Shining a light on the weekly Bible Lessons published in the Christian Science Quarterly®
Matter
If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
—NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®
Moving or reducing mountains was an ancient image for overcoming great difficulties or obstacles (see also Isaiah 54:10; Zechariah 4:7). In a kingdom parable (see Matthew 13:31, 32), Christ Jesus had drawn attention to the tree that grows from a mustard seed. Now, answering his disciples’ question about why they could not cast out a demon (see 17:14–20, citation 15), he illustrates the potential of faith with the same metaphor. Later, Paul refers as well to faith that can remove mountains (see I Corinthians 13:2).
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Resources cited in this issue
GT: HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®; Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke. Edinburgh: Saint Andrew, 1955. Revised and updated by Saint Andrew, 2001. Reprinted as The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2001–04.
RR: Keck, Leander E., et al., eds. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 1, Introduction to the Pentateuch, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Nashville: Abingdon, 2015.
Cit. 5: Laymon, Charles M. The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary on the Bible. Nashville: Abingdon, 1971.
Cit. 16: Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary Collection. Vol. 17, Matthew. Macon, Georgia: Smyth & Helwys, 2000–2016.
Cit. 17: Peterson, Eugene H. Conversations: The Message with Its Translator. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress Publishing Group, 2007.
COPYRIGHT
Scriptural quotations marked New Century Version® are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked New International Reader’s Version™ are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version™, NIrV™. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scriptural quotations marked New Living Translation are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked International Children’s Bible® are taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked Contemporary English Version are taken from the Contemporary English Version, copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked Good News Translation are taken from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version—Second Edition, copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
© 2024 The Christian Science Publishing Society. The design of the Cross and Crown is a trademark owned by the Christian Science Board of Directors and is used by permission. Bible Lens and Christian Science Quarterly are trademarks owned by The Christian Science Publishing Society. Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptural quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
