Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20
Jesus’ use of mustard seed as a simile or an analogy in the description of faith has been translated and interpreted in diverse ways over the years. Whilst some vernacular and English translations referred to the size of the seed, some retained a fair comparison or analogy of the mustard seed to fai...
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Noyam Journals
2024-11-01
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| Series: | E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/EHASS20245143.pdf |
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| author | Ebenezer Quaye |
| author_facet | Ebenezer Quaye |
| author_sort | Ebenezer Quaye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Jesus’ use of mustard seed as a simile or an analogy in the description of faith has been translated and interpreted in diverse ways over the years. Whilst some vernacular and English translations referred to the size of the seed, some retained a fair comparison or analogy of the mustard seed to faith without referring to any salient trait or characteristic. Among both laity and scholars, it remains that some conclude, in reference to Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6 that small or little faith is of the essence and to it, acceptable in Christianity and to the Lord. The problem is increased as some also refer to the potency or potentiality of the seed rather than its size. In the attempt to resolve this confusion and to lay bare the veracity of the text in the African context especially, some vernacular translations, as well as English translations (several Africans read the biblical text in English), are compared and analysed vis-à-vis the Greek text. Lexico-syntactical, as well as literary analyses, are applied to the text, especially “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed.” In conclusion, this paper opines that Jesus’ analogy of faith in comparison to the mustard seed refers to the potency or the potentiality of the seed to produce great results although, it is seemingly one of the smallest seeds that nature produces. The emphasis or salient trait in the reference is its potentiality but not its size. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-589f6a5bc9e34abbb6312928d4255fe0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2720-7722 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Noyam Journals |
| record_format | Article |
| series | E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-589f6a5bc9e34abbb6312928d4255fe02025-01-06T12:08:23ZengNoyam JournalsE-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences2720-77222024-11-0151424802489https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20245143Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20Ebenezer Quaye0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7387-9498Department of Theological Studies (DTS), Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences (FASS). Valley View University, Oyibi, Ghana.Jesus’ use of mustard seed as a simile or an analogy in the description of faith has been translated and interpreted in diverse ways over the years. Whilst some vernacular and English translations referred to the size of the seed, some retained a fair comparison or analogy of the mustard seed to faith without referring to any salient trait or characteristic. Among both laity and scholars, it remains that some conclude, in reference to Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6 that small or little faith is of the essence and to it, acceptable in Christianity and to the Lord. The problem is increased as some also refer to the potency or potentiality of the seed rather than its size. In the attempt to resolve this confusion and to lay bare the veracity of the text in the African context especially, some vernacular translations, as well as English translations (several Africans read the biblical text in English), are compared and analysed vis-à-vis the Greek text. Lexico-syntactical, as well as literary analyses, are applied to the text, especially “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed.” In conclusion, this paper opines that Jesus’ analogy of faith in comparison to the mustard seed refers to the potency or the potentiality of the seed to produce great results although, it is seemingly one of the smallest seeds that nature produces. The emphasis or salient trait in the reference is its potentiality but not its size.https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/EHASS20245143.pdfmatthean gospelmustard seedfaithexegesislexico-syntacticalpotentiality |
| spellingShingle | Ebenezer Quaye Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20 E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences matthean gospel mustard seed faith exegesis lexico-syntactical potentiality |
| title | Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20 |
| title_full | Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20 |
| title_fullStr | Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20 |
| title_short | Resolving the Problem of the Expression “Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed” in Matthew 17:20 |
| title_sort | resolving the problem of the expression faith as small as a mustard seed in matthew 17 20 |
| topic | matthean gospel mustard seed faith exegesis lexico-syntactical potentiality |
| url | https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/EHASS20245143.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ebenezerquaye resolvingtheproblemoftheexpressionfaithassmallasamustardseedinmatthew1720 |