Matthew 17:19-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 17:14-21

We have here the miraculous cure of a child that was lunatic and vexed with a devil. Observe, I. A melancholy representation of the case of this child, made to Christ by the afflicted father. This was immediately upon his coming down from the mountain where he was transfigured. Note, Christ's glories do not make him unmindful of us and of our wants and miseries. Christ, when he came down from the mount, where had conversation with Moses and Elias, did not take state upon him, but was as easy... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 17:14-20

17:14-20 When they came to the crowd, a man came to him and fell at his feet and said, "Sir, have pity on my son, for he is an epileptic, and he suffers severely; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water; and I brought him to your disciples, and they were not able to cure him." Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me!" And Jesus spoke sternly to him, and the demon came out of him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 17:19

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart ,.... Or "secretly", as the Vulgate Latin, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel read; that is, privately, and when alone; and as Mark says, "when he was come into the house"; and was by himself, then came the nine disciples to him, to converse with him about this matter, and said unto him, why could not we cast him out ? That is, the devil, and so cure the lunatic; the Syriac and Persic versions render it, "why could not we heal him?" The lunatic; which only... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 17:20

And Jesus said unto them, because of your unbelief ,.... The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "because of your little faith", or "the smallness of your faith"; and so does one Greek manuscript; and which is what is doubtless meant by their unbelief; for they were not altogether destitute of faith, but their faith was very low, and their unbelief very great. Christ says, not because of the unbelief of the parent of the child, and those that were with him, though that also was a reason; but... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 17:19

Why could not we cast him out? - They were confounded at their want of success - but not at their want of faith, which was the cause of their miscarriage! When the ministers of the Gospel find their endeavors, with respect to some places or persons, ineffectual, they should come, by private prayer, to Christ, humble themselves before him, and beg to be informed whether some evil in themselves have not been the cause of the unfruitfulness of their labors. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 17:20

Because of your unbelief - Are we preachers of the Gospel? Do the things of God rest upon our minds with a deep and steady conviction? Can we expect that a doctrine which we do not, from conviction, credit ourselves, can be instrumental in our hands of begetting faith in others? So we preached, end so ye believed. The word preached generally begets in the people the same spirit which the preacher possesses. Instead of απιϚιαν , unbelief, the famous Vatican MS. and Cod. Cyprius, six others,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 17:19

Verse 19 Matthew 17:19.Then the disciples coming. The disciples wonder that the power which they once possessed has been taken from them; but they had lost it by their own fault. Christ therefore attributes this want of ability to their unbelief, and repeats and illustrates more largely the statement which he had previously made, that nothing is impossible to faith It is a hyperbolical mode of expression, no doubt, when he declares that faith removes trees and mountains; but the meaning amounts... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 17:14-21

Healing of the demoniac boy. ( Mark 9:16-29 ; Luke 9:37-42 .) The account of the miracle is much curtailed in our Gospel; the fullest narrative is given by St. Mark, to whom we must refer for the complete details. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 17:14-21

The maniac boy. I. THE FAILURE OF THE NINE APOSTLES . 1 . The descent from the mount . The morning had come, and the Lord with the three chosen apostles came down from the Mount of the Transfiguration to rejoin those whom he had left behind. As he drew near to them he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them ( Mark 9:14 ). It was a strange contrast. He had just left the peace of the mountain side and the glory of the heavenly radiance.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 17:14-21

The lunatic lad. This incident is memorable chiefly on account of three truths it impresses on the mind. I. THE APPARENTLY UNLIMITED RANGE OUR LORD GIVES TO FAITH . Promise, rebuke, and surprise are mingled in his reply. "if thou canst, all things are possible," etc. As if he said, "You do not surely question my power; it is no question of power, it is a question of faith; have you faith to receive, to evoke the power?" As clearly as possible he says to this man, "The... read more

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