Matthew 17:14–23: Nothing Will be Impossible for You
Introduction
After the mountaintop experience of the transfiguration, Jesus jarringly reminded his three disciples ion the previous passage that he must still suffer. Now, as the four men return, they discover that the nine disciples have been struggling to cast out a demon during their absence. In Jesus’ frustrated evaluation of the nine as faithless and twisted, and in Jesus’ extraordinary promise of the power of faith to move mountains, the Lord teaches his disciples an important principle about the suffering that both he and they must endure: faith empowers believers to endure suffering.
Discussion Questions
1. How does the man with the demon-oppressed son address Jesus (v. 15)? What does this address suggest about the faith of the man toward Jesus? When Jesus laments the “faithless and twisted generation,” about whom do you think Jesus is speaking (v. 17)? Why does Jesus speak so harshly about his disciples? What does Jesus’ exclamation here reveal about the unique suffering that Jesus endured at the doubts of those closest to him?
2. How do you think that the nine disciples felt as they approached Jesus “privately” to ask him what had done wrong (v. 19)? Where have you felt humiliated in your failure to serve the Lord? How would you have responded to Jesus’ response in v. 20? What exactly does Jesus promise when he says that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (v. 20)? What kind of faith do you have when you ask something of God in prayer?
3. With Jesus’ words in vv. 22–23, how many times has Jesus now told his disciples that he will suffer? What does the phrase “about to” add? What does the word “delivered” add? Why do you think that Jesus is revealing the nature of his suffering to his disciples in piecemeal like this? If Jesus had so much faith, why do you think that he couldn’t remove the mountain of his suffering from his life?
4. What does Jesus’ own faith as he approached the cross teach us about the kind of faith that we need when we endure suffering? How does Jesus’ faith teach us to pray to the Lord about our sufferings? What is one area of suffering you are facing right now? How are you thinking about it? How are you praying about it? What kind of faith do you think God is seeking from you right now? Are you praying for that kind of faith? Why or why not?
