,mid,ind,2,pl
- προσευχομενοι: VERB,pres,mid,ptc,nom,pl,m
- αφιετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- κατα: PREP
- τινος: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ινα: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- πατηρ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- ουρανοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αφη: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- παραπτωματα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
Parallels
- Matthew 6:14-15 (verbal): Nearly identical teaching linked to prayer: forgiveness of others is presented as the condition for receiving the Father’s forgiveness.
- Matthew 18:21-35 (structural): Parable of the unforgiving servant—illustrates the reciprocal principle and moral imperative that those forgiven by God must forgive others.
- Luke 6:37 (verbal): Parallel ethical command: do not judge, forgive, and you will be forgiven; echoes the same promise of reciprocal forgiveness.
- Ephesians 4:32 (thematic): Apostolic exhortation to forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you—develops the theological basis and communal practice of forgiveness.
- Colossians 3:13 (thematic): Calls believers to bear with and forgive grievances against one another, reflecting the same expectation that Christian relationships live under God’s forgiving grace.
Alternative generated candidates
- And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
- And whenever you stand praying, forgive—if you have anything against anyone—so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
And in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. And Peter, remembering, said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered away." And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God."
Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.