Topical Bible: Intercession: Additional Instances of Parents, for Their Epileptic Son

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In the biblical narrative, the theme of intercession is a profound demonstration of faith and reliance on divine intervention. One notable instance of parental intercession is found in the account of a father seeking healing for his epileptic son. This account is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, with particular emphasis in the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 9:14-29 : The narrative begins as Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John, descends from the Mount of Transfiguration to find a large crowd gathered around the remaining disciples. Among them is a desperate father whose son is afflicted by a spirit causing seizures. The father approaches Jesus, having already sought help from the disciples, who were unable to cast out the demon.

The father's plea is a poignant example of parental intercession: "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable" (Mark 9:17-18). This plea underscores the father's desperation and his faith in Jesus' ability to heal.

Jesus responds with a rebuke of the faithless generation and calls for the boy to be brought to Him. As the boy is brought forward, the spirit convulses him violently. The father, in a moment of raw honesty, cries out, "If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us" (Mark 9:22). Jesus replies, "If You can? All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). The father's immediate response, "I do believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24), reflects the tension between faith and doubt, a common human experience.

Jesus then commands the unclean spirit to leave the boy and never return. The spirit departs with a final convulsion, leaving the boy seemingly lifeless, but Jesus takes his hand and raises him up, fully restored. This miraculous healing is a testament to the power of intercessory prayer and the faith of a parent advocating for their child.

Matthew 17:14-21 and Luke 9:37-43 : The accounts in Matthew and Luke parallel Mark's narrative, each highlighting the father's intercession and the disciples' initial inability to heal the boy. In Matthew, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of faith, stating, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). This teaching underscores the power of faith in intercessory prayer.

The account of the epileptic boy and his father's intercession serves as a powerful example of the role of parents as intercessors for their children. It illustrates the importance of faith, the struggle with doubt, and the ultimate reliance on Christ's power and compassion. Through this narrative, believers are encouraged to persist in prayer, trusting in God's ability to intervene in the lives of their loved ones.

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Matthew 17:15
Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for often he falls into the fire, and oft into the water.
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