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Mark 9

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.

For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

For he that is not against us is on our part.

For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

What does Mark 9:20 mean?

Explanation

Mark 9:20 narrates an incident where a boy possessed by an unclean spirit is brought before Jesus.

Upon Jesus' presence, the spirit reacts violently, causing the boy to convulse and foam at the mouth.

This scene reflects the immediate recognition of Jesus' authority by the spirit and the physical manifestation of the boy's affliction.

The verse underscores the intense battle between good and evil and highlights Jesus’ power over demonic forces.

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Historical Context

This event occurs in the context of first-century Palestine, where Jesus is actively engaged in his public ministry.

Beliefs in spirits and demon possession were common in Jewish culture.

Healing and exorcism were part of Jesus' activities that demonstrated his messianic authority.

The disciples' prior failure to heal the boy (as indicated earlier in Mark 9) also sets the stage for Jesus to display his divine power.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse illustrates several key concepts:

The reality of spiritual warfare: It acknowledges the presence of evil spirits and their influence on individuals.
The authority of Christ: Jesus is demonstrated to have supreme power over demonic forces.
Faith and healing: The incident highlights the need for faith in God's power to heal and deliver, which is a recurrent theme in Jesus' ministry.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of Mark 9:20 might include:

Recognizing that spiritual forces are at play in the world and seeking spiritual solutions through faith and prayer.
The importance of bringing our struggles to Jesus, believing in his ability to overcome what appears to be insurmountable.
Remaining humble and dependent on Christ's power rather than our own abilities, as the disciples learned in this story.

Cross-References

Mark 5:2-5 - Another incident where a man with an unclean spirit exhibits physical manifestations and is healed by Jesus.
Luke 9:38-42 - Luke’s account of the same story, providing additional details on the event.
Mark 1:23-26 - A man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit is healed by Jesus, demonstrating His authority over demons early in His ministry.

Language Study

In the original Greek text, "straightway" (εὐθέως, euthys) conveys immediacy or suddenness.

"Spirit" (πνεῦμα, pneuma) can refer to wind, breath, or a supernatural being like an evil spirit.

The word "tare" (σπαράσσω, sparassō) carries the meaning of convulsing violently or agitating intensely.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient cultures, demonic possession was also recognized and various rites of exorcism existed.

For instance, in ancient Mesopotamian societies, priests performed elaborate rituals to expel evil spirits.

The belief in spirits was widespread, and the power to exorcise them was often associated with significant religious figures or deities.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science typically does not acknowledge demonic possession as a verifiable phenomenon.

Episodes described as possession in ancient texts might be understood in terms of psychological or neurological disorders today, such as epilepsy or psychosis.

The foaming at the mouth could be viewed as a symptom of a seizure disorder.

Commentaries

Commentaries provide various expert interpretations of Mark 9:20.

Some focus on the supernatural aspect, recognizing the story as a demonstration of Jesus's dominion in the spiritual realm.

Others might be more concerned with the human element, discussing the suffering of the boy and his father and Jesus's response as a compassionate healer.

Still, some might adopt a symbolic reading, seeing the possessed boy as representing the human condition without divine intervention.

Mark 9

Mark 9

What does Mark 9:20 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 9:20 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?