And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.
All Commentaries on Matthew 21:22 Go To Matthew 21
John Chrysostom
AD 407
A bad man is better overcome by giving way to him than by replying to him; for wickedness is not instructed but stimulated by reproof. The Lord accordingly sought by withdrawing Himself to check those whom His words could not check; whence it is said, “And He left them, and went out of the city into Bethany.”.
He came not because He was an hungred, but for His disciples’ sake; for because He ever did good and inflicted suffering on none, it behaved that He should set forth an example of His power of punishment; and this He would not exert upon man, but upon a plant.
And that you may learn that this was done for their sakes, to the end, namely, that they should be stirred up to confidence, hear what is said further. Jesus answered and said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, if ye shall have faith.”.
This that the Lord speaks of He ascribes to prayer and faith; whence He continues, “And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive.”.
For had His hunger been as man for carnal food, He would not have hungred in the morning; he truly hungers in the morning who hungers after the salvation of others.
Also the fig in respect of the multitude of seeds under one skin is as it were an assembly of the faithful. But He finds nothing on it but leaves only, that is, pharisaical traditions, an outward show of the Law without the fruits of truth.
Or; “Into the sea,” that is, into the world where the waters are salt, i.e. the people are wicked.
That is, nigh to the world; for if a man lives nigh to the world, he cannot preserve in himself the fruit of righteousness.
