Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 9:28
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
28. Why could not we cast him out? ] He had given them “power and authority over all demons” (Luk 9:1), and “against unclean spirits to cast them out” (Mat 10:1); what was the reason of their failure now?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mar 9:28-29
But by prayer and fasting.
Fasting
Why could not we cast him out?-because of your unbelief. All things are possible to him that believeth. But how is such faith to be attained? It is Gods gift. God gives by means-by means of prayer. Whatever tends to increase the fervour of prayer tends to increase the energy of faith. Fasting also has this effect. In the Christian way are many hindrances; arising both from the agency of fallen spirits, and from the inveteracy of besetting sins. It appears from this narrative, that some spirits are more difficult to cast out of men than others-this kind; and it is certain, as a matter of fact, that some sins are more tenacious, more stubborn; and that for their expulsion, a more active and energetic exercise of faith is required, than for the subduing of other sins. This kind goeth not forth but by prayer and fasting. He will conclude, therefore, that these things were intended to strengthen faith-that by these means he should assail his unbelief, in order that by changing his unbelief into faith, he may get rid of this cleaving stain that distresses his soul. He will therefore be exceedingly anxious to ascertain what fasting means. He ascertains what prayer is-public, private, social; he will be as anxious to ascertain with the same distinctness what fasting means; to see what in his particular case it means. I suppose the case of a man, whose tendency before he was converted was to luxurious feeding. This is not confined to the rich, as is commonly supposed, who can afford to multiply varieties and pamper their appetites. It is found in all classes, though variously indulged. There is a sort of animal delight which men take in their food, and even in the anticipation of their food. There are men, not a few, who dine more than once a day, by indulging an eager, fleshly avidity in anticipation; and when the reality comes, they yield themselves to reckless animal excitement, even without any check of reason; and they persevere until animal repletion demands a pause. It is descriptive of such, and it is not too much to say, that instead of eating to live, they seem to live to eat. Now this is a disease. We suppose a man of this description converted. By his conversion the disease is not then and there-at one stroke-eradicated; but a counteracting power is supplied to him. This counteracting power is to be brought to bear on this disease; and certainly this is a case in which the action of this counteracting power might well take the direction of abstinence from food. Here he would directly mortify the deed of the old body; for that was its tendency, that was its snare, that was its disease. But now I suppose the case of another sort of man. There are such people in this world as misers. I do not refer to that love of money, which, in a greater or less degree, is common to every man-but to a disease, a sort of mania, an idolatry for the hoarded heap. There are some men who so idolize their savings, that they absolutely deny themselves the common necessaries of daily animal support. Now suppose such a man converted; this disease is not entirely cured by his conversion; but a counteracting power is supplied to him. And how is it to be exercised? How is that man to fast? To abstain from food? No; he has been doing that already, in the service of his idol. That is a part of his disease. What, then, in this case, would occupy the scriptural place of fasting? Let him take from the store; let him draw out the pound, or the hundred, from the fostered heap; let him take his check book, and order something to clothe the naked and feed the hungry. That would be fasting. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? saith the Lord; to clothe the naked and to feed the hungry? Now, suppose another case, of a man or a woman of a highly imaginative turn of mind, and of a romantic tone of affection. She has indulged in reading works of fiction; so that all her imaginations are drawn off from the realities of life, and engaged in the luxuries of fictitious scenes of pleasure or of pain. What is fasting, in her case? Not abstaining from food. What then? Putting away her novels, burning her romances, and turning to the practical walks of life; drawing out her soul to the hungry; instead of weeping, in the luxury of ease, in her armchair, over a fancied sick person, to visit a real sick person, and carry something with her; go to the stern reality of cellars and garrets, instead of luxuriating over the pages of a novel. This is a fast, in her case; and by this, she will help her prayers, and increase her faith, and so advance in overcoming the besetting sin. These illustrations will, I hope, help to show you the true scriptural nature of this duty, varying with various cases because of the object in view. We are called by the spirit to mortify the deeds of the body, not to mortify the body. This is the mistake that has been made. We are nowhere called on to mortify the body for the sake of the mortification, but to mortify the deeds of the body for the sake of the sanctification. And then, what is the object of our Church in such fasting? That you will learn by her collect for the first Sunday in Lent. Give us grace to use such abstinence, that our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may ever obey Thy godly motions, in righteousness and true holiness, to Thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. The object is sanctification. (H. McNeile, M. A.)
Prayer and fasting
Staying at Hastings a few months since I was much interested in watching the building of a breakwater just opposite my lodgings. It was done by driving massive piles of wood into the shingle. They were driven by a huge mass of metal being let fall upon them from a great height. True, the blows were not very quick one upon another, for it took some time to raise the weight to the necessary elevation; but when it did fall it accomplished something. Now suppose an onlooker had suggested that time was being wasted in hauling the Herculean hammer up, and had offered to tap the ironbound pile with a childs spade, saying he could give a hundred taps to the one blow, what would have been thought of his suggestion? It would have been laughed to scorn, and he would have been told that one of their blows would do more than a whole century of his tapping; that there was no waste of time in raising the iron thunderbolt, for the power of its blow was in proportion to the height from which it fell. So, believer, your power and mine to affect men is in exact proportion to the elevation of our soul life, and this elevation can only be obtained by secret communion with God, and abstinence from all that panders to the flesh and hinders the spirits fellowship. Oh for a higher ambition to be made meet for the Masters use; a more intense longing for that secret power with God in private, that shall make us more than conquerors over hell in public. (A. G. Brown.)
Union of faith and prayer
I am thankful that these words concerning prayer have stood the ordeal of the late Revision. One seems to crave a reference to prayer after a lesson on the importance of faith. Prayer seems to be the voice by which faith must express itself; it is almost, or even quite, impossible to conceive of faith coming into action except in connection with and by means of the utterance of prayer. (Bishop Harvey Goodwin.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
28. Why could not we cast him out?
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he was come into the house,…. Perhaps into the man’s house whose child he had healed, or into some other in these parts, for the sake both of retirement and refreshment:
his disciples asked him privately, why could not we cast him out? The nine disciples, who were particularly concerned in this matter, fearing they had lost the power of casting out devils, conferred upon them, inquired of Jesus, when he was alone, why they could not cast the demon out of the child, when they had ejected unclean spirits out of many others; [See comments on Mt 17:19].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Privately, saying (‘ ). Indoors the nine disciples seek an explanation for their colossal failure. They had cast out demons and wrought cures before. The Revisers are here puzzled over Mark’s use of as an interrogative particle meaning
why where Mt 17:19 has . Some of the manuscripts have here in Mr 9:28 as all do in Mt 17:19. See also Mr 2:16 and 9:11. It is probable that in these examples really means
why . See Robertson, Grammar, p. 730. The use of as interrogative “is by no means rare in the late Greek” (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 126).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And when he was come into the house,” (kai eis elthontos autou eis oikon) “And when He (had) come into a house, a residence,” When or whose house is not indicated.
2) “His disciples asked Him privately,” (hoi mathetai autou kat’ idian eperoton auton) “His disciples questioned Him privately,” away from the hearing of the crowd, Mar 9:18.
3) “Why could not we cast him out?” (hoti hemeis oulk edunethemen ekbalein auto) “Why were we not able to expel it,” or to cast the unclean spirit out of him? Mat 17:19. Why did we fail? they inquired, Mar 9:18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And when he had come into the house his disciples asked him privately, saying, “We could not cast it out.” And he said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer.”
It was always going to happen that the disciples would want to know why they had failed, and they were clearly very disappointed. They had had sufficient faith not to expect to fail. We have here a reminder of the fact that ‘faith’ means more than just believing. It involves relationship with God. . But it is emphasised here to bring out the contrast between Jesus Himself and the disciples. He, on the mountain top, in full fellowship with God and revealing the glory of God in Himself, and they below, ineffective because they were not close enough to God. The disciples were not all-powerful, but Jesus was. He alone of all miracle workers and exorcists never failed when people came to Him for help. Jesus will later promise them that they will share this wonderful union with Him and the Father through the Holy Spirit (Joh 14:18-20; Joh 14:23; Joh 15:7).
“This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer.” We need not doubt that the disciples had prayed, and it is clear that this is not to be taken simply at face value, because Jesus had not prayed, at least not openly. What Jesus meant was that in order to deal with such a powerful and deceitful spirit it was necessary to be in complete union with the Father by a life in which continual prayer was paramount. It was because they were not so in touch with the Father that their faith was too small in this particular case. But for Jesus there had been no problem. He was always in close touch with the Father.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The perplexity of the disciples:
v. 28. And when He was come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
v. 29. And He said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting. The failure of the disciples to effect a cure in this case, when there had been instances of success, chapter 6:13, perplexed them very much. They had also been deeply humiliated before the people by the sneering remarks of the scribes. When Jesus therefore came into the house where He, and probably His disciples with Him, was staying, they took the opportunity to speak to Him all alone in regard to their failure to expel the devil. Christ’s answer was of a nature to cause deep humility in their hearts and to encourage them to strive for a firmer trust in Him. The question of the disciples implied: We surely had faith; we had the definite expectation to effect this cure, but we were sadly disappointed. The answer of Jesus gave them the hint which they needed: This form can be expelled in no way but by prayer and fasting. By serious, believing prayer the devil can always be routed. But prayer implies full reliance upon God and His help. There is where the mistake lay. The disciples, who formerly had driven out devils in the name and in the power of the Lord, here had attempted a cure in their own might. It was presumption, trust in their own ability, that had caused them to stumble and fall. The devil can be conquered only by a prayer rooted in faith and receiving its power from God alone, Mat 17:20-21.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
DISCOURSE: 1434
FASTING AND PRAYER
Mar 9:28-29. And when he was come into the house, his Disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
THE gift of working miracles was possessed by all the Apostles. Yet it does not appear that the power could be exercised at all times, and at their own option, but only at such times and on such occasions as God saw fit to permit. Had the exercise of this gift been purely optional, we can scarcely conceive that Paul would have left Trophimus at Miletum sick [Note: 2Ti 4:20.], when he wanted him much for his companion in travel; or that, when Epaphroditus was sick nigh unto death, that same Apostle, who felt so deeply interested in his welfare, would not have interposed to restore him to health [Note: Php 2:27.]. It should seem, that a certain kind and degree of faith was necessary to be exercised by them, when they would put forth their miraculous powers; and that that faith was not always at their command, but needed to be brought down from heaven, by fresh and more abundant communications, in answer to their prayers. The Apostles, on having a youth, who was possessed by a dumb spirit, brought to them by his father, endeavoured to expel the demon from him, but were not able. The youth was then brought to Jesus himself, who, by a word, effected that which all his Disciples together could not effect. The Disciples then asked Jesus privately, What it was that had occasioned their failure? Our Lord told them, that they had failed through their want of faith; a more abundant measure of which was necessary, when so malignant a fiend as this was to be expelled: and that faith could be obtained only by a more particular and solemn application to God than they had used on this occasion: for that kind could come forth by nothing but by fasting and prayer [Note: Compare Mat 17:19-21. with the text.].
Miraculous gifts having ceased in the Church, we shall forbear to speak of them. But the power of Satan over men has not ceased: the only difference is, that formerly he could operate immediately upon the body, by a preternatural power, without any concurrence on our part; whereas now he can only act on the soul, through the medium of our own corruptions, and in concurrence with our own will. But, as formerly, it was not in the power of unassisted man to withstand his efforts; so neither at this time can we hope to prevail against him, but by a power received from on high. This is true at all times, and under all circumstances: but there are times and seasons when he appears to have assaulted us with more than ordinary violence, and to have gained a peculiar advantage over us, through the instrumentality of some deep-rooted corruption. To withstand him then, is found more difficult than at other times; and we can do nothing against him, without such a measure of grace and strength as is communicated to those only who, with deliberate and determined purpose of heart, set themselves to seek it in solemn fasting and prayer. In reference, then, to these occasions we may well apply the text: in doing which, I will shew,
I.
The extraordinary difficulties which some have to encounter
There is no man who has not much to encounter both from within and from without. But some have far greater difficulties to contend with than others,
1.
From the great adversary of souls
[We know but little respecting angels; except that the good angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto those who are the heirs of salvation; and that the evil angels are occupied in constant endeavours to ensnare and ruin the souls of men. Of the evil angels, as well as of the good, there are different ranks and orders, called angels and principalities and powers; and that they act under the guidance of one, even of Beelzebub, who is the prince of the devils [Note: Mat 12:24.]. It should seem, too, that some possess a deeper measure of malignity than others; since one spirit, on being driven out of a man, is said to take unto himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and to enter into him again, and make his last state worse than the first [Note: Mat 12:45.]. Sometimes several of them take possession of a man at once: for out of Mary Magdalen our Lord cast seven devils; and out of another person a whole legion. Over Satans family these bear an undisputed sway [Note: Joh 8:44.]; and over the godly themselves they maintain a very considerable influence; insomuch, that, if not restrained by Almighty God, they would sift every living man as wheat, and reduce even an inspired Apostle to chaff [Note: Luk 22:31-32.]. On some he acts by guile, putting on the semblance of an angel of light [Note: 2Co 11:3; 2Co 11:14.]: and so subtle are his wiles, and so crafty his devices, that it is inconceivably difficult to be always on our guard against them [Note: 2Co 2:11. Eph 6:11.]. Love to the Saviour himself may even be perverted by him into an occasion of evil; and be rendered, through the ignorance and inadvertence of man, subservient to the advancement of Satans purposes [Note: Mat 16:21-23.]. At other times, Satan comes rather like a roaring lion, ready to devour us [Note: 1Pe 5:8.]; and, with an overwhelming power, carries men to the commission of the most palpable and damning sins; instigating Judas to betray his Lord [Note: Joh 13:27.], and Ananias and Sapphira to lie unto the Holy Ghost [Note: Act 5:3.]. Well is he called the god of this world; for, by blinding some [Note: 2Co 4:4.], and impelling others, he maintains a sway over all the children of disobedience [Note: Eph 2:2.].
Now, to contend with these is, more or less, the lot of all Gods people [Note: Eph 6:12.]: but some experience his assaults in a more violent degree than others; and would be utterly destroyed by his fiery darts, if God had not furnished them with the shield of faith, whereby to quench or ward them off [Note: Eph 6:16.].]
2.
From their own indwelling corruptions
[All have a heart full of evil [Note: Ecc 9:3.]: but there is a spiritual and a fleshly filthiness; and in some the one has the ascendant; and in others, the other. Some, from their very infancy, are swollen with pride, or corroded with envy, or inflamed with passion, or envenomed with malice. Some betray a very early propensity to deceit, and falsehood, and dishonesty, and selfishness in all its bearings. In some profaneness and impiety are dominant; so that, without any interest to serve, or lust to gratify, they will find pleasure in insulting to his face the Most High God. In others, a disposition to lewdness and intemperance is marked from a very early period of life; and soon acquires such an entire dominion, that it bids defiance to all the efforts that are made to check it; nor can all the calamities which it entails on its unhappy victim induce him to withstand its influence. In truth, to such a degree are many subjected to some reigning sin, whether of a spiritual or fleshly nature, that one cannot but regard them as under Satanic influence; or, to use the words of St. Paul, as taken in the snare of the devil, and as led captive by him at his will [Note: 2Ti 2:26.].]
Now, where men are thus enslaved by any besetting sin, they have difficulties which others have scarcely any idea of: and to them I would declare,
II.
The extraordinary means which they should use, in order to surmount them
Resolutions will be of little avail: they will yield to even the smallest temptation. The passionate man may resolve to restrain his anger; the drunkard to contract a habit of sobriety; the lewd person to mortify his passions: but he resolves in vain, as long as his resolutions are formed in dependence on his own strength: he returns, again and again, like a dog to his vomit; nor can all the bitter consequences which he has experienced in this world, nor those more awful terrors which he is taught to expect in the world to come, suffice to keep him steadfast to his purpose. Even prayer itself has but a slight and transient effect; insomuch that, in some instances, he is even afraid to pray; because it seems as if his very prayers only stirred up his enemy to renew with greater vigour and success his irresistible assaults. But, by the ordinances of our Church, as well as by the Holy Scriptures, we are taught, and especially at this season [Note: Lent.], that with prayer, fasting should be joined
[Fasting is a duty enjoined by God himself. Under the law, a day was appointed whereon the whole nation of Israel were to observe an annual fast [Note: Lev 23:27-29.]: and all the most eminent servants of God recorded in the Old Testament combined fasting with prayer [Note: Ezr 8:21. Neh 1:4. Est 4:16.]. Under the New Testament dispensation the same duty is inculcated, and, on proper occasions, was practised also by the servants of the Lord [Note: Mar 2:20. Mat 6:17. Luk 2:37. 2Co 11:27.]. For seasons of affliction, it is peculiarly suited; and, above all, for such a season as has been before described. It tends to honour God, whom we have offended by our sins. It tends to humble ourselves, as being itself an acknowledgment of our desert of his wrath. It tends to mortify the very corruptions we mourn over: and it greatly aids our urgency in prayer. In these respects it may justly be deemed of great importance: for though in itself it has no kind of merit, yet, as manifesting our sincerity, and approving us both to God and to our own consciences, it is of singular use, especially if accompanied with a corresponding humiliation of our souls before God: for, without that, it will be only an empty ceremony, an hypocritical profession, a senseless mockery.]
Though neither of them apart should have prevailed, the two combined will be effectual for the desired end
[In no instance has God ever withheld his blessing from the two combined. Prayer alone, if fervent and believing, will not be suffered to go forth in vain; but, in the extraordinary cases before referred to, a man truly in earnest will address himself to the work of prayer in the more solemn attitude of penitential sorrow, in weeping, and mourning, and fasting [Note: Joe 2:12.]. And how successful such prayer shall be, may be seen in the case of Nineveh, where the whole city was spared from destruction in consequence of their turning to the Lord in fasting and in prayer [Note: Jon 3:7-10.]. The example of Daniel is yet more encouraging than this, inasmuch as it brought down upon him not merely a suspension from evil, but the most extraordinary tokens of Gods favour. See how his fast was conducted; and with what fervent prayers it was accompanied: and then see what an answer it brought down from heaven [Note: Dan 9:3-5; Dan 9:17-23.]: and know, assuredly, that such humiliation shall prevail, whatever enemies you have to contend with, whatever corruptions you have to strive against.]
Address
1.
Those who are yielding to their spiritual enemies
[Many think it sufficient to say, that such or such propensities are naturally inherent in them; and that they are regarded rather as constitutional infirmities, than as any deep grounds for personal humiliation. But, on this ground, there is no sin whatever which may not be cloked with a suitable apology. That a man will find a greater difficulty in mortifying his besetting sin, is true: and that he will, to his latest hour, be more in danger from it, is also true: but it must be put away [Note: Heb 12:1.]; and, if not subdued and mortified, it will inevitably plunge the soul into everlasting perdition. The eye, the hand, the foot, are natural, and dear, and necessary: but, if any one of them stand in competition with our duty, it must not be spared: there is no alternative, but to part with that, or to have both body and soul cast into the flames of hell [Note: Mar 9:43-48.]. If a man shall say I have grace, but not enough for that; I answer, that grace insufficient, is no grace; and that the man who thinks he is a partaker of divine grace, whilst he is led captive by any constitutional or habitual sin, is only deceiving his own soul, and will find out his error when it is past a remedy [Note: Jam 1:26.]. A life of alternate sinning and repenting, sinning and repenting, (a life, alas! too common amongst those who profess religion,) will never be approved of God. I will readily allow that a man may have more than ordinary difficulties to contend with; but then he must adopt more than ordinary measures for the surmounting of them; and if he will not do this, he has only himself to blame: for there is no kind, either of spirit or corruption, that shall not go forth by prayer and fasting.]
2.
Those who are conflicting with them
[Be strong, and of good courage: for no enemy shall be able to stand before you. Only go forth in faith, and all the Goliaths in the universe shall fall under your hand. God has said, that, provided you are not under the law, but under grace, sin shall not have dominion over you [Note: Rom 6:14.]. The grace of Christ, which was sufficient for Paul, shall be alike sufficient for all who trust in it [Note: 2Co 12:9.]. A very worm shall thresh the mountains, and reduce them all to dust [Note: Isa 41:14-16.]: and Satan himself, that great enemy, shall be bruised under the feet of all who will withstand him manfully [Note: 1Pe 5:8-9. Jam 4:7. Rom 16:20.]. The armour provided for us shall not be girt on in vain [Note: Eph 6:11.]. Only go forth in the strength of the Lord Jesus [Note: Eph 6:10.], and you shall be more than conquerors through Him that loveth you [Note: Rom 8:37.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
(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.
I have separated those verses, from the preceding, though they form a part of the same history; not by way of explaining them, for very freely confess, that I do not apprehend the full sense and meaning of them: but by way of calling the Reader’s attention to them, one point I think is very evident from our LORD’s words, that when the disciples questioned the cause of their inability, our LORD doth not say, this kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting: in allusion to the evil spirit, for in the parallel passage, Mat 17:20 . JESUS directly refers it to a want of faith. Fastings and prayers are creature exercises. Our LORD cannot be supposed to assign to such the power of miracles. And evidently in the parallel passage of Matthew, the LORD ascribes the power rather to faith. The subject is however attended with too much difficulty to determine. Though I am inclined to think that by prayer and fasting, JESUS refers to himself, in whom alone all righteousness is fulfilled.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
Ver. 28. See Mat 17:19-21 . The history of the dispossession of the devil out of many persons together in a room in Lancashire, at the prayer of some godly ministers, is very famous. Read the book and judge. These ministers (being Nonconformists) were questioned for it in the High Commission Court, as if it had been a device to strengthen the credit of their cause. Saint’s Everl. Rest.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 9:28 . : into a house, when or whose not indicated, the one point of interest to the evangelist is that Jesus is now alone with His disciples. , recitative, here as in Mar 9:11 , introduces a suggested question: we were not able to cast it out why?
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
the = a.
him = it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 9:28. ) LXX. render , Isa 58:3; 1Ch 17:6.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
asked: Mar 4:10, Mar 4:34, Mat 13:10, Mat 13:36, Mat 15:15
Why: Mat 17:19, Mat 17:20
Reciprocal: 2Ki 20:10 – General Mar 9:18 – and they Mar 10:10 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
The disciples were baffled over their failure to cast out the devil, and when they had a chance alone they asked Jesus to explain this failure.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 9:28. Into the house. Peculiar to Mark. The question may mean: We could not, etc., since the word with which it begins is often a mere mark of quotation. But it sometimes means why. In that case the E.V. is correct. Others paraphrase: How is it that we, etc. The same difficulty occurs in Mar 9:11, but the word saying there, renders the first view less abrupt than here.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mar 9:28-29. When he was come into the house, his disciples asked him, &c. See notes on Mat 17:19-21. This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Some doubts have been raised in regard to the meaning of the words, this kind. The most obvious interpretation is, doubtless, that which refers them to the word demon, immediately preceding. But as in the parallel passage in Mat 17:19, mention is made of faith, as the necessary qualification for dispossessing demons, Knatchbull and others have thought that this kind, refers to the faith that is requisite. But it is an insurmountable objection to this hypothesis, that we have here the same sentiment, almost the same expression, and ushered in with the same words, this kind, though, in what goes before, there is no mention of faith, or of any thing but demon, to which it can refer. It would be absurd to suppose, that the pronouns and relatives in one gospel refer to antecedents in another. Every one of the gospels does indeed give additional information, and in various ways serves to throw light upon the rest. But every gospel must be a consistent history by itself; otherwise, to attempt an explanation would be in vain. Now the argument stands thus: The story related in both gospels is manifestly the same: that the words in question may refer to demon in Matthew, no person who attentively reads the passage can deny; that they cannot refer to faith, but must refer to demon, in Mark, is equally evident. Either, then, they refer to demon in both, or the evangelists contradict one another. Some have considered it as an objection to the above explanation, that it supposes different kinds of demons; and that the expulsion of some kinds is more difficult than that of others. This objection is founded entirely on our own ignorance. Who can say that there are not different kinds of demons? or that there may not be degrees in the power of expelling? Revelation has not said that they are all of one kind, and may be expelled with equal ease. Campbell.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mar 9:28 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.
We see an interesting point of information relating to demons in this passage. The apostles hadfailed to cast the demon out of the boy and now they are interested in knowing why they could not. They had seen the Lord do the work quite easily and since they were His followers it would seem obvious that they could do the same, after all He had given them power over the spirits before He sent them forth earlier. Mar 6:7 “And he called [unto him] the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;”
The Lord answers them that “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” He tells us here that there are different kinds of spirits. We have little information about this but we do know that the good angels have a hierarchy of some sort since arch angels are mentioned as well as just angels. Some evidently have either more prominence, position or power – most likely in my mind all three.
The one in the boy was one that was more powerful in some manner it would seem if it would take fasting and prayer to cast this particular one out of the boy.
The thought occurred to me that since this spirit had been present for a long time, possibly the son was just too weak of spirit and body to resist the demon any longer. We are not told of the powers of the demons nor of their characteristics. We know that there are differences of power or cunning since we know the Word tells us of God’s angels having victory over other powers of the air.
Whether this “difference was related to acquired strength or positional strength we do not know. All we know is that this one required fasting and prayer to be cast out. We know from this that the apostles were not up on their personal prayer lives – ahem, how about us?
One must remember that it was the nine apostles that were not at the transfiguration that were powerless in the situation and asking the question. It is not known whether the other three would also have been powerless over the demon or not.
Now in the area of speculation can you imagine the Devil at this point? One of his demons(or himself is a possibility that has not been mentioned) has resisted the powers of the Lord’s own apostles. Wow what bragging rights to thumb his nose at God and say, “Hey I told you so!”
It occurred to me that this might have been part of the Lord’s sharp rebuke – a frustration of allowing the demons bragging rights, if you will, over the Lord
Just a side note, “fasting” is not present in some translation. Robertson tells us that the two best Greek manuscripts do not contain fasting. Matthew adds the idea of faith to the mix. He gives the Lord’s comments of the mustard seed and tells the apostles that their failure is a lack of faith.
Now, we won’t take time to study the relation of faith to prayer but it seems to be an obvious relationship in the area of faith to do the works of the Lord. I’ve read that the average pastor spends eight minutes a day in prayer – no wonder the church is powerless before the world. I’m sure many do much better than this and I’m sure that many church goers do much better as well but if you see your church as weak and powerless before the world, find a soft pillow to rest yourknees on and see if you cannot change things for your Master and Lord.
Mark makes no mention of faith and Matthew makes no mention of prayer, thus both must have had an understanding that the one was closely related to the other. That would make a very interesting theological study for someone to do.
Robertson also mentions that the spirit discerned the lack of power of the disciples and refused to come out. This idea of the spirit not coming out due to the disciples lack of power is of interest. They were using the power they had but it was not enough. Possibly were they relying on their own power and not the power of the Lord? Might we bee doing the same thing at times in our own ministries?
Robertson further suggests that the spirit was responding to the lack of “moral power. This is of interest to contemplate for awhile as well.
The People’s New Testament notes mention of Matthew’s account of Jesus telling the disciples that if they had the faith of a mustard seed they could move a mountain, that Christ may well have been pointing to Mt. Hermon.
One side note, both authors mention “it” in some translations when speaking of the demon. We know that the Devil is a person as God is a person in the spirit world. We do not know a lot about personality relating to the Devil/demon world but to use “it” to describe one is of interest. It is also probably an unfortunate choice since “him” is an alternate translation for the word in the Greek.
The point being that this is not just an “it” but a thinking rationalizing being that the disciples were dealing with – someone that could certainly determine their power or authority over him.
Now when we are in the area of spiritual warfare we should know our own limitations/possibilities due to our lack of or abundance of prayer. We should also be knowledgeable of our adversary – not some stupid spirit that we can order around at will. It is the power of faith that will cause us to be victorious, not our own self-importance and self worth or some other worldly concept.
Verse nineteen mentions the faithless generation. Thus we might note that lack of faith and the closely related prayer was the cause of the powerless disciples.
As to faith there is real faith and there is false faith. A good illustration of the two types of faith is Carey and one of his associates. They were off to the mission field and even boarded their ship, but as the ship was about to break into open water it was stopped and his associate was taken off to face charges for trying to leave his bad debts. Both going on faith, but only one faith was solidly founded on godly principles.
We all must walk by faith but faith in God and not in ourselves. Carey knew that God wouldtake care of him and He did though out his life. His azsociate forgot to live his life by God’s principles and was hindered in what he wanted to do for God.
As we pray and walk with God we know His leading and have the faith that is needed for our walk with Him, however if we are not praying and not wallking with Him we cannot know the peace that He can give.
Faith can indeed move mountains. Hudson Taylor took one step of faith after another until he was trusting God for the financing of hundreds of missionaries with his mission. He knew his God and he knew his God would provide.
We have some simple statements of occurrence in the next passage.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
9:28 {6} And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
(6) We have need of faith, and therefore of prayer and fasting, in order to cast Satan out of that which belonged to him.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Evidently the nine disciples were ineffective because they believed that the power to cast out demons that Jesus had given them was now inherent in themselves. It was not. It was still God’s power, and it came directly from Him. Therefore they needed to acknowledge their dependence on Him for power to be successful. Jesus’ prayer life reflected even His dependence on the Father. Some cases require more spiritual power than others, and some demons are stronger than others (Mat 12:45). Probably later copyists added "and fasting" because fasting often accompanied earnest prayer in the early church, as it did in Israel.
This incident taught the disciples that they needed to serve God in constant conscious dependence on Him that expresses itself in prayer. Prayer is a discipline that reminds disciples of and expresses their dependence on God. It also reinforced their belief in Jesus as the Messiah who can defeat Satan and so is worthy of glory, as the Transfiguration witnessed.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
CHAPTER 9:28-37 (Mar 9:28-37)
JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES
“And when He was come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, saying, We could not cast it out. And He said unto them, This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer. And they went forth from thence, and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it. For He taught His disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered up into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and when He is killed, after three days He shall rise again. But they understood not the saying, and were afraid to ask Him. And they came to Capernaum: and when He was in the house He asked them, What were ye reasoning in the way? But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another in the way, who was the greatest. And He sat down, and called the twelve; and He saith unto them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all. And He took a little child, and set him in the midst of them: and taking him in His arms, He said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in My name, receiveth Me; and whosoever receiveth Me, receiveth not Me but Him that sent Me.” Mar 9:28-37 (R.V.)
WHEN the apostles had failed to expel the demon from the child, they gave a very natural expression to their disappointment. Waiting until Jesus was in private and in the house, they said, “We for our parts were unable to cast it out.” They take no blame to themselves. The tone is rather of perplexity and complaint because the commission formerly received had not held good. And it implies the question which is plainly expressed by St. Matthew, Why could we not cast it out? Their very unconsciousness of personal blame is ominous, and Jesus replies that the fault is entirely their own. They ought to have stimulated, as He did afterwards, what was flagging but not absent in the father, what their failure must have daunted further in him. Want of faith had overcome them, says the fuller account: the brief statement in St. Mark is, “This kind (of demon) can come out by nothing but by prayer”; to which fasting was added as a second condition by ancient copyists, but without authority. What is important is to observe the connection between faith and prayer; so that while the devil would only have gone out if they had prayed, or even perhaps only if they had been men of prayer, yet their failure was through unbelief. It plainly follows that prayer is the nurse of faith, and would have strengthened it so that it should prevail. Only in habitual communion with God can we learn to trust Him aright. There, as we feel His nearness, as we are reminded that He bends to hear our cry, as the sense of eternal and perfect power blends with that of immeasurable love, and His sympathy becomes a realized abiding fact, as our vainglory is rebuked by confessions of sin, and of dependence, it is made possible for man to wield the forces of the spiritual world and yet not to be intoxicated with pride. The nearness of God is inconsistent with boastfulness of man. For want of this, it was better that the apostles should fail and be humbled, than succeed and be puffed up.
There are promises still unenjoyed, dormant and unexercised powers at the disposal of the Church today. If in many Christian families the children are not practically holy, if purity and consecration are not leavening our Christian land, where after so many centuries license is but little abashed and the faith of Jesus is still disputed, if the heathen are not yet given for our Lord’s inheritance nor the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession–why are we unable to cast out the devils that afflict our race? It is because our efforts are so faithless. And this again is because they are not inspired and elevated by sufficient communion with our God in prayer.
Further evidences continued to be given of the dangerous state of the mind of His followers, weighed down by earthly hopes and fears, wanting in faith and prayer, and therefore open to the sinister influences of the thief who was soon to become the traitor. They were now moving for the last time through Galilee. It was a different procession from those glad circuits, not long before, when enthusiasm everywhere rose high, and sometimes the people would have crowned Him. Now He would not that any man should know it. The word which tells of His journey seems to imply that He avoided the main thoroughfares, and went by less frequented by-ways. Partly no doubt His motives were prudential, resulting from the treachery which He discerned. Partly it was because His own spirit was heavily weighed upon, and retirement was what He needed most. And certainly most of all because crowds and tumult would have utterly unfitted the apostles to learn the hard lesson, how vain their daydreams were, and what a trial lay before their Master.
We read that “He taught them” this, which implies more than a single utterance, as also perhaps does the remarkable phrase in St. Luke, “Let these sayings sink into your ears.” When the warning is examined, we find it almost a repetition of what they had heard after Peter’s great confession. Then they had apparently supposed the cross of their Lord to be such a figurative one as all His followers have to bear. Even after the Transfiguration the chosen three had searched for a meaning for the resurrection from the dead. But now, when the words were repeated with a naked, crude, resolute distinctness, marvelous from the lips of Him Who should endure the reality, and evidently chosen in order to beat down their lingering evasive hopes, when He says “They shall kill Him and when He is killed, after three days He shall rise again,” surely they ought to have understood.
In fact they comprehended enough to shrink from hearing more. They did not dare to lift the veil which covered a mystery so dreadful; they feared to ask Him. It is a natural impulse, not to know the worst. Insolvent tradesmen leave their books unbalanced. The course of history would have run in another channel, if the great Napoleon had looked in the face the need to fortify his own capital while plundering others. No wonder that these Galileans recoiled from searching what was the calamity which weighed so heavily upon the mighty spirit of their Master. Do not men stifle the voice of conscience, and refuse to examine themselves whether they are in the faith, in the same abject dread of knowing the facts, and looking the inevitable in the face? How few there are, who bear to think, calmly and well, of the certainties of death and judgment?
But at the appointed time, the inevitable arrived for the disciples. The only effect of their moral cowardice was that it found them unready, surprised and therefore fearful, and still worse, prepared to forsake Jesus by having already in heart drawn away from Him, by having refused to comprehend and share His sorrows. It is easy to blame them, to assume that in their place we should not have been partakers in their evil deeds, to make little of the chosen foundation stones upon which Christ would build His New Jerusalem. But in so doing we forfeit the sobering lessons of their weakness, who failed, not because they were less than we, but because they were not more than mortal. And we who censure them are perhaps indolently refusing day by day to reflect, to comprehend the meaning of our own lives and of their tendencies, to realize a thousand warnings, less terrible only because they continue to be conditional, but claiming more attention for that very reason.
Contrast with their hesitation the noble fortitude with which Christ faced His agony. It was His, and their concern in it was secondary. Yet for their sakes He bore to speak of what they could not bear to hear. Therefore to Him there came no surprise, no sudden shock; His arrest found Him calm and reassured after the conflict in the Garden, and after all the preparation which had already gone forward through all these latter days.
One only ingredient in His cup of bitterness is now added to those which had been already mentioned: “The Son of man is delivered up into the hands of men.” Suffering has not reached its height until conscious malice designs the pang, and says, “So would we have it.” Especially true was this of the most tender of all hearts. Yet this also Jesus foreknew, while He steadfastly set His face to go toward Jerusalem.
Faithless inability to grapple with the powers of darkness, faithless unreadiness to share the cross of Jesus, what was to be expected next? Estrangement, jealousy and ambition, the passions of the world heaving in the bosom of the Church. But while they fail to discern the spirit of Judas, the Lord discerned theirs, and asked them in the house, What were ye reasoning in the way? It was a sweet and gentle prudence, which had not corrected them publicly nor while their tempers were still ruffled, nor in the language of severe rebuke, for by the way they had not only reasoned but disputed one with another, who was the greatest.
Language of especial honor had been addressed to Peter. Three had become possessed of a remarkable secret on the Holy Mount, concerning which hints on one side, and surmises on the other, may easily have excited jealousy. The failure of the nine to cast out the devil would also, as they were not humbled, render them irritable and self-asserting.
But they held their peace. No one asserted his right to answer on behalf of all. Peter, who was so willingly their spokesman at other times, did not vindicate his boasted pre-eminence now. The claim which seemed so reasonable while they forgot Jesus, was a thing to blush for in His presence. And they, who feared to ask Him of His own sufferings, knew enough to feel the contrast between their temper, their thoughts and His. Would that we too by prayer and self-examination, more often brought our desires and ambitions into the searching light of the presence of the lowly King of kings.
The calmness of their Lord was in strange contrast with their confusion. He pressed no further His inquiry, but left them to weigh His silence in this respect against their own. But importing by His action something deliberate and grave, He sat down and called the Twelve, and pronounced the great law of Christian rank, which is lowliness and the lowliest service. “If any man would be the first, he shall be the least of all, and the servant of all.” When Kaisers and Popes ostentatiously wash the feet of paupers, they do not really serve, and therefore they exhibit no genuine lowliness. Christ does not speak of the luxurious nursing of a sentiment, but of that genuine humility which effaces itself that it may really become a servant of the rest. Nor does He prescribe this as a penance, but as the appointed way to eminence. Something similar He had already spoken, bidding men sit down in the lowest room, that the Master of the house might call them higher. But it is in the next chapter, when despite this lesson the sons of Zebedee persisted in claiming the highest places, and the indignation of the rest betrayed the very passion it resented, that Jesus fully explains how lowly service, that wholesome medicine for ambition, is the essence of the very greatness in pursuit of which men spurn it.
To the precept, which will then be more conveniently examined, Jesus now added a practical lesson of amazing beauty. In the midst of twelve rugged and unsympathetic men, the same who, despite this action, presently rebuked parents for seeking the blessing of Christ upon their babes, Jesus sets a little child. What but the grace and love which shone upon the sacred face could have prevented this little one from being utterly disconcerted? But children have a strange sensibility for love. Presently this happy child was caught up in His arms, and pressed to His bosom, and there he seems to have lain while John, possibly conscience-stricken, asked a question and received an unexpected answer. And the silent pathetic trust of this His lamb found its way to the heart of Jesus, who presently spoke of “these little ones who believe in Me” (Mar 9:42).
Meanwhile the child illustrated in a double sense the rule of greatness which He had laid down. So great is lowliness that Christ Himself may be found in the person of a little child. And again, so great is service, that in receiving one, even one, of the multitude of children who claim our sympathies, we receive the very Master; and in that lowly Man, who was among them as he that serveth, is manifested the very God: whoso receiveth Me receiveth not Me but Him that sent Me.