Further Corrective Counsel

WHILE Jesus and his apostles are still in the house in Capernaum, something besides the apostles' argument over who is the greatest is discussed. This is an incident that may also have occurred on their return to Capernaum, when Jesus was not personally present. The apostle John reports: "We saw a certain man expelling demons by use of your name and we tried to prevent him, because he was not accompanying us."

Evidently John views the apostles as an exclusive, title holding team of healers. So he feels that the man was performing powerful works improperly because he was not part of their group. However, Jesus counsels: "Do not try to prevent him, for there is not one that will do a powerful work on the basis of my name that will quickly be able to revile me; for he that is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink on the ground that you belong to Christ,I truly tell you, he will by no means lose his reward."

It was not necessary for this man bodily to follow Jesus to be on his side. The Christians congregation had not yet been set up, so his not being part of their group did not mean that he was of a separate congregation. the man really had faith in Jesus' name and thus succeeded in expelling demons. He was doing something that compared favorably with what Jesus said was deserving of a reward. Jesus shows that for doing this, he will not lose his reward.

But what if the man was stumbled by the words and actions of the apostles? This would be very serious! Jesus observes: "Whoever stumbles one of these little ones that believe, it would be finer for him if a millstone such as is turned by an ass were put around his neck and he were actually pitched into the sea."

Jesus says that his followers should remove from their lives anything that is dear to them as a hand, a foot, or an eye that may cause them to stumble. Better to be without this cherished thing and enter into God's Kingdom than to hold on to it and be pitched into Gehenna (a burning rubbish heap near Jerusalem), which symbolizes eternal destruction.

Next time: Conclusion of Further Corrective Counsel

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991