And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.
Read Chapter 17
John Chrysostom
AD 407
The Scripture shows that this man is very weak in faith. This is evident from many things: from Christ’s saying, “All things are possible to him who believes,” and from the fact that the man himself as he approached said, “Help my unbelief.” And it is evident from Christ’s ordering the demon “never to enter him again” and from the man’s saying again to Christ, “If you can.” But you will say, “If his unbelief was the reason why the demon had not gone out of the boy, why does he blame the disciples?” To show that they can often cure the sick, even though no one brings them in with faith. For just as the faith of the one bringing in the sick was often sufficient for receiving a cure even from lesser ministers, so the virtue of the minister was also sufficient to achieve a miracle even without the faith of those bringing them in. Both of these are demonstrated in the Scriptures; for those around Cornelius drew to them the power of the Spirit by their faith. And in the time of Elisha, when ...
Whence it is clear in this case, that even the disciples were weak; but not all; for the pillars Galatians 2:9 were not present there. And see this man's want of consideration, from another circumstance again, how before the multitude he pleads to Jesus against His disciples, saying, I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.
Do you see how the man has shifted the blame for his own lack of faith upon the disciples, saying that they were too weak to heal? The Lord, therefore, shames him for accusing the disciples, saying, O faithless generation, that is, "It is not so much the fault of the weakness of the disciples as it is of your lack of faith, which, being great, has prevailed over the equal measure of their strength." He rebukes not only this man, but everyone who lacks faith, even the bystanders. By saying, How long shall I be with you? Christ shows that He longs for the Passion upon the Cross and His departure from them. For He is saying, "How long shall I live among scoffers and unbelievers? And Jesus rebuked him—whom? The man who was lunatic. From this it appears that he, too, lacked faith and his lack of faith had given occasion for the demon to enter him.
