Mark 9:38-4138 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
Of all the Scriptures in this study so far, I have to say that this one has given me the most pause. I've read it over and over, I've read what commentators have to say on it, and to be honest, I'm still not completely sure what it means for us. I do know this: Jesus, Moses, and Paul, when confronted with similar situations, all lean to the side of letting a person alone when they are teaching in the name of God. Even if, as in Paul's case, they are doing so to run his own name down.
In Moses' case, I don't think I've ever noticed these verses before. It occurs in Numbers 11: "26However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”
29But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” 30Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.".
I found this super interesting, since in the OT they tended to be such sticklers for the rules. But even then, Moses considers the speaking of the word of the Lord to be supreme.
All in all, what it shows to me is an incredible respect for the preaching of the Word. That no matter who's doing it, or even why, the important thing is that Christ is preached.
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