Why do the scriptures say on one occasion that Jesus could do no mighty work in a city because there was no faith? Also, why did he frequently say to those who were healed, “Thy faith hath made thee whole”? Didn’t Jesus have power over all things?

Dr. Robert J. Matthews, associate professor of ancient scripture, Brigham Young University: The incident referred to in the first part of the question is recorded in Mark 6:1–6. Jesus does have power over all things, and men and women can receive some of the blessings of that power by the exercise of their own faith and preparedness. It is a principle of readiness.

We have been told of a basic law that governs our relationship with our Heavenly Father in obtaining those things that lead to salvation and exaltation. He sends the rain upon the just and the unjust, without any effort on their part, but if men want to progress toward righteousness, they must work at it. Jesus said that man must ask, seek, and knock. (See Matt. 7:7.) That is, man must prepare himself by inquiry and by actively seeking communion with the Lord.

It isn’t so much that Jesus could not perform a miracle as that the laws governing such things would not permit it. The Lord has revealed that all blessings are predicated upon obedience to law. (See D&C 130:20–21.) If Jesus had performed mighty works in the absence of faith, he would have been as a magician rather than a savior of souls, and those so ministered unto would have been impeded rather than advanced in their salvation. Faith is not a mere abstraction; it is a principle of moving action and power. (See Lectures on Faith, Lecture First, esp. para. 13.)

Faith must always precede the miracle. The Lord works with men according to their faith. (See Moro. 10:7.) Nephi observed that the Liahona worked only “according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto [it].” (1 Ne. 16:28.) And to the Church in this dispensation the Lord has said, “Yea, signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God. Yea, signs come by faith, unto mighty works, for without faith no man pleaseth God. …” (D&C 63:10–11.)

In some cases miraculous healings have occurred, apparently due to the faith of someone other than the direct recipient. This is seen in the faith of parents, relative to the healing of an infant. There are also instances of animals being healed after the administration of the elders—for example, the healing of two sick oxen in response to the faith of Sister Mary Fielding Smith while crossing the plains. (See Joseph Fielding Smith, The Life of Joseph F. Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938, p. 150.)

Jesus calmed the storm, turned water into wine, multiplied food, and told Peter of a coin in a fish’s mouth, all of which is attributable to the Lord’s power, but seemingly without active faith being exercised by the objects that were acted upon.

But with men it is different. Principles of spiritual growth dictate that free intelligent men must do all that they can themselves, and that the Lord does not do for them what they can do for themselves. It is on this basis that Jesus is our Savior through his atonement for all mankind. What he did does not preclude any man from doing all that he can do for himself. This principle is also operative in the salvation of both the living and the dead. Only those things can be done (by others) for any man that he cannot do for himself. Perhaps that is why Jesus said, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Mark 5:34.) This was said of the woman who was healed when she touched Jesus’ garment. Many touched his garment at the same moment, but she received the blessing. Her active participation in developing and exercising faith placed her in a position to receive the greater power and blessing of the Lord. An extended explanation of this subject is also given by Moroni as recorded in chapter 12 of Ether. [Ether 12]