Mark 9:14-19 14And when they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. 15And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were intensely excited and running up they greeted him. 16And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17And one man from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. 18And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. And I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19And answering he said to them, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
While Jesus was up on the mountain, his other disciples were busy in ministry but were relying on the wrong sources. This scene echoes the situation in Exodus 32 when Moses was on Mount Sinai experiencing the power and presence of God, and the Israelites down below forming a golden calf because they misunderstand the person of God. This scene highlights the misunderstanding of the disciples, which is a theme Mark has developed throughout his Gospel.
As Jesus and the three special disciples come down from the mountain, they see an argument over spiritual authority. Three groups were present, the same groups that had been following Jesus throughout his ministry: the struggling disciples, the confrontative Jewish leaders, and the desperate persons needing healing. The scribes, who were the Bible scholars of that time, were in some type of debate with the group of disciples.
Verse 15 stands out in this paragraph in contrast to the verbal fight going on. There was something missing when Jesus was not present. Mark does not say why the crowd was amazed, but anyone who has been in the presence of God will be different and noticeable. The crowd had gathered because of rumors about Jesus, their hero, and so when he showed up, the object of their wonder and hope was present. The crowds in this Gospel are typically the ones who warmly welcome Jesus and seek him out. When Jesus arrived on the scene, the attention of the crowd shifted from the debate to the one who had true authority.
Verse 16 serves as the opportunity for action and explanation by the disciples. However, they are not the ones to respond to the question but a desperate father in verses 17-18. These verses reveal the topic of the debate as the father gives both an explanation and a plea for help. The plea for help comes first as the father explains how the disciples could not heal his son. The lengthy description of the boy’s problem reveals the common symptoms of epilepsy, which is interpreted as a spirit. Verse 25 indicates that the spirit was “unclean.” Any parent with a sick or disabled child knows the empty, desperate pain of this man as he watched his son suffer. Every seizure episode takes a part of the parent. There was no human hope for a situation like this, which is evidenced by the disciples’ failure. The father’s last statement explains the topic of debate regarding the disciples’ inability to heal the boy. The father’s two-part explanation prepares for the rest of the narrative.
Jesus’ initial response to the man’s plea in verse 19 shows exasperation and emotion. Jesus’ reference to the faithless generation became a recurring theme beginning in 8:12 and repeated in 8:38; 9:19; and 13:30. The phrase implies that the people of that day who heard the gospel of God’s kingdom were slow to accept it and the one who brought the message. They saw Jesus’ miracles and heard his preaching but they still lacked faith. The focus of these rhetorical questions is not clear, whether it be the crowd or the disciples, or both. Both groups had the opportunity to hear and believe, and the disciples more so. Doubt and fear can keep us from experiencing the power of Jesus in us. Following Jesus without the commitment of faith leaves us lacking spiritual victory and effectiveness in ministry to others. The disciples were learning a hard and embarrassing lesson.
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