Suffering Before Glory
9:9-13
After the Transfiguration, Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone about it until after his resurrection. They obeyed, though they did not understand what he meant about rising from the dead. (9) Their lack of understanding is probably the reason he did not want them to tell anyone about his transfiguration.
Since the Pharisees had believed and taught resurrection from the dead at the end of the age, it is puzzling why the disciples cannot understand it at all. It is likely their spiritual blindness, refusing to let go of their preconception of the Messiah as conqueror, not suffering servant, that is the cause of their lack of understanding.. Peter’s rebuke of Jesus proved this point.
Seeing Elijah with Jesus did bring to their minds the teaching that Elijah would come before the Messiah. So, they asked Jesus why the scribes taught that. (11)
They may have been thinking, since Malachi recorded the LORD saying he would send Elijah before the great and awesome (or terrible) day of the Lord, would that not mean there was no need for suffering by the Lord? (Malachi 4:4-6)
Jesus said it was true that Elijah would come and restore things. (12) He also said Elijah had already come. (13) He referred to John the Baptist, who had come as a prophet like Elijah. He brought restoration by calling people to repentance to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.
However, John also led the way into suffering. Jesus said: “they did to him whatever they pleased”. (13) Herod put him in prison and then executed him.
So, Jesus asked how is it written that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? (12) Jesus referred them back to the scriptures, which were authoritative over traditions and speculations. Isaiah wrote that the anointed one would be despised and rejected, knowing sorrow and grief. (Isaiah 53:3) He would be wounded. He would be whipped. He would be oppressed. (53:7) He would be killed. (53:9)
Jesus wanted them to understand that his path was suffering and death before victory. If they treated “Elijah” badly, how much more would they treat the Anointed One badly?
Jesus & The Unclean Spirit
9:14-15
Jesus came down from the mountain to encounter turmoil. The scribes were arguing with the disciples. A crowd was gathering. And a father was desperate for someone to save his son from a demon.
These are the usual groups for Jesus’ encounters. There is a person who desperately needs the ministry of Jesus. There is a crowd of people interested in what Jesus will do. And there are representatives from the religious establishment, usually Pharisees, including Scribes, as here.
The person in need of ministry is a boy possessed by a demon that torments and even tries to kill him. He has been brought by his father, who is desperate to see the boy freed from the demon.
He brought the boy to Jesus, but Jesus was on the mountain with Peter, James, and John, who were with Jesus. So, the remaining disciples tried to cast out the demon and failed. (18) He asked Jesus to have compassion on the boy.
Jesus expressed his exasperation, calling the Jews a faithless generation. It seems he included everyone present in that category. They lack faith in God. This is especially noteworthy for the disciples, whom Jesus had previously given the power to cast out demons.
But, it also included the man who brought his son. He said “if you can do anything”. (32) Jesus challenged his unbelief. He said “all things are possible for one who believes”. The problem was not Jesus’ ability or power; it was the lack of faith of the man and the disciples. The man confessed having some belief and asked Jesus to help him with his unbelief. (24)
After this confession of faith, Jesus cast out the demon.
The immediate effect of the exorcism seemed to be bad. The boy “seemed like a corpse” and the crowd said he was dead. But Jesus lifted him up and “he arose”. (27)
The disciples had just questioned what rising from the dead meant. Did they see the connection?
The story ends with Jesus taking the disciples into a house. He was seeking some privacy so he could teach them privately and without distraction. He likely perceives what is on their minds.
So, why could the disciples not cast out the demon? They asked Jesus that question.
Jesus said it required prayer. He had already expressed exasperation at their lack of faith. Prayer is making requests of God in faith. God has the power, but we must exercise faith to ask. Hebrews 11:6 says: “And without faith it is impossible to please him (God), for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
The disciples had demonstrated a lack of faith. When they are not with Jesus, or even when he is with them but asleep, they fall apart. When he asked them to do something outside their own power, they do not think to ask Jesus for it. When he teaches, they fail to understand.
God is adequate for all problems. We are not. That is supposed to drive us to prayer, believing in God’s power. Like the disciples, we often fail at that. Even a small amount of faith is honored by God. And we can ask him to increase our faith.
God has compassion on those who are hurting or broken. We should imitate him in that, even when those people caused their problems. We do not “shoot our wounded”, we lift them up.
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