“Doubting Believers” – MARK 9:20-27

The point of this series of events is not “if you want it done right, do it yourself”, although we might be tempted to find the disciples’ inability to cast out the spirit frustrating.

Jesus arrives and the problem is solved.

But, things are simply more complicated than that. Every teaching had an audience and so did every miracle. So, too, every teaching and miracle had a purpose. On the surface the purpose was to drive the mute spirit out of the boy and give him relief from the convulsions (9:21-22). On a deeper level, every step Jesus took toward Calvary was designed to build, foster and strengthen the faith of the disciples (and us). A day was coming when Jesus would be physically gone, and they must live on in faith.

We now live in that time.

As Jesus questioned the father, the man’s desperation is obvious. Who wouldn’t be? This desperation contained a kernel of faith in the plea “help us” (9:22b). Notice how intertwined the lives of those who love one another become. The father was hurting because the son was hurting. Now Jesus searches for the faith he perceives in the father. “If you are able to do anything” is the opening Jesus was looking for. There was some reason he believed it might be possible, even thought the disciples could not. It is almost as though he is thinking “You have miracles for others, do You have one for us?” He also understood on some level the amazing force that drove Jesus from heaven to earth to the cross … compassion (9:22b).

Jesus challenges his faith (9:23) and draw out of him every bit of faith that is in him at this moment. The result is one of the classic expressions in Scripture – “I believe, help my unbelief” (9:24). The man was no different than the Christians of today.

He was a “doubting believer”, if you will pardon the oxymoron.

Maybe he doubted “whether” Jesus would help, but he does not seem to doubt whether Jesus “can” help. In varying degrees we operate with the same “faith gauge” in our lives and the challenges we encounter every day. It takes “full faith” to overcome. Sometimes we offer only “¼ faith” and other times we are up to “7/8^th full”. Unless our faith tank is dry, Jesus meets us where we are and provides what we need.

Peter was the guy who could walk on water one moment and slip into the waves the next. He could rise up and cut off a man’s ear to defend Jesus and then curse and deny Him a short time later. Had the disciples reached out in prayer and fasting (9:29) in trying to cast out the spirit, Jesus would have bridged the gap and accomplished their desire. Faith is a constant struggle, for even the most seasoned disciple of Christ Jesus. The reassuring thing for us is that Jesus knows this and is willing to work with whatever measure of faith we have. What an awesome Savior!

“I believe” is the measure of faith that we can give right now, “my unbelief” is the gap that Jesus bridges with His cross.