14 And when he came to the disciples he saw a great crowd around them, and scribes disputing against them. 15 And immediately all the crowd seeing him were amazed, and running to [him], saluted him. 16 And he asked them, What do ye question with them about? 17 And one out of the crowd answered him, Teacher, I brought to thee my son, who has a dumb spirit; 18 and wheresoever it seizes him it tears him, and he foams and gnashes his teeth, and he is withering away. And I spoke to thy disciples, that they might cast him out, and they could not. 19 But he answering them says, O unbelieving generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him to me. 20 And they brought him to him. And seeing him the spirit immediately tore him; and falling upon the earth he rolled foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long a time is it that it has been like this with him? And he said, From childhood; 22 and often it has cast him both into fire and into waters that it might destroy him: but if thou couldst [do] anything, be moved with pity on us, and help us. 23 And Jesus said to him, The 'if thou couldst' is [if thou couldst] believe: all things are possible to him that believes. 24 And immediately the father of the young child crying out said [with tears], I believe, help mine unbelief. 25 But Jesus, seeing that [the] crowd was running up together, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And having cried out and torn [him] much, he came out; and he became as if dead, so that the most said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus, having taken hold of him by the hand, lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he was entered into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Wherefore could not we cast him out? 29 And he said to them, This kind can go out by nothing but by prayer and fasting.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 9:14-29
Commentary on Mark 9:14-29
(Read Mark 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.