It goes on: "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Theophylact: For whosoever sincerely believes evidently lifts up his heart to God, and is joined to Him, and his burning heart feels sure that he has received what he asked for, which he who has experienced will understand; and those persons appear to me to experience this, who attend to the measure and the manner of their prayers. For this reason the Lord says, "Ye shall receive whatsoever ye ask in faith;" for he who believes that he is altogether in the hands of God, and interceding with tears, feels that he as it were has hold of the feet of the Lord in prayer, he shall receive what he has rightly asked for. Again, would you in another way receive what you ask for? Forgive your brother, if he has in any way sinned against you; this is also what is added: "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
Pseudo-Jerome: Mark has, as he is wont, expressed seven verses of the Lord’s prayer in one prayer. But what can he, whose sins are all forgiven, require more, save that he may persevere in what has been granted unto him.
Bede: But we must observe that there is a difference in those who pray; he who has perfect faith, which worketh by love, can by his prayer or even his command remove spiritual mountains, as Paul did with Elymas the sorcerer. But let those who are unable to mount up to such a height of perfection pray that their sins should be forgiven them, and they shall obtain what they pray for, provided that they themselves first forgive those who have sinned against them.
If however they disdain to do this, not only shall they be unable to perform miracles by their prayers, but they shall not even be able to obtain pardon for their sins, which is implied in what follows; "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Ver. 27. And they come again to Jerusalem: and as He was walking in the temple, there come to Him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,28. And say unto Him, "By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?"29. And Jesus answered and said unto them, "I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.30. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me."31. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?32. But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.33. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Theophylact: They were angry with the Lord, for having cast out of the temple those who had made it a place of merchandize, and therefore they come up to Him, to question and tempt Him.
Wherefore it is said: "And they come again to Jerusalem: and as He was walking in the temple, there come to Him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders, and say unto Him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee authority to do these things?"
As if they had said, Who art thou that doest these things? Dost thou make thyself a doctor, and ordain thyself Chief Priest?
Bede: And, indeed, when they say, "By what authority doest thou these things," they doubt its being the power of God, and wish it to be understood that what He did was the devil’s work. When they add also, "Who gave thee this authority," they evidently deny that He is the Son of God, since they believe He works miracles, not by His own but by another’s power.
Theophylact: Further, they said this, thinking to bring Him to judgment, so that if He said, by mine own power, they might lay hold upon Him; but if He said, by the power of another, they might make the people leave Him, for they believed Him to be God. But the Lord asks them concerning John, not without a reason, nor in a sophisticated way, but because John had borne witness of Him.
Wherefore there follows: "And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of me? answer me."
Bede: The Lord might indeed have confuted the cavils of his tempters by a direct answer, but prudently puts them a question, that they might be condemned either by their silence or their speaking, which is evident from what is added, "And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?"
As if He had said, He whom you confess to have had his prophecy from heaven bore testimony of Me, and ye have heard from him, by what authority I do these things. It goes on: "But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people."
They saw then that whatever they answered, they should fall into a snare; fearing to be stoned, they feared still more the confession of the truth. Wherefore it goes on: "And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell."
Pseudo-Jerome: They envied the Lamp, and were in the dark, wherefore it is said, "I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed; his enemies will I clothe with shame." [[Psa 131:17]-18]
There follows: "And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Bede: As if He had said, I will not tell you what I know, since ye will not confess what ye know. Further, we must observe that knowledge is hidden from those who seek it, principally for two reasons, namely, when he who seeks for it either has not sufficient capacity to understand what he seeks for, or when through contempt for the truth, or some other reason, he is unworthy of having that for which he seeks opened to him.