And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
And the apostles said unto the Lord (see the note at Luke 11:1 ), Increase our faith. What prompted so special a petition? No doubt the felt difficulty of carrying into effect such holy directions-the difficulty first of avoiding offences, and next of forgiving them so divinely. This is the only instance in which a spiritual operation upon their souls was solicited of Christ by the Twelve; but a kindred and even higher prayer had been offered to Him before, by one with far fewer opportunities, which in all likelihood first suggested to them this prayer. See the note at Mark 9:24, and Remark 3 at the close of that section.