MARK 9 (PART 2)
Read Mark 9:14-37
On the face of it vv14-32 simply describe another healing miracle by Jesus, but what lies behind this story is belief. A boy has been possessed by an evil spirit and is mute. The father asked Jesus’ disciples to drive out the spirit but they were unable to do so. Predictably, when Jesus came on the scene, he was able to heal the boy. The father, the crowds, the disciples were all astonished. Jesus’ response was to say “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you, how long shall I put up with you?” (v19) and I envisage him sadly shaking his head at this point.
The disciples wanted to know why they couldn’t drive out the demon. Jesus said, “this kind can only come out by prayer”, which suggests that the disciples were perhaps relying on their own strength to deal with the demon rather than relying on the power of God working through them. Jesus also said, “Everything is possible for him who believes”. The implication is that the disciples still did not have full belief in who Jesus is, despite the transfiguration being witnessed by three of them, who no doubt told the others of their mountain top experience. Compare them to the father of the boy, who declared to Jesus, even before his son was healed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief”. (v24)
The reminder to us is that, despite all the evidence we have in God’s written word, it is not always easy for us to commit to full belief in who Jesus is and what he has done for us. We might think we know and understand but there is often a nagging doubt that we may not even be able to put our finger on. But belief in Jesus has to run right through our very being and be part of who we are.
When Jesus and the disciples left the scene, Jesus started to teach them about what was to come. He spoke of his future betrayal, his death and that after three days he would be raised up. He was preparing them for what would happen, but they still did not understand, and would not until it had all taken place and they were looking back at their time with him. We might think that the disciples were being exceedingly stupid at this point but we do need to remember that they were in the most extraordinary situation and that was enough for anyone not to be able to think straight.
On the road the disciples seemed to have had an argument about who was the greatest. Jesus, as he so often did, stood human values on their head. To be really great you have to put others before yourself, not a particularly popular thought in those days or these. And to strengthen the point, Jesus presented a child before them and said, “whoever welcomes one of these little children welcomes me . . .” (v37). In that society children were the lowest of the low. Jesus was consolidating what he has already said about all being equal in God’s eyes and paving the way for his own servant ministry to come.