Rebuke-6 If You can...

"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Proverbs 3:11-12

Luke 9:37-43 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. And behold, a man from the crowd cried, "Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only child; and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him till he foams, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not." Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."

While he was coming, the demon tore him and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God.



Mark 9:17-25 And one of the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." 
And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." 

In Luke 9:28-36, Luke tells us about the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus had taken Peter and John and James with Him up the mountain.

The miracle of Jesus healing a boy with an unclean spirit in Luke 9:37-43 shows us the disciples’ failure of faith.

The mountaintop experience did not last. There was glory on the mountain, tragedy in the valley. When they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met Him. And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child” 9:37-38. This man whose son is possessed and has seizures speaks to Jesus: I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.

The boy’s father is desperately heartbroken. His only son – is demon-possessed. Over the years nothing has helped. The father brought his son to Jesus.

The Father of the boy describes the spirit as a ‘dumb’ spirit. Mark 9:17 - Jesus will address the spirit as a ‘dumb and deaf’ spirit. Mark 9:25

Luke 9:40-41, Jesus rebukes-The crowds? The disciples? The father? Yes to all a rebuke is given. The boy’s father didn't really believe and asks: "If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us" Mark 9:22. Jesus, in effect, rebukes him, too: "'If you can'?" said Jesus. 'Everything is possible for him who believes'" Mark 9:23. And the man responds quickly and positively to the rebuke: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24.

The father described his helpless son’s condition. He said to Jesus, “And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him” 9:39

The Gospel: When the demon seizes the boy (Mark 9:18; Luke 9:39), the child screams (Luke 9:39). The spirit throws him to the ground in convulsions so that he foams at the mouth (Luke 9:39). He grinds his teeth and becomes stiff as a board (Mark 9:18). Many times he had been cast into fire or water by the evil spirit (Matthew 17:15), and he is covered with scars. Even worse, the spirit has made him deaf and dumb (Mark 9:25). His father concludes here in Luke, “It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him” v. 39 – literally, “it is crushing him together.”

The boy is completely helpless. This passage teaches us that Jesus helps the helpless.

The father told Jesus, “And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not” (9:40).

While Jesus and Peter and John and James were on top of the mountain, the father had asked the other disciples to cast out the demon, but they could not do so.

The disciples failed for their lack of faith. This is clear from Jesus’ answer to the father. He said, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you?” Luke 9:41a.

In Matthew and Mark, the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” (Matthew 17:19; Mark 9:28).

Jesus said to them, “Because of your little faith” Matthew 17:20, and, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting” Mark 9:29.

It seems that the disciples somehow thought that they could in their own power cast the demon out of the boy. They did not have a prayerful, dependent trust in God. The disciples experienced a failure of faith.

We need to trust God. The Holy Spirit is at work in us.
No matter how much good advice we give; only God can change someone’s life. The only way to be safe from the Evil One is through faith in Jesus Christ.

The healing Savior. Jesus said to the father, “Bring your son here” (Luke 9:41b). While the boy was coming to Jesus for healing, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him (Luke 9:42a). This was one last desperate attempt by the demon to keep the boy from coming to Jesus for healing. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father (9:42b). And, not surprisingly, all were astonished at the majesty of God (Luke 9:43a). 

Jesus's rebuke is in the form of command for the demon to leave the boy. Jesus had given the twelve power to cast out demons but in this case they were unable to do so.

Jesus never turned anyone away who came to Him for help.

• Rebuke is a word of authority. Jesus rebukes evil spirits, diseases and the forces of nature.
• "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent." Revelation 3:19
• Pride prevents us from receiving a rebuke; humility allows us to receive, learn, and grow.
• Jesus said to His disciples, 'Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.' But they did not understand what this meant. (9:44) This is the second time that Jesus has predicted his sufferings. We looked carefully at his First Prediction in Luke 9:22- “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” The disciples didn't understand Him then.
• The disciples fail to comprehend Jesus' coming suffering, they struggle with each other over who is the greatest. Jesus' rebuke in this case comes by bringing a little boy into their midst to stand next to Him. "for he who is least among you all is the one who is great." He teaches them.
• I need to be able to come before my Lord with a humble and listening ear.

Written as guided by the Holy-Spirit. As explained and notes included, FR. ASHLYN – Bible Class.

CONCLUSION 1:

In Luke 9:1 we see that Jesus had “called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases” We know that they cast out many demons. So, isn’t it strange that they were not able to cast out the demon on this occasion?

They have not understood the condition of discipleship which is The Cross- And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 

A non-acceptance to Jesus own Passion and Death and Resurrection predictions- “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Luke 9:22 

A second of which Jesus will make in- for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. Luke 9:44-45

Their incomprehension is part of the divine plan of God.

Jesus taught His disciples: "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

LK 24:16-their eyes were kept from recognizing him
Lk 24:25-27 “This inability to understand will be removed by an understanding of the Word of God and a recognizing of Jesus in the Eucharist. Luke 24:30-31

Jesus seems angry - emotions we see elsewhere in confrontations with the Pharisees. Moses calls the Israelites "a crooked generation."

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life...." Philippians 2:14-16a

CONCLUSION 2:-Sometimes we need a rebuke to wake us up and show us where we are really headed. Better a rebuke than something more severe.

Thank You, Abba Father.
Thank You, Jesus.
Thank You, Holy Spirit.

Please also do read:

To REBUKE or not...

Rebuke 2-Trials

Rebuke 3-The Wilderness

Rebuke-4 The Sacrifice

Rebuke-5 Peter

The celebration of the MASS!

Rebuke-5 Peter

To You, Jesus with all my love, forever!

And then Jesus asked them the question, “Who do people say that I am?”  Matthew 16:13

The Disciples answered, ‘Some say John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah and some others say one of the prophets’ And then Jesus asked them 

“Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15. 

And it was Peter who said -”You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Matthew 16:16. and please also note:

• The revelation received by Peter during his confession is also confirmed as (“The Christ of God.”=This is my Son, my Chosen) in  Luke 9:20=Luke 9:35

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, The Divine Sonship was proclaimed in Luke 3:22 “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.” 

Jesus told them what would take place when they reached Jerusalem. He would be persecuted and would suffer at the hands of those who intended to kill Him. And, Peter spoke “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Matthew 16:22. Jesus reproaches Peter to his face, with very severe words: ‘Get behind me Satan!’” Jesus says this because Peter is thinking “not as God does, but as men do.”
Jesus did not actually refer to Peter as Satan but the influence of Satan which led Peter to attempt to talk Christ out of the Cross. If Christ had not died on the Cross, we would not be redeemed. Peter was unknowingly speaking against the will and plan of God.

By announcing that He must suffer and die, Jesus is making it clear that He is the Messiah - a humble servant Who obeys His Father even to the point of dying on a cross.

Jesus told His disciples, whoever wants to follow Him must also become a servant, and “deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” The path of Jesus is not one of success or earthly glory, but that which leads to true freedom, the freedom from selfishness and sin.

Luke 9:18-27 at the end of a speech to the twelve apostles, Jesus adds: ²⁷ "But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."

Transfiguration means a change of form or appearance. For Luke the Transfiguration is a prayer event, Jesus in union with the Father. Luke 9:28-36

Mountains are symbolic of God's revelation to man. God gives the mountain-top experience to sustain us as we journey with Him more closely on the road ahead.
A mountain-top experience is a state of extreme happiness that is through the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s a place that God allows us to be in for certain time. The benefits are to bring one to a place of joy, excitement in the Lord and a longing for more of God.

Jesus before His passion and death revealed the resurrection to His disciples on Mount Tabor. Jesus leads Peter, James and John up a high mountain. It is a privilege given to the three - Jesus was suddenly transformed before their very eyes in glistening white and was in the presence of Moses and Elijah. (White=symbol of Divinity, purity, holiness).

On the mountain the three Apostles see the glory of God’s Kingdom shining out of Jesus. Moses (the giver of the Law) and Elijah (the greatest of the Old Testament Prophets), appeared at the Transfiguration. In the conversation—they see the 'power' of the Kingdom that is in Christ"

Moses and Elijah ‘spoke of His departure, which He was to accomplish at Jerusalem’ pointing forward to the Messiah and His sufferings. Jesus is the fulfilment of the law and all what the prophets had foretold.

Glory=Jerusalem. No Suffering=No Glory.

This prompted Peter to suggest that the disciples set up three tents for them and Jesus. The fact that Peter's suggestion occurs when Moses and Elijah are preparing to depart reveals a desire to prolong the experience of glory. Peter fails to call Jesus “Lord” but “Master”. Peter was clearly swept up in untold joy! Jesus glowed as He would after the resurrection. Peter wanted that experience to go on. But Moses and Elijah vanished.

Peter misses the point and wants to stay on the mountain. As a seeming rebuke of this, God the Father, glorified His Son revealing Himself in the bright cloud which overshadowed them and they were afraid,  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” Luke 9:35 = John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 
Also confirms, “The Christ of God.” Luke 9:20 (Peter's words)

2 Peter 1:17-18 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

• Transfiguration was necessary to help the Apostles recognize the divinity of Jesus, His union with the Father and the Spirit as well as with the prophets of the Old Testament-(The Word). 
• Transfiguration appears as a preparation and strengthening for the disciples to face the coming passion and death of Jesus on the Cross, when His glory seems most unseen. 
• This is a foretaste of the glory that will be theirs in the Father’s kingdom and it will see them through the ‘terrible’ days when Jesus undergoes His passion and death and when they themselves are persecuted in His name.

REFLECTION:-No one can stay on the mountaintop forever, for there are responsibilities in the valley. After their divine experience the three Apostles come down to the reality of the evil in the world. Jesus fulfilled His life’s work in the valley. It was here He was truly and completely the Messiah.

Moses experienced disappointment when coming down from Mount Sinai only to see the people worshipping a golden calf. Jesus also experienced disappointment at the lack of faith in the people and His disciples.

Without the Risen Christ, Transfiguration has no meaning. But the Resurrection confirms the glory that was shown during the transfiguration and which rightly belongs to Jesus. 

Jesus invites us—to journey with Him into life’s valleys-down, to the Crucifixion. Death precedes Resurrection! For Jesus it was the journey to the Cross.

Jesus came down. God in Christ came down to be with us. God is with us and for us! Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, to the close of the age.” 

God never forces His presence on anyone….…..desire Him…..

Let Him take us to……the mountaintop!

Written as guided by the Holy-Spirit and as explained by Fr. Ashlyn with notes included – Bible Class.

Thank You, Abba Father.
Thank You, Jesus.
Thank You, Holy Spirit.