Quote:
Originally posted by stuartj
Well, Jesus did, didnt he in Matthew 21:21 and numerous other verses?
Could be yes, no or maybe if you have cancer.
Is apparently always "no" if you are an amputee.
Why?
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Interesting reference Stuart (I think that you meant 21:22 BTW), but you are taking it out of context. That full passage goes like this...
(Note, for those athiests who don't buy into the Bible at all, just skip this post. But since Stuart quoted the Bible to make a point, I'll examine it within the context of the Bible's teachings to understand the point of the passage)
(Matthew 21:18-22)
The Fig Tree Withers
Quote:
Early in the morning as he (Jesus) was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 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.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truit, if you have faight 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. If you believe, you will receive what you ask for in prayer.
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A couple of observations...
- Others on this BBS has suggested that the Fig Tree represents Israel and it's lack of producing "good fruit", and Jesus's curse of the Fig Tree is actually a curse/prediction of the destruction of Jerusalom 30 years later. That's interesting, and possible but personally I think that in this case the fig tree was just a fig tree. Yup, Christians can disagree and neither is necessarily damned as a result.
- Jesus sets two premises: "If you have faith" and "do not doubt". This seems pretty obvious that those without faith or who doubt may fall short. This is consistant with Peter's experience of walking on water -- he started to sink when he had doubts. (For the sake of discussion, let's put the scientific aspects of Jesus and Peter walking on water to the side for a moment, and just consider that example in relation to this passage.)
- Jesus is talking intimately with only his disciples, rather then to a large crowd as he did with the sermon on the mount. He very well could be giving them a foretaste of some of the powers that they would have after Jesus Ascended. The book of Acts describes many occasions of the disciples healing people, and even being released from prison by an earth quake (moving mountains?). It's not clear from the context if verse 22 is aimed at the wider Church, or as I'm suggesting specifically the disciples.
Like I said, for the sake of discussion, if you don't buy in to anything from the Bible, none of this will mean anything and you're welcome to ignore it.