Tuesday 4 November 2025

Psalm 96:10-13

Background
We are reading Matthew's Gospel this week, and yesterday just before this story of Jesus healing a boy with epilepsy we read about his Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13). It was a stunning moment when heaven opened and God's voice affirmed Jesus as God's son. We might expect Jesus to come down from the mountain following this experience looking serene and holy, with a beatific smile glowing from his encounter. Instead he seems to be irritable and frustrated.

A man emerges from the crowd and falls to his knees begging Jesus to cure his son, who is suffering so terribly. Some of the disciples have already tried and failed to help, and this seems to be the trigger for Jesus' outburst of frustration. Nevertheless he doesn't allow his frustration to get in the way of compassion and heals the boy as requested.

And then his friends come to him privately, perhaps embarrassed or curious as to why Jesus could do what they could not. And they are told, quite bluntly, that it is because of their 'little faith' (v. 20).

Up on the mountain top Jesus, along with Peter, James and John experienced at first hand how close heaven and earth really are: the kingdom of God is present – breaking through into the here and now. And yet in this moment Jesus realises the gap between the reality of the presence of the kingdom and how poorly even his closest followers understand the implications that this has.

There is room in the gaps in the text to experience Jesus in different ways here. Perhaps:

• He whispers the words of frustration with tears in his eyes, grieving because his followers fail to see the potential of God's kingdom breaking through.
• He shouts with rage, rebuking them for being so slow witted and lacking insight after all that they have seen and heard while they have been with him.
• He says these words with a sigh and a wry smile, shaking his head fondly as he is well aware of the weaknesses and failings of his friends whom he loves so much.

To Ponder:

• How do you think Jesus says these words to his disciples?
• What does this tell you about the person Jesus is and how he deals with people and with you?

Prayer
Dear Lord, we ask you to plant within us the faith of a mustard seed, so that we can believe in your power to move what seems to be immutable issues in our lives – our challenges, fears and our unbelief. We pray for your will to be done. Amen.

(First published in 2011)