Mark 11:20-25 - The Withered Fig Tree and Prayer

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The Withered Fig Tree.
20 Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
21 Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
22 Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
23 Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.i
24 Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
25 When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”

So based on this passage and the words of Jesus to the disciples, would this validate that the disciples had or were given a different authority through prayer than the common lay person?

Are there any other reference where the disciples are shown to have a higher authority?

blessings,
Chris
 
Taking all of Christ’s teachings on Prayer into account, we know that (a) God answers prayers according to how He best sees fit, (b) the prayer must be for a noble purpose, and (c) that God has chosen that some things only be granted through prayer, especially persevering in prayer. Given this, the verse of Mark 11:24 should not be taken in the “name it and claim it” (i.e. “God, I pray you please give me a new car”) sense of the so called “Prosperity Gospel” of some Protestants.
 
The Withered Fig Tree.
20 Early in the morning, as they were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
21 Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
22 Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
23 Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.i
24 Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
25 When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”

So based on this passage and the words of Jesus to the disciples, would this validate that the disciples had or were given a different authority through prayer than the common lay person?

Are there any other reference where the disciples are shown to have a higher authority?

blessings,
Chris
Jesus says “whoever.”
 
Taking all of Christ’s teachings on Prayer into account, we know that (a) God answers prayers according to how He best sees fit, (b) the prayer must be for a noble purpose, and (c) that God has chosen that some things only be granted through prayer, especially persevering in prayer. Given this, the verse of Mark 11:24 should not be taken in the “name it and claim it” (i.e. “God, I pray you please give me a new car”) sense of the so called “Prosperity Gospel” of some Protestants.
This is probably more on the lines or directions of my question.

I understand that the “moving the mountain” is figurative but I believe due to the authority provided by Jesus they were given a power or authority through prayer.

I think I may have just answered my own question…

Matthew 10:1-8
The Mission of the Twelve.
1 Then he summoned his twelve disciples* and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.a
2 The names of the twelve apostles* are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
4 Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

The Commissioning of the Twelve.
5 Jesus sent out these twelve* after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
6 Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’d
8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
 
A couple of other passages about authority of Apostles:

Ephesians 2:20

John 20:23
 
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