Matthew 17:20
Little faith is true faith, as well as great. A little man is a man as well as a great man; a little water is as water as the ocean sea. The disciples had true faith, and yet very weak, weak in knowledge, though they believed that Jesus was the Messiah that should save the world, yet how, they could not tell.
They were ignorant of His death, for when He told them of His sufferings, it is said they understood not that word. And Peter took his Master aside and counseled Him not to go to Jerusalem to die. They were ignorant also of His resurrection. For when Mary told them of it, they believed it not. Of His ascension, when He spoke of a little tarrying with them, and then of His going away, they understood it not, they knew not where He went, they said, and knew not the way. Now how weak was this their knowledge, to be ignorant of such main articles?
But weak faith may prove strong in time: the most learned clerk was in his grammar book, the greatest giant was in swaddling clothes, the tallest oak was a twig, and faith grows from a grain of mustard seed to a tall tree. As from a child to a man, so corn grows from a weak blade to a stalk and ear, and ripe corn therein. The disciples, so weak before, afterwards when the Holy Spirit was sent upon them, they were exceedingly strong, and feared not the face of tyrants.
—John Rogers
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
Little faith is true faith, as well as great. A little man is a man as well as a great man; a little water is as water as the ocean sea. The disciples had true faith, and yet very weak, weak in knowledge, though they believed that Jesus was the Messiah that should save the world, yet how, they could not tell.
They were ignorant of His death, for when He told them of His sufferings, it is said they understood not that word. And Peter took his Master aside and counseled Him not to go to Jerusalem to die. They were ignorant also of His resurrection. For when Mary told them of it, they believed it not. Of His ascension, when He spoke of a little tarrying with them, and then of His going away, they understood it not, they knew not where He went, they said, and knew not the way. Now how weak was this their knowledge, to be ignorant of such main articles?
But weak faith may prove strong in time: the most learned clerk was in his grammar book, the greatest giant was in swaddling clothes, the tallest oak was a twig, and faith grows from a grain of mustard seed to a tall tree. As from a child to a man, so corn grows from a weak blade to a stalk and ear, and ripe corn therein. The disciples, so weak before, afterwards when the Holy Spirit was sent upon them, they were exceedingly strong, and feared not the face of tyrants.
—John Rogers
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
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