Matthew narrates the healing of a demon-possessed boy (17:14–20), whose father has sought his healing from the disciples while Jesus was away with Peter, James, and John. When the disciples fail, the father comes to Jesus. Jesus’s response echoes his words against “this generation” in 12:39–45, where Jewish leaders inappropriately ask Jesus for a miraculous sign. In this case, Jesus reacts against the general unbelief of the present generation as exemplified by the disciples’ inability to heal the boy (17:17). After Jesus heals him, th…