Why Could Not We Cast Him Out? - Matthew 17:19

Matthew the apostle wrote when Jesus and His disciples, “were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falls into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour”, and in chapter seventeen and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus' disciples ask Him, “why could not we cast him out” where we read:

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

The verse reads, “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, ...”. Matthew began with the word, “then came” or “at that time and moment approached” “the disciples” which means “Jesus' students, pupils and attendants” “to Jesus” or “to the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “apart” which means “separated and alone”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked”. Matthew shared how Jesus' disciples approached Jesus and asked Him the following question.

The verse goes on to say, “... Why could not we cast him out?” Matthew added the word, “why” or “for what reason and cause” “could not we” which means “were we unable and not capable to” “cast him out” or “drive, expel and banish the devil out of the man”? Matthew shared how Jesus' disciples wanted to know the reason they were unable to “drive out and expel” the “devil” within the man's son.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the disciples recognized their own limitations with this “devil”. They previously cast out “demons” (See Mark 6:12-13), but this “demon” was different and they were incapable of removing Him. Jesus easily removed the “demon” because He was more powerful, and when people align themselves with God through Him, they shall discover His ability to overcome any obstacle that comes their way.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus answered His disciples, “because of your unbelief”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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