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Chapter 47—A Battle With Satan’s Spirits
This chapter is based on
Matthew 17:19-21
;
Mark 9:9-29
;
Luke
9:37-45
.
As the sun arose, Jesus and His disciples descended to the plain.
Absorbed in thought, the disciples were awed and silent. Gladly
they would have lingered in that holy place, but there was work to
be done.
At the foot of the mountain a large company had gathered. As
the Saviour drew near, He charged His three companions to keep
silence concerning what they had witnessed, saying, “Tell the vision
to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.” To
relate the revelation to the multitudes would excite only ridicule or
idle wonder. How slow of comprehension even the three favored
disciples were, is seen in that they queried among themselves what
the rising from the dead should mean. Yet they asked no explanation
from Jesus.
As the people on the plain caught sight of Jesus, they ran to
greet Him. Yet His quick eye discerned that a circumstance had
occurred that had caused the disciples bitter disappointment and
humiliation. A father had brought his son to be delivered from a
dumb spirit that tormented him. Authority to cast out unclean spirits
had been conferred on the disciples when Jesus sent them to preach
through Galilee. As they went forth strong in faith, the evil spirits
had obeyed their word. Now in the name of Christ they commanded
the torturing spirit to leave his victim, but the demon only mocked
them. The disciples, unable to account for their defeat, felt they
were bringing dishonor on themselves and their Master. And in the
crowd were scribes seeking to prove that they and their Master were
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deceivers. Here was an evil spirit that neither the disciples nor Christ
Himself could conquer! A feeling of contempt and scorn pervaded
the crowd.
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