Mark 9:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

NIV: Jesus asked the boy’s father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.

NASB: And He asked his father, 'How long has this been happening to him?' And he said, 'From childhood.

CSB: "How long has this been happening to him?" Jesus asked his father. "From childhood," he said.

NLT: How long has this been happening?' Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, 'Since he was a little boy.

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

NKJV: So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes recurring seizures. Convulsions and foaming at the mouth are common, and if the condition appears early enough in the person's childhood development, the language center of the brain can be affected, making it difficult to learn a language. That doesn't mean that epilepsy, in general, is caused by demonic possession and, in fact, Matthew 4:24 differentiates the two conditions. When Jesus heals, the Gospels are careful to distinguish between a physical condition and demonic possession. In this case, the boy is clearly possessed by a demon that apparently causes seizure-like manifestations. In Matthew 17:15, the father diagnoses the boy as physically disabled, or epileptic. Jesus treats the boy as demon-possessed and nothing else.

This is not the first time the Bible talks about the duration of a condition. Mark states the woman with an issue of blood suffered for twelve years (Mark 5:25). Luke, the physician, notes that a woman had a disabling spirit for eighteen years (Luke 13:11). John speaks of one man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years (John 5:5) and another man blind from birth (John 9:1).

God does not promise physical healing today, but if He chooses to heal, He is not constrained by the duration of the condition. He is willing to heal our hearts no matter how long ago or how enduring the abuse, trauma, or sin has been.

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.