Scripture Daily

Context No. 4221 of 4322 · Matthew

Context · Reflection

Matthew 17:11-16: in context

11Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things; 12but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.” 13Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer. 14When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying, 15“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

As Jesus comes down from the mountain, a desperate father meets him. He has a suffering son, tormented and often thrown into fire and water by his affliction, and he had brought the boy to Jesus' disciples for help. But, he says, they could not cure him. Now he brings his son directly to Jesus: Lord, have mercy on my son.

What stands out is where the father finally turns. He had sought help from the disciples and been disappointed; their efforts failed, and his son was still tormented. But he did not give up. He brought his need straight to Jesus himself, pleading for mercy. When the help he had sought elsewhere came to nothing, he went to the Lord directly.

Sometimes the help we seek, even from good and well-meaning people, fails; the problem remains, and we are left disappointed. In such moments the father shows the way: bring the need straight to Jesus. When other help has failed us and the burden is still unresolved, we can come directly to the Lord and plead, have mercy. He is able where others could not help.

When the help I have sought elsewhere fails and my burden remains unresolved, do I, like the desperate father, bring my need straight to Jesus and plead for his mercy, trusting that he is able where others could not help?

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