Mark 9:40

For he that is not against us is on our part. FOR HE THAT IS NOT AGAINST US IS ON OUR PART. Two principles of immense importance are here laid down: 'First, No one will readily speak evil of Me who has the faith to do a miracle in My name; and Second, If such a person cannot be supposed to be against us, ye are to hold him for us.' Let it be carefully observed that our Lord does not say this man should not have "followed them," nor yet that it was indifferent whether he did or not; but simply teaches how such a person was to be regarded, although he did not-namely, as a reverer of His name and a promoter of His cause....

40._For he who is not against us is for us. _He does not enjoin us to give a loose rein to rash men, and to be silent while they intermeddle with this and the other matter, according to their own fancy, and disturb the whole order of the Church: for such licentiousness, so far as our calling allows, must be restrained. He only affirms that they act improperly, who unseasonably prevent the kingdom of God from being advanced by any means whatever. And yet he does not acknowledge as his disciples, or reckon as belonging to his flock, those who hold an intermediate place between enemies and friends, but means that,. so far as they do no harm, they are useful and profitable: for it is a proverbial saying, which reminds us that we ought not to raise a quarrel till we are constrained....

30-40 The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesu...

Verse 40. _HE THAT IS NOT AGAINST US, IS ON OUR PART._] Or rather, _Whosoever is not against_ YOU, _is for_ YOU. Instead of ημων, _us_, I would read υμων, _you_, on the authority of ADSHV, upwards of _forty_ others, _Syriac, Armenian, Persic, Coptic,_ _AEthiopic, Gothic, Slavonic, Vulgate, Itala, Victor_, and _Opt_. This reading is more consistent with the context - _He followed not_ us-well, _he is not against_ YOU; and he who is not against _you_, in such a work, may be fairly presumed to be on _your_ side. There is a parallel case to this mentioned in Numbers 11:26-4, which, for the elucidation of this passage, I will transcribe. "The Spirit rested upon Eldad and Medad, and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. An

EXPOSITION MARK 9:1 TILL THEY SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD COME WITH POWER. In St. Matthew 16:28 the words run thus: "Till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." In St. Luke 9:27, "Till they see the kingdom of God." All these evangelists connect their record of the Transfiguration with these predictive words—a circumstance which must not be lost sight of in their interpretation. The question, therefore, is whether or how far the Transfiguration is to be regarded as a fulfillment of these words. One thing seems plain, that the Transfiguration, if a fulfillment at all, was not an exhaustive fulfillment of the words. The solemnity of their introduction forbids us to limit them to a

FOR HE THAT IS NOT AGAINST US, IS ON OUR PART. Many copies read, "he that is not against you, is for you"; as this man; he was not against either Christ, or his disciples; he was doing the same work, promoting the same interest, and destroying the kingdom of Satan: and therefore, though he did not follow them, and had not his commission immediately from Christ; yet, inasmuch as he was opposing the same common enemy, and did nothing against them, he ought to be reckoned as one for them, and on their side. It is a proverbial expression, signifying that all that are not against a man, and take not the part of his enemy, are to be accounted his friends....

Our Lord had been absent from the people, and transfigured on the top of the mountain; when he came down from this manifestation of his glory, he was brought face to face with Satan's work at almost the first step he took. Let us read about what he did. Mark 9:14. _And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him._ There was a glory about his face not altogether unlike that of Moses when he came down from the other mountain, so that the people were struck with wonder when they looked upon him. Mark 9:16. _And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?_ The battle had been raging

CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The Glory to Come foreshadowed in the Transfiguration. (Mark 9:1 .Matthew 17:1; Luke 9:28 .)_ 2. The helpless disciples and the secret of failure. (Mark 9:14. Matthew 17:14; Luke 9:37) 3. The second announcement of His death. (Mark 9:30 .Matthew 17:22;...

A CONVERSATION WITH THE TWELVE. This section illustrates the kind of teaching which Jesus gave in private to His disciples. It may embody fragmentary recollections of a particular discussion, but more probably Mk. has strung together utterances and incidents belonging to different occasions, the connecting links being sometimes the mere repetition of a single word, such as cause to stumble (Mark 9:42 f.), or fire (Mark 9:48 f.), or even in my name (Mark 9:37; Mark 9:39). The latter half of Mark 9:37 and Mark 9:41

WHEN THE KING COMES INTO HIS OWN (Mark 8:38 ; Mark 9:1) _ 9:1 "Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he used to say to them, "This is the truth I tell you--there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste of death until they shall see the Kingdom of God coming with power."_ One thing leaps out from this passage--the confidence of Jesus. He has just been speaking of his death; he has no doubt that the Cross stands ahead of him; but nonetheless he is absolutely sure that in the end there will be triumph. The first part of the passage states a simple truth. When the King comes into his Kingdom he will be loyal to those w