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9 As they were coming down the mountain, he instructed them, “Tell no one what you saw, until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” 10 The disciples asked him, “Why do the Scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He answered, “Elijah is indeed the one who comes to restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, and they did to him whatever they wanted. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer under them.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking about John the Baptist. 

14 When they came to the bottom, there was a crowd, and a man came and knelt down before him. 15 He said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy and suffers terribly. 16 He has often fallen into the fire or into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him. 17 Jesus said, “Oh perverse and faithless generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and he was healed from that hour. 19 Later, his disciples came to him in private and asked him, “Why were not able to cast the demon out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your lack of faith. Amen I say to you, if you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible for you. [21 Also, this type of demon only comes out by prayer and fasting.”]

Comments

On their way down the mountain, the three disciples ask Jesus about the expectation that Elijah would return before the appearance of the Messiah (cf. Mal 3.23). Jesus repeats his assertion from 11.14 that John the Baptist was Elijah come again, and tells them that he would suffer and die just as John had.

When they arrived at the base of the mountain, they encounter a crowd and a man who begs Jesus to heal his epileptic son. Mt reports that Jesus does this by exorcising a demon within the boy. In the ancient world, psychological and neurological illnesses would have often been interpreted as demonic possession. When the disciples ask Jesus why they were not able to heal the boy, he tells them that it was due to their lack of faith. If they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they would be able to move mountains. Verse 21, which mirrors Mk 9.29, is missing from many ancient manuscripts, and is often omitted in modern editions of the Bible.