But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name and can soon speak ill of me.
απεκριθη δε αυτω ιωαννης ο ιωαννης λεγων διδασκαλε ειδομεν τινα τω ονοματι σου εκβαλλοντα δαιμονια ος ουκ ακολουθει ημιν και εκωλυσαμεν αυτον οτι ουκ ακολουθει ημιν
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
What about the Redeemer? He instructed John not to stop the individual who was working wonders, saying, ‘Do not hinder him, for anyone who has performed a miracle in My name cannot easily speak ill of Me. In other words, how could someone who achieves honor through My name and carries out miracles by invoking Me speak ill of Me?
One should not be perplexed when divine might reveals itself through individuals who may not yet be part of the Church, specifically those in whom God does not currently reside, mirroring the case of the individual who expelled demons in the name of Christ, despite not being a disciple at that time (cf. Lk. 9:49). The Lord permitted this act to continue because it served as a testament to many in His name. He warns that in the final days, numerous individuals will declare, “In your name we have performed many wonders.” How would He respond to them with, “I do not know you” (cf. Matt. 7:22-23), had they already belonged to God's temple, represented as a seat of blessing? Take Cornelius the centurion, who, even prior to his full transformation, was welcomed into this holy assembly.
He encountered an angel who informed him that his prayers were recognized and his offerings accepted (cf. Acts 10:3-4).
Those who adhere stringently to the commandments encourage us to oppose the insubordinate, refrain from giving what is sacred to those unworthy (cf. Matt. 7:6, Matt. 15:26; Mk. 7:27), view those who scorn the Church as outsiders, and expel from the whole body the part susceptible to leading others astray (cf. Matt. 5:30, Matt. 18:8-9; Mk. 9:42-48). These individuals provoke division within the Church, attempting to separate the wheat from the tares prematurely (cf. Matt. 13:29-30). Yet, in their blindness to such deception, they find themselves alienated from communion with Christ.
For instance, the individual who cast out demons in Christ’s name, while not aligning himself with His disciples, was undoubtedly not opposed to them, as he exercised authority in the name of Christ; however, in failing to follow their lead, he was not among them and thus acted against them. When the disciples sought to prohibit him from performing the very act in which he was aligned with them, the Lord instructed, “Do not hinder him.” What ought to have been restricted was his actions outside of their fellowship, to foster the unity of the Church (cf. Lk. 11:23).
The Lord emphasized the significance of the messenger solely through the authority of the one who sent him. John, one of the earliest disciples, recounted that he and another had encountered a man who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus. However, since he was not part of their group, they prohibited him from continuing. What a naively honest admission! The Lord replied, "Do not stop him, for no one who performs a miracle in my name can soon speak ill of me. Why do you, empowered by that same name, regard one another so disparately? Although he does not accompany you, are you aware of the bond he possesses with me?
I assure you, the individual who has been granted such ability by God, even if he separates himself from me like others (as Judas did), is unlikely to become a true renegade quickly; this very miraculous gift will keep him aligned with me. Moreover, he is of benefit to you as well; he can enhance the reputation of my name in your favor. He who is not against you is for you. Thus, I reiterate, anyone who not only welcomes you but even provides a cup of cold water in my name because you belong to Christ: truly, I say to you, he will not lose his reward.
The inquiry posed by John, which interrupted the teachings of Christ, is notably absent in Matthew’s account. Nevertheless, this question is significant in understanding the Lord’s guidance in this context. The apostles likely encountered an individual during their ministry who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus Christ. His ability to perform such miraculous acts implies that he was indeed a believer and follower of the Lord. However, since he did not openly associate with Jesus' disciples, it suggests he was a believer in secret, akin to Nicodemus (John 3), who hesitated to publicly express his faith. Despite this secretive devotion, he shared a profound spiritual affinity with Christ, which allowed him the privilege to perform miracles.
The apostles, however, failed to recognize this inner bond between the man and Christ. They did not accommodate his faltering faith nor were they comfortable with him performing the same acts of faith they did, even though he wasn't among those who publicly followed Christ. Their stance toward this secret believer reflected a spirit of intolerance, reminiscent of the attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees who deemed anyone who did not fully conform to their standards as unclean. The apostles, unaware of their hypocrisy, believed they were protecting the honor of Christ’s name by prohibiting the man from performing miracles in His name.
When Christ stated, "Whosoever shall receive one of these children for believing on my name, receives me," John perceived, though the exact rationale remained ambiguous, that their actions contradicted the essence of what Christ was teaching. In response to John's inquiry, Christ elaborated, instructing not to hinder the man, indicating that anyone performing miracles in His name could not be easily swayed against Him. He emphasized that such acts of faith were indicative of a burgeoning conversion to belief. Ultimately, those who are not actively opposing the disciples are already aligned with them, and even the smallest act of kindness shown to them because of their discipleship will be rewarded. Therefore, to prevent a person who demonstrates a strong faith capable of miracles from acting in the name of Christ—whom he believes in secretly—would risk distancing him from the Lord.
Christ expressed disapproval of their actions and offered them guidance for their future endeavors. He stated, “Do not hinder him (Mk. 9:39),” explaining that anyone performing miracles in His name undoubtedly has faith in Him. A true believer cannot be an adversary; at least for the time being, someone who believes in Me does not oppose Me. While it is possible for one's faith to waver in the future, in the present moment, he does not act in opposition to Me, and thus, not against you. Therefore, he who stands with you is indeed on your side (Mk. 9:40).
Jesus responded, "Do not prevent them. Anyone who performs acts of compassion in the name of Christ cannot misuse that name. The one who is not opposed to them is, in fact, with them."
Do not prevent him; let him act according to the measure of his faith. He may perform acts of kindness for others in my name, even if he does not accompany us or formally belong to our community. For no one who has performed a miracle, as the Lord states, 'cannot soon speak evil against Me'; such a person cannot easily become an adversary. His awareness and personal experience will likely keep him from joining the ranks of Christ's foes, instilling hope that he will eventually appear as a true follower of Christ.
In response to the words of Jesus Christ, the apostle John recalled a notable event that he felt compelled to bring forward for Christ’s consideration: "Teacher, we have observed a man using Your name to cast out demons, yet he does not accompany us, and we attempted to stop him because he does not follow our group." The Lord replied, "Do not rebuke him, for no one who performs miracles in My name is able to quickly turn and speak ill of Me; indeed, whoever is not against you is for you." This individual likely began with a fragile faith, yet acted in accordance with the extent of that faith. Regardless, his actions were not harmful; thus, there was no justification for hindering him.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 20 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS