Luke 9:40

And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:37-42 How deplorable the case of this child! He was under the power of an evil spirit. Disease of that nature are more frightful than such as arise merely from natural causes. What mischief Satan does where he gets possession! But happy those that have access to Christ! He can do that for us which his disciples cannot. A word from Christ healed the child; and when our children recover from sickness, it is comfortable to receive them as healed by the hand of Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the Matthew 17:14-21 notes, and Mark 9:14-29 notes.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Lu 9:37-45. Demoniac and Lunatic Boy Healed—Christ's Second Explicit Announcement of his Death and Resurrection.

(See on [1613]Mr 9:14-32.)

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 9:37"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And I besought thy disciples,.... The nine disciples that were left behind, whilst Christ, and the other three, were gone up to the mountain:

to cast him out; the devil out of his child:

and they could not; See Gill on Matthew 17:16.

Geneva Study Bible

And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

40. and they could not] Jesus afterwards, at their request, told them the reason of this, which was their deficient faith. Matthew 17:19-21.

Bengel's Gnomen

[40. Οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν, they were not able) This demon was one of a peculiar kind. For in Luke 9:1, the disciples are said to have received power over all demons.—V. g.]

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 40. - And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not. This appears to have been a case of the deadliest kind of epileptic lunacy. Our Lord distinctly assumes here that the disease in this case was occasioned by an unclean spirit who had taken possession of the suffering child. The whole question of demoniacal possession, its extent, its cause, whether or no it still survives in some of the many mysterious phases of madness, is very difficult. It has been discussed elsewhere (see notes on Luke 4:33 and following verses). Luke 9:40