Mark 9:24

Mark 9:24. And straightway the father of the child cried out. A touching description, true to nature and drawn from life. The full form; ‘the father of the child,' not only implies that the son was a child in years, but suggests the spiritual connection between ‘father ‘and ‘child ‘in this matter, and the effect of the faith of the former upon the cure of the latter. When the father's faith had been sufficiently tested, the helpless child was healed.

I believe, help thou mine unbelief, i.e., want of faith. The man's faith is further awakened by the challenge of our Lord; but this increase of faith only shows him how great his doubt is; and he at once adds to his confession of belief a new prayer for help, help for himself, that thus help might come to his only son. This will seem natural to all who have any faith, and paradoxical only to outright unbelievers. Weak faith is yet faith and when it leads to prayer it becomes stronger. Alford: ‘Nothing can be more touching and living than this whole most masterly and wonderful narrative. The poor father is drawn out into a sense of the unworthiness of his distrust and” the little spark of faith which is kindled in his soul reveals to him the abysmal deeps of unbelief which are there” (Trench).'