Mark 9:14-29 (2)

Introduction

Background

Peter, James, John, and Jesus are on their way down from the mountain where Jesus just gave a glimpse of His glory.

This passage picks up where these 4 meet up with a great crowd, the rest of the disciples, and the scribes.

Remember: The Scribes are expert teachers of the law.

They were writers.

They had time to study and understand the Old Testament Law.

They were seen as wise.

They were known as teachers, but Mark 1 states that Jesus’s teaching is more astonishing than their teaching.

They were no doubt jealous of Jesus and his rising fame and authority.

Jesus later curses them in Matthew 23.

Here are just few reasons why Jesus curses them:

Curses them over and over for being hypocrites.

They do their deeds to be seen by others.

For cleaning the outside of the cup but not the inside.

He says that they are like white washed tombs, appearing beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are dead and filled with lawlessness.

Curses them for burdening people with heavy burdens that they themselves aren’t willing to bear.

He calls them children of Hell.

Many of these scribes made up the Sanhedrin, which was the religious counsel that played a big role in arresting and crucifying Jesus.

So these make up a portion of who is present. The Scribes are present, but there is also a great crowd present.

Many people are present.

They were here to see Jesus.

Along with the Scribes and the great crowd are the disciples.

And the disciples seem to get themselves in trouble whenever Jesus isn’t around.

There seems to be distress and chaos whenever He isn’t around.

They’re arguing. They’re without their teacher.

How much does this resemble us in our walk Christ?

Whenever Christ isn’t around in your life, how do you act?

How do you think?

What do you focus on?

What motives are you working out of?

Praise be to God that we were provided His Spirit, so that, while Jesus is now gone, He can still be with us as we walk in the spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

Along with the disciples is the demon-possessed boy and his Father.

The Astonishment of Jesus (Mark 9:14-19)

There is commotion between the crowd, the scribes and the disciples.

It is probably the scribes who have started this commotion by confronting the disciples because they are not able to heal this boy who is possessed.

This isn’t the first time that they have focused their criticism and harsh words on the on the disciples:

Questioned Jesus about their fasting in Matthew 9.

Demanded Jesus that they stopped worshipping Him in Luke 19.

The scribes are known for being hard on others and easy on themselves.

Notice that whenever Jesus comes onto the scene, the full attention shifts to Him.

They were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him.

And Jesus asks the crowd and scribes in verse 16, “why are you arguing with them?” Them being the disciples.

Before there is an answer from the crowd, a Father respectfully and urgently tells Jesus about His sons situation.

He says in verse 17 and 18:

“Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.

You see, the Father had to have heard about the miracles that Jesus had done.

17 miracles have already happened up to this point in Mark alone.

The Father no doubt has heard about prior exorcisms that Jesus performed.

The evil spirit that was exorcized from the man in Capernaum in Mark 1.

The demons that were cast from a man into the pigs in Mark 5.

The healing of a gentile women’s demon possessed daughter in Mark 7.

The Father also had to have heard about the fact that Jesus has compassion on those dealing with physical illness and disability.

The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law in Mark 1.

The healing of the sick and oppressed in Mark 1.

The cleansing of the man with leprosy in Mark 1.

The healing of the paralytic in Mark 2.

The healing of the man with the withered hand in Mark 3.

The healing of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5.

The healing of many sick men as they touch his garment in Mark 6.

Jesus healing the dead man in Mark 7.

Jesus healing the blind man a chapter prior in Mark 8.

B.B. Warfield on the healing that Jesus has done says:

“It has been said that in effect He banished disease and death from Palestine for the three years of His ministry. If this is exaggeration it is pardonable exaggeration. Wherever He went, He brought a blessing.”

The Father has run out of options, and he is eager to see Jesus face to face to get healing for his son.

The disciples, however, couldn’t carry out the healing.

This seems to provoke a strong reaction from Jesus. Look at verse 19:

“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”

What does Jesus mean here?

The term “O faithless generation”, or “unbelieving generation” is either directed at the disciples, the father, or the crowd, nevertheless, Jesus is painfully upset about their unbelief.

The same is true about our unbelief.

Jesus hurts from our unbelief.

How many miracles, and yet they don’t believe?

How many miracles and blessings in your life, yet your family struggles to believe?

How many miracles and blessings in your life, yet you struggle to believe?

Unbelief grieves God’s heart.

“How long am I to bear with you?”

The pain that Jesus is experiencing from their unbelief pushes Him to want to be back with His Father, who He was in perfect unison with in eternity past.

In order to be reunited with the Father, He has to go to the cross.

“The hour” is the phrase used over and over in the Gospel’s, which points to the death of Jesus, which he is thinking about here.

In a sense, as Christians living in the world but not of the world, we should groan for the day when we are to be with the Father.

“Bring him to me”

You see, their unbelief didn’t stop Him from performing the miracle.

Surely, belief plays an aspect in God moving in the believers life, but God is sovereign, and He has compassion on who He has compassion.

Jesus has a divine appointment with this boy, and His glory will be put on display so that the boy can enjoy the freedom that Jesus granted Him and so that God can get the glory.

2. The Authority of Jesus (Mark 9:19-24)

Jesus is better than the scribes in that he has compassion accompanied with His authority, whereas the Scribes had authority but were corrupt.

3. The Ability of Jesus (Mark 9:25-29)

Conclusion