Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 17:20

"And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." — Matthew 17:20 (ASV)

Lack of faith is the great cause of failure among disciples, both concerning themselves and their work for others. There may be other specific ailments in certain cases, but this is the great and main cause of all failure, Because of your unbelief. If there had been true faith, of the real and living kind, the disciples could have worked any miracle, even to the moving of a mountain.

Whatever faith we may have, we shall not work a miracle, for this is not the age of wonders. Is our faith therefore limited in its sphere? Far from it. We can now by faith accomplish that which is fit and right without miracles. Our faith may be small, as a grain of mustard seed, but if it is living and true, it links us with the Omnipotent One.

Still is it true, “You shall say to this mountain, ‘Remove from here to that place’; and it shall remove.” Mountains shall move before our faith by means as sure as if they were miraculous, by means even more wonderful than if the course of nature had been changed.

Comparatively speaking, the suspension of natural law is a crude measure, but for the Lord to work the same result without violating any of His laws is an achievement not less divine than a miracle. This is what faith obtains from the Lord at the present time. Her prayer is heard, and things impossible to herself are brought about by divine power.

Spiritually and symbolically, the mountain is removed. Literally, at this time the mountain stands, but faith finds a way around it, through it, or over it, and so in effect removes it.

In the mission field, mountains of exclusiveness that shut out missionaries have been removed. In ordinary life, insurmountable difficulties are graciously dissolved. In a variety of ways, before real faith, hindrances disappear according to the word of the Lord Jesus, Nothing shall be impossible.