Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 9:21
And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
21. And he asked ] This conversation with the father is parallel to another conversation with an actual sufferer (Mar 5:9).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
21. And he asked his father, Howlong is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child,&c.Having told briefly the affecting features of the case, thepoor father, half dispirited by the failure of the disciples and theaggravated virulence of the malady itself in presence of theirMaster, yet encouraged too by what he had heard of Christ, by thesevere rebuke He had given to His disciples for not having faithenough to cure the boy, and by the dignity with which He had orderedhim to be brought to Himin this mixed state of mind, he closes hisdescription of the case with these touching words:
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he asked his father,…. As he lay rolling about in this miserable condition, that the length and stubbornness of his disorder might be known, and so the cure the more remarkable, and appear the more expressive of his divine power and goodness:
how long is it ago since this came unto him? since this evil spirit entered into him, and these disorders have attended him?
and he said of a child; or “from his infancy”; so that it was not for any actual sin that he had committed, that this sore affiction came upon him; and yet he could not be without sin, since it was not agreeable to the justice, mercy, and goodness of God, to afflict, or suffer to be afflicted, one that is innocent; and therefore must be tainted with original sin, which is the source and spring of all afflictions, calamities and judgments.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “And He asked his father,” (kai eperotesen ton patera) ”And Jesus inquired (of) its father,” directly asked his father, for the benefit of those who stood by, to confirm by his testimony that the condition was a real one.
2) “How long is it ago since this came Unto him?” (posos chronos estin hos touto gegonen auto) ”How long a time it (has it been) since this happened to him?” first came upon firm?
3) And he said, Of a child (ho de eipenekpaicliothen) ”And lie said, from the time he was a Young child,” or from childhood, near infancy, Job 5:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
21. From a child. Hence we infer that this punishment was not inflicted on account of the sins of the individual, but was a secret judgment of God. True indeed, even infants, as soon as they have come out of the womb, are not innocent in the sight of God, or free from guilt; but God’s chastisements have sometimes hidden causes, and are intended to try our obedience. We do not render to God the honor which is due to Him, unless with reverence and modesty we adore His justice, when it is concealed from us. Whoever wishes to obtain more full information on this point, may consult my Commentary on these words, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, (Joh 9:3.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(21) And he asked his father.The question, asked as if to bring into strong relief the chronic, and therefore seemingly hopeless, character of the possession, is peculiar to this Gospel, as is the circumstantial account of the falling oft-times into the fire and into the waters.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he asked his father, “How long is it since this has come to him?” And he said, “From a child. And it has often thrown him both into fires and into waters to destroy him. But if you can do anything have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus asked the history of the possession. This could help Him to determine what He was dealing with. Then the father revealed his despair. He had seen his son collapse on fires and fall into water as a result of his attacks, experiences which had damaged him and put him in danger of losing his life. The father was desperate. Note the attempts of the spirit to destroy its host. It was similar to the legion of spirits who destroyed their pig hosts, although we do not know why it was.
‘If you can do anything.’ The father was in torment. He had come with hopes high to these famed followers of Jesus, seeing in them a last desperate chance, but they had been able to do nothing. And his hopes had faded. The question was, could Jesus do any better? If He could, let Him show pity to the man’s need and the need of his son.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The healing:
v. 21. And He asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
v. 22. And oft times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him. But if Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us and help us.
v. 23. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe; all things are possible to him that believeth.
v. 24. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.
v. 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.
v. 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.
v. 27. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. The evangelist purposely records the details of the healing, in order to bring out all the more strongly the healing power of the Lord in contrast with the destructive power of the devil. Jesus made careful inquiries regarding the length of time that the man’s son had suffered, and learned that the demon had taken possession of him in early childhood. He had not prevented his physical growth, but had given every other evidence of his hateful presence by causing him to throw himself into fire, to be burned to death, and into water, to be drowned. We cannot be far wrong in believing that similar symptoms and experiences even today, as convulsions, madness, delirium, lunacy, and others, are due to the hatred of Satan. But it is self-evident that the devil has only so much power over the bodies of men as is permitted him by God. So God had frustrated all attempts of the devil upon the life of that boy. Someone always had been present to save his life. Now the father appeals to Christ: Give us help and have mercy upon us! This was a sincere prayer, but unfortunately he modified it by saying: If Thou art in any way able. Here unbelief was battling with belief; he was not quite certain in his trust in Jesus. He implied some doubt as to His ability to help in this severe case of need. Jesus therefore takes time to correct this feeling, using, in a reproving way, almost the same words that the man had used towards Him: If thou only wert able. Here is the difficulty, the grievous mistake; there is still doubt in your heart. It is a favorite reference of Jesus that He here employs: All things are possible to him that believes. True faith has miraculous, heaven-storming qualities, Mat 17:20; Php_4:13 . This word had the desired effect with the distraught father. It opened his eyes to his lack of faith. In deep humility he cries out: I believe; come to the assistance of my unbelief. As in the heart of all Christians, belief and unbelief were battling in his heart. But now faith and trust in the Lord were supreme. He trusts entirely in the help of Christ, also against that evil of unbelief that thrusts its head up now and then in his heart. On the part of God all things are possible, if the believer will but accept by faith what God has long ago prepared for him and enabled him to receive through help from above. Meanwhile the people were coming running from all directions, and Jesus wanted to avoid unwelcome publicity. He therefore earnestly reprimanded the unclean spirit, who here caused deafness and dumbness in the boy, giving him the direct command to go out from him and to stay out. The devil must needs obey, but in doing so, he wreaks his vengeance upon the boy for the last time, throwing him into such terrible convulsions as he went forth from him that the boy fell down as one dead, and many openly declared their belief that he was dead. But when Jesus took him by the hand, he could readily get up and stand. Thus the glory of God, which Jesus, the Man, possessed, was once more made evident in this miracle. The Son of God had again triumphed over the devil. There is lasting comfort in this fact for all believers that put their trust unwaveringly in Christ, the Son of the living God. These the devil, with all his might and cunning, cannot harm. And though he should succeed in killing the body, the soul is safe in the hands of the heavenly Father.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
Ver. 21. Of a child ] . Neither yet is there any injustice with God, that little ones thus suffer: they are not innocents, but “estranged from the womb, they go astray as soon as they be born,”Psa 58:3Psa 58:3 ; the first sheet or blanket wherein they are covered is woven of sin, shame, blood, and filth,Eze 16:4Eze 16:4 ; Eze 16:6 . Infants have sin, though unable to act it; as Paul’s viper, stiff with cold, might be handled without harm, yet was no less venomous. But no sooner can they do anything, but they are evil doing, Ut urtica statim urit, et cancri retrocedunt, et echinus asper est, as young nettles will sting, young crab fish go backward, and as the young urchin is rough, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21. ] The Lord takes occasion to enquire thus of the father, to bring in the trial of his faith.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 9:21 . : a particle of time, here as frequently in Luke and John = since, or when. , redundant, similar to (Mar 5:6 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
And He asked, &c. verses: Mar 9:21-27 are a Divine supplement, here.
Of a child = From childhood
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
21.] The Lord takes occasion to enquire thus of the father, to bring in the trial of his faith.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 9:21. , and) Jesus acted wisely, in interposing a delay.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
How: Mar 5:25, Job 5:7, Job 14:1, Psa 51:5, Luk 8:43, Luk 13:16, Joh 5:5, Joh 5:6, Joh 9:1, Joh 9:20, Joh 9:21, Act 3:2, Act 4:22, Act 9:33, Act 14:8
Reciprocal: Mar 5:23 – besought Luk 13:11 – eighteen
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
This son had been possessed with the devil most of his life.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 9:21. And he asked his father. To bring out his faith.