But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
All Commentaries on Mark 11:26 Go To Mark 11
Bede
AD 735
Further, the fig tree was dried up from the roots to show that the nation was impious not only for a time and in part, and was to be smitten forever, not merely to be afflicted by the attacks of nations from without and then to be freed, as had often been done; or else it was dried up from the roots, to show that is was stripped not only of the external favour of man, but altogether of the favour of heaven within it; forit lost both its life in heaven, and its country on earth.
The Gentiles, who have attacked the Church, are in the habit of objecting to us, that we have never had full faith in God, for we have never been able to change mountains. It could, however, be done, if necessity called for it, as once we read that it was done by the prayers of the blessed Father Gregory of Neocaesarea, Bishop of Pontus, by which a mountain left as much space of ground for the inhabitants of a cityas they wanted.
Or else, because the devil is often on account of his pride called by the name of a mountain, this mountain, at the command of those who are strong in the faith, is taken up from the earth and cast into the sea, whenever, at the preaching of the word of God by the holy doctors, the unclean spirit is expelled from the hearts of those who are fore-ordained to life, and is allowed to exert the tyranny of his power over the troubled and embittered souls of the faithless. At which time, he rages the more fiercely, the more he grieves at being turned away from hurting thefaithful.It goes on: “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and yes hall have them.”.
But we must observe that there is adifference in those who pray; he who has perfect faith, which worketh by love, can by his prayer or even his command remove spiritual mountains, as Paul did with Elymas the sorcerer. But let those who are unable to mount up to such aheight of perfection pray that their sins should be forgiven them, and they shall obtain what they pray for, provided that they themselves first forgive those who have sinned against them. If however they disdain to do this, not only shall they be unable to perform miracles by their prayers, but they shallnot even be able to obtain pardon for their sins, which is implied in what follows; “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
