Mark 9:14-29, Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

¹⁴ And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. [The crowd gathers because of the failure of the other nine disciples to heal a boy. The scribes were doubtlessly questioning the credentials of the disciples. How often do we make ourselves look good by making others look bad!] ¹⁵ And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. ¹⁶ And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” [Jesus will turn the focus away from the failed disciples and to himself.] ¹⁷ And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” ¹⁹ And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” [Jesus references Psalm 95:10 and the patience of God as he dealt with Israel in the wilderness.] ²⁰ And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. [The defeated demon rages but impotently.] ²¹ And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²² And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. [Jesus’ questioning leads the father to reveal his desperation and inability to help his son. Jesus becomes his only hope.] But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ²³ And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! [Jesus reacts to his lack of faith.] All things are possible for one who believes.” [We need the mind of Christ given to us by the Spirit.] ²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” [It seems that Jesus earlier addressed the father as the “faithless generation.” The father’s statement is completely honest and one all of us can say. We all need purer hearts. The man showed faith by coming to Jesus, but healing his son will strengthen his faith. ] ²⁵ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” [Jesus is short and to the point. We would be wise to follow his prayer pattern.] ²⁶ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. [Jesus gives life.] ²⁸ And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁹ And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” [Jesus encourages them to more prayer and a deeper reliance on God to grow their faith.]