Mark 9:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

NIV: So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

NASB: And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

CSB: So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

NLT: So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: 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.

The tenor of the demon's response to Jesus is normal, if the violence is unique. The demons in Capernaum (Mark 1:24–26; 3:11) and Decapolis (Mark 5:6–7) seem impelled to approach Jesus and react in a way that shows they know His power and authority and that He is their enemy. Where Peter, James, and John are afraid when they see a glimpse of Jesus' deity (Mark 9:6), the demons respond with hate. Most demons, upon seeing Jesus, are victim to a compulsion to declare who He is (Mark 1:24; 3:11; 5:7). This demon appears to make the boy mute because it is mute, and expresses its rage in more physical ways.

Ironically, as the demon acts out in the face of Jesus' authority and deity, the father interprets the violent display as evidence that Jesus can't control it (Mark 9:22).

For centuries, western culture has seen demons as titillating entertainment. Apocryphal and pseudepigraphal books, such as the falsely-attributed "Testament of Solomon," claim to classify and name particular demons. More recently, demons have been portrayed as anti-heroes, tragic victims, and romantic interests.

This account more clearly describes what demons are like: destructive and hateful, more than willing to kill a child (Mark 9:22). Demons do not deserve our pity or understanding. They do not have an opportunity for forgiveness, and they do not want one. They are the enemies of God, not plot-points for modern entertainment.

Mark 9:14–29 follows the transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John went up a mountain with Jesus and saw a display of His glory as God. They also saw Moses and Elijah and heard God affirm Jesus as His Son. Now the three disciples and Jesus return from the mountain and find the remaining disciples arguing with Jewish scribes. The disciples have tried to expel a dangerous demon from a young boy but have been unable despite having performed exorcisms before (Mark 6:7–13). Jesus explains that to do God's work, we need faith in Him and to be empowered by Him. This section is parallel to Matthew 17:14–20 and Luke 9:37–43.

Mark chapter 9 contains an account of Jesus' transfiguration, where three of the disciples witness Him in a glorified form. In this passage, Jesus also heals a demon-possessed boy. His teachings in this section include a prediction of His death and resurrection, and corrections to the disciples' errors on questions of pride and temptation.

Mark 9 continues Jesus' efforts to teach the disciples who He is, what He has come to do, and what their role is in His mission. The chapter begins with the transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John catch a glimpse of Jesus' glory, and ends back in Capernaum. Jesus spends most of that time teaching. Although the disciples do quarrel with the scribes, the misconceptions and errors Jesus addresses come from the disciples, themselves, not outsiders. In the next chapter, He will leave Galilee and travel toward Jerusalem and the cross.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.