And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!" Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. Mark 9:14-27
This deliverance occurred right after Christ had come down the mountain from His Transfiguration experience. While He was gone for this glorious experience, the disciples (nine of them) that remained behind had experienced great failure in casting out a demon from a young boy. This had given the scribes reason for criticism of both the disciples and Christ and the scribes were being noisy about the failure when Christ arrived on the scene. But the failure of the disciples was countered by the success of Christ which shut the mouths of the critical scribes.
Coming upon the scene of this failure was a great contrast for Christ from what He had just experienced in the Transfiguration on the mount. There He had been receiving from the Father honor and glory (2 Peter 1:17); here his disciples, those to whom had been entrusted in his absence, had been representing Him, were experiencing, shame, defeat, and dishonor" (Trench). But Christ adjusted quickly and well to the change of situation and performed as faithfully in this time of humiliation as He had earlier in the time of honor during the Transfiguration. In spite of all the honors of the mountain transfiguration experience, Christ still cared about the need of those in the valley. As Matthew Henry said, "Christ's glories do not make him unmindful of us and of our wants and miseries." The Transfiguration did not distance Christ from human need. In fact, "the mission in the mountain was for the valley need" (Lockyer). Times of spiritual blessing are so we can bless others who have great need. Peter wanted to build three tabernacles and stay in the mount. But that was not the purpose of the transfiguration experience. When God endows us with blessing, it is not for us to bask selfishly in the luxury of the blessing; but for us to use the blessing to benefit others. Blessings are for service to others, not for selfish personal gain.
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