8. A DEMON CAST OUT BY JESUS THAT THE COULD NOT CAST OUT Mark 9:14-29 (Matthew 17:14-21; Luke 9:37-43) 14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them.--After the transfiguration they now came down from the mountain and again joined the other disciples. They had gathered around the disciples to see if they could heal this demoniac. Doubtless when the scribes and the curiosity seekers in the midst of the multitude saw their inability to heal the son, they used this opportunity of exulting over the failure of the disciples, and in a caviling manner, disputed with them. 15 And straightway all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed,--Why, we do not know unless it was the sudden and unexpected appearance of Jesus just at this time while the scribes were engaged in caviling and disputing with his disciples. and running to him saluted him.--Received him with the customary marks of affection and respect. 16 And he asked them, What question ye with them? --What is the subject of your inquiry or debate with my disciples? Before any one had time to tell Jesus what had been going on, he surprised the scribes with his question. They saw at once that he knew all, and their failure to answer shows that they felt a deserved rebuke for their exultation. 17 And one of the multitude answered him, Teacher, I brought unto thee my son,--Doubtless this father did not know Jesus was absent until he arrived with his son. In the absence of Jesus, the disciples undertook to do this work. From this we ought to learn a lesson; namely, not to undertake to do a work for which we are not prepared. who hath a dumb spirit;--Called a dumb spirit because it deprived its victim of speech. It was also a "deaf spirit." (Verse 25.) The son was not only deaf and dumb, but a lunatic, and subject to fits. (Matthew 17:15.) It was a severe and complicated case. Probably the complication rendered the disciples unable to heal the afflicted. (Luke 9:39-40.) 18 and wheresover it taketh him, it dasheth him down: and he foameth, and grindeth his teeth, and pineth away:--Becomes thin, haggard, and emaciated. This was the effect of the violence of his struggles and probably for the want of food. Matthew (Matthew 17:15) says: "For ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and ofttimes into the water; and Luke (Luke 9:39) "Hardly departeth from him, bruising him." and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast it out;--He asked the disciples to cast it out. and they were not able.--Lack of power was due to their weak faith. (Verse 29; Matthew 17:20.) They had been given power to cast out unclean spirits. (Mark 6:7.) The three favored apostles were with Jesus. Had they been present probably they could have cast the demon out. The faith of the nine was not equal to the task. It was an extremely difficult case. 19 And he answereth them and saith, O faithless generation, --Unbelieving race. Matthew (Matthew 17:17) and Luke (Luke 9:41) say "Faithless and perverse generation." The generation and race among whom Jesus was laboring were indeed faithless. how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him unto me.--Jesus had confidence in himself. The emphasis is upon me. 20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.--Other effects of demon workings are here expressed. The boy fell and wallowed on the ground, foaming at the mouth like one with epilepsy. Here the truth expressed by the father (verse 18) is demonstrated. 21 And he asked his father, How long time is it since this hath come unto him?--This careful inquiry of Jesus as to when the demon afflicted the boy was doubtless made, not for his own information, but for the trial and strengthening of the father's faith. And he said, From a child.--He does not fix the exact age, but it was from childhood. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him both into the fire and into the waters, to destroy him:--He looked upon the demon as an enemy who would kill his only son. The demon was hardhearted, but no more so than the devil is today. He would destroy not only the soul of the only son of one father in hell, but all the sons of every father. but if thou canst do anything,--Here, the father without knowing it, shows a weak faith. Probably the failure of the disciples to cure the boy served to weaken the faith he originally had. This is true with us today. When one doctor fails to cure, it lessens our faith in the efforts of another. have compassion on us, and help us.--Have pity on us. A cure of the son would also relieve the distressed father. Both would be benefited. 23 And Jesus said unto him, If thou canst!--The authorized version puts it, "If thou canst believe." The difficulty was not whether Jesus can, but whether the father can. That is, can he have the necessary faith in Jesus? Faith in the father was the great need. All things are possible to him that believeth.--All things can be effected or accomplished by God in favor of him that believes; and if thou canst believe, this will be done. Some draw an argument for infant baptism from this father's faith for his child to be healed. But faith by proxy either in baptism or salvation is unscriptural. (Proverbs 19:12; Mark 16 16.) Salvation from sin is one thing and being healed physically is a different thing. The boy was healed physically, not spiritually. 24 Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.--The spark of faith has been kindled sufficiently strong to pray for an increase of faith. Supply then the defects of my faith. Give me strength and grace to put entire confidence in thee. He first asked the Savior's help for his son, but having his own unbelief pointed out, and seeing the necessity of faith in himself in order to have his request granted, he asked help for himself, and that thus his son may be cured. He desired the barrier in the way of his son's healing removed. He labored to that end. 25 And when Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.--The demon would desire repossession without interference from Jesus; so the attempt is divinely forbidden. If he ever attempted to reenter and take possession of the boy we have no record of it. 26 And having cried out, and torn him much, he came out --The demon obeys the command of Jesus most reluctantly and tries to destroy one whom he can no longer use. and the boy became as one dead;--The paroxysm of departure was fearful, and left the boy exhausted and as dead. His bodily powers were exhausted--apparently having no breath and life in him. insomuch that the more part said, He is dead.--This was the decision of the greater part of those present. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose.--The touch of Jesus completed the cure. Such torture as was inflicted by the demon gives an awful conception of the state of society which must prevail among these Godforsaken spirits. While those standing by were saying that the son was dead, the touch of Jesus, who alone can deliver us from the power of the devil, brought instant restoration to him, and joy to the father's heart. Luke (Luke 9:43) adds: "They were all astonished at the majesty of God." 28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, How is it that we could not cast it out? --They were interested in the cause of their failure to accomplish their purpose. 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer.--Here Jesus intimates that there are grades among demons and that this one was one of the worst. Matthew (Matthew 17:20) adds: "Because of your little faith." The whole difficulty centered in their want of faith. No demon could defy them if only they had faith enough. And then Jesus illustrated the power of faith by showing that even a small amount of active, living faith, like a grain of mustard seed (Matthew 17:20), could remove "this mountain," perhaps pointing to Mount Hermon, at whose base they were, and which towered in its grandeur above them. Faith comparable to a mustard seed is very weak faith, and if this would enable them to remove "this mountain," how weak must be the faith they had exercised! This remark added a rebuke to the explanation. That "this kind" goes not out but by prayer shows that it was more difficult to cast out this kind than some other kinds. The faith which will be effective must be a faith exercised in prayer.