The Demoniac Boy: Matthew 17:14-21

Matthew 17:14‑21
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It is a terrible fact that this world is under the power of Satan as its prince. The Saviour was reminded of it in a peculiarly painful manner as He descended from the holy mount after His transfiguration. He found a crowd assembled, with scribes among them, and a poor demon-possessed lad wallowing and foaming in their midst. His disciples were there, but through lack of faith they were impotent in the presence of the enemy’s power. Divinely commissioned and endowed though they were (Matt. 10:11And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. (Matthew 10:1)), they were unable to meet the emergency.
The Lord learned upon inquiry that the lad had suffered thus from his childhood. A picture, only too correct, of our race, which fell into the hands of Satan in its very infancy, i.e., in the days of the garden of Eden. The poor child was both dumb and deaf (Mark 9:2525When 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. (Mark 9:25)), reflecting thus the spiritual condition of every representative of fallen Adam. The unregenerate man has nothing to say for God, and he has no ear for the commandments of God. God is to him as though He were not. The afflicted child was in constant peril of his life. His father said of the unclean spirit within him: “Oft-times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him.” In like manner every undelivered sinner is in jeopardy, not of temporal disaster merely, but of eternal destruction. Man’s chosen leader is truly a cruel deceiver; would that all eyes were open to the fact!
Disappointed in the disciples, who should have been able to make potent use of the Saviour’s name, the despairing father turned to the Lord Himself. With no great amount of faith, however. “If Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:2222And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. (Mark 9:22)). What words to address to the Lord of all! He Who created the universe, and all that is therein, could surely overthrow the power of Satan, a mere creature of His hand, albeit the most mighty! Demons always recognized Who and what He was; men, alas, but rarely.
It is the privilege of Christ’s heralds now to proclaim not what He is able to do merely, but what He has done. Having bowed His head in death as an atonement for sin, He is righteously able “to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bound” (Luke 4:1818The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18)). None need remain under the galling yoke of Satan for a single hour; one simple appeal to the victorious Lord in heaven’s glory sets the soul at large forever. “If Thou canst!” said the Saviour to the parent; “all things are possible to him that believeth” (R.V.). Here we have the secret of blessing and deliverance at all times. It is not human effort, whether resolutions, prayers, or religiousness, but simple faith in the Son of God. The Gospel was intended to open men’s eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance amongst all who are sanctified by faith in Christ (Acts 26:1818To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:18)).
With tears the father exclaimed: “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” At once the blessing came and the child was set free forever. Each of the Synoptists records this touching incident; Mark, as usual, with greatest fullness of detail.