Mark 11:21-26 - Believe that you have received it

11:21-23

Peter draws Jesus’ attention to the fact of the dead tree. We then get Jesus’ oft quoted words about having faith to move mountains. However, they are rarely talked about within the context within which they were spoken. So was Jesus just making a general comment on prayer and faith, or was the context of the fig tree relevant? Ie was the fact that Christianity, or rather the gospel, was going to supplant Judaism relevant here? Judaism was over a thousand years old, it was well established and had all the trappings of religion: a priesthood, the temple, as well as numerous synagogues. Yet it was not bearing fruit, and would not bear fruit. The gospel was new, starting from very small beginnings, a few frightened men and women. So is Jesus saying that even so, it is the gospel that would triumph, which indeed is what has happened.

11:24-26

Jesus then broadens out the teaching on prayer. Whatever we ask for in prayer we are to believe that we have received it. Now this is open to all sorts of mistaken teaching. On the one hand there is the “name it and claim it” brigade, which has come in for obvious criticism. But the opposite, but equally important error, is to effectively discount it. Ie not to believe what Jesus said here! We are to walk in step with the Spirit, we are to be filled with the mind of Christ. As we do walk in step with the Spirit we will face all sorts of battles (just as Jesus, and later the apostles, did). We are fighting against the world (not with the weapons of this world!). We need to know that as we pray in line with the Spirit our prayers will indeed be answered. At the same time as we are fighting against the world we are to have a spirit of forgiveness. For we too are sinners in need of forgiveness. Verse 26 is found in NKJV and similar translations, but not ESV, NIV etc. It was probably a later addition seeking to bring it into line with Matt 6:15.