Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 17:19
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Then came the disciples … – This inquiry was made in some house to which they retired near the place where the miracle was performed (Mark). Jesus told them, in reply, that it was because of their unbelief that they had not been able to cast him out. They were appalled by the difficulty of the case and the obstinacy of the disease. Their faith would not have made it more easy for God to work this miracle, but such was his will – such the way in which he worked miracles, that he required faith in those who were the instruments.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Why could not we cast him out?] They were confounded at their want of success-but not at their want of faith, which was the cause of their miscarriage! When the ministers of the Gospel find their endeavours, with respect to some places or persons, ineffectual, they should come, by private prayer, to Christ, humble themselves before him, and beg to be informed whether some evil in themselves have not been the cause of the unfruitfulness of their labours.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark repeats only what we have here Mat 17:19,21. The reason assigned here by our Saviour why his disciples could not cast out this devil, was their unbelief; not their total want, but the weakness of their faith. Christ here again lets us see the power of faith, and the mischief of unbelief. I take the plain sense of the text to be this, That there is nothing which may tend to the glory of God, or to our good, but may be obtained of God by a firm exercise of faith in him. Whether our Saviour here speaketh of a faith of miracles, or no, I will not determine; I rather think that he speaketh here of any true faith: we must have the power and promise of God for its object. The promise of working miracles by a Divine power committed to them, was a particular promise made to the disciples, Mat 10:1-42, and so was only the object of their faith. But I take our Saviours words to extend to a further latitude, though, as to miraculous operations, it was only applicable to them. There is nothing which God hath promised to give or bestow on any but faith will obtain from him, if attended by a fervent prayer, to which fasting is subservient, as preparing us to it. There are some things which are obtained by a stronger faith, and by more fervent and importunate prayers, than others are. A mercy sometimes seem to us to come out of the hand of God with more difficulty, and wrestling for it; but there is nothing within the latitude of a promise, but is to be done and obtained by the vigorous exercise of faith, and by fervent and importunate prayer. The apostles had yet but a weak and imperfect faith, and they had not used such fervent and importunate prayer in this case as they ought to have done; thence did this work appear so difficult unto them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart,…. Or “secretly”, as the Vulgate Latin, and Munster’s Hebrew Gospel read; that is, privately, and when alone; and as Mark says, “when he was come into the house”; and was by himself, then came the nine disciples to him, to converse with him about this matter,
and said unto him, why could not we cast him out? That is, the devil, and so cure the lunatic; the Syriac and Persic versions render it, “why could not we heal him?” The lunatic; which only could be done by casting out the demon: they were concerned, fearing they had lost the power which Christ had bestowed on them, and wanted to know what they had done, which had deprived them of it; and what should be the cause of their late unsuccessful attempt, when they had so frequently triumphed over the unclean spirits, that were subject to them. Though they might have learned from the answer Christ gave to the father of the lunatic, and the general character of the Jewish nations in that answer, the true reason of their own inability; but this they took no notice of, imagining it belonged entirely to others, and not to them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Mat 17:19
. Then the disciples coming. The disciples wonder that the power which they once possessed has been taken from them; but they had lost it by their own fault. Christ therefore attributes this want of ability to their unbelief, and repeats and illustrates more largely the statement which he had previously made, that nothing is impossible to faith It is a hyperbolical mode of expression, no doubt, when he declares that faith removes trees and mountains; but the meaning amounts to this, that God will never forsake us, if we keep the door open for receiving his grace. He does not mean that God will give us every thing that we may mention, or that may strike our minds at random. On the contrary, as nothing is more at variance with faith than the foolish and irregular desires of our flesh, it follows that those in whom faith reigns do not desire every thing without discrimination, but only that which the Lord promises to give. Let us therefore maintain such moderation as to desire nothing beyond what he has promised to us, and to confine our prayers within that rule which he has laid down.
But it may be objected, that the disciples did not know whether or not the Lord was pleased to cure the lunatic It is easy to reply, that it was their own fault if they did not know; for Christ is now speaking expressly about special faith, which had its secret instincts, as the circumstances of the case required. And this is the faith of which Paul speaks, (1Co 12:9.) How then came it that the apostles were deprived of the power of the Spirit, which they had formerly exercised in working miracles, but because they had quenched it by their indolence? But what Christ said about special faith, in reference to this particular event, may be extended to the common faith of the whole Church.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) Why could not we cast him out?The question came obviously from the disciples who had been left below when our Lord went apart with Peter, James, and John, to the Mount of the Transfiguration. They did not even now see the reason of their failure. They had dealt with this case as they had dealt with others. Why had they not met with a like issue? They did not as yet perceive that they came under our Lords language of rebuke, and did not look on themselves as belonging to the faithless generation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Apart They were doubtless ashamed to discuss this question before the world.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” ’
The disciples were deeply concerned by their failure. And when they were able to get Jesus alone they came to Him and asked why they had failed to cast the demon out. Their puzzlement brings out that they were not used to failing in this way. They had been taken by surprise.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Reason For Their Failure (17:19-21).
The disciples learn that their failure was due to the lack of quality in their faith. What was needed was the kind of faith that can only be built up by depth in prayer (Mar 9:29). It was their failure to spend their time in continuing prayer that was at the root of their unbelief (Mat 14:16-27; Mat 14:31; Mat 15:5; Mat 15:8).
Analysis. .
a Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” (Mat 17:19).
b And he says to them, “Because of your little faith” (Mat 17:20 a).
b “For truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed (Mat 17:20 b).
a “You will say to this mountain, ‘Remove hence to yonder place’, and it will remove, and nothing will be impossible to you” (Mat 17:20 c).
Note that in ‘a’ they ask why they could not cast it out, and in the parallel that with proper faith they will be able to cast anything out. In ‘b’ their failure was due to little faith, and in the parallel all that is required is faith the size of a grain of mustard seed.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Christ explains the failure:
v. 19. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart and said, Why could not we cast him out?
v. 20. And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
v. 21. Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. After the healing of the demoniac, Jesus went into a house. And there, where they were by themselves, the disciples gain enough courage to ask Him in regard to their failure. The fact stood before them: They had not been able to cast him out. The question seems to imply that the experience was exceptional; in other cases they had not had this difficulty, Luk 10:17. Jesus very frankly tells them the trouble. Their faith, their trust in God, had not been equal to the occasion; it had been too small to effect a cure in this instance. Probably the disciples, who formerly had cast out devils in the Lord’s name and by His authority, had attempted to exorcise, trusting in their own strength. Not redeeming faith is meant here, of course, but a firm reliance in God’s power and promises. For if such trusting faith is present, though it be as small as a single grain of mustard-seed by comparison, though its quantity represent the minimum of such trust, yet it could perform miracles as yet undreamed of by them, such as the moving of mountains. Nothing is impossible to such faith. If we have God’s command and promise in our undertaking, then we should firmly rely upon His almighty strength, knowing that we shall be able to perform what He has given us to do. See chap. 21:21; Mar 11:23. Things that seem impossible before men, undertakings that are frankly jeered at as dreams of visionaries, works of mercy or other projects in the Church that seemed hopeless from the start, have been carried out successfully because of a firm reliance in the justness of the cause and in the help of the Lord above. The Lord adds finally, for the information of His disciples in other cases of this kind, that fasting and prayer are helpful in bringing about the desired result. The more difficult the question that confronts the Christian, the more firmly must he cling to God’s promises. Whether Satan be actually present in the form of a very malignant and baffling disease, or whether he attempt to hinder the work of Christ in His Church by all manner of obstructions, earnest, devout prayer is an ally that can be depended upon to secure the needed help from above, to put the enemy to flight, and to gain the day for the cause of Christ.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Ver. 19. Why could not we cast him out? ] They had heard why before, but either heeded it not or were not willing to hear on that ear. Loth they were to yield that it was any fault of theirs, that the cure was not effected by them, but by some other occasion (the father’s faithlessness, the people’s perverseness, &c.), which what it was, here they make inquiry. How unwilling are we that our penny should be held other than good silver! How ready to shift off him that speaks from heaven, , Heb 12:25 and to mistake ourselves in the causes of our miscarriages!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19. ] It was in the house , Mar 9:28 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 17:19 . : the disciples have some private talk with the Master as to what has just happened. : the question implies that the experience was exceptional; in other words that on their Galilean mission, and, perhaps, at other times, they had possessed and exercised healing power.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 17:19-21
19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” 20And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” 21[” But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” ]
Mat 17:19 “Why could we not drive it out” Jesus answers this question in Mat 17:20 where He said, “You have so little faith.” This was a repeated comment by Jesus (cf. Mat 6:30; Mat 8:26; Mat 14:31; Mat 16:8). The Apostles were not super saints. There are no super saints!
Mat 17:20
NASB”the littleness of your faith”
NKJV”your unbelief”
NRSV”your little faith”
TEV”do not have enough faith”
NJB”you have so little faith”
The oldest Greek manuscripts, including and B, have “little faith” (olieopistis), while others including C, D, L & W, have “unbelief” (apistis). Because the first term was so rare it was probably original. The UBS4 gives it an “A” rating.
“if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move over here to there'” The mustard seed was the smallest seed known to the Jewish people. Jesus was not emphasizing the power of human faith itself, but the object of their faith. Jesus was not disparaging their need for faith; it is crucial (cf. Heb 11:1). From Mat 21:21 it seems that ” little faith” is characterized by Jesus as “doubt.” This is a third class conditional sentence; He assumed they would have faith. The concept of a mountain being moved was a proverbial way of referring to a major problem. This can be seen in Isa 40:4; Isa 49:11; Isa 54:10. Some believe that Jesus gestured to the mountain where He had just been transfigured the night before.
Mat 17:21 Mat 17:21 is not found in the Greek text of either Siniaticus () or Vaticanus (B). It seems to have been incorporated by very early copyists from the parallel account in Mar 9:29, where it is included in the original text. The UBS4 gives its exclusion an “A” rating.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Why could not we cast him out? = Why were not we able to east it out? See notes on Mat 21:21, and Luk 17:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
19.] It was in the house, Mar 9:28.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 17:19.[793] , …, and said, etc.) A salutary submission, and enquiry as to the cause.– , why-were we unable?) They had been already in the habit of performing the miracle in question; see ch. Mat 10:1.
[793] , the disciples) Not even Peter, James, and John being excluded (excepted). Otherwise, one would think that the expulsion of the demon should have been committed to them on their return from the mountain.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mar 4:10, Mar 9:28
Reciprocal: Jdg 1:19 – but could Job 22:30 – pureness Psa 106:34 – did not Mat 17:16 – and they Mat 24:3 – the disciples Mar 9:18 – and they Act 3:16 – through 1Co 12:9 – faith 2Co 6:13 – be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
FAITH AND SERVICE
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Mat 17:19
I. The secret of faith.Still, as in olden time, it is the contemplation of the Lords transfigured person which is the secret of the best and purest faith. We cannot follow Him, unless in spirit, up the holy mount. We cannot handle, hear, or see the Lord of life. Between Him and us the cloud of centuries spreads. But it may be ours to meditate upon His person. We can withdraw ourselves a little from the world. We can concentrate our thoughts on Him. To lose the blessing of meditation, of being consciously alone with Christ, is to lose the potency of Christian action.
II. The potency of Christian action.Action is greater than meditation. St. Peter said, Lord, it is good for us to be here. But it was not good for him to be there. There was work to be done in the world. Christs miracles are wrought, not upon the mountain, but in the plain. We may catch our inspiration from some mountain of Divine glory. But our work, which God has given us, lies at its foot. It is a mistake to think that we could serve better by ascending to some vantage ground of opportnnity. We are always looking for something out of the common, and forgetting the Divinity of common things. And yet it is easiest to serve Christ in the plain.
III. Evil spirits to be cast out.There are still evil spirits in the world, which it is a vital matter to cast out. There is the spirit of lying; the spirit of envy; the spirit of intemperance; the spirit of impurity. Such are the spirits against which the Church, as a pillar of fire, stands in array. If we ask, Why could not we cast him out? Jesus Christ Himself shall supply the answer, This kind goeth not out but by prayer. Prayer is the secret of holiness; it is the witness of our spirituality; it is the promise of victory. When the faith of men and of the Churches has proved impotent, then the Divine voice is heard, Bring him hither to Me.
Bishop J. E. C. Welldon.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
7:19
When Jesus chose his twelve apostles and sent them out to preach, he told them also to perform certain miracles. Among them was that of casting out devils (chapter 10:8), hence it was natural for them to be concerned about their failure.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 17:19. To Jesus apart. In a house (Mar 9:28).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, How ashamed the disciples were of this open rebuke given them by their Master; they privately ask him the case of their ill success, Why they could not cast out Satan, according to the power promised them to work miracles? Our Saviour tells them, that their power to work this miracle now failed them for a double reason.
1. For their unbelief, by which we are to understand the weakness of their faith, not the total want of faith.
2. Because they neglected the special means appointed by God, in order to that end, to wit, fasting and prayer: that is a fervour of devotion, joined with faith and fasting.
Thence learn, That fasting and prayer are two especial means of Christ’s appointment, for enabling us victoriously to overcome Satan, and cast him out of ourselves and others. We must set an edge upon our faith by prayer, and upon our prayer by fasting.
Question. But what are we to understand by faith as a grain of mustard-seed?
Answer. 1. Some do thereby understand a faith that groweth and increaseth as a grain of mustard-seed, or a faith as strong and active in heart as mustard-seed is on the palate. And by removing mountains, understand the performing things that are most difficult; as if Christ had said, Did your faith increase as a grain of mustard-seed grows, it would enable you to surmount all difficulties whatsoever.
2. Others by faith as a grain of mustard-seed, understand, the least degree of sincere faith on God, it being a proverbial speech among the Jews, used pro reminima, for the least thing; as if Christ had said, “Had you the least measure of that faith which cast out fear and doubting of success in the discharge of your office, you might perform things most difficult, and even this faith in its effects would be mighty.” Dr. Whitby.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mat 17:19-20. Then came the disciples to Jesus Namely, the nine disciples, who had been left with the multitude, when Jesus and the three others went up to the mount. They were silent before the multitude, ashamed, it seems, that they could not cast out this evil spirit, and, perhaps, vexed lest through some fault of their own they had lost the power of working miracles, formerly conferred upon them. But when they came with Jesus to their lodging, they asked the reason why they could not cast out that particular demon? Jesus said, Because of your unbelief Because in this particular you had not faith. You doubted whether I could or would enable you to cast out this evil spirit, and I permitted him to resist your efforts, to reprove the weakness of your faith. For if ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed If ye have the least measure of the faith of miracles; ye shall say to this mountain, Remove, &c. Ye shall, by that faith, be able to accomplish the most difficult things in all cases wherein the glory of God and the good of his church are concerned. It is certain that the faith here spoken of may subsist without saving faith: Judas had it, and so had many, who thereby cast out devils, and yet will, at last, have their portion with them. It is only a supernatural persuasion given a man, that God will work by him in an extraordinary and supernatural way, at that hour. Now, though I have all this faith, so as to remove mountains, yet if I have not the faith that worketh by love, I am nothing. To remove mountains, was a proverbial phrase among the Jews, and is still retained in their writings, to express a thing which is very difficult, and to appearance impossible.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17:19 {3} Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
(3) Incredulity and distrust hinder and break the direction of God’s benefits.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The "we" in the disciples’ question is in the emphatic position in the Greek text. The problem, as Jesus explained, was their weak faith (Gr. oligopistia). It was not the quantity of their faith that was deficient but its quality. In spite of the revelation of Jesus that they had received, the disciples had not responded to it with trust as they should have done. They had some faith in Jesus, but it should have been stronger.
"Much earlier, Jesus had endowed the disciples with authority to exorcise demons as part of their mission to Israel (Mat 10:1; Mat 10:8). Consequently, he expects them to draw on this authority. But if they approach the tasks of their mission forgetful of their empowerment and encumbered by a crisis of trust, they render themselves ineffectual." [Note: Kingsbury, Matthew as . . ., p. 141.]
". . . the expression, ’small as a mustard-seed,’ had become proverbial, and was used, not only by our Lord, but frequently by the Rabbis, to indicate the smallest amount . . ." [Note: Edersheim, The Life . . ., 1:592-93.]
Removing mountains is a proverbial figure of speech for overcoming great difficulties (cf. Isa 40:4; Isa 49:11; Isa 54:10; Mat 21:21-22; Mar 11:23; Luk 17:6; 1Co 13:2). In this context the difficulties in view involved exercising the authority that Jesus had delegated to them to heal people. The disciples were treating the gift of healing that Jesus had given them as a magical ability that worked regardless of their faith in Him. Now they learned that their power depended on proper response to revelation, namely, dependent confidence in Jesus to work through them to heal. Continual dependence on Jesus rather than simply belief in who He is constitutes strong faith (cf. Mar 6:5-6).
"Nothing is impossible for the disciple of Jesus who with faith works within the established will of God. It is therefore the case that not every failure in the performance or reception of healing is the result solely of insufficient faith." [Note: Hagner, Matthew 14-28, p. 506.]
Mat 17:21 does not occur in several important ancient manuscripts. Evidently copyists assimilated it from Mar 9:29: "And He said to them, ’This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.’"
The lesson of this miracle for the disciples was that simple belief that Jesus is the King may be adequate when a person first realizes who Jesus is. It can even result in spectacular miracles. However with the privilege of added revelation about the person and work of Jesus comes increased responsibility to trust totally in Him. Failure to do this weakens faith and restricts Jesus’ work through the disciple (cf. Joh 15:5).