Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
What does Mark 9:23 mean?
The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Mark 9:23-24 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Mark 9:23
If thou canst believe - This was an answer to the request, and there was a reference in the answer to the "doubt" in the man's mind about the power of Jesus. "I" can help him. If thou" canst believe," it shall be done. Jesus here demanded "faith" or confidence in his power of healing. His design here is to show the man that the difficulty in the case was not in the want of "power" on his part, but in the want of "faith" in the man; in other words, to rebuke him for having "doubted" at all whether he "could" heal him.
Key words
- Jesus
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Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe,.
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Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe,.
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Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe,.
Context in Mark 9
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Mark 9 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as the way of the cross. Mark is the swiftest and starkest Gospel, presenting Jesus as the mighty Son of God whose mission reaches its center in suffering, abandonment, and resurrection. Read this chapter with the wider themes of discipleship, the cross, and secrecy in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Bible verses about suffering and trials
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