"Of Little Faith" in the NT

Of Little faith: Part 3 - Fear & Doubt addressed:

We are studying the Greek word “Oligopistos” translated “of little faith,” found 5 times in the New Testament: four in Matthew and once in Luke. Part 1 examined how Jesus Christ used this word to rebuke His followers for their Care or Anxiety: “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye (Oligopistos) of little faith?” Matthew 6:3030 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

. A parallel passage, almost word for word, is found in Luke 12:2828 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

. Jesus' was teaching His disciples to sell all they had and give to the poor, Luke 12:3333 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

, in faith that God would provide for them. Part 2 clarified a statement I made in Part 1.

Today we examine an incident when Jesus used this word to teach His disciples they need not fear or doubt for their safety. This incident is recorded by three Gospel writers, Mathew 8:23 - 27; Mark 4:35 - 4135 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

and Luke 8:22 - 2522 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

, but the word Oligopistos is used only in Matthew's account. All three writers indicate that Jesus and His disciples entered a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee while Mark also states there were other boats with them, Mark 4:3636 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

b. And, all three accounts note that Jesus went to sleep in the boat and as far as I can determine this is the only occasion where the Scripture documents Him sleeping.

Matthew wrote: “And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye (Oligopistos) of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” Matthew 8:23 - 2723 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

. The accounts by Mark and Luke are basically the same as Matthew's, with some variations. Most noteworthy is that neither Mark nor Luke indicate Jesus used the Greek word “Oligopistos” translated “of little faith.” Instead they record that He used the Greek word “pistis,” which is translated with our English word “faith.” Mark writes: “He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" Mark 4:4040 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

; while Luke wrote that Jesus asked the rhetorical question: “He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, ...” Luke 8:2525 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

a.

Some may seize upon this to claim that Mark and Luke's accounts contradict Matthew's but this is simply not the case because the accounts actually compliment each other. If we read them carefully we see Jesus made the statement quoted by Matthew (when He used the Greek word “Oligopistos” translated “of little faith,” Matthew 8:2626 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

) before He calmed the storm. But both Mark and Luke quote what Jesus said to His disciples after he calmed the storm, when He used the Greek word “pistis” translated “faith.” To recap, if you read the 3 accounts (Mathew 8:23 - 27; Mark 4:35 - 41 and Luke 8:22 - 25) together you will see that Jesus remarked about the disciples lack of faith twice, once before He calmed the sea and once after. Mathew records that upon being awakened, Jesus asked them why they were fearful and labeled them as being of little faith while Mark and Luke quote Him as questioning them about their lack of faith or asking where their faith was after He calmed the sea.

There are two more occasions where Jesus used the word Oligopistos; once in Matthew 14:3131 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

and once in Matthew 16:88 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

but there is too much to write about them to cover in this study. My plan is to examine them in the next one or two studies and then make observations about what, taken together, Jesus used this word to teach in the 5 times it is recorded.