Mark 9:21 AV
And he asked his father,
How long¹ is it ago² since this³ came⁴ unto him?
And he said, Of a child⁵.
¹) How great, how much, how many.
²) Time (Greek: χρόνος – chronos); time either long or short.
³) This (thing).
⁴) To become, i.e. to come to pass, happen.
⁵) From childhood.
Other translations
And [Jesus] asked his father, How long has he had this? And he answered, From the time he was a little boy. [AMP] And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. [ESV] And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. [KJV] Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" [NIV] "How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. He replied, "Since he was very small. [NLT] So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. [NKJV]
Some further information
He (Jesus) asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of childhood, &c.
Remarkably, Jesus does not intervene immediately, but first speaks with the father, while the boy is still on the ground convulsing and foaming (Mark 9:21-24).
His need must be met first.
“The boy suffers,” his father replies to Jesus’ question, “from an early age (from childhood) to such attacks”.
Having told briefly the affecting features of the case, the poor father, half dispirited by the failure of the disciples and the aggravated virulence of the malady itself in presence of their Master,
yet encouraged too
▪︎ by what he had heard of the Christ,
▪︎ by the rebuke He had given to His disciples
▪︎ and by the dignity with which He had ordered him to be brought to Him
In this mixed state of mind, he closes his description of the case with these touching words:
Now let us reflect on this
“How long has this been happening to him?”
It is a question from the heavenly Physician that we ponder together today. How long has it been?
▪︎ Has it been recently?
▪︎ Is it an outdated ailment?
▪︎ Or has the boy suffered from it from birth?
It is the great Medicine Master Who always first diagnoses humans, and then administers the medicine.
And what love and compassion we see in this question to the father.
Oh, what a compassionate High Priest we have in heaven, Who wants to listen to, and take an interest, in all our needs with patience and love.
We must also become a patient with this Doctor.
Then He will determine that we have a disease that has stuck to us from birth.
▪︎ An ailment that is incurable for humans.
▪︎ An ailment that goes on and on; without hope of recovery,
▪︎ An ailment that continues to worsen, until finally death follows.
However, he points upwards.
The incurably sick receive heavenly instruction from Him in the way of healing.
All things are possible to the one who believes!
In the Christ there is a source of grace and love; of strength and balm.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
Website 1: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
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