Persons who choose their religion for themselves, or who wander about from one communion of Christians to another at their will, often urge upon us who wish to be disciples of the faith, which was once delivered to the saints, this passage of Scripture. They argue that as the Apostles were not allowed to forbid this stranger, neither may the Church forbid strange teachers and preachers; that all have a right to preach, whether they follow the Church or no, so that they do but preach in the name of Jesus, without any molestation.
I. Now I deny that the case in the text is at all parallel to that which it is brought to justify, as a few remarks will show. (1) First then, this man was not preaching, he was casting out devils. This is a great difference he was doing a miracle. Man cannot overcome the devil, Christ alone overcomes him. If a man cast out a devil, he has power from Christ; and if he has power from Christ, he must have a commission from Christ; and who shall forbid one to whom God gives commission to do miracles, from doing them? That would be fighting against God. But, on the other hand, many a man may preach without being sent from God, and having power from Him. (2) But it may be said, The effects of preaching are a miracle. I answer that though such preaching did work what looks like a miracle, this would not prove that it came from God; for the false prophets, against whom our Saviour warns us, are to do "signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect." (3) Even if sinners were converted under such an one's preaching, this would not show that he did the work, or at least, that he had more than a share in it. The miracle after all might belong to the Church, not to him.
II. It should be observed, that if our Saviour says, on this occasion, "He that is not against us is on our part"; yet elsewhere He says, "He that is not with Me is against Me." The truth is, while a system is making way against an existing state of things, help of any kind advances it; but when it is established, the same kind of professed help tells against it. Before the Gospel was received, those who did not oppose the Apostles actually aided them; when it was received, the very same parties interfered with them. Let us consider when it was that our Saviour spoke the words in the text. It was at a time when there was no Church, when He had not yet set up His Church; we have no warrant, therefore, in saying, that because men might work in Christ's name, without following the Apostles, before He had built up His Church, and had made them the foundations of it, therefore such persons may do so lawfully since.
J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons,vol. vi., p. 190.
References: Mark 9:40. Homilist,3rd series, vol. vii., p. 103.Mark 9:41. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. iv., p. 535; vol. vii., p. 275; Homilist,vol. vi., p. 395.Mark 9:42-50. A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve,p. 231; H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 207.