New Testament · Gospel

Matthew 17:15

Glory on the Mountain

“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. Matthew 17:15 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Matthew 17:15, in plain English

The father begs, 'Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He keeps falling into fire and water.' A parent's worst nightmare.

Why it's here

There's nothing more painful than watching someone you love suffer. This father's desperation mirrors anyone who has brought a loved one's pain to God in prayer.

Who's speaking

A desperate father pleads with Jesus for his son.

Where it sits in the story

This is raw parental anguish. The father has watched his son suffer and nearly die repeatedly. Jesus is his last hope.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

The father describes his son as selēniazetai ('moonstruck/epileptic'), a term connecting the seizures to lunar cycles. The symptoms (falling into fire and water) suggest violent, life-threatening episodes. The father's plea kyrie eleēson ('Lord, have mercy') uses liturgical language.

Language and setting

The term selēniazomai appears only in Matthew (here and 4:24). While the condition has medical parallels to epilepsy, Matthew attributes it to demonic activity (v. 18).

Voice

The father describes his son's condition to Jesus.

Significance

A father's agony spills out as he describes his child's terrifying symptoms. The boy's suffering has driven his father to the only one who might help.

In context

Matthew 17:13–17

13Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

14When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him.

15“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

16I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”

Read all of Matthew 17 — Three disciples witness Jesus transfigured in blinding light alongside Moses and Elijah. Then they come back down to a world that still needs healing.

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