Faith and Prayer

Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.” [Mark 9.28-29]

Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” [Matthew 17.19-20]

I noted both New Testament accounts of the event above so as to give a thorough representation of just what God's Word is teaching.

The story is well-known in the Bible of the time the disciples could not cast out a demon that was wreaking havoc on a boy's life. The father of the child approached Jesus and told Jesus the disciples could not cast the demon out, Jesus scolded the non-belief, Jesus healed the child, then the disciples asked their question "Why couldn't we do it?", and Jesus gave the answer found in the two passages above.

First, the convulsions described in the Bible that the child of this story was experiencing were obviously a defect of some sort - epileptic and other seizures are still common today. Because the people in Jesus' day were ignorant of the medical reasons for such a condition, they called it a demon. But the fact remains, whether it was a physical condition or demon, Jesus healed it. However, we MUST remain aware that Jesus referred to it and dealt with it as a demon. What were demons then, are still demons now - regardless what we call it!

Next, the fact that the disciples were unable to cast out the demon is not so surprising. However, I think it is important that we look carefully at what Jesus said when the father of the child told Jesus about the disciples' failure:

Jesus said to them,[b] “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” [Mark 9.19] Footnote [b]: Or said to his disciples. 

Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” [Matthew 17.17]

Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.” [Luke 9.41]

In the three accounts of Jesus' response to finding out the disciples could not cast out the demon, it appears Jesus may have included the father in the scolding as well. Only the account in Mark provides a footnote indication possibly that Jesus addressed only the disciples in His scolding. My point is this: faith wasn't just for the disciples!

Finally, Jesus is on record in two Gospels for having explained why the demon was resistant to the efforts of the disciples to cast it out. The two Gospels give somewhat different explanations: Mark's account records Jesus as saying is was because of the lack of prayer (and fasting in a footnote), and Matthew's account says Jesus said it was a lack of faith. So, which one is right and which one is wrong? Let me just answer my own question with a riddle: 

What is prayer if it does not believe? And what is faith if it does not pray? 

My point is this: prayer and faith are inseparable.

Father, help me to understand more and more from Your Word. And especially help me learn of  Jesus as my example how to live on earth in faith and prayer.