18 Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
And Jesus rebuked the devil - The word "rebuke" has the combined force of reproving and commanding. He reproved him for having afflicted the child, and he commanded him to come out of him. Mark Mark 9:25 has recorded the words which he used words implying reproof and command: "Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him." And the spirit cried, and with a mighty convulsion came out, leaving the child apparently dead. Jesus lifted him up by the hand (Mark), and gave him to his father (Luke).
Jesus rebuked the devil - Deprived him of all power to torment the child; and obliged him to abandon his present usurped habitation.
There are some souls whose cure God reserves to himself alone, and to whom all the applications of his ministers appear to be utterly ineffectual. He sometimes does all without them, that they may know they can never do any good without him. Quesnel.
And Jesus rebuked the devil,.... The words may indeed be rendered, "and Jesus rebuked him, and the devil departed out of him"; so the Vulgate Latin, and the Oriental versions; but the sense our version gives is certainly right; for it was not the father of the child Christ rebuked for his unbelief; this he had done already; nor the lunatic himself, as some have thought, either for his unbelief, or because he was possessed by the devil, for some sins of his own; which is not likely, since he was so from a child, and perhaps not now in his right mind, and capable of any rebuke: besides, the Evangelists Mark, and Luke expressly say, that he "rebuked the foul", or "unclean spirit": for though it was a natural disease which attended this child, yet he was afflicted with it in a preternatural way, by the means of Satan; who, by divine permission; had a power of inflicting bodily diseases: and that this disease was effected by him, is clear from the manner of curing, by the dispossession of him; for when
he departed out of him; at the command of Christ, whose power he could not withstand, but was obliged, whether he would or not, to obey;
the child was cured from that very hour; directly, immediately, and continued well, and in good health. Hence the word rendered lunatic, in Matthew 17:15 is in several Oriental versions, translated in the sense of "demoniac", or one possessed with a devil. The Arabic version renders it, "he is with a demon": the Persic thus, "on whom a demon hath power"; and the Ethiopic after this manner, "an evil demon takes hold on him". And it is usual with the Jews, to ascribe diseases to evil spirits; and perhaps this uncommon dispensation in the times of Christ, may give rise to such a notion; particularly, they ascribe this very same disease of the "epileptic", or "falling sickness", to the same cause, which they call (x) "Kordicus", or "Cardiacus", the "Cardiac" passion, which one of their commentators (y) explains thus.
"It is a disease which proceeds from the repletion of the vessels of the brain, whereby the understanding is confounded; wherefore it is one of the sorts , "of the falling sickness".''
Says another (z) of them,
"It is , "the name of a demon", that rules over such, that drink much wine out of the vat.''
To which others agree, saying (a), that one attended with this disorder, is one,
"whose understanding is confounded, , "by means of a demon", who rules over such, that drink new wine; and lo! the spirit's name is "Kardiacus".''
From whence it is clear, that with them, the disease and the demon go by the same name; and that the former is from the latter.
(x) Misn. Gittin, c. 7. sect. 1. (y) Maimon. in ib. (z) Gloss. in T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 67. 2. (a) Bartenora & Yom Tob. in Misn. Gittin, c. 8. sect. 1.
And the demon went out. Compare Mark and Luke.
*More commentary available at chapter level.