Matthew 17:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.

NIV: Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

NASB: And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was healed at once.

CSB: Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and from that moment the boy was healed.

NLT: Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

KJV: And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

NKJV: And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

As did many ancient writers, Matthew often skips details and condenses accounts. While he seems especially detailed in his records of Jesus' words, he more often summarizes Jesus' interactions and miracles. He describes the exorcism of the demon from this boy (Matthew 17:14–17) very simply: Jesus rebuked the demon. It left, and the boy was instantly healed of the symptoms the demon had been causing. Mark provides much more information about this incident (Mark 9:20–27). When the demon, from inside the child, sees and recognizes Jesus, it causes the boy to go into a convulsion and fall to the ground, rolling around and foaming from the mouth.

The father asks Jesus to have compassion and help "if" He is able. Jesus does not let the doubt implied in that statement pass. Doubt is the very thing which has caused Him so much exasperation during His ministry (Matthew 17:17). He tells the father that all things are possible for the one who believes. The father famously responds by saying "I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). This has become the prayer of many people down through history struggling with faith in the face of their limited understanding.

Jesus quickly casts the demon out of the boy by saying "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again" (Mark 9:25). The demon convulses the boy once more and then leaves. The boy appears dead, but Jesus takes him by the hand and the boy stands up.

Matthew 17:14–21 finds Jesus and three of the disciples returning from the mountain, to find a crowd gathered around the remaining nine. A desperate father pleads on behalf of his demon-afflicted son who has seizures and often falls into water or fire. The disciples could not cast the demon out (Mark 9:14–29). Jesus, exasperated by the doubt of His disciples, rebukes the demon and heals the boy. When they ask, Jesus tells the disciples their faith was too small to cast out the demon. Even faith as small as a mustard seed is enough to move a mountain. Verse 21 nearly duplicates Mark 9:29 but is not found in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew.

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. There, they see Him "transfigured" into a shining, divine form. They also see Christ speaking with Moses and Elijah but are commanded not to speak of this event until later. Jesus heals a demon-afflicted boy after the disciples cannot cast the demon out. Jesus very clearly tells the disciples He will be delivered into the hands of men, killed, and raised on the third day. After explaining why He is exempt from a temple tax, Jesus agrees to pay it and tells Peter to find the money in the mouth of a fish.

Matthew 17 begins with the fulfillment of Jesus' prediction at the end of the previous chapter: that some of those present would not die before seeing Him coming in His kingdom. Jesus casts out a demon, predicts His death, and commands Peter to pay a temple tax with a coin from the mouth of a fish. This leads Matthew back to extensive records of Jesus' teachings, continuing through chapter 20.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.