“et frequenter eum in ignem, et in aquas misit ut eum perderet : sed si quid potes, adjuva nos, misertus nostri.”
“And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.”
“Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?” “From childhood,” he said.”
“He asked his father, “How long has it been since this has come to him?” He said, “From childhood.”
“And he asked his father, How long time is it since this hath come unto him? And he said, From a child.”
IV. The deplorable condition that the child was actually in, when he was brought to Christ, and the doleful representation which the father made of it. When the child saw Christ, he fell into a fit; The spirit straightway tore him, boiled within him, troubled him (so Dr. Hammond); as if the devil would set Christ at defiance, and hoped to be too hard for him too, and to keep possession in spite of him. The child fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. We may put another construction upon it—that the devil raged, and had so much the greater wrath, because he knew that his time was short, Rev 7 12. Christ asked, How long since this came to him? And, it seems, the disease was of long standing; it came to him of a child (v. 21), which made the case the more sad, and the cure more difficult. We are all by nature children of disobedience, and in such the evil spirit works, and has done so from our childhood; for foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, and nothing but the mighty grace of Christ can cast it out.
Verses 14-29 The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Satan is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves, and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause him all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more than ordinary pains.