Luke 17:6

ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, “which is the least of all seeds,” Matthew 13:32.

τῇ συκαμίνῳ ταύτῃ. The “this” is interesting because it shews that our Lord was teaching in the open air, and pointed to the tree as He spoke. The sycamine (Hebr. shikmah, 1 Chronicles 27:28) seems to be a generic name for various kinds of mulberries (e.g. the Morus alba and nigra), which were freely cultivated in the East. The black mulberry is still called συκαμινέα in Greece (see Luke 19:4). In Matthew 17:20 we have a similar passage with the variation of “this mountain,” which our Lord doubtless spoke pointing to Mount Hermon. The Jews gave to a great Rabbi the title of ‘uprooter of mountains,’ in the sense of ‘remover of difficulties;’ and our Lord here most appropriately expresses the truth that Faith can remove all difficulties and obstacles, Mark 9:23; Mark 11:23. Perhaps the warning against spiritual elation springs from the magnificence of this promise.

ἐκριζώθητι. Literally, ‘Be instantly uprooted’; and yet it is a tree with very deep roots.