The Gospel of Mark
Help my unbelief: 9,14-29
A new stage in the story is clearly marked in 9,30 following this episode.
Its beginning in 9,14 follows on from coming down the mountain in 9,9 without being a major break. This in turn takes us back to 9,2 and the new opening there "After six days". This as we have seen begins the Transfiguration. The point here is that there is a continuity running through from 9,2 to 9,29 so that this healing is placed as a follow-on from the scene of the Transfiguration. Just why the evangelist has put the two together we will need to consider after our reading.
The four stages in this episode are the set up in verses 14-16 which is followed by the discussion with the father, verses 17-24. Then there is the exorcism itself, verses 25-27 and finally a review with the disciples, verses 28-29.
The casting out of the demon earlier in the Gospel, 1,23-27, provides a useful comparison because there we have the basic outline of an exorcism: problem (1,23-24), exorcism (1,25-26) followed by the reaction (verse 27). Mark has here edited and expanded this basic framework by adding the set up in 9,14-16 and the lengthy discussion with the father (9,19-24). Instead of the crowd's reaction (1,27) we have the review with the disciples (9,28-29).
Matthew (Mt 17,14-20) typically cuts this story right down, a mere 110 words compared to 272 in Mark. Matthew also has a different conclusion (Mt 17,20). As usual, Mark likes to tell a graphic story. Just note how the the demon's dramatic effect on the boy is told four times.
Mark's longer version of the story makes it clear that his primary focus besides Jesus himself is on the father and the disciples. The scribes (omitted in Matthew) just make a brief appearance in verse 14. The crowd is present in verse 14 and reappears rather oddly in verse 25. The demon says nothing (unlike the demon in 1,24).
We can now return for our reading.
Set up: 9,14-16
Jesus with the three disciples returns to the other disicples (not mentioned by Matthew, Mt 17,14) and the crowd. The scribes now make their only appearance in the story and the purpose of their questioning is to put the disciples on the defensive. The disciples do not have the authority of Jesus. Verse 15 then sees Jesus arriving and bringing his authority with him. It is therefore Jesus who takes the initiative in verse 16 by asking what the questions were about.
The Father: 9,17-24
It is characteristic of this Gospel to introduce people like this father of a possessed son. They appear in only one scene and always act as a foil to the disciples. We have seen 5,21-43 for example which tells of the father of a sick child and a woman with a hemorrhage. The disciples had been given authority over unclean spirits by Jesus in 6,7. Here that is not enough.
For verse 19, Deuteronomy 32,5 speaks of a perverse and crooked generation in contrast to a faithful God and Psalm 78 makes a similar point. In 8,38 Jesus himself has spoken of an adulterous and sinful generation. This indicates that here Jesus is speaking to the whole crowd though the disciples will be in particular focus as their failure has just been told. This is followed by two rhetorical questions which indicate Jesus' feelings (see 8,21).
The key word here in verse 19 is "faithless", the first mention of faith in this scene. The Greek word can be translated faith, trust or believing which can make for some confusion though they come to the same thing. We just need to be aware of that.
By describing the boy's symptoms for a second time in verse 20 with a third description to come (verse 22) just underlines the seriousness of the possession. We might recognise these symptoms as epilepsy but we must not bring modern medicine into the scene. The boy is possessed by a demon.
The father concludes with a cry for compassion and help in verse 22. We can note the hint of doubt in "if you are able". This may arise from the failure of the disciples.
This is the point picked up by Jesus in verse 23 as he stresses the importance of faith trusting completely in God.
The father's immediate response in verse 24 brings together the two key words of this discussion: no faith (one word in Greek) (verse 19) and faith (verse 23).
Exorcism: 9,25-26
The crowd now reappears which may be a sign of how the preceeding discussion has been an insertion by the evangelist. There are other similar editorial traces to be found.
Following the cry from the father, Jesus who himself has faith in his Father (1,11), is able to complete the exorcism. "Rebuke" is the same word as for the earlier exorcism, 1,25.
Verse 26 recalls not the earlier exorcism but the healing of Peter's mother in law (1,31) and the little girl in 5,35-42. Here as in those two cases, the word used is "raised up". This use of "raised up" three times in the Gospel and the context of this scene has implications of the resurrection. The boy said to be dead is raised up by Jesus. Jesus himself has just predicted his fate of death and resurrection (8,31).
In the house: 9,28-29
Jesus's answer to the disciples about their failure is the importance of prayer. Prayer underpins faith and indicates complete reliance on God. Thus the addition of "and fasting" misses the point as it brings in some element of human influence.
We now return to the main page for a final reflection on this scene.
Reflection
The father is as I have said typical of those who make a brief appearance in the story as one of those who get it right. Being close to Jesus all the time is no guarentee of getting it right and so the disciples are constantly failing. They do not have the required faith or understanding in Jesus.
At the Transfiguration, three disciples saw beyond faith as they beheld the divine glory shining through the human Jesus. This episode is about all the other disciples who are called to faith, "I have faith, help my lack of faith". Thus if the Transfiguration is about glory, then the necessary complement to that as shown in this episode is faith.
We can return to the main page and move on to the next episode.