Mark 9:18

9:18 These symptoms are often associated with epilepsy (see Matt 17:15), but Mark emphasizes the demonic origin of the child’s problem (Mark 9:17-18, 25-26, 28). The disciples’ inability to heal the child magnifies the effect of Jesus’ power (9:25-26).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 9:18. Καταλάβῃ, he taketh him) The term [demoniacal] possession, seems too narrow to express the idea here.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 9:18 . ὅπου ἂν α . καταλάβῃ , wherever it happens to seize him. The possession ( ἔχοντα , Mar 9:17 ) is conceived of as intermittent; “the way of the spirit inferred from the characteristic phenomena of the disease” ( The Miraculous Element in the Gospels , p. 181). Then follows a graphic description of the ensuing symptoms: spasms ( ῥήσσει , a late form of ῥήγνυμι ), foaming ( ἀφρίζει from ἀφρός : he, the boy, foameth), grinding of the teeth ( τρίζει τ . ὀδ .), then the final stage of motionless stupor graphically described as withering ( ξηραίνεται ), for which Euthy. gives as an equivalent ἀναισθητεῖ , and Weizsäcker “und wird starr ”.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vexed him inwardly, as the colic useth to do.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 18. Pineth away] By these continual torments; so he was not only deaf and dumb, but sorely tortured besides.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. wheresoever] According to St Matthew these crises had a connection with changes of the moon (Mat_17:15).

he teareth him] Probably this manifested itself in violent convulsions, St Vitus’ dance, or the like.

pineth away] “wexip drye,” Wyclif. The word may denote either that he pined away like one, the very springs of whose life were dried up, or that in the paroxysms of his disorder his limbs became unnaturally stiff and stark. The fundamental form of his malady was epilepsy in its worst form, accompanied by dumbness, atrophy, and suicidal mania (Mar_9:22).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And wheresoever he taketh him,.... The spirit, or devil, whether it be near fire, or water, whatsoever danger, or dangerous place:

he teareth him; or throws him into it, or dashes him against it; or inwardly racks, tortures, and convulses him:

and he foameth; at the mouth, like one that is mad:

and gnasheth with his teeth; through the excessive pain he is in:

and pineth away; his flesh is withered, dried up, and consumed away. This was the sad deplorable case this child was in, who was his father's only child, and therefore his health and life were very desirable: now he further observes to Christ, saying,

and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not. Christ being absent, he entreated the disciples, who had power against unclean spirits, to cast them out; that they would make use of it, and dispossess this dumb and evil spirit; and who did make trial to cast him out, but were not able to effect it; See Gill on Mat 17:16.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Ver. 18. Teareth him] "Teareth him as dogs do:" so the Greek word ρησσει signifieth, Mat 7:6.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wheresoever it taketh him (katalabh); literally, it seizeth hold of him. This is the Greek word from which comes our "catalepsy," the active form of "epilepsy." It teareth him (rhssei). This is doubtless the literal meaning. But there is much evidence to show that it means hero "it striketh or throweth him down." This is the reudering of the Peshito Syriac, and of the Vulgate. The same interpretation is also given by Hesychius as one of the meanings of the word. St. Luke (Luk_9:39) describes the symptoms thus: "A spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out, and it teareth him (sparassei auton) that he foameth (meta afrou), and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him sorely." This it will be remembered is the record of one who was himself a physician. He grindeth his teeth, and pineth away (xhrainetai), as though the springs of his life were dried up. The father of the boy is here minutely describing the symptoms when the fit was upon him. He seems here to express the stiffness and rigidity of the body in the approaches of the malady. And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast it out; and they were not able. They had tried and failed. This failure is attributed by our Lord (see Mat_17:20) to their want of faith; or rather to their "little faith (dia than umwn)."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. ῥήσσει αὐτόν. Convulses him; Lk. σπαράσσει. But ῥήσσει may mean dashes him down (R.V.); cf. Wis 4:19, ῥήξει αὐτοὺς ἀφώνους πρηνεῖς.

ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει. Neither verb is found elsewhere in N.T. Each Evangelist describes the symptoms differently, and Hobart (pp. 17–20) regards three expressions used by Lk. as medical. The father is anxious that Christ should know how grievous his son’s case is. Cf. Soph. Electr. 709.

ξηραίνεται. Withereth away; or perhaps “becomes like a dry stick, bloodless and motionless.” Trench, Miracles, p. 372.

οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. They were powerless. We must distinguish the οὐκ ἴσχυσαν of Mk and Mt. from Lk.’s οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν, and εἰ δύνῃ (Mar 9:22-23), and οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν (Mar 9:28); but here “had not strength” (Luk 16:3) would not be suitable.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. ξηρ.] wastes or pines away, as E. V., or perhaps becomes dry or stiff.

ἵνα combines the purpose of the εἶπα with the purport: see note on 1Co 14:13.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. ὅπου ἐὰν—wherever.

ἐὰν,2 instead of ἂν, Tisch. Treg. WH. אc ABK Δ Π.

ῥήσσει—convulses. This meaning of the word is not very well established, but in σπαράσσω, the meaning tear passes over into that of convulse, and it is so used in v. 20. This establishes a precedent for the like transformation in this word. The congenital relation of these two verbs makes it improbable that they would be employed in a different sense about the same matter, and is so far against the Revisers’ Translation, dasheth him down. ξηραίνεται—is wasting away. The symptoms mentioned are those of epilepsy. The ῥήσσει, κ. ἀφρίζει κ. τρίζει are connected with ὅπου ἐὰν καταλάβῃ; but ξηραίνεται is a general symptom of the disease. The Eng. Ver. connects ἀφρίζει, κ. τρίζει, κ. ξηραίνεται, and puts ῥήσσει by itself. It should read, whenever it seizes him, it convulses him, and he foams and gnashes his teeth; and he is wasting away. τοῖς μαθηταῖς—As the man did not find Jesus, he brought him to the disciples. See v. 17.

Omit αὐτοῦ after ὀδόντας, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BC* DL Δ 1, 13, 33, 59, 69, 73, 209, mss. Lat. Vet. Vulg.

καὶ εἶπα τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβαλῶσι—and I spoke to thy disciples that they should cast it out.1

εἶπα, instead of εἶπον, Tisch. Treg. WH. א BFL 1, 28, 209.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It taketh him [καταλαβη] . Lit., seizeth hold of him. Our word catalepsy is derived from this.

Teareth [ρησσει] . Rev., dasheth down, with rendeth in margin. The verb is a form of rJhgnumi, to break. The form rJhssw is used in classical Greek of dancers beating the ground, and of beating drums. Later, in the form rJassein, a term of fighters : to fell, or knock down, which is the sense adopted by Rev.

Gnasheth with his teeth. Rev., grindeth. This and the pining away are peculiar to Mark.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.