Thank you for the interpretative question on Mark 9:28–29, “In Mark 9:28-29 kjv, what is meant by “ 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.“?”
As one reads the NIV and the KJV, there is a textual difference on verse 29: NIV deletes the words “and fasting”, while the KJV has prayer and fasting. I will defer textual critics to discuss that point.
As one reads the context, Jesus had given the disciples his authority to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God, to heal the stick, and to cast out demons (Mark 6:7, 12,13). The earlier passages reflects that the disciples were able to cast out demons. It states that they drove out many demons.
In Mark 9, the disciples encounter a demon who was more resistant than the other demons. They couldn’t understand why they were not able to cast that demon out. Here are some thoughts for one’s consideration:
A. Demons have ranks of authority or power (Eph. 6:12).
The text says this, “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (NIV).
When the Apostle Paul lists the various ranks or positions of the demons in Ephesians 6, it appears that some demons have greater power or authority than others. In Daniel 10:12–14, a demon was able to delay the angelic message to Daniel. Michael was angel was able to overcome that demon.
Thus, it is possible that this demon was of a higher rank and had more authority or position to resist the casting out of demons from the religious rulers or the disciples.
B. The disciples’ faith had been shaken by seeing the nature of the demon (vs. 22).
The text says this, “Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (NIV).
Perhaps the disciples of Jesus had not encounter a demon with that kind of power over the boy in causing his terrible condition. They may have doubted for a moment that they could do anything to cast out that demon.
The people knew about the boy’s condition and they felt helpless. Their doubt may have affected the disciples’ faith. Sometimes when we here, “It can’t be done!” that we tend to believe the impossible than the possible. They may have been frightened by the demon’s behavior inside the boy.
C. The disciples may have begun to rely on their own power to cast out demons.
It is also possible that the disciples forgot that their power didn’t come from themselves but from Jesus. They may have forgotten about their reliance on Jesus and began to focus on themselves. They thought that they can do it by themselves. This self-reliance could have contributed to their inability to cast out that demon.
Jesus states that this kind of demon, which appears to refer to a specific kind of demon, who had the power or influence to cause the boy’s “accidental“ death. This demon wasn’t content to possess the boy, but wanted the boy to self-destruct.
Could it be that there is a greater spiritual battle that one can’t see with our physical eyes? The disciples thought that this was a typical demon, but it wasn’t a typical one. The prayer which may include fasting is to ensure that one is in right relationship with God and discerning His will. The prayer is to focus on the promises of God, not being persuaded by the people’s opinion. It is strengthening one’s faith in the Lord. It is more than a citation of a few words. It is a spiritual battle and one must be spiritual prepared.
Summary: The reason why the disciples couldn’t cast out that demon is because their focus was on the condition of the boy and not on their condition in the Lord. Prayer brings them back to God.
-Kingston