On the ground level is a poor demon-possessed boy, his mouth hideously gaping with wild ravings. At his side is his desperate father. Raphael has brilliantly captured something of the overwhelming contrast between the glorious Mount of Transfiguration and the troubled world waiting below . In the preceding verses, we have learned of Jesus' majesty and glory in the Transfiguration, a preview of His Second Coming. In the passage before us, we will learn about ministering in faith to a troubled world.
Faith is absolutely necessary to live the Christian life.
Consider three varieties of faith. This is subject in the passage before us. This passage marks the beginning of a period of specialized instruction for the disciples shortly before Jesus death. The next several events serve like a finishing school for ministry without the physical presence of Jesus. Let's note four natural divisions in the text.