Matthew 17:19

19 Then the disciples, coming to Jesus apart, said [to him], Why were not *we* able to cast him out?

Matthew 17:19 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 17:19

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart
Or "secretly", as the Vulgate Latin, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel read; that is, privately, and when alone; and as Mark says, "when he was come into the house"; and was by himself, then came the nine disciples to him, to converse with him about this matter,

and said unto him, why could not we cast him out?
That is, the devil, and so cure the lunatic; the Syriac and Persic versions render it, "why could not we heal him?" The lunatic; which only could be done by casting out the demon: they were concerned, fearing they had lost the power which Christ had bestowed on them, and wanted to know what they had done, which had deprived them of it; and what should be the cause of their late unsuccessful attempt, when they had so frequently triumphed over the unclean spirits, that were subject to them. Though they might have learned from the answer Christ gave to the father of the lunatic, and the general character of the Jewish nations in that answer, the true reason of their own inability; but this they took no notice of, imagining it belonged entirely to others, and not to them.

Matthew 17:19 In-Context

17 And Jesus answering said, O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me.

18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon went out from him, and the boy was healed from that hour.

19 Then the disciples, coming to Jesus apart, said [to him], Why were not *we* able to cast him out?

20 And he says to them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard [seed], ye shall say to this mountain, Be transported hence there, and it shall transport itself; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

21 But this kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting.