Powerless Apostles
While Jesus was on the mountain with Peter, James and John, the other nine apostles were proving that without Jesus they (and we) can do nothing.
Mark 9:14-29
- As Jesus arrived, he was quickly surrounded by the nine and a multitude of inquirers and inquisitors.
- A man from the crowd advanced to elicit Jesus’ help with a demon-possessed son. The evil spirit not only kept the boy from speaking, it also brought on convulsions and self-destructive tendencies. The disciples were not able to help.
- “Faithless and perverse generation.†Was Jesus speaking of the crowd or of the nine?
- Jesus pointedly asked the father if he believed. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief†was his reply.
- Meanwhile the people were bringing the boy. As they approached, the demon tormented the boy. Jesus rebuked the evil spirit. The spirit left the boy lifeless; but Jesus lifted him up.
- Why couldn’t the disciples cast out the spirit? They had cast out spirits in the past, why not now? In a word, unbelief.
- They couldn’t muster enough faith to cast out the demon. And only a seed-sized quantity of faith would move a whole mountain. How pitiful their unbelief!
[print_link]