14 And having come unto the disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them, 15 and immediately, all the multitude having seen him, were amazed, and running near, were saluting him. 16 And he questioned the scribes, 'What dispute ye with them?' 17 and one out of the multitude answering said, 'Teacher, I brought my son unto thee, having a dumb spirit; 18 and wherever it doth seize him, it doth tear him, and he foameth, and gnasheth his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to thy disciples that they may cast it out, and they were not able.' 19 And he answering him, said, 'O generation unbelieving, till when shall I be with you? till when shall I suffer you? bring him unto me;' 20 and they brought him unto him, and he having seen him, immediately the spirit tare him, and he, having fallen upon the earth, was wallowing—foaming. 21 And he questioned his father, 'How long time is it since this came to him?' and he said, 'From childhood, 22 and many times also it cast him into fire, and into water, that it might destroy him; but if thou art able to do anything, help us, having compassion on us.' 23 And Jesus said to him, 'If thou art able to believe! all things are possible to the one that is believing;' 24 and immediately the father of the child, having cried out, with tears said, 'I believe, sir; be helping mine unbelief.' 25 Jesus having seen that a multitude doth run together, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, 'Spirit—dumb and deaf—I charge thee, come forth out of him, and no more thou mayest enter into him;' 26 and having cried, and rent him much, it came forth, and he became as dead, so that many said that he was dead, 27 but Jesus, having taken him by the hand, lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And he having come into the house, his disciples were questioning him by himself—'Why were we not able to cast it forth?' 29 And he said to them, 'This kind is able to come forth with nothing except with 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.