Mk. 11:21. And Peter, remembering, says to Him: Rabbi! Look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.
Mk. 11:22. Jesus, answering, says to them:
Mk. 11:23. Have faith in God, for truly I say to you, if anyone says to this mountain: Be lifted up and cast 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, whatever he says.
Although Matthew says that the fig tree withered at once and that the disciples, seeing this, marveled, do not be troubled hearing now from Mark that they saw the withered fig tree only on the next day. What Matthew said should be understood thus: "And the fig tree withered at once" — stop here; then read: "Seeing this, the disciples marveled." When did they see it? — not at once, but on the next day. Whoever understands it this way will encounter no difficulty. Notice, then, how Christ here appears as God. For through the prophets the Lord says: "I dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish" (Ezek. 17:24). But marvel at God's love for mankind in that even to us, who become like God through faith, He gives the wonder-working power that belongs to Him by nature, so that we can even move mountains. A mountain is, in the spiritual sense, a proud mind, lofty and obstinate. Therefore, whoever sees himself overcome by the passion of pride, striving to drive it out of himself, should seek the visitation and help of God. For he is proud who says that he does everything himself and not by the help of God. Such a person should rebuke this mountain, that is, pride, and say to it: "Be taken up and cast into the sea," that is, into worldly people who are in the sea of this life and are unbelievers, while he himself should "not doubt," that is, not fall away from God. For the proud person falls away from God, saying: I owe nothing to God and have no need of His help.
Mk. 11:24. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Mk. 11:25. And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
Mk. 11:26. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses.
He who believes firmly directs his heart toward God and, to use the words of David, pours out his soul before God, and he who turns his soul toward God is united with Him, and his heart, being warmed (by grace), is assured that it will receive what is asked. He who has experienced this understands. And I think that all who are even somewhat attentive have experienced this. Therefore the Lord also says that you will receive everything that you ask with faith. God gives everything to the believer when he expresses all his desires before Him in prayer with tears and, as it were, clings to the feet of the Master. And do you wish to receive what you ask in yet another way? Forgive your brother if he has sinned in anything against you. See how easy it is to receive the gift of God!
Mk. 11:27. They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him.
Mk. 11:28. And they said to Him: By what authority do You do these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?
Mk. 11:29. Jesus said to them in answer: I will also ask you about one thing; answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Mk. 11:30. Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.
Mk. 11:31. They reasoned among themselves: if we say, from heaven, then He will say: why then did you not believe him?
Mk. 11:32. but to say, "from men" — they feared the people, because everyone held that John truly was a prophet.
Mk. 11:33. And they answered and said unto Jesus: we do not know. Then Jesus said unto them in answer: neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Enraged that Christ had driven the money-changers out of the temple, they come to Him with the question: "By what authority do You do these things?" They were, as it were, saying to Him reproachfully: "Who are You to do this? Were You appointed as a teacher? Were You ordained as a high priest?" They said this trying to put Him in a difficult position, so as to trap Him. If He had said, "I do this by My own authority," they would have stoned Him as one opposed to God, and if He had said, "By the authority of God," then they could have drawn the people away from Him, since He claimed to be God. But the Lord poses a question to them about John, not without reason and not with any cunning. But since John had testified about Him, He asks the malicious Jews about John, so that if they acknowledged John as a messenger of God, they would be compelled to accept John's testimony about Christ as well. And since they could not give any answer, He, in order to humble them even more, says: "Neither will I tell you." He did not say, "I do not know what to answer you," but "Neither will I tell you," that is, since you act with malice, I do not deem you worthy of an answer.