Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 17:16
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
And I brought him to thy disciples … – That is, not to the apostles, for they had power over unclean spirits Mat 10:8, but to others of his followers who attempted to work miracles. It is probable that many of his disciples attempted this who were not personal attendants on his ministry, Mar 9:38.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Thy disciples could not cure him.] No wonder, when the cure must be effected by supernatural agency, and they had not faith enough to interest the power of God in their behalf, Mt 17:20. A spiritual disorder must have a spiritual remedy: natural means, in such cases, signify just – nothing.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And I brought him to thy disciples,…. To the nine, whilst Christ was with the other three upon the mountain: no doubt but his design was to bring him to Christ first; but he being absent, he applied to his disciples, and, desired them to make use of their power to heal him; and which they attempted, but without success:
and they could not cure him. This he said, partly to show the malignity and stubbornness of the disease, and partly to accuse the disciples of weakness; when he himself was as much in fault as they, as the following words show. Here the Jew w insults, and charges with contradiction, that in one place it should be said, that Jesus gave his disciples power to cast out unclean spirits, and here all the disciples could not cast a spirit out of one little child: but without any reason; let it be observed, that “all” the disciples were not present, the three principal ones were with Christ; besides, this was not owing to want of power in them, which Christ had conferred on them, and which they often made use of with success: but partly to their own unbelief, and partly to the unbelief of the father of this child, and others with him, as appears from what follows: and it is clear from Mark, that when he came to Christ, he had but little faith; he says to him, “if thou canst do anything, help us”; and after Christ had talked with him about his faith, he could only say, “Lord, I believe, help mine unbelief”.
w Vet. Nizzachon, p. 219, 220.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) They could not cure him.This, then, would seem to have been the subject-matter of debate. The scribes were taunting the disciples, who had probably trusted to their use of the wonted formula of their Masters name, and were now wrangling in their own defence. Neither scribes nor disciples had thought of gaining the spiritual power which might avail by the means which they both recognised as effective.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Disciples could not cure him The disciples had perhaps often performed the miracle of casting out demons; but upon this occasion, either from a special weakness of their own or a special strength of the demon, they failed.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”
But then came the body blow. The disciples had been unable to cure the boy. It is noteworthy that we are shortly to learn that they were themselves shocked at their failure. They had expected to be successful, as it would appear up to this point they always had been. They were unable to understand their failure themselves. Thus they had clearly exercised a certain amount of faith, sufficient usually to achieve success. But it had not been enough. Before we are too critical we should note that probably all nine of the remaining Apostles were there and that not one of them had been able to be successful. It would seem that this was a particularly powerful demon.
The failure of the disciples has been a theme of this section. They did not understand about the loaves and the fishes (Mat 14:16-21); they were afraid of the ghost at sea (Mat 14:26-27); they could not understand why only what came from inside could defile a man (Mat 15:16); they had wanted Him to send the Canaanite woman away without meeting her deepest need (Mat 15:23); they failed to be aware of how the crowds could be fed (Mat 15:33); they became anxious about having no bread in spite of all that they had seen and had been taught (Mat 16:5); the disciples had failed to recognise in John the Baptist, the coming Elijah (Mat 17:10-11). And now they have failed to cast out this demon. It is being made quite clear why they must have Jesus with them when they go out to disciple all nations (Mat 28:19-20). Furthermore Peter had lost his faith as he looked at the ferocity of the tempest (Mat 14:28-31); had sought to dissuade Jesus from the path of suffering (Mat 16:22); and had wanted to keep Moses and Elijah on the mountain with Jesus (Mat 17:4). His moment of insight (Mat 16:16) was seen as far outweighed by his failure to see. But what a different picture is revealed after Pentecost once the living Christ has possessed them through His Spirit.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Ver. 16. And they could not cure him ] The prayer of faith would have healed the sick,Jas 5:15Jas 5:15 , as Luther’s prayer recovered a godly divine (that was far gone in a consumption, and given up for a dead man by the physicians) beyond all expectation. Iste vir potuit quod voluit, Such a man as that was able because he was willing, man saith one of him. That man by the force of his faith could do whatsoever he would with God. Fiat mea voluntas, ” Let my will be done,” said one in his prayer; and then sweetly falls off, “my will, Lord, because thy will,” and he had his request. But let not the unbeliever “think that he shall receive anything of the Lord,” Jas 1:7 , since he shuts heaven gates against his own prayers; and by the evil operation of a misgiving heart, denies them before he presents them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 17:16 . : the nine left behind when Jesus and the three ascended the Mount. The fame of Jesus and His disciples as healers had reached the neighbourhood, wherever it was. : the case baffled the men of the Galilean mission.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
could not cure him = were not able to cure him.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 17:16. , were not able) It was a disgrace for the disciples to be accused from another quarter. Observe the candour of St Matthews confession, implicating himself in this charge. It is wonderful that the devil did not injure the disciples; cf. Act 19:16.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
and they: Mat 17:19, Mat 17:20, 2Ki 4:29-31, Luk 9:40, Act 3:16, Act 19:15, Act 19:16
Reciprocal: Jdg 16:20 – the Lord 2Ki 4:31 – neither voice Mar 9:18 – and they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7:16
Could not cure him denotes the belief that the son had some serious disease as was explained in the preceding verse. It is true that the being possessed with a devil would sometimes result in a disease, in which case the casting out of the devil would be equivalent to performing a cure.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 17:16. Thy disciples. Including the nine Apostles.