But this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.
Read Chapter 17
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Otherwise; That the disciples in working their miracles should not be lifted up with pride, they are warned rather by the humbleness of their faith, as by agrain of mustard-seed, to take care that they remove all pride of earth, which is signified by the mountain in this place.
Jesus then taking the road to Jerusalem with his disciples, and whilst they were in Galilee, which they had to pass through, he spake to them of his sufferings, death, and resurrection. (Bible de Vence)
Interlin.: So that the sense then is, “Ye shall say to this mountain,” that isto the proud devil, “Remove hence,” that is from the possessed body into thesea, that is into the depths of hell, “and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to you,” that is, no sickness shall be incurable.”.
ord.: Or; This class of daemons, that is the variety of carnal pleasures, isnot overcome unless the spirit be strengthened by prayer, and the flesh enfeebled by fast.
Mor., pref. c. 2: The mustard-seed, unless it be bruised, does not give out its qualities, so if persecution fall upon a holy man, straightway what had seemed weak and contemptible in him is roused into the heat and fervour of virtue.
The Apostles had believed, yet their faith was imperfect; while the Lord tarried in the mount, and they abode below with the multitude, their faith had become stagnant.
This is what the Lord says in another place, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name believing, ye shall receive.” Therefore when we receive not, it is not the weakness of Him that gives, but the fault of them that ask.
Some think that the faith that is compared to a grain of mustard-seed is alittle faith, whereas the Apostle says, “If I shall have such faith that I could remove mountains.” The faith therefore which is compared toa grain of mustard-seed is a great faith.
Or; the mountain is not said of that which we see with the eyes of the body, but signified that spirit which was removed by the Lord out of the lunatic, whois said by the Prophet to be the corrupter of the whole earth
Whence it is plain that the disciples’ faith was grown weak, yet not all, for those pillars were there, Peter, and James, and John.
But it is to be known, that, as ofttimes the faith of him that draweth near to receive supplies the miraculous virtue, so ofttimes the power of those that work the miracle is sufficient even without the faith of those who sought to receive. Cornelius and his household, by their faith, attracted to them the grace of the Holy Spirit It happened that the disciples were then weak in faith; for indeed they were but in an imperfect condition before the cross; wherefore He here tells them, that faith is the mean of miracles, "Verily I say unto you, if ye shall have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, yes hall say to this mountain, Remove hence, and it shall remove.”.
So He not only promises the removal of mountains, but goes beyond, saying, “And nothing shall be impossible to you.”.
If you shall ask, Where did the Apostles remove mountains! I answer, that they did ...
Or, fasting is here understood generally as abstinence not from food only, but from all carnal allurements, and sinful passions. In like manner prayer is tobe understood in general as consisting in pious and good acts, concerning which the Apostle speaks, “Pray without ceasing.”
. The apostles were afraid that they had lost the grace against demons that had been given to them; this is why they asked Jesus in private and with great anxiety. But the Lord reproves them for being imperfect in faith, saying, "Because of your unbelief." For if you had fervent, ardent faith, you would accomplish great things even though they appeared to be small. The location of the mountains which the apostles moved is nowhere recorded, yet it is likely that they did move them, but the event was not written down; for not everything was written down. Or, by another interpretation, they did not move a mountain because the occasion did not present itself, but they did even greater things than that. Note how the Lord said, "Ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence," in other words, the mountain shall move when you say the word. But the apostles did not say the word as there was neither occasion nor necessity, and so they did not move mountains. But if indeed they had spoken, they w...
