Mark 9:19, commentary and pictures

Coming down from the glory of the transfiguration, Jesus meets His remaining disciples defeated in their attempt to free a youth tormented by a deaf and dumb spirit under Satan's power. His rebuke of a faithless generation answers the unbelief He reads in the perplexed disciples, the doubting multitude, and the challenging scribes gathered around the afflicted boy. His questions of how long He shall be with them and suffer them express His sorrowful grief at having to endure their lack of faith and trust. His command to bring the boy to Him calls the father and the crowd to bring the helpless sufferer to Him for deliverance. That deliverance reveals an open conflict between the Prince of life and the prince of darkness in which His compassion and power are complete, yet the healing waits on faith entrusted to His mercy, and He frees the victim forever and restores him whole to his father.

Setting and Rebuke

The words were spoken just after Jesus came down with three disciples from the mountain of transfiguration to meet the disciples left behind who had failed to free a boy from an evil spirit. On that mountain He had been glorified, had talked with messengers of heaven, and had been proclaimed the Son of God by the Father's voice from radiant glory. In a brief space the extremes of glory and grief met, for the mighty Redeemer glorified only a few short hours before now stood before suffering on the plain.

The sufferer was a youth held under Satan's power by a dumb and deaf spirit. He is described as a lunatic child with distorted countenance, gnashing his teeth in spasms of agony which no mortal could relieve. The spirit repeatedly threw him into fire and water to destroy him.

The rebuke of the faithless generation answered the disciples' failure, the doubts, ridicule and confusion of the people, and the boasting challenge of the caviling scribes. He read unbelief in every heart of the awe-stricken multitude, the scribes, and the perplexed disciples. His questions how long He shall be with them and suffer them sorrowfully expressed His grief at having to endure their lack of faith and trust. Then His command to bring him to Him told the group and the distressed father to bring the afflicted boy to Jesus for deliverance.

Deliverance Through Faith

When the boy is brought, open battle is joined between the Prince of life, come to proclaim release to captives and set the bruised free, and the prince of darkness seeking to hold his victim. Angels of light and hosts of evil angels press near unseen to behold the conflict. For a moment Jesus permits the evil spirit to display its power, violently throwing the boy down and tearing him, leaving him wallowing in convulsions and foaming with unearthly shrieks, so that beholders comprehend the deliverance about to be wrought.

There is no lack of power on His part, for the healing reveals His compassion and power to heal a youth tormented by a dumb spirit that repeatedly threw him into fire and water to destroy him. The healing waits on faith, and by His word of command He orders the dumb and deaf demon to leave its victim, torment him no further, and frees him forever. He stoops to lift this victim of Satan from the ground where he is wallowing, takes him by the hand and raises him in perfect soundness of mind and body, showing the Divine One stooping to save the lost and restoring him to his father.

Christ had power to heal, while the father's appeal revealed doubt about that power. The father's help depended on faith, received by entrusting his weakness to Christ's mercy. The boy's deliverance brings joy to him and his father, amazes the multitude at the mighty power of God and astonishes the people, and leaves the caviling scribes defeated.

The movement from glory on the mountain to people on the plain enslaved by Satan, who wait for the word of faith and prayer to set them free, shows that the glory seen with Christ must be joined to self-sacrificing service. His servants must carry their work beyond moments of spiritual illumination to those in need. The child's suffering when brought to Jesus, violently thrown down and torn, is an example of the severe conflict some face before coming to the Saviour, though not everyone need expect to undergo such conflicts and trials.