For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ: amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
ος γαρ ουκ εστιν καθ υμων υπερ υμων εστιν
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse
I do not prevent anyone who performs wonders in my name; rather, if someone provides even the slightest act of kindness for my sake, not for the benefit of earthly individuals, they will certainly receive their reward. Regarding the offering of a cup of water, He pointed out that it pertains to those who are hindered by their circumstances. He stated, "If you give a cup of water, and do not offer anything less than that, your reward is assured."
God does not demand the impossible from His followers. His love for humanity is evident, and the richness of His divine nature is so plentiful that He has enabled everyone to perform good deeds freely, ensuring that no one who seeks to redeem themselves is left without the means to do so. “Whosoever shall drink,” He asserts, “in the name of a disciple, even with a cup of cold water only, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward” (cf. Matt. 10:42).
The plight of the farmers is truly unfortunate, as they face a meager harvest. Despite their struggles, they wisely reserve some of their yield to ensure they have something to sow for the next season. Beloved Christian, emulate these diligent workers. Although you possess little, do not squander everything on immediate needs. Be prudent so that you may have something to plant and reap come harvest time. Offer a portion of your resources to Christ, who will reward you a hundredfold in due course. Even a small amount of this seed given into the hands of those in need can lead to a harvest of blessings through God's grace.
Share generously with those who request your help, for even the smallest gift from a sincere heart will be esteemed and accepted by the compassionate Jesus, as demonstrated by the two coins offered by the poor widow. “Truly I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all who put into the treasury, for all put in from their abundance, but she put in from her poverty all that she had, all her sustenance” (Mk. 12:43-44). Make it a point to give at least a small offering to the less fortunate, like seeds sown into the earth, and in time, you will reap joyfully. Moreover, even the simple gift of cold water given "in the name of Christ" will not be overlooked by Him (See Mark 9:41).
When the Lord emphasized the significance of the messenger solely through the authority of the one who sent him, John, one of the earliest apostles, shared that he and another had recently encountered a man casting out demons in the name of Jesus, even though he was not part of their community, and they prohibited him from doing so. Such a naïve and honest declaration! The Lord replied, “Do not hinder him: for no one who performs a miracle in my name can soon speak ill of me. Why should you, who operate under the same authority, regard one another with such disparity? Though he does not accompany you, do you understand the bond he shares with me?
I assure you that the one to whom God grants such miraculous power, even if he seems distant from Me like others (for instance, Judas, who is now aligned with Me), is unlikely to quickly fall away: this miraculous ability itself will keep him close to Me. Furthermore, he is also beneficial to you, for he can spread the glory of My name in your favor. He who is not against you is for you. Therefore, I reiterate: whoever accepts you, no matter who you are, or even simply offers 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 not included in Matthew's account. However, it plays a vital role in understanding the implications of the Lord's teachings in this context. The apostles, likely during their missionary endeavors, encountered an individual who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus Christ. This indicates that he was a believer and follower of the Lord, albeit a private one, much like Nicodemus (John 3). He was hesitant to declare his faith publicly but shared a profound spiritual connection with Christ, which even enabled him to perform miracles.
The apostles, however, did not recognize this inner spiritual bond between him and Christ. They were dismissive of his fragile faith and were intolerant of his similar works of faith, despite him not being one of the visible followers of Christ. Their response to the secret disciple reflected the intolerance often exhibited by the scribes and Pharisees, who considered anyone not fully aligned with their standards as unclean. The apostles, unaware of this mindset, mistakenly believed they were safeguarding the glory of Christ's name by preventing the man from performing miracles.
When Christ remarked, “Whosoever shall receive one of these children for believing on my name, receives me,” John perceived an alignment between their actions and Christ's teachings, even if the rationale was not entirely clear to him at that moment. In reply to John's query, Christ stated that forbidding the man, and those like him who shared his beliefs, from performing miracles in His name was misguided. He explained that anyone who performs a miracle in His name is less likely to speak negatively of Him. Moreover, the man already showed signs of genuine conversion; as Christ noted, “for whoever is not against you is for you.” Even the smallest act of kindness done by others because of the apostles would be rewarded. Thus, to prohibit someone from exercising faith in Christ, whom he believed in secretly, would only distance him from the Lord.
Do not prevent acts of kindness in my name, even toward those who hesitate to publicly identify as my disciples. Instead, support them in whatever ways you can. Remember that anyone who offers help to you or my other followers in my name—such as someone in need who can only provide a cup of water when you are parched—truly, I assure you, will not miss out on their reward.
In His conversation, while holding a child in His arms, the Saviour addressed the serious guilt and peril associated with causing offense, temptation, or leading astray those who are innocent and righteous. He cautioned against imparting any form of evil teaching or negative influence to these little ones, for their angels continually behold the face of the Father in heaven. He spoke with remarkable intensity, declaring that those who engage in such harmful actions shall experience a dreadful fate. It would be preferable for them to tie a millstone around their necks and be cast into the depths of the sea. The Saviour emphasized that no sacrifice is too great to prevent oneself or others from falling into such temptation.
He taught that it is better to sever a right hand and enter the kingdom of heaven without it, better to part with a right foot and enter the kingdom of heaven lame, and better to pluck out a right eye and enter the kingdom of heaven blind than to allow any part of oneself to become an agent of sin, which nourishes the unending worm and fuels the everlasting fire. It is far better to be submerged in this life with a millstone tied to one’s neck than to bear the weight of moral and spiritual temptation, which can drown a wayward soul in the fiery abyss of spiritual death.
"Who will provide a drink" serves as a third rationale for the same concept. When attention and affection are extended, even in the smallest gestures, to the followers of Christ on account of His name, it indicates that the individual who shows such kindness is spiritually united with the Lord and supports His mission. Such a person can deepen their love and gain additional gifts of grace. If something as seemingly insignificant as a cup of water is esteemed in the spirit of Christian love, then all the more should one who possesses the ability to cast out demons in Christ’s name, even if they do not directly follow the Lord, not be discouraged from exercising that gift.
Upon hearing these words from Jesus Christ, the Apostle John recalled a notable event, which he was eager to bring forth for judgment: ‘Rabbi, we encountered a man who casts out demons in Your name, but he does not follow us, and we tried to stop him because he isn’t part of our group.’ The Lord replied, ‘Do not rebuke him, for no one who performs miracles in My name can easily speak ill of Me. For whoever is not against us is for us.’ This individual likely possessed a nascent faith and acted according to his capacity for belief. Regardless, his actions caused no harm, and thus there was no reason to hinder him.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 9 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS