BURKITT : | Mr 9:1 | Mr 9:2 | Mr 9:3-8 | Mr 9:9-13 | Mr 9v14-29 | Mr 9:30-32 | Mr 9:33-37 | Mr 9:38-42 | Mr 9:43-48 | Mr 9:49 | Mr 9:50 | KJV
Reference
14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. 19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch 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 was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:14-29 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, 1. The person brought to Christ for help and healing; one bodily possessed by Satan, who had made him deaf and dumb from his childhood, and oft-times cast him into the fire and water, but rather to torment than to dispatch him. O how does Satan, the malicious tyrant, rejoice in doing hurt to the bodies, as well as the souls, of mankind! Lord, abate his power, since his malice of evil spirits! and how watchful is thy providence over us to preserve us, when Satan is seeking, by all imaginable means and methods, to destroy us!
Observe, 2. The person that represents his sad condition to our Saviour; his compassionate father, who kneeled down, and cried out: need will make a person both humble and eloquent. Everyone has a tongue to speak for himself, happy is he that keeps a tongue for others.
Observe, 3. The circumstance of time; Satan had got possession! of his person very young, in his youth; nay, in his childhood: and O how hard was it to cast him out after such long possession! The disciples could not do it, with all their power and prayers; and when our Saviour himself, by the power of his Godhead, did dispossess him, it was with foaming and rending that he left him.
Thus, when Satan gets possession of persons’ hearts in their youth, O how hard will it be to cast him out! It will put the soul to great grief, great pain, great sorrow of heart. Satan will endeavour to hold his own, and keep the sinner his slave and vassal, if all the power of hell can keep him.
Lord! convince young persons, that it is easier to keep Satan out than it is to cast him out of the possession of their hearts.
Observe, 4. The physicians which this distressed person is brought unto first to the disciples, and then to Jesus. We never apply ourselves importunately to the God of power, till we despair of the creature’s help. But why could not the disciples cast him out? Christ tells them, because of their unbelief; that is, because of the weakness of their faith, not the total want of faith.
Whence learn, That secret unbelief may be hidden and undiscerned in the heart, which neither others not ourselves may take notice of until some trial doth discover it.
Observe, 5. The poor man’s humble request, and Christ’s gracious reply. If thou canst do anything, help me, says the father; If thou canst believe, all things are possible, says our Saviour.
Note thence, That the fault is not in Christ, but in ourselves, if we receive not that mercy from him, which we desire and need. There is no deficiency in Christ’s power, the defect lies in our faith. Hereupon the man cries out with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. If these were tears of joy for the truth of his faith, then we may gather, that the lowest degree and least measure of faith is a matter of joy unspeakable to the owner and possessor of it: if these were tears of sorrow for the weakness of his faith, then we may collect, that the remains of unbelief in the children of God do cost them many tears; they are the burden and sorrow of gracious souls. The father of the child cried out with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Observe, 6. With what facility and ease our Saviour cast out this stubborn devil, that had so long possessed this poor child, even with a word speaking. How long soever Satan has kept possession of a soul, Christ can eject and cast him out both easily and speedily; one word of Christ’s mouth is sufficient to help us out of all distress, both bodily and spiritual. Yet did our Lord suffer the wicked spirit to rage and rend the child before he went out of him; not from any delight in the poor child’s misery, but that the multitude, seeing the desperateness of the case, might the more admire the power of Christ in his deliverance.
Observe, 7. The sovereign power and absolute authority, which Christ had even here upon earth, when in his state of humiliation, over the devil and his angels; he commands him to go out, and enter no more into the child, and is obeyed. This was a proof and demonstration of the Godhead of our Saviour, that he had power and authority over devils, to command and over-rule them, to curb and restrain them at his pleasure.
And whereas Christ commands the devil not only to come ut, but to enter no more into the person; it implies, that Satan being cast out of his hold, earnestly desires to enter in again to recover his hold, and to regain his possession; but if Christ says, Enter no more, Satan shall obey his voice.
Observe, 8. The disciples enquire into the reasons why they could not cast this stubborn devil out, according to the power which he had given them to work miracles.
Christ tells them it was, 1. Because of their unbelief; by which understand the weakness of their faith, not their total want of faith.
2. Because they did not in this extraordinary case apply themselves to the use of extraordinary means; namely, Prayer and fasting.
Learn hence, First, That in extraordinary cases, where the necessities either of soul or body do require it, recourse must be had to the use of extraordinary means; one of which is an importunate application unto God by solemn prayer.
Secondly, That fasting and prayer are two special means of Christ’s own appointment for enabling his people victoriously to overcome Satan and cast him out of ourselves or others. We must set an edge upon our faith by prayer, and upon our prayer by fasting.