It seems immediately following the event of Mark 9:14-29, Jesus and his disciples left for Galilee (Mark 9:30). If this is true, then Jesus’ descending the mount (cp. Luke 9:37) wasn’t the same descent that immediately followed Jesus’ Transfiguration (Mark 9:9). Luke’s descent and the event that followed in Mark 9:14-29 occurred about a day afterward or the next day after the Feast of Tabernacles (i.e., after the whole eight-day festival). Had Luke 9:37 been the same descent as Mark 9:9, it would have been the daylight portion of the Last Great Day of the Feast, and Jesus would have met with the Jewish rulers in the Temple and questioned about the woman caught in adultery (cp. John 7:37; 8:1-3). Later, on the Last Great Day, Jesus healed a man born blind (John 8:59; John 9:1-7). Yet, immediately following the event of Mark 9:14-29, Jesus and his disciples left for Galilee. Therefore, the two descents (Mark 9:9 & Luke 9:37) occurred on different days.
When Jesus came down the mount and came to his disciples, he found they were being questioned by the scribes, Jewish authorities. When the people saw Jesus coming, they were greatly amazed and came running to greet him (Mark 9:14). The Greek word for greatly amazed (G1568) is used four times and only in Mark. It is used here (Mark 9:15) for the people being amazed at seeing Jesus. It is used of Jesus in Gethsemane, when he was afraid he would die of sorrow and depression before he could be crucified (Mark 14:33), and it is used of the women when they saw the angel and by the angel, telling the women not to be afraid (Mark 16:5-6). The question arises, then, why were the people in Mark 9:15 so filled with fear or amazement at the sight of Jesus?
Some scholars, believing Mark 9:9 and Luke 9:37 describe the same event, wondered if Jesus’ face still gleamed somewhat from his Transfiguration, and that was the reason why folks were utterly amazed at his presence (cp. Exodus 34:30), but this doesn’t seem logical in light of Paul’s argument in 2Corinthians 3:13-18. However, if my chronology of events is accurate, then the people may have been greatly amazed at seeing Jesus, because, just a day prior to this, he had healed a man born blind (John 9:1-7), something that was completely unheard of prior to that miracle (John 9:32)! It was just such a thing that might have prompted a man to believe his own son could be healed of epilepsy and of being born dumb (Mark 9:17, 21).
So, Jesus walked up to the crowd of people, but he directed his question at the scribes who had been questioning his disciples (Mark 9:16). Mark is the only Gospel narrator who mentions the scribes. Both Matthew and Luke begin telling the event by saying the father of the boy went to Jesus, saying his disciples were unable to cast out the evil spirit and heal his son (Matthew 17:14-16; Luke 9:37-40). Jesus’ question seems to lay fault of some kind at the feet of the scribes. Perhaps, where they were unsuccessful in taunting Jesus (Mark 8:11), they succeeded with his disciples. Obviously, since the boy was eventually healed, it was the will of God that it would be so. Therefore, Jesus’ Apostles must have attempted to heal the man’s son under circumstances that didn’t glorify God (cp. 1John 5:14-15).
As I just mentioned, it was the father of the boy who replied to Jesus’ question (Mark 9:17-18), telling him of his disciples’ unsuccessful attempt at healing his son. Nevertheless, Jesus seemed to blame the boy’s father and those who were with him (Mark 9:19), for he said nothing to his disciples until later. That wouldn’t occur until they asked him, privately, why they were unable to cast out the evil spirit (Mark 9:28). So, when Jesus told the man to bring the child to him, he did, but the young boy began to convulse, probably due to the excitement all around him (Mark 9:20).
Jesus asked the man how long this had been happening to the boy, and the lad’s father told Jesus such was the state of his son even as an infant (Mark 9:21), and added **if** you can do anything… requesting Jesus’ help (Mark 9:22). Immediately, Jesus replied with **IF** you can believe! All things are possible for the one who believes (Mark 9:23), thus emphasizing unbelief as the failure of the first attempts at the boy’s healing, and laying that blame on the faithless father and those with him (cp. Mark 9:18-19). Interestingly, the father confessed his faithlessness, but wanted to believe and asked Jesus to help him or have mercy on his unsuccessful attempts at belief (Mark 9:24).
Jesus will always receive a repentant sinner who admits his sin, but he rejects all who will try to blame others for their present condition. Once the man took the blame to himself, rather than blame Jesus’ disciples, Jesus honored the man’s request. When he noted that the crowd was increasing and growing more and more excited Jesus healed the boy immediately, rather than cause the lad undo fright over the increasing commotion. Once the boy cried out, he lay motionless, and some folks thought he was dead (Mark 9:25-27), alluding to the faithlessness of the crowd, who assembled only to be entertained. Nevertheless, Jesus took the man’s son by the hand and returned him to his father completely healed.
What I find interesting about this miracle which follows Jesus Transfiguration in each of the Synoptics is its apparent ‘connection’ with the Transfiguration. It is a dumb spirit and only what was considered unclean came from the boy’s mouth. This seems to fit the condition of the unbeliever before his coming to Christ. In other words, men’s spirits are dumb in terms of fellowship with the Lord, and our whole manner of life exposes an unclean heart from within. However, once a man is turned to Christ, he is changed more and more into the image of God by the Spirit of God, which is given him (cp. 2Corinthians 3:11-18).
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