Mark 9:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.

NIV: A man in the crowd answered, 'Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.

NASB: And one person from the crowd answered Him, 'Teacher, I brought You my son, because he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak;

CSB: Someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak.

NLT: One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, 'Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk.

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

NKJV: Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.

"Mute" is from the Greek root word alalos which means unable to speak, just as we would think. This is not the same word used of the deaf man in Decapolis whose speech impediment prevented him from being understood (Mark 7:31–37). "Spirit" is from the Greek root word pneuma, which literally means wind or air movement, but is also used of non-corporeal beings, including the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:10), human spirits (Mark 14:38), and demons (Mark 1:23).

In the time of Christ, physical ailments are apparently often caused by demonic possession. Jesus clearly delineates illness caused by demons from those caused by medical issues. Today, some churches teach that demonic spirits inflict any number of specific hardships. Spirits are blamed for fatigue, sinful desires, mental illness, unemployment, and laziness. Although spiritual warfare is real (Ephesians 6:12), there is no indication in the Bible that people can be plagued by, say, a "spirit of infertility." Church leaders who convince people that they are being harassed or possessed by a demon that prevents them from finding work or making money are not teaching biblical truth. Christians cannot be possessed, and telling a young Christian he must go through an exorcism is tantamount to spiritual abuse.

In this case, and in other situations in the Bible, Jesus makes it clear that the ailment is caused by a demon. Undoubtedly, demons cause similar issues today. We need to exercise extreme caution, however, in making such a diagnosis.

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.