The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 184

was so fierce, so strong. Bo we may pray for cases that seem almost desperate. Tho poor lad could not pray for himself; the Lord listened to the father's prayer. Let us pray for others, for our relations and near friends, for all who need onr prayers. Only let us take heed that our prayers are lifted up in faith. There is no limit to the power of a true and living faith, for it is limited only by the power of God, which is without limit. And if we feel (and who does not?) that our faith is wanting in depth and earnestness, then pray we again in the words of that memorable cry, which seemed wrung from the very heart of the almost deepairin2: father, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." III. THE CONVERSATION WITH THE NINE APOSTLES. 1. They came to (Jhrist. They came to him privately, into the house, St. Mark says; and asked him the reason of their failure. He had given them power to cast out evil spirits: why could they not cast this one out'/ We should come to Christ in our spiritual disappointments, when we have failed to conquer this or that sin in ourselves, to convince this or that sinner of his danger. We should come to him in secret prayer, asking him the reason of our failure. He will tell us, U we come in humility and sincerity. But let us not be satisfied till we have discovered the cause of our want of success, and set ourselves seriously to overcome it. 2. The Lord's answer. The cause of their failure was simple; it was want of faith. Possibly the three apostles who were nearest to the Lord might have been able to cast t.he devil out ; the nine could not. Some saints are strongei than others; some can do more than others in converting souls; their strength is in proportion to their faith. Faith is strength ; for it is, in truth, the strength of God that worketh in his people, and that strength is manifested in those who trust wholly and absolutely in him. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." It is only in union with Christ that the Christian can do all things. "Without me ye can do nothing." The victory which overcometh the world is the strength of Christ, but in another sense it is our faith; for faith maintains a living union with Christ, and thus, the strength of Christ is ours. Our faith may be small, like a grain of mustard seed, but if it be only true, it can remove mountains (the Lord seems to have pointed to the towering mass of Hermon as he said the words)-mountains of difficulties, mountains of perplexities, mountains of sin. Faith is realized in different degrees. To a true and perfect faith, the Lord says, nothing is impossible; for a true and perfect faith reflects the almightiness of God. "Lord, increase our faith." 3. The special difficulty of the case. There was this to be said in palliation of the apostles' failure. The evil spirit was one of exceptional energy and malignity. Christians who would fight against such enemies must be doubly armed; by constant fervent prayer they must keep themselves in the love of God, in that close communion with him which is the secret of spiritual strength ; by continued and voluntary self-mortification they must fortify themselves against the temptations of sensual pleasure. In prayer and faoting the Lord overcame Satan for us ; in prayer and fasting the true disciple follows the Lord's example and shares his victory, In the sermon on the mount the Lord enumerates almsgiving, prayer, 'and fasting as three principal exercises of devotion; here he describes prayer and fasting (the reading, however, is doubtful) as the chief weapons ot the Christian warrior in the holy fight against the deadly enemy. LESSONS. 1. We cannot always be on the mount in a rapture of devotion; we must work for Christ among scenes of sin and sorrow. 2. Come to Christ in your trouble~, come with tears, come kneeling before him; he can save. 3. Pray for continually increasing faith ; pray for yourself, pray for others. 4. Tell Christ of past failures ; search out the cause; seek his strength for the future. Vers. 22-27.-Return to Galilee. I. REITERATED PREDICTIONS OF THE COMING .PASSION, 1. The Lord alone with the twelve. He returns to Galilee, but no longer for teaching. He revisits the old familiar spots with the shadow of death closing round him. He was not followed by multitudes as of old. He " passed through Galilee ; and he would not that any man should know it n (Mark ix. 30). He confined his teaching to the little circle of his apostles. He sought to prepare them for the awful scenes which lay before them. 2. He forewarns them of his death. He repeats in Galilee the propheoy of Cresarea Philippi; he adds one important detail, "'l'he Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of ruou." He hints at the treachery ; he tells them not  188 TdE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [cm. xrn. 1-27.