“AND WHEN He was come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And He said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”
It was a real disappointment to the disciples that they had not been able to cast the dumb and deaf spirit out of the possessed man. Jesus tells them in gentle, but reproving terms, that the prayer and fasting — necessary for this case—were lacking. Had the disciples fallen into the snare of thinking that the power they had experienced when (in chapter 6) the Lord sent them out, was something that needed no further exercise on their part? Apparently so, and no doubt they learned from this sad experience that they needed full dependence, in prayer, as well as self-denial, that the power of God might display itself in them. Certain it is that we cannot ourselves go today in the strength of yesterday. Just as the Israelites needed daily manna, so do all the Lord’s people need daily spiritual food and prayer.
As they journey onward the disciples are told: “The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day.” They were unable to understand this saying, but feared to ask Him, probably because their minds and interests had been far away from where they should have been. But we do read later: “When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” John 2:2222When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. (John 2:22).
“And He came to Capernaum: and being in the house He asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?” Again, it is “in the house” that the Lord stirs the conscience of His own as to their wayward thoughts and behavior. Bow faithful and true—how gracious and patient is this One who ever knows our poor selfish thoughts and wants us back on safe ground. When outside the house (the world and its effect upon them) their thoughts had gone into self-esteem and self-importance, disputing as to which should be the greatest in the coming kingdom. Beloved reader, we ever need dependence on God that He will help us see our own nothingness and find everything in our blessed Lord — gladly taking the lowest place so that Be might be exalted. Hear His words: “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” We need prayerful care that this poor world will not draw us into its pattern. Faithfulness in being “in the house,” close to the Saviour and in company with His own, is safe ground and will give a proper understanding of what is really worthwhile in the light of eternity.
Lack of dependence and prayer and failing to be in the current of Jesus’ thoughts were great hindrances to the disciples. There are lessons for us to learn in reading the results of their self-occupation. We can scarcely be vessels fit “for the Master’s use” under such conditions. May we look to Him to help us keep thoughts away from self and more on our Saviour, whose footsteps every believer should follow—honoring Him, being of service to others, and thus producing joy within ourselves.
ML-11/10/1963