37 And on the day after, when they came down from the mountain, a great band of people came to him. 38 And a man from among them, crying out, said, Master, I make a request to you, give a thought to my son, for he is my only child: 39 And see, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he gives a cry, twisted in pain and streaming at the lips, and when it goes away from him at last, he is marked as from blows. 40 And I made a request to your disciples to send it out of him, but they were not able to do it. 41 And Jesus said, O generation without faith and false in heart, how long will I have to be with you and put up with you? let your son come here. 42 And while he was coming, he was pushed violently down and twisted by the evil spirit. But Jesus gave sharp orders to the unclean spirit, and made the boy well, and gave him back to his father.
43 And they were full of wonder at the great power of God. But while they were all wondering at all the things which he did, he said to his disciples,
44 Let these words go deep into your ears, for the Son of man will be given up into the hands of men. 45 But this saying was not clear to them and its sense was kept secret from them so that they were not able to see it: and they had fear of questioning him about it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 9:37-45
Commentary on Luke 9:37-42
(Read Luke 9:37-42)
How deplorable the case of this child! He was under the power of an evil spirit. Disease of that nature are more frightful than such as arise merely from natural causes. What mischief Satan does where he gets possession! But happy those that have access to Christ! He can do that for us which his disciples cannot. A word from Christ healed the child; and when our children recover from sickness, it is comfortable to receive them as healed by the hand of Christ.
Commentary on Luke 9:43-50
(Read Luke 9:43-50)
This prediction of Christ's sufferings was plain enough, but the disciples would not understand it, because it agreed not with their notions. A little child is the emblem by which Christ teaches us simplicity and humility. What greater honour can any man attain to in this world, than to be received by men as a messenger of God and Christ; and to have God and Christ own themselves received and welcomed in him! If ever any society of Christians in this world, had reason to silence those not of their own communion, the twelve disciples at this time had; yet Christ warned them not to do the like again. Those may be found faithful followers of Christ, and may be accepted of him, who do not follow with us.