Mark by David E. Garland

Author:David E. Garland
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Christian, Reference, Bible Study & Reference, New Testament, Religion, Biblical Commentary, Commentaries
ISBN: 9780310873150
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 1996-10-10T00:00:00+00:00

Bridging Contexts

THE PANDEMONIUM THAT greets Jesus and the three disciples after they descend the mountain might give Peter new incentive to return to the place of glory to build those shelters, far removed from the confusion, din, and discord below. But disciples cannot sequester themselves from life’s failures or from a faithless generation.

This episode differs from other exorcisms in Mark, and one learns where the central concerns are by looking at the differences. It does not focus so much on Jesus’ power over the demonic but turns our attention to the disciples’ failure (at the beginning and end of the pericope) and to the father’s need for faith (in the middle). The key moments are Jesus’ pronouncements: “Everything is possible for him who believes” (9:23), and, “This kind can come out only by prayer” (9:29). Our interpretation should therefore focus on the parallels between us and the blundering disciples and the man’s cry for help and faith—both of which are easy to carry over into our contemporary world.

This vivid account shows that disciples are just like the rest of us: beset by failure, too ready to engage in arguments, undisciplined in prayer life, and more eager to learn techniques than to take time to walk closely with God. The incident also reveals how feeble the disciples are when they are on their own. We can draw lessons from each of these failures.

To their credit, the disciples do want to learn from their mistakes. Their question to Jesus, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” reveals a basic misconception deriving from assumptions about exorcism in their first-century world. The question places an emphasis on “we” and betrays the longing to rely on their own professional skill and power. They may have wondered if there was something wrong with their technique that made things go awry. In the ancient world, magicians, sorcerers, and exorcists sought to hit the right combination of words and actions that would invoke the appropriate divine power to achieve the desired effects. They would weave esoteric spells employing potent divine names, perform mysterious actions, and use special instruments. It was all a matter of technique. Any relationship to the deity, such as love or devotion, was not required for success, just as the one who possessed Aladdin’s lamp need only rub it to get the three wishes.

Josephus represents this view of exorcism when he exalted Solomon’s prowess in demonic exorcism:

And God granted him knowledge of the art used against demons for the benefit of healing and healing of men. He also composed incantations by which illnesses are relieved, and left behind forms of exorcisms with which those possessed by demons drive them out never to return.10

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