Bede: Or thus; the disciples thought that the change which they had seen in Him in the mount, was His transformation to glory; and they say, If Thou hast already come in glory, wherefore doth not Thy forerunner appear? chiefly because they had seen Elias go away.
Chrys., Hom. in Matt. 57: But what Christ answered to this, is seen by what follows, "And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things;" in which He shews that Elias will come before His second advent. For the Scriptures declare two advents of Christ, namely, one which has taken place, and another which is to come; but the Lord asserts that Elias is the forerunner of the second advent.
Bede: Again, He will restore all things, that is to say, those things which Malachi points out, saying, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers;" [[Mal 4:5]-6] he will yield up also to death that debt, which by his prolonged life he has delayed to render.
Theophylact: Now the Lord puts this forward to oppose the notion of the Pharisees, who held that Elias was the forerunner of the first advent, shewing that it led them to a false conclusion; wherefore he subjoins, "And how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at nought." As if He had said, When Elias the Tishbite cometh, he will pacify the Jews, and will bring them to the faith, and thus be the forerunner of the second advent.
If then Elias is the forerunner of the first advent, how is it written that the Son of man must suffer? One of these two things therefore will follow; either that Elias is not the forerunner of the first advent, and thus the Scripture will be true; or that he is the forerunner of the first advent, and then the Scripture will not be true, which say that Christ must suffer; for Elias must restore all things, in which case there will not be an unbelieving Jew, but all, whosoever hear him, must believe on his preaching.
Bede: Or this, "And how it is written;" that is, in the same way as the prophets have written many things in various places concerning the Passion of Christ, Elias also, when he comes, is to suffer many things, and to be despised by the wicked.
Chrysostom: Now as the Lord asserted that Elias was to be the forerunner of the second advent, so consequently He asserted that John was the forerunner of the first. Wherefore He subjoins, "But I say unto you, that Elias is indeed come."
Gloss: He calls John Elias, not because he was Elias in person, but because he fulfilled the ministry of Elias; for as the latter will be the forerunner of the second advent, so the former has been that of the first.
Theophylact: For again, John rebuked vice, and was a zealous man, and a hermit like Elias; but they heard him not, as they will hear Elias, but killed him in wicked sport, and cut off his head.
Wherefore there follows, "And they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him."
Pseudo-Chrysostom:, Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Or else, the disciples asked Jesus, how it was written that the Son of man must suffer? Now in answer to this, He says, As John came in the likeness of Elias, and they evil intreated him, so according to the Scriptures must the Son of man suffer.
Ver. 14. And when He came to His disciples, He saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them.15. And straightway all the people, when they beheld Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him saluted Him.16. And He asked the Scribes, "What question ye with them?"17. And one of the multitude answered and said, "Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;18. And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not."19. He answereth him, and saith, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto Me."20. And they brought him unto Him: and when He saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.21. And He asked his father, "How long is it ago since this came unto him?" And he said, "Of a child.22. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us."23. Jesus said unto him, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."24. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief."25. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, "Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him."26. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, "He is dead."27. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.28. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could not we cast him out?"29. And He said unto them, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Theophylact: After He had shewn His glory in the mount to the three disciples, He returns to the other disciples, who had not come up with Him into the mount; wherefore it is said, "And when He came to His disciples, He saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them."
For the Pharisees, catching the opportunity of the hour when Christ was not present, came up to them, to try to draw them over to themselves.
Pseudo-Jerome: But there is no peace for man under the sun; envy is ever slaying the little ones, and lightnings strike the tops of the great mountains. Of all those who run to the Church, some as the multitudes come in faith to learn, others, as the Scribes, with envy and pride.
It goes on, "And straightway all the people, when they beheld Jesus, were greatly amazed, and feared."
Bede, in Marc., 3, 38: In all cases, the difference between the mind of the Scribes and of the people ought to be observed; for the Scribes are never said to have shewn any devotion, faith, humility, and reverence, but as soon as the Lord was come, the whole multitude was greatly amazed and feared, and ran up to Him, and saluted Him; wherefore there follows, "And running to Him, saluted Him."
Theophylact: For the multitude was glad to see Him, so that they saluted Him from afar, as He was coming to them; but some suppose that His countenance had become more beautiful from His transfiguration, and that this induced the crowd to salute Him.
Pseudo-Jerome: Now it was the people, and not the disciples, who on seeing Him were amazed and feared, for there is no fear in love; fear belongs to servants, amazement to fools. It goes on: "And He asked them, What question ye with them?"
Why does the Lord put this question? That confession may produce salvation, and the murmuring of our hearts may be appeased by religious works.
Bede: The question, indeed, which was raised may, if I am not deceived, have been this, wherefore they, who were the disciples of the Saviour, were unable to heal the demoniac, who was placed in the midst, which may be gathered from the following words; "And one of the multitude answered and said, "Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away."
Chrysostom: The Scriptures declare that this man was weak in faith, for Christ says, "O faithless generation:" and He adds, "If thou canst believe." But although his want of faith was the cause of their not casting out the devil, he nevertheless accuses the disciples. Wherefore it is added, "And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; but they could not."
Now observe his folly; in praying to Jesus in the midst of the crowd, he accuses the disciples, wherefore the Lord before the multitude so much the more accuses him, and not only aims the accusation at himself, but also extends it to all the Jews; for it is probable that many of those present had been offended, and had held wrong thoughts concerning His disciples.
Wherefore there follows, "He answereth them and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?" By which He shewed both that He desired death, and that it was a burden to Him to converse with them.
Bede: So far, however, is He from being angry with the person, though He reproved the sin, that He immediately added, "Bring him unto Me; and they brought him unto Him. And when He saw him, straightway the spirit tare him, and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming."
Chrysostom: But this the Lord permitted for the sake of the father of the boy, that when he saw the devil vexing his child, he might be brought on to believe that the miracle was to be wrought.
Theophylact: He also permits the child to be vexed, that in this way we might know the devil’s wickedness, who would have killed him, had he not been assisted by the Lord.
It goes on: "And He asked his father, How long is it ago since this come unto him? And he said, Of a child; and ofttimes it has cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him."
Bede: Let Julian [Source note: ed. note: Julian was bishop of Eclanum in Campania; he was well known to St. Augustine, who before his fall speaks of him with great affection. On refusing however to agree to Pope Zosimus’ condemnation of Pelagius, he was deposed, and expelled from Italy. He wrote a great deal against St. Augustine, by whom he was refuted in works now extant. The opinion specially referred to in the text was, that Adam would have died, even though he had remained innocent, and therefore that death and sickness are not the consequences of original sin. He died in Sicily in great poverty, about A.D. 453.] blush, who dares to say that all men are born in the flesh without the infection of sin, as though they were innocent in all respects, just as Adam was when he was created.
For what was there in the boy, that he should be troubled from infancy with a cruel devil, if he were not held at all by the chain of original sin? since it is evident that he could not yet have had any sin of his own.
Gloss: Now he expresses in the words of his petition his want of faith; for that is the reason why he adds, "But if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us."
For in that he says, "If thou canst do any thing," he shews that he doubts His power, because he had seen that the disciples of Christ had failed in curing him; but he says, "have compassion on us," to shew the misery of the sons, who suffered, and the father, who suffered with him. It goes on: "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."
Pseudo-Jerome: This saying, "If thou canst," is a proof of the freedom of the will. Again, all things are possible to him that believeth, which evidently means all those things which are prayed for with tears in the name of Jesus, that is, of salvation.
Bede: The answer of the Lord was suited to the petition; for the man said, "If thou canst do any thing, help us;" and to this the Lord answered, "If thou canst believe." On the other hand, the leper who cried out, with faith, "Lord, if Thou will, Thou canst make me clean," [[Mat 8:2]] received an answer according to his faith, "I will, be thou clean."
Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: His meaning is; such a plenitude of virtue is there in Me, that not only can I do this, but I will make others to have that power; wherefore if thou canst believe as thou oughtest to do, thou shalt be able to cure not only him, but many more. In this way then, He endeavoured to bring back to the faith, the man who as yet speaks unfaithfully.
There follows, "And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."
But if he had already believed, saying, "I believe," how is it that he adds, "help thou mine unbelief?" We must say then that faith is manifold, that one sort of faith is elementary, another perfect; but this man, being but a beginner in believing, prayed the Saviour to add to his virtue what was wanting.
Bede: For no man at once reaches to the highest point, but in holy living a man begins with the least things that he may reach the great; for the beginning of virtue is different from the progress and the perfection of it. Because then faith mounts up through the secret inspiration of grace, by the steps of its own merits, [Source note: ed. note: This sentence of Bede may be considered to be an exposition of our Lord’s words: "for he that hath not from him shall be taken even that which he hath." The connection between grace and merit, as used by the Fathers, may be illustrated from St. Thomas, their faithful disciple. He defines a meritorious operation to be one the reward of which is beyond the nature of the worker; so that merit implies the infusion of a supernatural habit, that is, of grace, not only as its efficient, but as its formal cause. Summa 1 Q62, Art 4] he who had not yet believed perfectly was at once a believer and an unbeliever.
Pseudo-Jerome: By this also we are taught that our faith is tottering, if it lean not on the stay of the help of God. But faith by its tears receives the accomplishment of its wishes.
Wherefore it continues, "When Jesus saw that the multitude came running together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him."
Theophylact: The reason that He rebuked the foul spirit, when He saw the crowd running together, was that He did not wish to cure him before the multitude, that He might give us a lesson to avoid ostentation.
Pseudo-Chrysostom:, Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: And His rebuking him, and saying, "I charge thee," is a proof of Divine power. Again, in that He says not only, "come out of him," but also "enter no more into him," He shews that the evil spirit was ready to enter again, because the man was weak in faith, but was prevented by the commend of the Lord.
It goes on, "And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him; and he was as one dead, insomuch that many said, He is dead." For the devil was not able to inflict death upon him, because the true Life was come.
Bede: But him, whom the unholy spirit made like unto death, the holy Saviour saved by the touch of His hold hand; wherefore it goes on, "But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up, and he arose."
Thus as the Lord had shewn Himself to be very God by the power of healing, so He shewed that He had the very nature of our flesh, by the manner of His human touch. The Manichaean [Source note: ed. note: "Their fundamental maxim of the intrinsic evil of matter and the degraded state of mind, which their speculations on the birth after the flesh brought with it involved the denial of the Incarnation of our Lord and, as a consequence, of the reality of His whole life." (Note a, upon St. Augustine’s Confessions, Oxf. Tr. p. 325)] indeed madly denies that He was truly clothed in flesh; He Himself, however, by raising, cleansing, enlightening so many afflicted persons by His touch, condemned his heresy before its birth.