Mark 9:37Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By the very sight, persuading them to humility and simplicity; for this little one was pure from envy and vain glory, and from a desire of superiority. But He does not only say, If ye become such, ye shall receive a great reward, but also, if ye will honour others, who are such for my sake. Wherefore there follows: And when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me.

After, however, saying what was sorrowful, He adds what ought to rejoice them; wherefore it goes on: And after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day; in order that we may learn that joys come on after struggles. There follows: But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

The individual mentioned by John, to whom the Lord referred in His teachings, should not be viewed as separate from the disciple community, as if he were a heretic distancing himself from it. Rather, he belongs to those who have yet to fully commit to the sacraments of Christ while still expressing a preference for the Christian identity. Such individuals often assist Christians and perform acts of kindness solely because they bear the name of Christ. It is they to whom the Lord refers when He states that they will not lose their reward (cf. Matt. 10:42). This is not to suggest that they feel secure due to their kindness toward Christians; they remain unwashed by Christ’s baptism and have yet to enter into communion with Him.

Capernaum means the city of consolation, and agrees with the former sentence, which He had spoken: And after that he is killed, he shall arise the third day. There follows: And being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace.

This ignorance of the disciples proceeds not so much from slowness of intellect, as from love for the Saviour, for they were as yet carnal, and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, they could not therefore believe that He whom they had recognised as the true God, was about to die; being accustomed then to hear Him often talk in figures, and shrinking from the event of His death, they would have it, that something was conveyed figuratively in those things, which he spoke openly concerning His betrayal and passion. It goes on: And they came to Capernaum.

When the Lord underscored the significance of the messenger solely based on the authority of the one who commissioned him, John, one of the early apostles, recounted an encounter with a man who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus. This individual was not part of their group, and they prohibited him from continuing his work. Such a naive and heartfelt admission! The Lord responded, "Do not hinder him; for no one who performs a miracle in my name can soon speak ill of me. Why do you, who operate by the same authority, regard each other with such disparity? Though he does not travel with you, do you understand the bond he shares with me?

The question raised by John, which interrupted Christ's teachings, is absent from Matthew's account. Nonetheless, it carries significant weight in grasping the Lord's guidance here. During their ministry, the apostles encountered an individual who was expelling demons in the name of Jesus Christ. His ability to perform such remarkable deeds indicated that he was indeed a believer and a follower of the Lord; however, his lack of visible affiliation with Christ suggested he practiced his faith more privately, much like Nicodemus (John 3), who hesitated to openly declare his beliefs. Despite this, he maintained such a deep spiritual connection with Christ that he was granted the gift of miracles.

In John's narrative, he recounts an instance where the apostles prohibited a man from ministering in the name of Jesus. This situation reminded John of an individual they had observed who was casting out demons in Christ's name. Instead of accepting him, the apostles rebuked him for performing good deeds. During a time when the Jewish leaders were openly antagonistic toward Jesus, it was dangerous to be a public follower of Him; it required great bravery to confront the threat of persecution from His adversaries. Consequently, in addition to those disciples who boldly proclaimed their allegiance to Jesus, there were also what could be termed secret disciples, among whom was Joseph of Arimathea.

The issue of humility brought the apostle to reflection. John recalled an experience from his missionary work and sought understanding from Christ. While they were proclaiming the Gospel, they came across an individual who was expelling demons in Christ’s name. However, because this person was not part of their group, they prevented him from continuing his work. Was this the appropriate course of action?

An account of the Lord's teachings to His disciples, as conveyed by Eu. The narrative provided by Matthew, which portrays the Lord's teachings seamlessly, is interrupted by Mark. Mark includes an episode that Matthew chose to leave out, one that was undoubtedly authentic. Upon hearing that someone was casting out demons even in the name of the Lord, John recalled an event involving the disciples, likely during their early ministry. They observed a man expelling demons in the name of Jesus Christ, and since he was not among the Lord's closest disciples, they not only did not accept him into their fellowship, but they also prohibited him from acting in that name.

Upon hearing these words from Jesus Christ, the apostle John recalled a notable event, which he was eager to recount for His consideration: “Teacher, we observed someone using Your name to cast out demons, who does not follow us, and we stopped him because he does not accompany us.” The Lord replied, “Do not reprimand him, for no one who performs miracles in My name will soon have the ability to speak evil of Me; for he who is not against you is on your side.” This individual likely had a nascent faith, acting to the best of his ability according to his belief. Regardless, his actions were not harmful, and therefore there was no justification for hindering him.