St Mark Chapter IX : Verses 13-28
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| If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.. J-J Tissot. |
[14] And presently all the people seeing Jesus, were astonished and struck with fear; and running to him, they saluted him.
[15] And he asked them: What do you question about among you?
[16] And one of the multitude, answering, said: Master, I have brought my son to thee, having a dumb spirit.
[17] Who, wheresoever he taketh him, dasheth him, and he foameth, and gnasheth with the teeth, and pineth away; and I spoke to thy disciples to cast him out, and they could not.
[18] Who answering them, said: O incredulous generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
[19] And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit troubled him; and being thrown down upon the ground, he rolled about foaming.
[20] And he asked his father: How long time is it since this hath happened unto him? But he said: From his infancy:
[21] And oftentimes hath he cast him into the fire and into waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do any thing, help us, having compassion on us.
[22] And Jesus saith to him: If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
[23] And immediately the father of the boy crying out, with tears said: I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief.
[24] And when Jesus saw the multitude running together, he threatened the unclean spirit, saying to him: Deaf and dumb spirit, I command thee, go out of him; and enter not any more into him.
[25] And crying out, and greatly tearing him, he went out of him, and he became as dead, so that many said: He is dead.
[26] But Jesus taking him by the hand, lifted him up; and he arose.
[27] And when he was come into the house, his disciples secretly asked him: Why could not we cast him out?
[28] And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
[13] Et veniens ad discipulos suos, vidit turbam magnam circa eos, et scribas conquirentes cum illis. [14] Et confestim omnis populus videns Jesum, stupefactus est, et expaverunt, et accurrentes salutabant eum. [15] Et interrogavit eos : Quid inter vos conquiritis? [16] Et respondens unus de turba, dixit : Magister, attuli filium meum ad te habentem spiritum mutum : [17] qui ubicumque eum apprehenderit, allidit illum, et spumat, et stridet dentibus, et arescit : et dixi discipulis tuis ut ejicerent illum, et non potuerunt. [18] Qui respondens eis, dixit : O generatio incredula, quamdiu apud vos ero? quamdiu vos patiar? afferte illum ad me. [19] Et attulerunt eum. Et cum vidisset eum, statim spiritus conturbavit illum : et elisus in terram, volutabatur spumans. [20] Et interrogavit patrem ejus : Quantum temporis est ex quo ei hoc accidit? At ille ait : Ab infantia : [21] et frequenter eum in ignem, et in aquas misit ut eum perderet : sed si quid potes, adjuva nos, misertus nostri. [22] Jesus autem ait illi : Si potes credere, omnia possibilia sunt credenti. [23] Et continuo exclamans pater pueri, cum lacrimis aiebat : Credo, Domine; adjuva incredulitatem meam. [24] Et cum videret Jesus concurrentem turbam, comminatus est spiritui immundo, dicens illi : Surde et mute spiritus, ego praecipio tibi, exi ab eo : et amplius ne intrœas in eum. [25] Et exclamans, et multum discerpens eum, exiit ab eo, et factus est sicut mortuus, ita ut multi dicerent : Quia mortuus est. [26] Jesus autem tenens manum ejus elevavit eum, et surrexit. [27] Et cum introisset in domum, discipuli ejus secreto interrogabant eum : Quare nos non potuimus ejicere eum? [28] Et dixit illis : Hoc genus in nullo potest exire, nisi in oratione et jejunio.
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Notes
13. coming to his disciples. To the nine who were at the foot of the mountain. This happened the day following (ix. 37), as St Luke tells us. This seems to indicate night as the time when the Transfiguration took place.
he saw a great multitude. St Luke adds the multitude met Him.
the scribes disputing with them. They perhaps hoped to overcome the disciples now that Jesus was absent. Probably they denied that the Apostles could work miracles, even as they denied that Christ had the power to do so.
14. astonished and struck with fear. The original word denotes extreme terror. The terror of the multitude on seeing Jesus might arise from several causes.
(a) They did not expect to see Him appear so opportunely.
(b) Something of the glory of the Transfiguration may still have shone on his face, as the face of Moses shone when he came down from Mount Sinai.
running to him, they saluted him. Their fear did not overcome their joy at seeing Him.
15. he asked them, etc. Jesus inquired of those nearest, What do you question about among you ? The father of the lunatic is the only one to answer, falling down on his knees before him saying; Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffereth much : for he falleth often into the fire, and often into the water (St Matt. xvii. 14). These are the ordinary symptoms of epilepsy, which the demon probably aggravated, since the boy was possessed by a dumb spirit. The words he is a lunatic shew that the father connects the boy’s convulsions with the changes of the moon.
16. Master, I have brought my son to thee. The man had brought his son, hoping to find Jesus with the disciples.
a dumb spirit. Since St Luke tells us he suddenly crieth out (ix. 39), we may conclude the boy could not utter articulate sounds.
17. wheresoever — whenever. The convulsions were intermittent.
he taketh him, dasheth him, etc. The father describes minutely the effects of the natural disease of epilepsy, attributing them to the action of the dumb spirit.
I spoke to thy disciples to cast him out. The man had clearly heard of miracles worked by the Apostles.
they could not. He attributes the failure to want of power, not lack of good will. The Apostles had tried to cast out the devil, but had failed signally.
18. 0 incredulous generation. A rebuke to the multitude in general, to the father of the child, and to the Apostles also (indirectly). St Matt, gives unbelieving and perverse generation (xvii. 16).
how long shall I be with you ? To bear with and to teach you.
19. when he had seen him, etc. When the devil in the boy was brought close to Jesus. The devils often troubled their victims thus, when in the presence of Jesus.
20. How long time is it, etc. Our Lord’s question had for object to —
(a) show His compassion,
(b) to elicit faith,
(c) to call attention to the gravity of the boy’s condition.
21. if thou canst do anything, etc. These words shew that the man’s faith was very weak.
22. Jesus saith to him, If thou canst, etc. A better translation would be, “Jesus said unto him, as for thy,” “if thou canst,” “all things are possible to him that believeth.” The granting of the grace depended on the suppliant’s faith.
23. the father .... crying out, with tears said. The man’s tears and cries shew his earnest desire. He felt the weakness of his own faith ; he believed, but would fain have a firmer faith.
24. when Jesus saw the multitude running together. Apparently Jesus had spoken to His disciples and the man a little apart ; doubtless the boy’s convulsions would have brought the multitude nearer, to see what was happening.
threatened the unclean spirit: “rebuked” (St Luke). This spirit is characterised as dumb and unclean. These words shew clearly that the boy was possessed. This is an example of a double cure : of healing, and of possession of the devil.
I command thee. Words of authority. He speaks in His own Name, in virtue of His Divinity.
enter not any more. The child was thus preserved from future possession by this same spirit.
25. crying out and greatly tearing, etc. Thus the devil shewed his impotent rage at being forced to relinquish his prey.
27. his disciples secretly asked him. Naturally they felt the humiliation of having failed to cast out the evil spirit, and especially as their failure was witnessed by the Scribes, and they knew not to what it was to be attributed, since, hitherto, the devils had been subject to them. Only nine of the Apostles asked this question.
28. he said to them, etc. St Matthew gives a longer answer, Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence thither, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to you (xvii. 19).
This kind. Particular kind of demon. As there are angels of different degrees of power and glory, so there are some demons who surpass their companions in wickedness, strength, and intelligence.
prayer and fasting. Some MSS. omit these words, but they are found in the greater number. Fasting was required to add intensity to prayer, and Origen says it should be practised both by the one possessed and by the exorcist. “ The demoniac living luxuriously cannot be delivered from such madness.” (St Chrysostom.) The exorcist should fast that he may first conquer his own inordinate passions before attacking God’s enemies, the devils. Prayer and fasting predispose man to receive graces from God.
Additional Notes
On prayer and fasting. The utility of fasting as a preparation for spiritual graces, is shown by the following examples: —
(a) It was when St Peter was “ praying and fasting ” that a vision was granted to him.
“ Peter went up to the higher parts of the house to pray, about the sixth hour. And being hungry, he was desirous to taste somewhat. And as they were preparing, there came upon him an ecstasy of mind ” ( Acts x. 9-10).
(b) It was while “ministering to the Lord and fasting ” that the Holy Ghost enlightened the Apostles, regarding the mission of Saul and Barnabas.
“And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them ; Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them. Then they fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away ” ( Acts xiii. 2, 3).
(c) St Paul speaks of himself as frequently praying and fasting :
“ In much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often” (2 Cor. xi. 27), and these penitential works rendered his mission more fruitful.
Many examples of fasting might be cited from the Old Testament, e.g. Moses, Elias, David, etc. Maldonatus says : “ Faith expels the enemy by believing, prayer by petitioning, fasting by tormenting and starving him ; as an enemy is driven out of a fortress, not only by force, but by starving him.” The doctrine here formulated by our Lord concerning “ prayer and fasting ” is not contradictory to the answer He made concerning fasting, when questioned by the Pharisees as to why the disciples did not fast. “ Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast ; but thy disciples do not fast?” (St Mark ii. 18). His answer in that case, “as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast” (St Mark ii. 19), referred to fasting of supererogation, which was unseasonable while He was with them. We know that both Jesus and His disciples observed the fasts, imposed by the Law of Moses, since He fulfilled the Law to an iota, but He did not observe the extra fasts prescribed by the Pharisees, nor imitate the rigorous abstinence of St John the Baptist.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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