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.
21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”
26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
Also found in Matthew 17:12-21 and Luke 9:37-43.
O, faithless generation … (v.19) — The prevalent evil weighed upon Him. And here the visible power of Satan, the hostility of the scribes, the failure of His own, the suspense and agitation of the crowd, all breathed the spirit of that evil age, alien and harsh to Him as an infected atmosphere. He blames none more than others; it is the “generation,” so faithless and perverse, which forces Him to exclaim: “How long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you?” — Chadwick, pages 241-242.
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scribes disputing with them (v.14) — This is peculiar to Mark, but the situation is easily conceivable; the disciples have tried to heal the boy and failed (v.18); the scribes, delighted with the failure, taunt them with it, and suggest by way of explanation the waning power of the Master, whose name thy had vainly attempted to conjure with. The baffled nine make the best defense they can, or perhaps listen in silence. Tho this, the crowd was listening. — Wuest, page 180.
greatly amazed (v.15) = lit. amazement so intense, it was well nigh exhausted. They had no more amazement left. They used it all up.
A surprise; which, whether sorrowful or joyful, always gives a certain emotional shock. The Master reappears, when He is not looked for, when He is needed, and when His name is being taken in vain, perhaps not without a certain sympathy on the part of the volatile crowd not accustomed hitherto to miscarriage of attempts at healing when the name of Jesus was involved. In that case their feeling would be a compound of confusion and gladness—ashamed and yet delighted to see Him, both betrayed in their manner.” — Wuest, page 180.
greeted (v.15) — The Israelites usually greeted each other with the words “Peace unto thee,” accompanied by embracing and kissing.
He asked the scribes (v.15) — The best texts indicate that He asked the crowd.
brought You (v.17) — The man had intended to bring his son to Jesus. He didn’t know the Lord wasn’t with the disciples at this time.
it seizes him (v.17) = lays hold of so as to make one’s own, takes possession of.
becomes rigid (v.18) = wastes away, pines away, is in a motionless stupor
they could not (v.18) = they didn’t have the power
faithless (v.19) — The word “faithless” has come to mean “treacherous, not keeping faith.” But the Greek word here means “without faith, unbelieving.” The disciples are included in this rebuke. They of all men should have had the necessary faith to cast out the demon. — Wuest, page 182.
how long shall I be with you (v.19) — lit. “How long shall I be in relations with you, how long shall I have to do with you?”
bear with (v.19) = endure
wallowed (v.20) = rolled. The tense of this word and “foaming” indicates ongoing actions
thrown him both into the fire and into the water (v.21) — The father did not believe these were mere accidents.
if You can do anything (v.22) = if You are able, if You have power. The father’s faith had been weakened by the failure of the disciples.
If you can believe (v.23) — The word “believe” is not in the best texts. Our Lords’ answer was “If thou canst.” There is a Greek idiom here which cannot be brought over into the translation. The definite article occurs before the words “If though canst.” It acts like an index finger and a pair of brackets, holding up the the father his own words for his consideration and Jesus’ comments. [To paraphrase] Jesus said, “that if thou canst of thine—as regards that, all things are possible.” In the Greek, there is a play upon the words canst, and possible. It is “If thou canst—all things can be.” Jesus puts over against the “anything” of the father, the “all things” of the Son of God. — Wuest, page 184.
cried out (v.24) — an inarticulate cry, eager and fear-stricken, showing the strength of his feeling at that moment.
with tears (v.24) — not in the best manuscripts
help my unbelief (v.24) = lit. “Be constantly helping my unbelief.” “Unbelief” is “weakness of faith.”
Jesus had apparently drawn apart from the crowd with the father and son, but when the crowd heard their cries, they came running.
rebuked (v.25) — “Rebuke” is epitimao, which refers to a rebuke that is ineffectual, and which does not bring the person to see his sin and confess it. The word elegcho which means “to rebuke a person, which rebuke is followed by that individual’s confession or at least conviction,” is not used here. Observe, if you will, the meticulous accuracy with which the Holy Spirit leads the Bible writers in their choice of synonyms. Demons are incorrigible. They will never repent. — Wuest, page 185.
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unclean (v.25) — The word “foul” [unclean] is akathartos. It is make up of the word katharos “clean, pure, free from the adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, corrupts,” in an ethical sense, “free from corrupt desire, sin, and guilt,” and the Greek letter Alpha prefixed, which makes the word mean the opposite of everything that it mean originally. [Like “moral” and “amoral.] — Wuest, pages 185-186.
command (v.25) = order, a military term used for arranging soldiers in ranks
come out of him and enter him no more (v.25) — Perhaps the demonic possession of this boy was intermittent. The Lord was eliminating a loophole.
became as one dead (v.26) — The convulsions caused by the demon before he left the boy exhausted the boy completely.
Why could we not cast it out? (v.28) — [The disciples] had trusted in the quasi-magical power with which they thought themselves invested; there had been no preparation of heart and spirit. Spirits of such malignity were quick to discern the lack of moral power and would yield to no other. — Wuest, pages 186-187.
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