Early in the morning, as 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, “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. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
-- Matthew 21:18-22
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Commentary: What mountain? Any mountain? Was Jesus speaking figuratively? Jesus and his disciples were in and around the temple, which was built on a mountain, at the time he made this declaration. This indicates that Jesus was referring to moving the hearts and minds of those around them -- even of the pious religious leaders who were present. I can imagine him pointing to "this mountain", gazing in love at those around him. He was continuing to build on the role in which his disciples would commit -- "... and on this rock [speaking of himself] I will build my church ..." (Matthew 16).
May his church continue to move mountains as the power of Jesus' Spirit moves the hearts and minds of those around us.
