Luke 9:37-43 37And it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out and it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and it will hardly leave him and bruises him. 40And I begged your disciples in order that they might cast it out, but they were not able.” 41Jesus answered, “O faithless and misled generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and he convulsed. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43And all were astonished at the majesty of God.
The next passage describes a situation of struggle that began while Jesus and the three disciples were up on the mountain. A father had a son infected with an unclean spirit that cause the boy to have seizures. The situation seemed hopeless for the boy. The description of the boy in verse 39 sounds like what modern doctors call epilepsy, with the sudden cry, seizure, and foaming at the mouth. People in the ancient world–and even to the modern period–did not understand how the brain operates or that a problem like this has no easy cure outside of certain medications or surgery. Those who have struggled with epilepsy or had a family member know the hopelessness one feels when a child goes into a seizure. The child may often fall and injure him or herself. The child in this story was the man’s only son, which intensifies the struggle.
The man had sought help from the other nine disciples but they could do nothing about the situation. After the successful mission they had gone on earlier, they were lacking several crucial qualities, including Jesus’ authority and commission. They did not understand the necessary connection to the person of Jesus in order to see miracles happen. Miracles and healing do not come by human power or magic but only through the power of Jesus’ name, meaning, his authority and purpose.
Jesus’ response has a hint of exasperation at the situation. His rhetorical question in verse 41 gets at two key issues that plague every generation. The disciples had been with Jesus for quite some time, possible up to several years by this point. Had they learned anything? How about dependence on Jesus? Did they trust in him or their own abilities? The word misled in this verse can have several meanings, including twisted, crooked, or perverted. The extent of the distortion that generation was experiencing is difficult to gauge from this one word. They were both being taught the wrong things and also choosing the wrong path, which would lead them to sin and judgment. The disciples were too much like their generation and had not moved over to kingdom life. They believed in Jesus but had not fully committed to his way of life by acknowledging him as their Lord. The systematic theologian might call them unsanctified baby Christians.
The disciples learned an important lesson that day as Jesus healed the boy. The miracle confirmed the voice from heaven in verse 35. Verse 42 indicates that the boy did not simply have a physical problem of epilepsy but was possessed by a demon. The implications of this idea are difficult to assess from a modern perspective, but we should interpret the story first from the perspective of Luke and those who witnessed the event. The point of the story is clear: Jesus has the power to heal. Luke emphasizes this point in verse 43, which connects this story to the revelation on the mountain in the previous passage.
Only by the majesty of God could anything like this happen. Majesty (megaleiotēti) can also mean awesomeness, grandeur, and impressiveness. Jesus embodied this majesty, and the disciples had the privilege to see it firsthand. While we obviously are far removed from this story, this same majesty is before us in the words of the Bible, confirmed through the testimony of two thousand years of church history, and available now through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. The choice is ours if we will believe and accept it, and thus, experience the healing power witnessed in this story.
For older posts, click here.