Matthew 17:14-20

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A Moment with the Bible
Matthew 17:14-20
Mark’s account gives far more details concerning this incident with the man’s demon-possessed son (Mark 9:14-29). While Jesus had been on the mountain with Peter, James, and John, the rest of the apostles had gotten themselves in a bit of trouble with the scribes. As Jesus approached, He saw the scribes arguing with them. After questioning the scribes, He was told that this man had brought his son to the disciples to be healed and they could not heal him. Hearing this, we see a rare display of frustration on the part of Jesus. He calls the apostles a “faithless generation,” indicating that they had followed the faithlessness of their age. There was no reason why they should have failed at casting out the demon. Apparently this particular demon was especially powerful. In Mark’s account Jesus said, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Therefore, we would conclude that the reason the apostles failed was because they did not truly rely on and have faith in the power of God. They must have trusted in themselves, or at the very least doubted when they saw the violence of the demon. This is a powerful lesson for us! How often do we rely on our own strength? In James 4:13-17, James warned of the arrogance of a man who would plan to go to a city and spend a year to buy and sell and get gain without first saying, “If they Lord wills…” We only have life, strength, and ability if God grants us to have it.Notice further the statement of Jesus to the apostles that if they had the faith of a mustard seed they would be able to move a mountain. Of course, the apostles, Jesus, nor anyone else in scripture, ever literally moved a mountain. Jesus is using a figure of speech to emphasize the great things that can be done when one has even a little faith. Think of the spiritual obstacles we face. There are sins that we think are the size of mountains; there are trials that we are sure we cannot overcome; and there are unbelievers we do not think cannot be taught. But with a little faith in the power of God, these “mountains” can be moved. It is our lack of faith that leaves us in the bewildered state that the apostles found themselves in the presence of the scribes and the multitude.

Berry Kercheville