Mark 9:38-41 38John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him. For no one who does a miracle in my name will also soon speak evil of me. 40For whoever is not against us is for us. 41For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are of the Messiah, truly I say to you that he will surely not lose his reward.
The disciples continued to struggle with issues of pride and position, as the next story indicates. John does not say much in the Synoptic Gospels but something bothered him about a recent ministry experience. Perhaps he and the other apostles thought their association with Jesus gave them special privileges that allowed only them to perform miracles in Jesus’ name. That this story follows an episode where the disciples were arguing over positions of greatness implies that they thought of themselves as special. They may have been imagining that twelve apostles might become like the twelve patriarchs and be in important positions in Jesus’ new kingdom. They had another difficult lesson to learn about discipleship in the shadow of the cross. They needed to go from calling Jesus Teacher (rabbi) to calling him “Lord.”
The twelve apostles saw someone using Jesus’ name to cast our demons. To do something in someone’s name meant to do it in the power and authority of that person. By appealing to Jesus’ name, the disciples were using Jesus’ power to do the miracle. The unnamed man did something the disciples thought only they could do. Their accusation has the curious excuse because he was not following us. Who is the us here? Were they concerned about people falling in line behind them or Jesus?
Jesus has to correct their wrong thinking. First, doing something in Jesus’ name and seeing a genuine miracle as a result indicates that the person doing the miracle had to have faith in Jesus, otherwise, the miracle would not have been possible. Jesus’ name was not magical, and by using it, anyone could cast out a demon. The demons are smart enough to recognize a fraud. Second, doing good for others in Jesus’ name is always a good thing. Jesus gives an example of offering a cup of water to someone in his name. In verse 41, Jesus makes the specific connection of himself as being the Messiah. The disciples needed to learn that he was the Messiah for everyone, not just them. Many people would become his followers, and the kingdom was bigger than twelve men. They did have a special connection to Jesus as being of the Messiah, but they also needed to know that it was in association with him that miracles could happen. Showing kindness to them was like showing kindness to Jesus. Even a simple act of kindness to them will receive a reward. Jesus does not say what the reward is here, but the idea of receiving a reward for faithful obedience to him is a common theme in the New Testament.
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