Emmaus Road Ministries

All Things Are Possible To Him Who Believes

Mark 9:21-24
24 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Every sermon I have ever heard preached on this passage focused on the man and the "fact" that his boy's healing was dependent on him and his faith.  While it is true that God is moved by our faith, this passage is not about our faith at all.
When Jesus says to the man, "All things are possible to THE ONE WHO believes," He is not referring to or including in the boy's healing anything of the man's faith, which he admits is shaky and imperfect. 
"The One Who believes," isn't the man, who admits his doubt; it is JESUS.  In the Greek, it's clear He is referring to Himself, NOT the man and his faith.....or the lack of it.

Here's the crux of the matter:
There is absolutely no doubt that Bible is an inspired book.  However, when we read it in other than the original languages, i.e. a translation, we are seeing through the lens of a translator; a filter if you will.  Because they are human, translators have a point of view; a frame of reference which colors the text, not that it changes the meaning, you understand.  Trust me; the Holy Spirit is MOST CAPABLE of protecting the integrity of God's word, so FEAR not!
If the one translating believes that he must work to please God, that understanding or mentality will come out in his work, just as someone who understands the finished work and the fact that it's ALL about Jesus, not our works.  That will be evident as well.
This phenomenon is very clearly seen in the passage which has been both misunderstood and misused to point to man's efforts rather than to Jesus in His beauty and perfection.

You see, it's the original language that is inspired, not the language into which it is translated.  That's why it is so important to check any given passage carefully with the Greek or Hebrew AND not to depend on our own intellect for the understanding.  ASK THE AUTHOR: He loves to share and open up the word!

Don't read or speak Greek or Hebrew?  No problem.   An excellent resource is one of my favorites-Strong's Interlinear Online Bible:  VERY helpful.  You can glean what you need to know from the transliteration and research the root of any word you please.  

I was prompted to look up the word for "help," in Greek.  What the man actually said," I believe" but he uses the word "pisteuó" which means,"I believe, have faith in, trust in.  'Help my "unbelief-boétheó,' which means, "come to the rescue of, come to help' my 'apistia-unbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust.'" The translator should have written, "I believe; come to the rescue of my unbelief."
That paints a bit of a different picture.  The emphasis is no longer on the man's faith, but on Jesus:  WHERE IT BELONGS.
It is not....never has been.....about us at all; IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS.  
The only thing we "do" is consent to be saved, healed, delivered or whatever.

Translators also add in words in English, for example, so that the text flows a little better. Words you see in "italics" are the ones added there by them but are not part of the original text, like where the father says "Help ME OVERCOME my unbelief."  It actually says, " Help my unbelief," nothing about the man "overcoming," as if his works could accomplish anything.  
They cannot.

When you really think about it, what greater miracle could you or I experience than being raised from the dead?  How much faith could Lazarus have exercised to have been brought back to life after being DEAD FOR FOUR DAYS!?
I'm guessing......ZERO.

Nothing Jesus does for us is dependent on how good or how strong our faith is.  Faith as teeny, tiny as a little bitty mustard seed is all that is necessary for The Mountain Mover, THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE ONE!  
It isn't you or I who have perfect faith at all:  IT IS JESUS ALONE.

His faith is always perfect.
His faith never wavers. 
We need to have faith that HIS FAITH IS PERFECT, however weak or strong our own; to see ourselves as He sees us-righteous and perfect because of His perfect work........
because ALL things are possible for Him: JESUS! Who believes.

Emmaus Road Ministries
Susan Deschaine
New Hartford, Connecticut
jlnministries
Prayer Requests
JLNministries@gmail.com