The Power of Faith. On the third day of the week, Peter draws attention to the withered fig-tree, and Jesus uses it to illustrate the great power of faith. The teaching does not seem to spring very directly out of the incident. The reference to removing mountains is rightly interpreted metaphorically. In effect, the mountains are the obstacles which prevent the easy access of man to the holy city of God. To faith these obstacles must yield (see Swete). Mk. himself seems to have felt that the power of faith is dangerously illustrated by the withering of the fig-tree, for he adds a sentence (Mark 11:25) about the necessity of possessing the spirit of forgiveness. Faith will not work capricious miracles. Our desires are not to be the measure of our prayers, unless reason and religion be the rule of our desires (Jeremy Taylor). The phrase your Father which is in heaven occurs here only in Mk. It seems to be an echo of the Lord's Prayer.
Mark 11:26 has been added to Mk. from Matthew 6:15.