Mark 9:14-20 (NKJV) A Boy Is Healed
(Matt. 17:14–21; Luke 9:37–42)
14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”
17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”
19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
V14 “And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.” Returning from the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus and His 3 witnesses saw a very large crowd. The disciples were somewhat angrily arguing with the scribes. The more complete setting is found in Matthew 17:14-21. The dispute concerned a possessed boy. Matthew 17:14-16 (NKJV) reads “And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
V15 “Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.” Everyone was excited, except perhaps the scribes.
V16 “And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” Jesus asks a question, not because He did not know, but He wanted them to tell the situation. Jesus is the King of kings and needs to make a decision and action.
V17 “Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.” This is a demon who controls the boy’s mouth so that he cannot talk. Everything the devil and his angels stand for is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Note the contrast: John 14:6 (MSB) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
V18 “And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” Demons are evil, always. If they do something “good,” it is for deception. Compare 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. The Greek word for seizes is (G2638) καταλαμβάνω katalambánō, which means to grab and seize. It can apply to actions, thoughts, understanding, etc. This demon controls the boy. This is the danger of any occultic beliefs or even dabbling in it. This is not the medical condition as medical seizures. If one is epileptic, they are NOT possessed.
V19 “He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Why does Jesus call them faithless? Because they had seen how Jesus deals with these cases, and they should have done the same in the name of Jesus Christ. It takes time for believers to learn about God and His ways. Why faithless? The disciples should have learned by now. The father didn’t, he believed? I don’t think so. See Mark 9:23-24).
V20 “Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.” This demon is very rebellious and disrespectful to Jesus, his creator. The poor boy suffered from the malicious spirits. This evil spirit wanted to rebel against his creator one more time. It matters not the attitude, stubbornness, desire, etc., when Jesus commands, it is done. See Mark 9:25-26.
We learn:
- Jesus’s authority.
- Demon’s evilness.
- An example of their evil nature.
Questions:
- Do we believe in the power of God?
- Is Jesus still able to do this today?