Dr Paul Allen

“O you of little faith . . .” The words run through the Gospel of Matthew as a kind of refrain, reminding us of the disciples’ wavering trust. And perhaps of our own. Four times, we hear this rebuke cushioned with tenderness, this tenderness steeled with rebuke. Do you see, disciples, how God feeds the ravens and robes the lilies? And “will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30). Winds may blow and waves may rise on the fickle Sea of Galilee, but I will be with you — I, the storm-stilling Son of God. So “why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). Every wave will hold your feet if you only keep your eyes on me, Peter. But “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Do you remember, my twelve, how I fed thousands from a few leftover loaves? Then “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?” (Matthew 16:8). Why such tenderness in this rebuke? Because their faith, though littl...

Matthew 17:14–21 “If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (v. 20). Matthew’s gospel depicts the essential part faith plays in the events of Jesus’ life as well as in His teaching. Joseph believed that Mary’s son was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by an illicit affair (1:18–25). Christ trusted the Father to sustain Him in His temptation (4:1–11) and marveled at the faith so often displayed by those outside of God’s covenant with Israel (8:5–13; 15:21–28). Peter was given the ability to identify Jesus as the Messiah, though His grasp of all that means was initially incomplete (16:13–23). Having come down from the Mount of Transfiguration (17:9–13), Jesus and His disciples run into a crowd. Apparently, He gets temporarily separated from the Twelve because a distraught father updates Jesus on an encounter he and his son had with the disciples...

Close-up picture of mustard seeds (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 13:31–33 “He told them another parable . ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened ’” ( v. 33 ). The parables are usually stories drawn from everyday life. Jesus ’ comparison of the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed and leaven illustrates this fact ( Matt. 13:31–33 ). Men typically worked in agriculture, and women performed domestic chores like the baking of bread in first-century Palestine. In telling parables related to these tasks, Jesus conveys His message in terms that are familiar to ordinary people. Our studies in Matthew have thus far shown that the Messiah ushered in God’s kingdom in a manner that did not meet the expectations of His contemporaries. Instead of an immediate and final entry of God ’s saving presence, there was an inauguration of the kingdom that is followed by a long period of growth before the final consummati...

Yellow mustard seeds (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 13:31-33 "He told them another parable . 'The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened '" ( v. 33 ). Parables are usually stories drawn from everyday life. Jesus ' comparison of the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed and leaven illustrates this fact ( Matt. 13:31-33 ). Men typically worked in agriculture, and women performed domestic chores like the baking of bread in first-century Palestine. In telling parables related to these tasks, Jesus conveys His message in terms that are familiar to ordinary people. The Messiah ushered in God's kingdom in a manner that did not meet the expectations of His contemporaries. Instead of an immediate and final entry of God 's saving presence, there was an inauguration of the kingdom that is followed by a long period of growth before the final consummation. The mustard plant 's growt...