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Mark 9:17

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

And {G2532} one {G1520} of {G1537} the multitude {G3793} answered {G611} and said {G2036}, Master {G1320}, I have brought {G5342} unto {G4314} thee {G4571} my {G3450} son {G5207}, which hath {G2192} a dumb {G216} spirit {G4151};

One of the crowd gave him the answer: "Rabbi, I brought my son to you because he has an evil spirit in him that makes him unable to talk.

Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute.

And one of the multitude answered him, Teacher, I brought unto thee my son, who hath a dumb spirit;

Commentary

Mark 9:17 introduces a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, immediately following the Transfiguration experience. This verse sets the scene for one of Jesus' most dramatic acts of healing and deliverance, highlighting the stark contrast between divine power and human inability.

Context

Upon descending from the Mount of Transfiguration, where He had revealed His glory to Peter, James, and John, Jesus returns to a scene of confusion and contention. The other disciples, left below, were engaged in a dispute with the scribes, evidently because they had been unable to cast out a demon from a boy. This verse captures the father's desperate plea as Jesus arrives, cutting through the general commotion to address the Master directly. The father's action underscores the deep distress and hopelessness that had settled upon him and his son, leading him to seek the one true source of help.

Key Themes

  • Desperate Appeal: The father's cry to Jesus is a testament to his profound desperation and belief that only Christ could help. It highlights the human tendency to turn to a higher power when all other options fail.
  • The Reality of Demonic Influence: The "dumb spirit" (Greek: pneuma alalon, meaning a mute or speechless spirit) signifies a literal demonic entity that caused the boy's inability to speak and other severe symptoms, including seizures, as described in subsequent verses. This passage affirms the biblical reality of spiritual forces of evil at work in the world.
  • Seeking Jesus' Authority: The father's direct address, "Master" (Greek: Didaskalos, meaning 'Teacher'), indicates his recognition of Jesus' unique authority and power, even if his understanding was still developing. He brought his son specifically to Jesus, not just to the disciples.
  • Foreshadowing Disciples' Limitations: This verse immediately precedes the revelation of the disciples' failure to heal the boy (Mark 9:18), setting the stage for Jesus to demonstrate His unparalleled power over evil and to address the issue of faith.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "dumb spirit" is a key term. In Greek, it is pneuma alalon (πνεῦμα ἄλαλον). Pneuma refers to a 'spirit' or 'breath', and alalon means 'mute' or 'speechless'. This is not to say the spirit itself was mute, but rather that it was a spirit that caused muteness in the person it possessed. It effectively rendered the boy unable to communicate, contributing to his isolation and suffering. This specific description helps us understand the nature of the affliction and the precise manifestation of the demonic oppression.

Practical Application

Mark 9:17 offers several enduring lessons for believers today:

  • Where We Turn in Crisis: Like the father, we are encouraged to bring our deepest and most challenging problems directly to Jesus. When human efforts fail, Christ remains our ultimate hope and source of help.
  • Acknowledging Spiritual Battles: The account reminds us that not all suffering is purely physical or psychological; some battles are spiritual. Understanding this can shape our approach to prayer and seeking divine intervention.
  • Compassion for the Suffering: The father's desperation and the boy's affliction invite us to cultivate compassion for those who are suffering, especially those battling conditions that seem beyond human remedy. Jesus' immediate attention to their plight serves as a model for our own empathy and action.
  • Trusting in Christ's Power: This verse sets the stage for a powerful demonstration of Jesus' authority over all evil, reinforcing the truth that nothing is impossible with Him.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Luke 11:14 (3 votes)

    ¶ And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

  • Mark 9:25 (3 votes)

    When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, [Thou] dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

  • Luke 9:38 (2 votes)

    And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.

  • Matthew 12:22 (2 votes)

    ¶ Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

  • Mark 10:13 (2 votes)

    ¶ And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and [his] disciples rebuked those that brought [them].

  • Matthew 17:15 (2 votes)

    Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

  • Mark 7:26 (2 votes)

    The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.