Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 17:16

"And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him." — Matthew 17:16 (ASV)

When Jesus returned to the other nine disciples he is approached by a man with an epileptic son. “Epilepsy” in this instance is associated with demon possession . The disciples had not been able to heal him.

The disciples’ failures are a recurring theme throughout this section (14:16– 21, 26–27, 28–31; 15:16, 23, 33; 16:5, 22:17:4, 10–11). This failure in their healing ministry at first seems strange, since Jesus had clearly given them power to heal and exorcise demons (10:1, 8). Yet it is part of the pattern of the disciples’ advance and failure. In other situations they had shown lack of faith (14:26–27, 31; 15:5, 8)—a reminder that their power to do kingdom miracles was not their own but, unlike magic, was entirely derivative and related to their own walk of faith.