Perverse Generation
And behold, a man from the crowd cried,Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only child; and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him till he foams, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.Jesus answered,O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.While he was coming, the demon tore him and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples, (Luke 9:38-43)1
A faithless and perverse generation. That's what Jesus called humanity. Believers are to remember this. All is not well. The world is sick (Romans 8:22).
Simple and clear examples can be seen in the book of Proverbs. The basic act of buying and selling leads to dishonesty (Proverbs 20:14). The foreign exchange system of floating currencies is an abomination (Proverbs 20:10, 23). Anyone who thinks these man made rules are logical or sound does not see the injustice they impose. It is faithless and perverse.
Moses prophesied Jesus' coming, and said Jesus would be like him (Deuteronomy 18:15). As Moses was at first rejected (Exodus 2:14), so Jesus was rejected (Matthew 26:57). And as Israel tested Moses' patience until it broke (Numbers 12:3; 20:10-12), so a perverse generation tested Jesus' patience.
Jesus' patience did not break. He finished his course to sit at God’s right hand (Psalm 110:1). God now does everything for Jesus. This may mean Jesus no longer has to put up with a faithless and perverse generation.
It may also mean he does not return to rule the world personally. That responsibility is given to someone else (see Revelation 12:1-6 and 19:12-14).
και ιδου ανηρ απο του οχλου ανεβοησε λεγων Διδασκαλε δεομαι σου επιβλεψον επι τον υιον μου οτι μονογενης εστι μοι και ιδου πνευμα λαμβανει αυτον και εξαιφνης κραζει και σπαρασσει αυτον μετα αφρου και μογις αποχωρει απ αυτου συντριβον αυτον και εδεηθην των μαθητων σου ινα εκβαλωσιν αυτο και ουκ ηδυνηθησαν αποκριθεις δε ο Ιησους ειπεν Ω γενεα απιστος και διεστραμμενη εως ποτε εσομαι προς υμας και ανεξομαι υμων προσαγαγε ωδε τον υιον σου ετι δε προσερχομενου αυτου ερρηξεν αυτον το δαιμονιον και συνεσπαραξεν επετιμησε δε ο Ιησους τω πνευματι τω ακαθαρτω και ιασατο τον παιδα και απεδωκεν αυτον τω πατρι αυτου εξεπλησσοντο δε παντες επι τη μεγαλειοτητι του Θεου Παντων δε θαυμαζοντων επι πασιν οις εποιεν ο Ιησους ειπε προς τους μαθητας αυτου (Luke 9:38-43 GNS) 2
Eight words are dropped from the beginning of verse 38. The segment begins with "Teacher-". The last fourteen words are dropped from verse 43. The segment ends with God.
1 2 3 144 109 350 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 4- 9- 4- 1- 90- 10- 1- 20- 5 4- 5- 60- 30- 1- 9 90- 60- 200 teacher, I beseech thee 4 5 6 711 84 200 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 5- 70- 9- 2- 20- 5- 500- 60- 40 5- 70- 9 100- 60- 40 look upon the 7 8 9 10 309 290 169 335 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 200- 9- 60-40 30- 60-200 60-100-9 30-60-40-60-3- 5- 40-7- 90 son my, for an only child 11 12 13 14 204 99 20 273 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 5- 90- 100- 9 30- 60- 9 10- 1- 9 9- 4- 60- 200 he is to me and behold, 15 16 17 346 108 401 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 70- 40- 5- 200-30- 1 20- 1- 30- 2- 1- 40-5- 9 1- 200-100-60-40 a spirit takes him 18 19 20 20 502 111 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 10- 1- 9 5- 50- 1- 9- 300- 40- 7- 90 10- 80- 1- 6- 5- 9 and suddenly he cries out, 21 22 23 20 436 401 103 04 105 106 107 08 109 10 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 10- 1- 9 90- 70- 1- 80- 1- 90- 90- 5- 9 1- 200-100-60- 40 and it throws into convulsions him 24 25 26 136 641 20 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 30- 5- 100- 1 1- 300- 80- 60- 200 10- 1- 9 with foaming, and 27 28 192 1225 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 30- 60- 3- 9- 90 1- 70- 60- 400- 600- 80- 5- 9 with difficulty departs 29 30 31 71 561 621 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 1- 70 1- 200-100-60- 200 90- 200- 40- 100-80- 9- 2- 60- 40 from him, bruising 32 33 34 401 20 76 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 1- 200- 100- 60- 40 10- 1- 9 5- 4- 5- 7- 8- 7- 40 him. and I besought 35 36 37 740 786 350 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 100- 600- 40 30- 1- 8- 7- 100- 600- 40 90- 60- 200 the disciples your 38 39 40 50 777 361 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 9- 40- 1 5- 10- 2- 1- 20- 600- 90- 9- 40 1- 200-100-60 that they might cast out it, 41 42 43 20 270 404 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 10- 1- 9 60- 200-10 7- 4- 200- 40- 7- 8- 7- 90- 1- 40 and not they were able 44 45 46 342 9 60 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 1- 70- 60- 10- 80- 9- 8- 5- 9- 90 4- 5 60 and answering but the 47 48 49 456 129 600 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 9- 7- 90- 60- 200- 90 5- 9- 70- 5- 40 600 Jesus said, oh 50 51 52 54 420 20 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 3- 5- 40- 5- 1 1- 70- 9- 90- 100- 60- 90 10- 1- 9 generation unbelieving and 53 54 401 695 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 4- 9- 5- 90- 100- 80- 1- 30- 30- 5- 40- 7 5- 600- 90 perverted, until 55 56 57 235 195 300 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 70- 60- 100- 5 5- 90- 60- 30- 1- 9 70- 80- 60- 90 when shall I be with 58 59 60 321 20 196 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 200- 30- 1- 90 10- 1- 9 1- 40- 5- 50- 60- 30- 1- 9 you and bear with 61 62 870 313 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 200- 30- 600- 40 70- 80- 60- 90- 1- 3- 1- 3- 5 you? bring 63 64 65 66 609 200 309 350 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 600- 4- 5 100- 60- 40 200- 9- 60- 40 90- 60- 200 hither the son your. 67 68 69 114 9 1180 331 332 333 334 35 336 37 338 39 40 341 342 43 344 45 346 47 348 5- 100-9 4- 5 70- 80-60- 90-5- 80- 400-60-30- 5- 40- 60-200 yet but as he was coming near 70 71 72 561 267 401 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 56 57 358 59 360 361 362 363 364 365 1- 200-100-60- 200 5- 80- 80-7- 50- 5- 40 1- 200-100-60- 40 him dashed down him 73 74 75 160 253 20 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 100- 60 4- 1- 9- 30- 60- 40- 9- 60- 40 10- 1- 9 the demon and 76 77 672 321 380 381 82 83 84 85 6 87 8 89 90 391 392 93 94 395 96 397 98 99 400 90- 200-40-5- 90-70-1-80 1-50-5- 40 5- 70-5- 100-9- 30- 7- 90-5 and threw him into convulsions and rebuked 78 79 80 81 9 60 456 700 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 4- 5 60 9- 7- 90- 60- 200- 90 100- 600 but the Jesus the 82 83 84 455 700 801 412 13 14 415 416 17 418 419 420 421 422 423 24 25 26 27 428 429 70- 40-5- 200-30- 1- 100-9 100-600 1- 10- 1- 8- 1- 80-100-600 spirit the unclean, 85 86 87 20 261 200 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 10- 1- 9 9- 1- 90- 1- 100- 60 100- 60- 40 and healed the 88 89 90 85 20 735 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 70- 1- 9- 4- 1 10- 1- 9 1- 70- 5- 4- 600- 10- 5- 40 child, and gave back 91 92 93 401 700 260 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 1- 200- 100- 60- 40 100- 600 70- 1- 100- 80- 9 him to father 94 95 561 597 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 1- 200-100-60- 200 5- 50- 5- 70- 20- 7- 90- 90- 60- 40- 100-60 his. were astonished 96 97 98 99 9 306 84 107 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 4- 5 70- 1- 40- 100- 5- 90 5- 70- 9 100- 7 moreover all at the 100 101 349 360 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 30- 5- 3- 1- 20- 5- 9- 60- 100- 7- 100- 9 100- 60- 200 majesty the 102 273 515 516 517 518 8- 5- 60- 200 of God.3
Numeric Features
Primary Features
(Derived from Revelation 1:8 and grouped for easy reference.)
A.1Numeric total: 32935 = 5 x 7 x 941. (See feature 2.)
A.5Number of letters: 518 = 2 x 7 x 37. (See feature 3.)
B.4Every other letter (odd): 15939 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 11 x 23. (See feature 5.1.)
B.4.2Every other letter (even): 16996 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 607. (See feature 5.2.)
C.2First and last verses: 5089 = 7 x 727. (See feature 1.1.)
C.2.2First and last word of each verse: 3325 = 5 x 5 x 7 x 19. (See feature 1.2.)
C.3.2First and last letter of each word: 12999 = 3 x 7 x 619. (See feature 6.3.)
D.2.3First letter of each verse: 35 = 5 x 7. (See feature 1.3.)
D.3.3First letter of each word: 4942 = 2 x 7 x 353. (See feature 6.1.2.)
E.2.3Last letter of each verse: 689 = 13 x 53. (See feature 1.4.)
E.3.3Last letter of each word: 8057 = 7 x 1151. (See feature 6.2.)
G.3.2Second third of the words: 10985 = 5 x 13 x 13 x 13. (See feature 4.)
Verse Features
1.1First and last verses: 5089 = 7 x 727. (The sum of the verse positions would be 7.)
1.1.1Verses that are not first or last: 27846 = 2 x 3 x 3 x 7 x 13 x 17.
1.2First and last words of each verse: 3325 = 5 x 5 x 7 x 19.
1.3First letter of each verse: 35 = 5 x 7.
1.4Last letter of each verse: 689 = 13 x 53.
Words And Letters
2Numeric total: 32935 = 5 x 7 x 941.
3Number of letters: 518 = 2 x 7 x 37.
4Divide the words into three equal sections. The middle section: 10985 = 5 x 13 x 13 x 13.
4.1Total of words with an odd number of letters: 17843 = 7 x 2549.
4.1.2Position total of words with an even number of letters: 2431 = 11 x 13 x 17.
4.2Total of words with an even number of letters: 15092 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 11.
5.1Total of odd positioned letters: 15939 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 11 x 23.
5.2Total of even positioned letters: 16996 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 607.
6.1Positions of the first letter of each word: 26250 = 2 x 3 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 7.
6.1.2Total of the first letter of each word: 4942 = 2 x 7 x 353.
6.2Total of the last letter of each word: 8057 = 7 x 1151.
6.3First and last letters of each word: 12999 = 3 x 7 x 619.
7Total of the letter positions where each letter first and last appeared: 11361 = 3 x 7 x 541.
8Total of the words where each letter of the alphabet first and last appeared: 19005 = 3 x 5 x 7 x 181. SF: 196 = 2 x 2 x 7 x 7.
9Divide the letters of the Greek alphabet that appear in the segment into two equal lists. Add up the positions of each letter where they first and last appeared in the segment.
9.1The total of positions for letters from 1 to 30: 5733 = 3 x 3 x 7 x 7 x 13.
9.2The total of positions for letters from 40 to 600: 5628 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 7 x 67.
10Add up the first and last words where each letter of the alphabet appears. Sort the letters from least to greatest using those totals. Divide the list into two equal parts.
10.1The first and last letter positions of the letters in the lesser list: 4991 = 7 x 23 x 31.
10.2The first and last letter positions of those in the greater list: 6370 = 2 x 5 x 7 x 7 x 13.
Conclusion
This incident also appears in Matthew 17:17. Repetition emphasizes the importance of remembering the fallen state of the world. It is easy to close our eyes and believe everything is okay.
It is easy to think that most people are half decent (oxymoron!). The truth is much darker.
We also see Jesus' character. Yes he is gentle, compassionate and patient. But even he experiences frustration when people prove faithless and perverse (perverse to the point of negating all faith). Unlike Moses, Jesus passed the test of his patience. And having passed this trial, he no longer needs to undergo it any further. For his ultimate obedience and sacrifice, God does everything for him (Psalm 110:1).
Notes
- English reference quotes are from the Revised Standard Version, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1972.
- The Greek GNS text is from Bibleworks 3.0 by Hermeneutika, Michael S. Bushell, 1995, translated into HTML entities. Vowels and punctuation have been removed.
- English translation is from eSword 10.4.0 by Rick Meyers with Interlinear Greek New Testament Keyed to Strongs 1894 Scrivener Textus Receptus.bblx module. Some changes were made by this author so every Greek word would have an English word.