Mark 9:27

9:14-29 The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Satan is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves, and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause him all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more than ordinary pains.

But Jesus took him by the hand,.... "Took hold of the hand of the child", as the Persic version renders it; and lifted him up; from the ground, on which he was cast by the spirit; and he arose: this is omitted in the Syriac and Arabic versions, though in one edition of the latter, according to De Dieu, it is rendered, "and he stood"; to which is added, "and went into his own house". The Persic version, instead of this clause, reads, "and the child was healed"; and all the expressions show, that he was perfectly well.

Said with tears - The man felt the implied rebuke in the Saviour's language; and feeling grieved that he should be thought to be destitute of faith, and feeling deeply for the welfare of his afflicted son, he wept. Nothing can be more touching or natural than this. An anxious father, distressed at the condition of his son, having applied to the disciples in vain, now coming to the Saviour; and not having full confidence that he had the proper qualification to be aided, he wept. Any man would have wept in his condition, nor would the Saviour turn the weeping suppliant away. I believe - I have faith. I do put confidence in thee, though I know that my faith is not as strong as it should be. Lord - This word here signifies merely "master," or "sir," as it does often in the New Testament. We have no evidence that he had any knowledge of the divine nature of the Saviour, and he applied the word, probably, as he would have done to any other teacher or worker of miracles. Help thou mine unbelief - Supply thou the defects of my faith. Give me strength and grace to put "entire" confidence in thee. Everyone who comes to the Saviour for help has need of offering this prayer. In our unbelief and our doubts we need his aid, nor shall we ever put sufficient reliance on him without his gracious help.

Is the doctrine of demoniacal influence false? If so, Jesus took the most direct method to perpetuate the belief of that falsity, by accommodating himself so completely to the deceived vulgar. But this was impossible; therefore the doctrine of demoniacal influence is a true doctrine, otherwise Christ would never have given it the least countenance or support. MARK 9: 26 Having cried out, and convulsed greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, “He is dead.” MARK 9: 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose. MARK 9: 28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” MARK 9: 29 He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.” Verse 29 Prayer and fasting - See on Matthew 17:21 (note). This demon may be considered as an emblem of deeply rooted vices, and inveterate habits, over which the conquest is not generally obtained, but through extraordinary humiliations. This case is related by both Matthew and Luke, but it is greatly amplified in Mark's account, and many new circumstances related. Another proof that Mark did not abridge Matthew. MARK 9: 30 They went out from there, and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it. Verse 30 They - passed through Galilee - See on Matthew 17:22-27 (note).

2. The necessity of keeping the doctrine of the Gospel uncorrupt, is strongly inculcated in the caution to avoid the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod: the doctrine of the cross must not only be observed and held inviolate, but that doctrine must never be mixed with worldly politics. Time-serving is abominable in the sight of God: it shows that the person has either no fixed principle of religion, or that he is not under the influence of any. [ Mark 9 ] MARK 9: 1 He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see the Kingdom of God come with power.” The transfiguration of Christ, and the discourse occasioned by it, Mark 9:1-13. He casts out a dumb spirit which his disciples could not, vv. 14-29. He foretells his death, Mark 9:30-32. The disciples dispute about supremacy, and Christ corrects them, Mark 9:33-37. Of the person who cast out demons in Christ's name, but did not follow him, Mark 9:38-40. Every kind of office done to the disciples of Christ shall be rewarded by him, and all injuries done to them shall be punished, Mark 9:41, Mark 9:42. The necessity of mortification and self-denial, Mark 9:43-48. Of the salting of sacrifices, Mark 9:49; and the necessity of having union among the disciples of Christ, Mark 9:50. Verse 1 There be some - This verse properly belongs to the preceding chapter, and to the preceding discourse. It is in this connection in Matthew 16:27-28 (note). See the notes there.

[Reformed Biblical] teareth him. He rends, distracts, or throws into convulsions. He foameth. At the mouth, like a mad animal. Among us, these would all be considered as marks of violent derangement or madness. And pineth away. Becomes thin, haggard, and emaciated. This was the effect of the violence of his struggles, and perhaps of the want of food. "teareth" or, "dasheth" {c} "foameth" Jude 1:13 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 9 - Verse 19 Verse 19. No Barnes text on this verse. {d} "faithless" Deuteronomy 32:20; Psalms 78:8; Hebrews 3:10 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 9 - Verse 20 Verse 20. No Barnes text on this verse. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 9 - Verse 21 Verse 21. No Barnes text on this verse. {e} "of a child" Job 5:7; Psalms 51:5 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 9 - Verse 22 Verse 22. If thou canst do any thing. I have brought him to the disciples, and they could not help him. If THOU canst do anything, have compassion, etc. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK - Chapter 9 - Verse 23 Verse 23. If thou canst b elieve. This was an answer to the request; and there was a reference in the answer to the doubt in the man's mind about the power of Jesus. I can help him. If THOU canst believe, it shall be done. Jesus here demanded faith or confidence in his power of healing. So he demands faith of every sinner that comes to him; and none that come without confidence in him can obtain

In this case the theory is incompatible with the candor of the sacred writers. For: 1st. They distinguish between "possessions" and diseases of a physiological source, by mentioning both separately. See Mark 1:32; Luke 6:17, 18; Matthew 4:24, etc. 2d. The demons, as distinct from the possessed man, speak, and are spoken to, are addressed, commanded and rebuked by our Savior, and deprecate His wrath. Mark 1:25, 34; 9:25; Matthew 8:32; 17:18. 3d. They have personality after they go out of men; whereas the disease has no entity apart from the body of which it was an affection. See Luke 8:32. 4th. A definite number of demons possessed one man, Mark 5:9, and one woman, Mark 16:9. 5th Their moral quality is assigned. 6th. The victories of Christ and I His Apostles over them, announced the triumph of a spiritual kingdom over Satan's. Mark 3:27; Luke 11:20. Do "possessions" now exist? Many reply, No; some, on the supposition of a progressive restriction of Satan's license; others, supposing that in the age of miracles, Providence made special allowance of this malice, in order to give Christ and His missionaries special opportunity to evince the power of His kingdom, and show earnests of its overthrow. The latter is one object of Christ's victories over these "possessions." See Mark 3:27: Luke 11:20; 10:17-20, (where we have a separate proof of the spiritual nature of these possessions, as above shown). Whether "possessions" occur now, I do not feel qualified to affirm or deny.