Rebuking a Demon

Rebuking a Demon {Matthew, Mark, and Luke}

{Matthew} Before a large crowd, a man knelt to Jesus and said, “Lord, have compassion for my son. He suffers from seizures to the point of falling into the fire or the water.”

{Mark} Teachers of the law argued with some of Jesus’ disciples and he asked what they argued about. {Mark and Luke} A man said, “Teacher, my son is possessed by a spirit that makes him mute and throws him to the ground foaming at the mouth. He grinds his teeth and goes rigid.” {Luke} “The spirit seldom leaves my son alone and is destroying him.”

{Matthew, Mark, and Luke} “I brought him to your disciples but they couldn’t heal him.”

Jesus said, “How long must I deal with a people obstinately determined to persist in their faulty judgment? Let me see the boy.”

{Mark and Luke} When the spirit saw Jesus, it caused the boy to go into a seizure.  

{Matthew and Luke} Jesus reprimanded the demon. It left the boy and he was healed.

{Mark} The child fell to the ground, rolling and foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father how long his son had suffered with this. “From childhood. It has tried to kill him by throwing him into fire or water. If you can do anything, take pity and help us.”

Jesus said, “If? Everything is possible for the believer.”

“I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.”

The spirit shrieked, violently seized the boy, and left. The crowd thought the boy had died but Jesus lifted him to his feet and he stood up.

{Matthew and Mark} When alone, the disciples asked Jesus why they’d been unable to drive out the demon. Jesus said,

{Matthew} “Because of your lack of faith. You need faith only as small as a mustard seed to make a mountain move from one place to another. Nothing would be impossible for you.”

{Mark} “This kind of spirit requires prayer to be cast out.”

{Matthew, Mark, and Luke} Later in Galilee, Jesus told the disciples, “The Son of Man will be betrayed and given to those who will kill him. But on the third day he will rise again.”

{Matthew} Grief filled the disciples. {Mark} The disciples didn’t understand but were afraid to pursue the subject. {Luke} Jesus’ meaning was hidden from the disciples’ comprehension.