Mark 9:14-29 | Session 34 | Mark Rightly Divided

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The Stubborn Demon | Mark 9:14-29

Verses 14-16 —

After returning from the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus and His disciples found the scribes questioning them (v. 14). This questioning was not aggressive; it was a common practice among scribes when interacting with their fellow countrymen, as noted in verse 11.

The scene changes dramatically when Jesus arrives. The crowd, drawn to Him, leaves the scribes, potentially inciting jealousy. After all, Jesus was a young man outside the religious sect, yet His presence commanded attention and respect.

Without any hint of aggression, Jesus then asked a simple question, "What question ye with them?" (v. 16).

Verses 17-18 —

The conversation is interrupted, hence we do not know what the discussion with the scribes was. A man in the crowd said to Jesus "I brought unto thee my son" (v. 17). This indicates that they were expecting Jesus, likely the reason for the crowd in the first place. It's important to note that the man didn't bring his son to the scribes, but to Jesus, and was eagerly awaiting His arrival.

The man elaborated that his son had a "dumb spirit" (v. 17), resulting in violent episodes as depicted in verse 18. Out of desperation, he had previously asked Jesus's disciples to exorcise the demon, but they failed. Although the disciples were granted the power and authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:15), they were ineffective in this instance.

At this point, it's not clear why the disciples, despite having been granted the power and authority, were unable to exorcise the demon from the boy. However, we are not left in suspense for long, as Jesus will soon provide an explanation for their failure.

Verse 19 -

Jesus gives a strong rebuke to the "faithless generation" (v. 19). It's interesting to note that His rebukes seem to occur only after the point at which the rejection of Him as the Messiah is certain. From that moment forward, Jesus began to refer to them as a wicked, faithless, and perverse generation. It's clear that Jesus, fully aware of what the generation will do to Him, now displays His frustration. Israel could have had "all this and more," referring to the peace, prosperity, healing, and spiritual victory that Jesus offered. Instead, they chose to reject their King, a decision that Jesus deeply laments.

Even amidst His frustration, Jesus' compassion is evident. He calls for the boy, demonstrating that His love and care for humanity remain, even when faced with disbelief and rejection.

Verses 20-22 -

When the boy was brought to Jesus, the spirit within him reacted immediately, throwing the child into convulsions. This immediate reaction demonstrates the spiritual turmoil and conflict within the boy, as the demonic spirit recognized Jesus' divine authority.

Inquiring about the boy's condition, Jesus asked his father about the duration of this affliction. The father explained that his son had been suffering from these violent episodes since his childhood, indicating the long-standing and severe nature of the boy's demonic possession.

In a desperate plea, the father implored, "If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us" (v. 22). This statement reveals the father's desperation, his hope for a cure, and his plea for compassion.

The word "canst" is an archaic English form of the verb "can." The "-st" suffix indicates it is in the second person singular. In the Early Modern English used in the King James Version of the Bible (KJV), most non-irregular verbs took an "-st" or "-est" suffix in the second person singular to clearly indicate who was performing the action. For instance, one wouldn't say "if you goest," because "you" is plural; instead, one would say "if you go." But one would say "If thou goest," because "thou" is singular. This demonstrates the precision of the KJV, a level of detail that is difficult to replicate in contemporary English.

In desperation, the father says, “If you can do anything, please do this one thing!” Any parent can understand his anguish.

The father's plea, "If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us" (v. 22), should not be interpreted as an expression of doubt in Jesus' abilities. Rather, it is a desperate cry from a father who has no other hope. In the next verse, Jesus' response will clarify that this is not a moment of doubt, but a moment of desperation.

Verse 23 -

Jesus responds to the father's plea by echoing the same phrase, "If thou canst." Here, like the father in verse 22, Jesus does not express doubt, but rather issues an empathetic plea and instruction. Then, in an incredibly generous offer, Jesus says, "All things are possible to him that believeth."

As with all statements in Scripture, as students who "rightly divide," we should be careful in our interpretation. We should seek evidence that this is meant to be a universal promise for all people at all times before we "name it and claim it." It's important to understand the context and the intended audience of this promise to avoid misinterpreting or misapplying it.

It's important to note a significant textual variant in this passage. The "Critical Text" of modern scholarship omits the first occurrence of the word "believe." As a result, modern versions of the Bible, such as the New American Standard Bible (NASB), render Jesus' response as: "‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes." The use of double quotations for Jesus' overall statement, followed by single quotation marks for the quote of the father, implies a certain snarkiness in Jesus' response.

This interpretation likely does not accurately reflect the tone of the situation. By excluding the first mention of "believe," which is present in the vast majority of Greek textual evidence, this modern translation very likely distorts the original intent and tone of Jesus' response. It is crucial to consider these variations and their potential impact on our understanding of the text.

Verse 24 -

The father's immediate cry, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (v. 24), reveals a man being as honest as he possibly can in this moment. He is not trying to hide anything; he is laying bare his heart in desperation for his son. His plea is reminiscent of the disciples' prayer in Luke 17:5, "Lord, increase our faith." Here, the man is confessing his human doubt, yet at the same time expressing as much faith as he can muster. His raw honesty and earnest plea underscore the intensity of the situation and his desperate hope for his son's healing.

Interestingly, none of us are as steadfast in our faith or as devoid of it as we might perceive ourselves to be at times. It's crucial to remember that faith is not a constant, but fluctuates with life's ebb and flow. Those who are in a position of strength are called upon to lend support to those who are struggling, recognizing the inherent instability of faith. It's a gentle reminder that we all have moments of uncertainty and wavering faith, regardless of our outward appearance.

Verses 25-27 —

As the crowd started pressing in, Jesus decided to act swiftly. He rebuked the unclean spirit, commanding it to come out of the boy and to never return. Upon Jesus's command, the spirit convulsed the boy violently and came out. The boy appeared to be so lifeless that many in the crowd said, "He is dead" (v. 26). But Jesus, knowing the boy was not dead, took him by the hand and lifted him up, and the boy arose.

After the intense scene of exorcism, it's worth noting that while many claim experiences of demon possession today, these experiences seldom, if ever, mirror those seen in the New Testament. A demon-possessed person in the New Testament was violent towards themselves, uncontrollable, and never sought assistance. I personally believe that demon possession is not something that takes place in our world today. In fact, it was rare in Biblical history, save for a few years documented in the Gospels. Today, what may be perceived as demonic possession could be attributed to drug use, mental illness, physical maladies, or even feigning possession, but not actual demon possession. This view is, of course, not universally accepted and is mostly widely rejected.

Verses 28-29 -

After the exorcism, the disciples approached Jesus privately and asked Him, "Why could we not cast it out?" (v. 28). Their question is rooted in their previous experiences. There are multiple instances in the Gospel of Mark where the disciples successfully cast out demons. For example, in Mark 6:13, we read that they "cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them."

The disciples' inability to exorcise the demon in this instance puzzled them. Jesus explained that "This kind" (v. 29) of spirit could not be cast out by anything but prayer and fasting. The use of "this kind" gives the impression that there are different types of spirits, some more difficult to deal with than others.

Jesus uses the Greek word "γένος" (genos) to denote "kind." This term is akin to our modern understanding of a "genus" within a species. Our understanding of the demonic 'genus' is limited to what we can infer from this text. The complex taxonomy of the spirit world remains largely a mystery. What we do know, according to Jesus' explanation, is that some spirits require a higher level of spiritual authority or faith to be cast out, suggesting a hierarchy or varying degrees of strength among them.

Jesus mentioned that "this kind" would require "prayer and fasting" to be cast out. This statement has often been misinterpreted by many who claim that we simply don't do enough prayer and fasting. This misinterpretation is a result of failing to "rightly divide" demonic exorcism within the context of Scripture. It's critical to interpret these instances within the historical and cultural context, and not to apply them indiscriminately to our present day. As we've seen in this passage, the demonic possession described in the New Testament is markedly different from what is often claimed as demonic possession today.

It is again noteworthy to recognize another textual variant. Most of the modern versions leave out "fasting" from "prayer and fasting". Imagine, having applied this instruction to today, that believers still get it wrong because they only prayed and did not fast! This is a great example of the unbelievably strong need for Christendom to make a determination of what the Bible really is. Is it one of the plethora of ever-changing academically-contrived versions of the text, or is it the majority text received by the church virtually unanimously until the academicians of rationalism took over?

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