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Jesus Heals A Boy With An Evil Spirit Analysis

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Jesus Heals A Boy With An Evil Spirit Analysis
The Gospel of Mark according to Dustin

For: Jim McLeavy

By: Dustin Shanks

Religion Part 1

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Evil Spirit (Mark 9. 14-29)
In Mark’s Gospel there are many stories of the teaching and preaching of Jesus to people of all denominations. Mark portrays Jesus as a man of the people, for the people. Many of the parables Jesus used to teach his followers and disbelievers alike are mentioned here in Marks gospels (i.e. The Parable of the Growing Seed). I found it interesting to see how many stories were told of Jesus driving out ‘evil spirits’. At one point Jesus almost seems fed up with all of this ‘exorcising’ of demons he has to do. This is seen most evidently in ‘Jesus Heels a Boy With an Evil Spirit’ (Mark 9. 14 – 29). Despite all of the references to miracles and extraordinary holy deeds, Mark seems to succeed most in humanizing Jesus as a man who struggled through many trials and tribulations.
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Whenever the spirit attacks him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth, grits his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked you disciples to drive them out but they could not.”
Now whether the child was really possessed by demons or suffered from a disorder such as epilepsy is up for debate, but what cannot be contested is Jesus’ abrupt, seemingly hostile, and very ‘human’, reaction. He exclaims, “How unbelievable you people are! How long so I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me!” With this I feel a sense of frustration from Jesus. Was he frustrated with the lack of faith being shown by his disciples and followers? Was he trying to instill the ideals associated with ‘the power of


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