Jesus: Disappointed v.5

Recorded the one occasion, Jesus spoke to people as being twisted, as stubborn, as distorting the truth, as being a perverted generation.

How it happened - in brief

• A boy was afflicted by a demon, or spirit
• His father brought him seeking help
• Jesus was away with three followers
• The remaining followers failed to help
• Jesus arrived during an argument with Bible experts
• Jesus asked what was going on
• The father told about the failure of Jesus' followers
• Then ...

“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here” (Matthew 17:17, NIV). Jesus spoke like THAT?

The report of the boy and his father is placed after the five loaves and two fish day. I presume it also follows many disappointed former Jesus followers quitting, recorded in John (see previous post, "Jesus and the disillusioned").

This particular ("perverse") interaction with Jesus came after a remarkable "mountain" episode from the Synoptics, which is amazing and difficult. You and I know about the mountain 👇 , but at the time of the "perverse" pericope, only Jesus and three close followers had that information. That being so, I can not see a clear tie of that mountain time to the lowland event, unless it was in the "wonder" in the greeting crowd (see below).

About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus' death[a] in Jerusalem would mean (Luke 9:28-31, CEV). Jesus was then contemplating his own "exodus". Perhaps the brilliance of Jesus' appearance is a reminder of the Old Testament (OT) times God's glory was visible. (We could read the account of the original Exodus for that, and also for Moses' radiant face in Exodus 34:29f.)

From the point of view of the three followers, and of all who come after them, a crucial moment came at the end of that time on the mountain: And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified (Matthew 17:4-6, ESV). Peter had to stop speaking! Such an odd moment.

Surely they were ready to obey! The first thing they had to listen to was Jesus' reassurance; the next was that they must keep quiet about this until after. No doubt they heeded him... Listen to Jesus.

The four then arrived "back" to a row in progress: When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. 

He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 

Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak, and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid, and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.”

He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me” (Mark 9:14-19, NRSVUE). A highly public moment. 

Why was the whole crowd overwhelmed, I wonder? Was it something in Jesus' appearance? (The sequence of events seem to flow together.)

What was the argument? Surely the "scribes" at that moment were being asked by Jesus ("asked them", and, "you", plural), but they do not answer, what the argument was. Was it their scorn for the failure of those professed followers of the Teacher? Note the "your disciples". That is how they are distinguished. Was the argument that if Jesus was truly who he claimed to be, disciples would be able to cure the boy? Or, if Jesus' teaching was good, they could do it! The situation was disturbed, and the man's need was the catalyst. He had been begging the available disciples (Luke). No doubt the lurking teachers of the law were observing, commenting and criticising. To them a good opportunity for some undermining.

Then came the unusual word: Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” While he was being brought forward, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands” (Luke 9:41-43, NRSVUE). In that situation of rebuke, God's greatness was shown, yes. (But they should not be mistaken about the plan...)

What was wrong that day, do you think? To whom was Jesus saying that? Why?

It seems that Jesus was "surrounded" by his disciples, plus the unrecorded scribes, and the needy father of the boy. Jesus was answering "them" (Mark 9), and referring to "you" (plural)*. It looks to me like the group of teachers of the law were included in the spotlight. Only them perhaps? If they refused to speak to Jesus that would not surprise, nor would it be unique. (By this time they may have known better than to directly attack him.) During the interaction a crowd began to run towards them (Mark 9).

"Faithless", or "unbelieving" - in what sense? To whom was this spoken? The most likely candidates are those Bible experts who were intervening at that time. It is one thing to be aware of what God says to us; it is another thing to take it to heart. More than once Jesus criticised lack of faith. More than once Jesus said that his antagonists were not trusting what God said; not submitting themselves to God's Word. For example (from much later): Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God (Matthew 22:29, NIV). Those Scriptures were their own "Bible", which we know as the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible. (In fact God's unrecognised Word was additionally coming to them in the person of Jesus; that Word now reaches you and me through our Bible.)

I see the arguing scribes there that day as representative of those we meet in the pages of the Gospels, and in this day. These were men whose employment revolved around God's Word. However, if that Word was truly a lamp to their feet, and a light to their path, surely they would listen with open heart to Jesus? Jesus fulfilled that Word and made clear what that really meant. They were on a different path, a broad and easy one. (Not that all the prominenti of the day were antagonistic - see Nicodemus; see Jairus.)

"Perverse"! It does not sound like Jesus... Something was seriously wrong!  That second description is confronting and uncommon. The core, active, meaning of the verb is given as: "divert from proper behaviour" (Danker, 2009). The occurrence here is translated in versions variously as perverse, or stubborn, or twisted, or corrupt. (Perhaps it relates to Deuteronomy, chapter 32, which they would know.) 

This pericope is one where Mark has more detail. That detail seems to increase some puzzle - so all three have Jesus arriving to a crowd. Mark has the scribal argument and another mention of a running crowd, a second crowd mention (compare Mark 9:15, 25). 

On the other hand, curiously, it is only the less detailed Matthew and Luke who report the confronting word, "perverse" (etc) from Jesus. Different interpretations are placed on this compressed exchange and this is reflected in translations and marginal notes. I can not prove that Jesus spoke his sharp words primarily to the scribes, rather than to disciples and/or the father. Perhaps, more likely, the poor father had been swayed by the experts towards giving up - so, the boy was not actually close at the moment. Thus, Jesus was speaking to the experts, as represented by the father and their ilk. (The reports are in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9.)

Mark details the conversation between the father and Jesus. And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 

And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out[d] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose (Mark 9:17-27, ESV). The father HAD brought his boy to the place. There, he had reached the feeling of helplessness, or even, hopelessness. ("They" finally brought the boy to Jesus. Did the disciples step in?) He needed help to trust that Jesus was really "able". (I see the man's added distress as the result of the intervention of the scribes, the argument and the delay...)

Jesus turned his attention to the boy's need. The boy was thrown to the ground and many thought he was dead, but Jesus restored him. I doubt that "all" the astounded included the scribes - they were more likely to be vexed!

The attitude of those teachers of the law was hostile, oppositional and intractable. They, and their fellows, were not going anywhere! They saw Jesus from a fatally warped view, and they wanted no change. They needed to see Jesus "fail" and lose public support. They would not believe him, not then, not until after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Then some would be able to break free of their religious tradition (see Saul of Tarsus/Paul).

The Scribes were scholars. These were men apparently focussed on God's Word. However, they had other documents alongside their Bible. They had the interpretations of their predecessors. They were part of a culture, I might call it an "academic culture". The influences encouraged diversion into a path of religious unbelief. (We meet representatives at a number of points.) Their "party" would support the removal of the troublesome Carpenter from Nazareth.

Note those predictions (above) from Luke: betrayal into the hands of men. Were the disciples on that day thinking that Jesus has scored a win? The story was incomplete and the "final" chapter was not going to include any vanquishing of these and their ilk. (There would be victory - the defeat of death, and of the forces of evil, and the availability of the lifting of God's just judgement on my rebellion, and yours.) 

The rejection and refusal Jesus faced, such as we see that day, must have been disappointing, wearing and saddening to him. At that point Jesus would be bearing with it for a while longer. He never rejected, though he did challenge. Questions were welcome, but twisted response was not. The determination to see good as being evil is probably fatal, as is the intentional seeing evil as good (see Matthew 12; Mark 3; Luke 12).

That critical, exasperated sounding word, "perverse", possibly spoken by Jesus to unbelieving experts, contrasts sharply with Jesus' grief over the people:

When Jesus came closer and could see Jerusalem, he cried and said:

It is too bad that today your people don't know what will bring them peace! Now it is hidden from them (Luke 19-41-42, CEV). He wept for them.

And what of us? We may need, and depend on, the work of the Bible scholars (text, translation, history, culture). Evidence and reasons matter; conclusions and assertions may be questionable. Is it possible, even in our times, that supposed "pillars" or experts are undermining the truth about Jesus? That people who appear one thing are another? Are reading the Gospels (Bible) and finding a different Jesus, another sort of news? Are in fact, even unknowingly, like wolves dressed as sheep? In Jesus' eyes are perverse? Tragically, I am afraid so, and (again) can only urge caution always, and checking against the Bible of all representations, this blog included. Ask God for guidance. 

Soon after, Jesus answered the obvious question of his (doubtless troubled) disciples. The answer (below) is so ordinary, it is puzzling! Had they had no opportunity to pray? (From the additional marginal variant readings of Jesus' answer, I think the puzzlement is of old, going back to 1611, and before.)

After he had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

And he told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer”[b] Mark 9:28-29, CSB).

I wonder what other kind there may be? Had they been flustered by the argument? Denied opportunity?

Certainly the boy, the father and the disciples needed from God in their situation. Surely God's will was for the boy to be restored, for invading evil to be defeated. Did they ask God? The corresponding report in Matthew has a different aspect: 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.[a]” (Matthew 17:19-20, NLT). This contrast with Mark is puzzling and seems to give a different emphasis?

Had they lacked faith to pray? or to command? [Perhaps the instances of "commanding" (eg: Mark 9:38; Luke 10:19-20; Acts 16:18, 19:13; see also Matthew 10:1) suggest what might have happened.]

I ask myself, then, do I, today, pray aright? and, - do I listen - to Jesus? Do I really? How much trust? How teachable? How true obedience? Could I, do I, disappoint him? Hope lies in his forgiveness and mercy.

God bless you!

Allen Hampton

* Who is the "them" (Mark) Jesus answered? Some translators think the word means "disciples". All three Synoptics say Jesus was answering. Jesus "answered" - who? Only Mark has "them". The pronoun (plural) can not refer to the man alone. The disciples were mentioned just before, so they may be seen as a group forming "them", along with the man? Taking the antecedent of the pronoun that way is sensible in written English. It ignores the larger context in this compressed report. These reports surely were originally verbal, not written. Here we hear only the words of the man and of Jesus. (Many, many, more words were spoken at that time!) How would an original listener to the report understand "them"? In the words of the troubled father, I hear a reflection of those experts of the day;  he became their mouthpiece. (They were stubbornly keeping to their system and would have no wandering carpenter teach them.)

Not so much later Jesus had that (puzzling) but so very ordinary sounding discussion with the disciples when they asked. No suggestion then of the anguished cry of Jesus over perverseness and unbelief.

The real question is: What does Jesus say today, to me? To you?

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