Hi,<\/p>\n
In Luke 9:49-50, did the man who was casting out demons actually have the power to do so? The apostles couldn’t cast out a demon in Luke 9:40, so how was this man able to cast them out? Was he doing it by Christ’s authority, even though he was not one of the apostles?<\/p>\n\t
As Jesus and his disciples journeyed from Caesarea to Capernaum, a dispute broke out among the disciples (Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48). Jesus didn’t intervene immediately but waited until they arrived at the house where they would be staying. He asked them what they were arguing about on the road, but none of them were willing to tell Jesus that they were arguing about who would be the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. However, Jesus already knew what the argument was about. Jesus’ statement in Caesarea that his kingdom would soon be established probably triggered the argument.<\/p>\n
Calling a child to his side, Jesus told his disciples that they couldn’t even enter the kingdom of heaven unless they became like a child. Many people have used this statement to make all sorts of points, but Jesus is trying to make only one point. “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven<\/em>” (Matthew 18:4). The disciples were jockeying for position in the kingdom, but what Jesus values is humility. If a disciple wants to be pleasing to the Lord, he must put himself last and act as the servant of all.<\/p>\n Humility is not enough. Jesus points out that his people must be willing to accept humble people. To receive a humble follower of Jesus is to receive Jesus himself.<\/p>\n This point disturbed John because he remembered seeing a man casting out demons in Jesus’ name, and the disciples told him to stop because he wasn’t one of the disciples who followed Jesus (Mark 9:38-41; Luke 9:49-50). And yes, I suspect part of the disciples’ motivation was that they couldn’t cast out a demon earlier (Mark 9:17-18; Luke 9:40). It isn’t that they couldn’t cast out any demon. When they are sent out in Luke 10, they return excited that they cast out demons (Luke 10:17).<\/p>\n Jesus told them they were wrong for trying to stop the man. If they had considered a moment, they would have realized that a person who was able to do a miracle in Jesus’ name would not quickly turn around a work against Jesus (I Corinthians 12:3). A person who wasn’t working against them was working for them (Numbers 11:27-29). The opposite is also true (Matthew 12:30). Thus, there is no middle ground.<\/p>\n Besides, God gives the power to cast out demons. Therefore, the fact that the man was casting out demons means he had the Lord’s approval.<\/p>\n People tend toward exclusiveness. If a person is not a part of the “in” crowd, he is rejected regardless of who he is or what he believes and practices. Such a practice is forbidden.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: Hi, In Luke 9:49-50, did the man who was casting out demons actually have the power to do so? The apostles couldn’t cast out a demon in Luke 9:40, so how was this man able to cast them out? Was he doing it by Christ’s authority, even though he was not one of the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[78,685],"class_list":["post-97514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-authority","tag-demons"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5950,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-jesus-say-not-to-forbid-the-non-follower-from-casting-out-demons\/","url_meta":{"origin":97514,"position":0},"title":"Why did Jesus say not to forbid the non-follower from casting out demons?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 11, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was wondering what Jesus meant in Mark 9:38-40 where John told Him of a man who was casting out devils in Jesus' name but forbade the man from doing so because he didn't follow with them. How does the verse \"For he that is not against us is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8243,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-are-some-demons-rebuked-and-others-cast-out\/","url_meta":{"origin":97514,"position":1},"title":"Why are some demons rebuked and others cast out?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 21, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I wanted to know if you could tell me why in some incidents in the Bible demons are rebuked and other times they are cast out? Answer: In every verse that I could find involving a person possessed of a demon, the demon was cast out (or it might\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":65532,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-wrong-if-a-person-claims-to-drive-out-demons\/","url_meta":{"origin":97514,"position":2},"title":"What is wrong if a person claims to drive out demons?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, If someone is famous for driving out demons and restoring people by scaring them in such a way that his mere presence and antics might result in this person changing for the better, then what is wrong with doing this? Thanks. Answer: It appears that you accept\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32777,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/were-the-demons-falling-down-before-jesus-and-his-transfiguration-among-the-miracles-of-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":97514,"position":3},"title":"Were the demons falling down before Jesus and his transfiguration among the miracles of Jesus?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Question No.1 - Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, \"You are the Son of God\" (Mark 3:11). In this passage, is it right that the fallen down evil spirits are healed before Jesus? If so that, should this be counted as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29961,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-any-believer-cast-out-demons\/","url_meta":{"origin":97514,"position":4},"title":"Could any believer cast out demons?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Could believers who had been baptized cast out demons as well or just the apostles? Answer: \"These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44600,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/were-the-disciples-able-to-do-miracles-before-pentecost\/","url_meta":{"origin":97514,"position":5},"title":"Were the disciples able to do miracles before Pentecost?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I see in Matthew 10:8 that the Lord gave authority to the apostles to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, etc. (all before Pentecost). Are there any references to them performing such acts before the Spirit came upon them at Pentecost? 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