The Meaning of Matthew 17:19 Explained

Matthew 17:19

KJV: Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

YLT: Then the disciples having come to Jesus by himself, said, 'Wherefore were we not able to cast him out?'

Darby: Then the disciples, coming to Jesus apart, said to him, Why were not we able to cast him out?

ASV: Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  came  the disciples  to Jesus  apart,  and said,  Why  could  not  we  cast  him  out? 

What does Matthew 17:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 17:9-21 - Lack Of Faith Rebuked
As Raphael suggests in his great painting, there is a close connection between the mountain and the valley. The glory of the one did not make our Lord indifferent to the bitter need of the other. It seems as though He desired to impress on us the great truth, that we must have the seclusion and exaltation of communion with God before we can successfully deal with the anguish and terror that devastate human lives. See Matthew 17:21.
In Matthew 17:17 our Lord grieves over the unbelief of His disciples. Though they had enjoyed His careful teaching, they had failed to grasp His secret, which He here again elaborates. Faith is openness to God. It is the lifting of the curtain, that the healing light may enter. The tiny seed unlocks its little doorway to welcome the entering life of nature; and as this continues to enter, it forces the rootlet downward and the green shoot upward. It is thus also with the life of God in the soul. Let this life of God in and there is no limit to what it will effect. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 17

1  The transfiguration of Jesus
14  He heals the boy with a demon,
22  foretells his own passion,
24  and pays tribute

What do the individual words in Matthew 17:19 mean?

Then having come the disciples - to Jesus in private they said Because of why we not were able to cast out it
Τότε προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ κατ’ ἰδίαν εἶπον Διὰ τί ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό

προσελθόντες  having  come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: προσέρχομαι  
Sense: to come to, approach.
μαθηταὶ  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦ  to  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἰδίαν  private 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἴδιος  
Sense: pertaining to one’s self, one’s own, belonging to one’s self.
εἶπον  they  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Διὰ  Because  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τί  why 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
ἠδυνήθημεν  were  able 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 1st Person Plural
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
ἐκβαλεῖν  to  cast  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἐκβάλλω  
Sense: to cast out, drive out, to send out.

What are the major concepts related to Matthew 17:19?

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