11. JOHN'S , AND REMARK ABOUT Mark 9:38-50 (Matthew 18:6-9) 38 John said unto him, Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy name;--What Christ had said regarding his little ones caused John to speak of a recent occurrence. Having found one who did not accompany the apostles casting out demons, they forbade him. This one casting out demons did it by Christ's authority--in his name. He did not merely attempt, but actually cast out demons. He seems to have been a follower of Jesus, though he did not accompany Jesus and the twelve. and we forbade him,--John probably took a leading part in this. The faith of the apostles was very imperfect at this time, and doubtless he of whom he spake had very crude ideas of Jesus, and yet had faith enough to work miracles in his name. because he followed not us.--That is, he was not one of the immediate attendants of Jesus. Seeing such a man casting out demons excited John's jealousy, because he thought that no others than the chosen twelve ought to be honored with this power. Such jealousy in regard to official prerogative is a very common passion, and one against which men occupying positions of trust and authority should be constantly on their guard. Luke (Luke 9:49) says, "He followeth not with us." I take it that he was a disciple but did not travel with Christ and the twelve. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not:--There was a degree of prejudice toward the person referred to that Christ did not approve of, and the apostles did wrong in hindering his work. Do not prevent him or anyone else in a similar position from doing good. If he can work a miracle in my name, it is sufficient proof of attachment to me, and he should not be prevented. If the man had been an enemy of truth, it would have been right to forbid him; but, according to John's own statement, he was casting out demons in the name of Jesus, and this showed he was a friend. He was working to build up the cause of Christ. for there is no man who shall do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me.--The meaning is that he whom God gave the power of working miracles by that gave evidence that he could not soon be found among the enemies of Christ. He ought not, therefore, to be prevented from doing it. Jesus neither praises nor condemns the man for following an independent course--for working as an individual--and not working with the disciples. Christians may do acceptable work for the Lord in two ways. (1) As an individual. (2) Through the church. These are the only two ways in which a Christian can work and meet God's approval. Here we have an example of a disciple of Christ working as an individual. Christ declares that he must not be forbidden, and that those who work the same kind of work that we do should be regarded, not as enemies, but allies. Many, in every period of church history, have spent their lives in copying John's mistake. They have labored to stop every one who will not work for Jesus in their way from working for Jesus at all. Christians should rejoice in all the good done by others, whether they agree in all things or not. We ought to accept all teaching and practice by others that are authorized by Christ. 40 For he that is not against us is for us.--Here, our Lord clinches his argument. There is no neutral ground in the contest between God and sin. A man is either for or against Christ. 41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink, because ye are Christ's,--Matthew (Matthew 10:41) says, "In the name of a prophet." He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet, or a righteous man because he is a righteous man, or who gives a drink of water to a disciple because he is a disciple, distinctly recognizes the person's relation to Christ as the ground of the act, and to that extent Christ is honored by the act. Not so, however, with him who performs a similar act in the name of humanity, or because the recipient is a man. verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.--The great power of expelling demons should be rewarded the faithful, unknown disciple, whom the apostles had sought to hinder, and not only such great things as that, but any approved service, however simple and commonplace, should also be amply rewarded. This contains a promise which reaches to the present day. Miracles have ceased, hut the time has not passed when acts of kindness in the name of Christ are out of date. It yet behooves every disciple to abound in every good word and work, seeing their labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58.) Matthew (Matthew 10:41) says he "shall receive a prophet's reward." A prophet's reward is not synonymous with final salvation; for while it is true that in heaven we will have full reward for all the good we do on earth, we will have infinitely more than this, and our admission into heaven is a matter of grace, and not of reward. So, then, the promise of the text does not imply the salvation of all that receive a prophet's reward, but simply that he shall be rewarded. If he be a pardoned man, he may receive his reward in heaven; if not, he will receive it only on earth. 42 And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me--"Little ones" are not infants for the reason they cannot believe on Christ; and the little ones here mentioned believe on him. No ground here for infant baptism. to stumble,--While the path to honor and glory was of easy access, by ministering to the wants of Christ's disciples, the way to shame, condemnation, and death was possible by causing them to stumble. "Stumble" here means to offend. That is, to put temptations before others that induce them to sin. it were better for him if a great millstone--This was not the common handstone which was turned by women (Matthew 24:41), but the larger kind, which was turned by the strength of an animal--usually the ass. were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. -- Contentions as to who shall be greatest always give offense, and at the same time, by exciting evil passions, they ensnare the persons engaged in them. Jesus desired that his disciples should see this tendency of their discussion (verse 33), and to show how fearful the final result would be to the offender, he assures them that it were better for such to have a millstone hung to his neck, and to be cast into the sea. It were better, because his actual fate will be worse than that. (Matthew 18:8-9.) 43-48 And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut if off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell. And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.--"Hand," "foot," and "eye" are the most valuable of the visible members of the human body, and here used to denote anything peculiarly dear and valuable--the dearest objects of one's desires--the honors, possessions, or enjoyments he most prizes. If these "offend thee"--cause thee to stumble--to sin--to fall away. That is, if the dearest object of your desire causes thee to do this, "cut it off," "pluck it out." That is, mortify and subdue the passions, evil desires, or inclinations which animate the hand, the foot, or the eye, let the conflict cost what it may. (Colossians 3:5; Galatians 5:24.) "Into hell," Gehenna, which is here correctly translated, is hell. Jesus here shows the sense in which he uses the word by adding the explanatory clause, "into the fire that never shall be quenched." Hell, then, is equivalent to the fire that never shall be quenched. It is also placed here in opposition to "life"; "It is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell." The life here referred to is not the temporal life, nor the Christian life, into both of which the disciples addressed had already entered; but eternal life, into which they had not yet entered. 49 For every one shall be salted with fire.--Perhaps no passage in the New Testament has given more perplexity to commentators than this, and it may be impossible now to fix its precise meaning. It cannot be successfully denied but that the word "for" introduces the verse as a reason for the solemn declaration in verses 43-48. "Every one," is limited to every one who, contrary to the teaching just given in the context, refusing to cut off the offending hand, or to pluck out the offending eye. Jesus had just taught that all such would be cast into hell-fire; it is now stated that every such one shall be salted with fire. As salt, on account of its power to preserve meats, is the symbol of perpetuity, to be salted with fire is to be perpetually permeated by fire, or to be kept perpetually in a state of the severest pain. This passage kills the annihilation theory. "Every one," that is, every one of them mentioned above, who refuses to cut off a right hand and pluck out a right eye that is, to mortify their bosom lusts and beloved corruptions, which are as dear as a right hand or a right eye. All such wicked and unmortified persons shall be salted with fire. That is, thrown into hell-fire where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Their being salted with fire imports and implies that as to their beings they shall be preserved even as salt preserves things from corruption that they may be the objects of the eternal wrath of God. 50 Salt is good:--And useful for purifying and preserving. (2 Kings 2:19-22.) A general statement. Salt is here used, as in the preceding verse, to symbolize that principle in Christian life which leads to perseverance amid all required self-sacrifice. Every Christian who has given himself a real sacrifice unto God shall be salted, not with fire to be destroyed, but with salt--the grace of mortification to be preserved and kept savory. The grace of mortification is that to the soul which salt is to the body. It preserves it from putrefaction and renders it savory. Every Christian ought to be a spiritual sacrifice unto God. There is a putrid and corrupt part in every Christian which must be purged out. The grace of mortification is the salt which must clarify the soul, and with which every sacrifice must be salted. but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it?--If the salt has lost its saltness it cannot be recovered. It is good for nothing. If a Christian lose the power of perseverance, there is no restoration for him. Have salt in yourselves,--Have the preserving and purifying influences of divine grace and the spirit of Christ in your heart. Maintain in yourselves the quality of perseverance by making every sacrifice necessary thereto--keep all evil desires and causes leading to sin pruned off. and be at peace one with another.--Among yourselves. Do not exercise an ambitious and contentious spirit, or an uncharitable zeal; but according with the spirit of Christianity, act out the principles of the grace of God and be at peace among yourselves. Peace is one of the fruits of the spirit. (Galatians 5:22.) The contention of the apostles as to who should be greatest in the kingdom of God (verses 33, 34), and their jealousy toward the brother who had been casting out demons in the name of Christ (verse 38), were calculated to impair this quality by causing alienations and discouragements among themselves. Strife among them would destroy their salt; peace would tend to preserve it. Let each one retain a seasoning virtue in himself that he may sweeten and season others even all with whom he converses, and thus upholding union and peace one with another will declare that you have the saving qualities of salt in yourselves. In so doing you will avoid contention and quarreling, struggling for places, honors, and office and seek each other's welfare and thus be the means of honoring and glorifying God.