the Third Week after Easter
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Clementine Latin Vulgate
secundum Matthæum 17:6
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
Dixit autem Dominus: Si habueritis fidem sicut granum sinapis, dicetis huic arbori moro: Eradicare, et transplantare in mare, et obediet vobis.
Dixit autem Dominus: "Si haberetis fidem sicut granum sinapis, diceretis huic arbori moro: "Eradicare et transplantare in mare", et oboediret vobis.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
If: Matthew 17:20, Matthew 17:21, Matthew 21:21, Mark 9:23, Mark 11:22, Mark 11:23, 1 Corinthians 13:2
as: Luke 13:19, Matthew 13:31, Matthew 13:32
Reciprocal: Joshua 10:14 - the Lord Matthew 14:29 - he walked Acts 3:16 - through 1 Corinthians 12:9 - faith
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And the Lord said,.... In answer to the disciples. The Syriac version leaves out the word "Lord": and the Persic version, in the room of it reads, "Jesus":
if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed;
:-
ye might say unto this sycamine tree; which was near at hand; for in Galilee, where Christ now was, such trees grew, especially in lower Galilee: hence those words u;
"from Caphar-Hananiah, and upwards, all the land which does not bear שקמין, "sycamines", is upper Galilee, and from Caphar-Hananiah, and downwards, all which does bear "sycamines", is lower Galilee.''
This, by Maimonides w, is said to be a wild fig tree; but the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions render it, the "mulberry tree": and that the sycamine and mulberry tree are the same, Beza shows from Dioscorides, Athenaeus, and Galen; though whether it is the same with the sycamore in Luke 19:4 is not certain. The first of these writers makes them to be the same; and the last asserts they are different, and so they should seem by their different names.
Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you: for such a tree to be plucked up by the root at a word speaking, is very wonderful and miraculous, and beyond the power of nature; and much more for it to remove into the sea, and plant itself there, where trees grow not; and to believe this should be done, and such a word of command obeyed, one should think required very great faith; and yet, if it was but as a grain of mustard seed, which is very small, it might be done. The design is to show, what great things are done by faith, and what an increase of it they should have.
u Misna Sheviith, c. 9. sect. 2. w In Misna Demai, c. 1. sect. 1. & in Bava Bathra, c. 2. sect. 11.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
See Matthew 17:20. “Sycamine-tree.” This name, as well as sycamore, is given, among us, to the large tree commonly called the buttonwood; but the tree here mentioned is different. The Latin Vulgate and the Syriac versions translate it “mulberry-tree.” It is said to have been a tree that commonly grew in Egypt, of the size and appearance of a mulberry-tree, but bearing a species of figs. This tree was common in Palestine. It is probable that our Lord was standing by one as he addressed these words to his disciples. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 22-24) says of this tree: “It is generally planted by the wayside, in the open space where several paths meet.” (Compare Luke 19:4.) “This sycamore is a remarkable tree. It not only bears several crops of figs during the year, but these figs grow on short stems along the trunk and large branches, and not at the end of twigs, as in other fruit-bearing trees. The figs are small, and of a greenish-yellow color. At Gaza and Askelon I saw them of a purple tinge, and much larger than they are in this part of the country. They were carried to market in large quantities, and appeared to be more valued there than with us. Still, they are, at best, very insipid, and none but the poorer classes eat them. It is easily propagated, merely by planting a stout branch in the ground, and watering it until it has struck its roots into the soil. This it does with great rapidity and to a vast depth. It was with reference to this latter fact that our Lord selected it to illustrate the power of faith.
Now, look at this tree - its ample girth, its wide-spread arms branching off from the parent trunk only a few feet from the ground; then examine its enormous roots, as thick, as numerous, and as wide-spread into the deep soil below as the branches extend into the air above the very best type of invincible steadfastness. What power on earth can pluck up such a tree? Heaven’s thunderbolt may strike it down, the wild tornado may tear it to fragments, but nothing short of miraculous power can fairly pluck it up by the roots.”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Luke 17:6. As a grain of mustard seed — A faith that increases and thrives as that is described to do, Matthew 13:32, where see the note. See also Matthew 17:20.
This sycamine — The words seem to intimate that they were standing by such a tree. The sycamine is probably the same as the sycamore. Sycamore with us, says Mr. Evelyn, is falsely so called, being our acer majus, greater maple. The true sycamore is the ficus Pharaonis or AEgyptia, Pharaoh's, or Egyptian fig-tree; called also, from its similitude in leaves and fruit, morosyous, or mulberry fig-tree. The Arabians call it guimez: it grows in Cyprus, Caria, Rhodes, and in Judea and Galilee, where our Lord at this time was: see Luke 17:11. St. Jerome, who was well acquainted with these countries, translates the word mulberry-tree.
Be thou plucked up by the root — Matthew 21:21; Matthew 21:21, where it is shown that this mode of speech refers to the accomplishment of things very difficult, but not impossible.