The Lukan travel narrative (Jesus' journey to Jerusalem) is interrupted rather abruptly in today's text by two distinct thoughts, the first of which is a demand placed upon him by the "apostles" (v. 5) by whom Luke clearly means the Twelve: "Increase our faith!" The request is the Lukan version of the Matthean account in 17:20 where it is attached to an incident in which the disciples, having been asked to cure a man's son of his epileptic seizures, are unable to do so. In that account, Jesus, clearly exasperated, says, "How much longer must I put up with you?" (17:17). He then declares that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they would be able to move "this mountain" from "here to there" (17:20). Matthew has a corresponding note in 21:21 where Jesus includes the fig tree as wel…