Mark

By Joyce Webb 2023

Chapter 9    Verses 14-29

Verse 14 Jesus and 3 of his disciples have come down from the mountain. The other disciples are there with a crowd of people.
The scribes were there asking questions. (Jewish leaders who copied the scriptures onto scrolls)

Verse 15 When the people saw Jesus—they were greatly amazed and ran to him to greet him.
(I wonder why they were “greatly amazed”? Maybe his face still showed the glory that the 3 disciples had seen when they were on the mountain.)

Verse 16 Jesus asked the scribes—What questions are you asking?

Verse 17 A person from the crowd said: I have brought my son —he has an dumb spirit. (The old-fashioned meaning of the word “dumb”—meant could not speak.)

(This father was saying that the reason the son was not speaking —-was not just a physical problem—it was caused by an evil spirit.)

Verse 18 The father also said—that this evil spirit would take control of the boy and would shake him. The boy would have foam at his mouth and he would gnash or grind his teeth together.

All of this made the boy weak and thin and sickly.
The father said that he brought his son to the disciples wanting them to pray and cast the evil spirit out. But they could not do it.

Verse 19 Jesus said to them: You people have little faith. How long will I be with you? How long will I have patience with you?
Bring the boy to me.

Verse 20 They brought the boy to Jesus. When the boy saw Jesus—the evil spirit in him began to shake the boy— and the boy fell on the ground, he was foaming at the mouth. (Foaming at the mouth—have you seen horses’ mouths after they have been running? With white bubbles of salvia all over their mouth?)

Verse 21 Jesus asked the father—How long ago did this begin? The father said—since he was a child.

Verse 22 The spirit often makes him fall into a fire, or fall into water—trying to hurt him or kill him. (People cooked in open fire pits.)

If you can do anything—please have feelings of kindness for us and help us.

Verse 23 Jesus said to him–If you can believe—all things are possible to him that believeth.

Verse 24 The father said–with tears in his eyes—Lord, I believe–help my unbelief.

Verse 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running —–he spoke to the evil spirit—he said: “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you to come out of him—and do not go into him again.”

Verse 26 The evil spirit cried out—(using the boy’s voice) and then the evil spirit shook the boy and then came out of him. The boy was weak and was like a dead person.

Verse 27 Jesus took the boy’s hand and lifted him up. The boy stood.

Verse 28 When Jesus and his disciples were alone in a house—-the disciples said—Why couldn’t we cast out that spirit?

Verse 29 Jesus said: This kind of spirit can only be cast out by prayer and fasting.
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It seems that some evil spirits are stronger than others.
Also, the person who tries to “cast out” an evil spirit—needs to make sure they have prayed much.
The person praying and commanding needs to have a good relationship with God. He needs to be full of prayer and the Holy Spirit.
Evil spirits are a serious thing.
Another story in the book of Acts 19:16 tells how some man tried to cast out an evil spirit and the evil spirit took hold of him and hurt him badly.
That man did not have the power and spirit of God in him to be talking to evil spirits.