A Light to the Nations

In Matthew 17, a boy’s father brings him to Jesus’ disciples to be healed but they cannot do it. Since the man is “from the multitude”, that is a Gentile, his son may be said to represent the second generation of the ekklesia, the Church, the primary addresses of Matthew’s Gospel. This story depicts the Gentiles in need of healing (the gospel), but prevented from hearing it because of the disciples’ “little faith.” Matthew is intentional in his word choice, changing Mark’s “having a mute spirit” to “an epileptic,” which in Greek means literally “under the influence of the moon,” or “moonstruck.” In Scripture the first reference to the moon in the creation narrative says it is “for a sign.” Thus, as a sign, it is merely a pointer to something, and not itself the reference. Matthew’s use of “epileptic” suggests that, as a Gentile, the boy was under the control of the sign, but kept from accessing the thing he really needed, which the sign merely points to: the preaching unto repentance.
Join me in a discussion of Matthew 17:14-23.
*Note that the next episode will continue our reading through the Gospel of Mark. Stay tuned!

Notes:
Genesis 1:14
Galatians 1:11-12
Matthew 12:38-39; 16:1, 4; 28:18-20

κατ’ἰδίαν (kat’idian) - apart, by themselves, privately
κατεγνωσμένος (kategnosmenos) - fully condemned
σεληνιάζεται (selēniazetai) - epileptic, literally under the influence of the moon; moonstruck
אוֹת (ōth) - sign, miracle; Greek σημεῖον (sēmeion)

προσευχῇ (proseuchē) - praying, prayer, place of prayer

Photo by Joonas kääriäinen: https://www.pexels.com/photo/clouds-under-full-moon-239107/
“Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book” performed by Dead Can Dance.