FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED

Passage: Matthew 17:14-27

Key verse: 20

NIV

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(A)

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures(B) and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

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

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith(C) as small as a mustard seed,(D) you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.(E) Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21] [a]

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man(F) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him,(G) and on the third day(H) he will be raised to life.”(I) And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax

24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax(J) came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes(K)—from their own children or from others?”

26 “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense,(L) go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 17:21 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 9:29.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

14 (A)And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has (B)seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and (C)they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and (D)twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? (E)How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus (F)rebuked the demon,[a] and it[b] came out of him, and (G)the boy was healed instantly.[c] 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, (H)“Because of your little faith. For (I)truly, I say to you, (J)if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, (K)you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and (L)nothing will be impossible for you.”[d]

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

22 (M)As they were gathering[e] in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on (N)the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

The Temple Tax

24 (O)When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of (P)the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, (Q)“What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or (R)tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.[f] Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 17:18 Greek it
  2. Matthew 17:18 Greek the demon
  3. Matthew 17:18 Greek from that hour
  4. Matthew 17:20 Some manuscripts insert verse 21: But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting
  5. Matthew 17:22 Some manuscripts remained
  6. Matthew 17:27 Greek stater, a silver coin worth four drachmas or approximately one shekel
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

First, when Jesus came down the mountain, he found a helpless, demon-possessed boy and his pleading father. They were desperate after the disciples, who had remained there, failed to drive out the demon. What a contrast this was compared to the glorious transfiguration just experienced. There are no highs without the lows. There is no salvation without the need for a savior. Likewise, there is no need for faith without the presence of doubt and despair. But Jesus said that faith, even as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains.

Second, Jesus predicted his death a second time, that he would be killed, and on the third day he would be raised to life. Again, the disciples were filled with grief at the thought of death. But Jesus did not plant a feel-good faith of only good things to come. He gave hope of a life that comes after death.

Third, although Jesus never backed down from challenging established ways, he also chose his battles and did not stir unnecessary waters. When it came to the temple tax, although he was exempt as the Son of God, he did not exercise his privilege. God provided the means for their temple tax.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for planting faith and hope to a world in pain.

One Word: Mustard seed faith