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The Sermon on the Mount—“Stop Being Anxious”The Watchtower—1978 | October 1
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As to the “lesson” in this illustration, Jesus stated: “If, now, God thus clothes the vegetation of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith?”—Matt. 6:30.
“The vegetation of the field” includes the flowers to which Jesus referred. During the hot summers of Palestine, that vegetation withers in as little as two days. The dried flower stalks and grass were collected as fuel for baking ovens. Since God beautifully “clothes” vegetation that dries up so quickly, Jesus’ question is a good one: “Will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith?” God’s servants are far more important than flowers. Excessive worry about obtaining needed clothing would be an indication of “little faith.”b
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The Sermon on the Mount—“Stop Being Anxious”The Watchtower—1978 | October 1
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b Jesus used the expression “of little faith” only with regard to his disciples. It appears also at Matthew 8:26; 14:31; 16:8 and Luke 12:28. The phrase is found in rabbinical writings, indicating that it was well known. For example, the Babylonian Talmud relates: “R[abbi] Eliezer the Great declares: Whoever has a piece of bread in his basket and says, ‘What shall I eat tomorrow?’ belongs only to them who are little in faith.”
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