Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 9:22
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.
22. if thou canst ] More literally, if at all Thou canst. This is a strong expression of an infirm faith, which at the beginning had been too weak, but had become more and more weak owing to the failure of the disciples to aid him.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 22. If THOU canst DO any thing] I have already tried thy disciples, and find they can do nothing in this case; but if thou hast any power, in mercy use it in our behalf.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
22. but if thou canst do anything,have compassion on us, and help us“us,” says thefather; for it was a sore family affliction. Compare the language ofthe Syrophoelignician woman regarding her daughter, “Lord, helpme.” Still nothing is done: the man is but strugglinginto faith: it must come a step farther. But he had to do withHim who breaks not the bruised reed, and who knew how to inspire whatHe demanded. The man had said to Him, “If Thou canst do.“
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire,…. When he has been near it; so that one part or other of his body has been scorched, or burnt, and his life in danger:
and into the waters to destroy him: when he has been near any brook, or river, it has thrown him into it, in order to drown him, as into the fire to burn him. The Ethiopic version before fire and water reads, “into the deep”; meaning either the sea or some deep pit, or off a precipice. All this is said to aggravate the case, and show the miserable condition the child was in, from the frequency of the fits, and the danger he was exposed to:
but if thou canst do any thing. This man’s faith was very weak, and perhaps weaker than when he first came from home with his child. He had brought him to the disciples of Christ, and they could not cure him; the evil spirit was as strong, or stronger in him than ever; he now lay in a violent fit, and in a most miserable condition; so that he was almost ready to despair of healing: some small hopes he had that Christ might be able to relieve in this case; but he puts an if upon his power, and earnestly entreats him, if he had any, he would put it forth:
have compassion on us, and help us; his child that lay in such a deplorable condition, rolling on the ground at his feet; and himself, who was greatly afflicted for him: he tries, in very moving language, both the power and pity of Christ; and begs that if he had either, he would exert them on this occasion.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But if thou canst ( ‘ ). Jesus had asked (verse 21) the history of the case like a modern physician. The father gave it and added further pathetic details about the fire and the water. The failure of the disciples had not wholly destroyed his faith in the power of Jesus, though the conditional form (first class, assuming it to be true) does suggest doubt whether the boy can be cured at all. It was a chronic and desperate case of epilepsy with the demon possession added.
Help us ( ). Ingressive aorist imperative. Do it now. With touching tenderness he makes the boy’s case his own as the Syrophoenician woman had said, “Have mercy on me” (Mt 15:21). The leper had said: “If thou wilt” (Mr 1:40). This father says: “If thou canst.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Us. Very touching. The father identifies himself with the son’s misery. Compare the Syro – Phoenician, who makes her daughter ‘s case entirely her own : “Have mercy on me” (Mt 14:22).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Arid. Ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire,” (kai pollakis kai eis put auton ebalen) ”And often it has thrown him both into the fire,” to cause scar tissues, on his face and on his body
2) ”And into the waters, to destroy him. (kai eis hudata) “And into waters,”(hina apolese auton)-In order that it may destroy him.” The ”it ‘ refers to the dumb or deranged spirit that seized or obsessed the child.
3) “But if thou canst do anything,” (all’ ei ti dune) “But if you are able to do anything at all,” even to relieve him to any degree, to any extent at all.
4) ”Have compassion on us, and help us,” (boetheson hemin splagchnistheis eph’ hemas) “Have compassion on us, and be a help to us,” to him, and to me and my family, who love and care for him. The affliction of the son was the sorrow and burden of the father, Mar 1:40-41.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
22. If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. We see how little honor he renders to Christ; for, supposing him to be some prophet, whose power was limited, he approaches to him with hesitation. On the other hand, the first foundation of faith is, to embrace the boundless power of God; and the first step to prayer is, to raise it above all opposition by the firm belief that our prayers are not in vain. As this man did not suppose Christ to be at all different from other men, his false opinion is corrected; for our faith must be so formed as to be capable and prepared for receiving the desired favor. In his reply Christ does not administer a direct reproof, but indirectly reminding the man of what he had said amiss, points out to him his fault, and informs him how a remedy may be obtained.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(22) If thou canst do any thing.The words are spoken almost in the accents of despair. Could He, the Master, prevail where the disciples had failed?
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. If thou canst do The father has hopes, but not strong faith. He knows this to be a most inveterate case. He has heard the revilings of the scribes, and is still watched by their sharp, sarcastic faces. He has heard of Jesus’s power he has perhaps seen it displayed; but that it can reach this case, after the plain failure of his disciples, is hard, and perhaps too good to believe.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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.
Ver. 22. It hath cast him into the fire, &c. ] So doth blind zeal deal by them in whom it is.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22. ] See Mat 17:15 .
] This bespeaks, if any faith, at most but a very ignorant and weak one.
] The wretched father counts his child’s misery his own: thus the Syrophnician woman, Mat 15:25 , .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 9:22 . , if Thou canst do anything (A. and R. Vv.), or better, if anyhow Thou canst help. The father speaks under the impression that the case, as he has just described it, is one of peculiar difficulty; therefore while the leper said “if Thou wilt ,” he says “if Thou canst ”. With reference to the form , Phryn. says that it is right after , but that at the beginning of a sentence must be used (p. 359).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
to = in order to; or, that it might.
if Thou canst. No doubt is implied. See App-118.
compassion. Relying on this rather than on the Lord’s power.
on. Greek. epi. App-104.
us. Note the tender sympathy of the father.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] See Mat 17:15.
] This bespeaks, if any faith, at most but a very ignorant and weak one.
] The wretched father counts his childs misery his own: thus the Syrophnician woman, Mat 15:25, .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 9:22. ) This noun is without a plural: otherwise, as , so might have been said in this passage: but the place of the plural is supplied by the article.- , that it might destroy) either because it was promising itself power even over the dead body of the possessed, or else lest it should be cast out by Jesus: for otherwise it would gladly have remained in a human body. It had not the power of itself to destroy a man without water or fire.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
if: Mar 1:40-42, Mat 8:2, Mat 8:8, Mat 8:9, Mat 9:28, Mat 14:31
have: Mar 5:19, Mat 15:22-28, Mat 20:34, Luk 7:13
Reciprocal: 1Ki 18:28 – cut themselves Mat 9:27 – have Mat 14:14 – and was Mat 15:25 – Lord Mat 15:32 – Jesus Mat 17:15 – have Mar 5:23 – besought Mar 8:2 – compassion Luk 5:12 – if Luk 8:43 – had Luk 17:13 – have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
The child evidently would have lost his life had it not been for friends.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 9:22. To destroy him. The father describes the case still further, representing the demon as a malignant enemy seeking to kill his only son.
If thou canst do anything. The fathers sense of need is stirred by the recital, but his faith is very weak. Not strong at first, it had probably been weakened by the failure of the disciples.
Have compassion on us, and help us. The fathers feelings are intense, as he naturally and properly identifies himself with the misery of his son. (comp. Mat 15:25). But intense feeling is not faith!