Luke 9:49
John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us." But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you."
John, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, brings up a situation that’s clearly been bothering him. So, we have an encounter in which the disciple is struggling with discriminating for or against a man they believe was able to cast out demons in Jesus' name. And John says they tried to stop this man.
Now why do you suppose they tried to stop him?
To John, this outsider’s actions seem out of line. After all, this guy isn’t "with us" part of the official crew following Jesus. This person isn't Christian, or he doesn't seem to be? Right? Earlier in Luke 9, the disciples struggled to cast out a demon themselves (Luke 9:40), so seeing an outsider succeed might’ve stung a little, pride could be at play here. Not to mention they were just going on about who is the greatest among them. Obviously, these disciples have to get their minds right.
But Jesus isn't concerned about the lone exorcist. He tells them to let the man be, offering a guiding principle for future encounters of this kind: "The one who is not against you is for you." It’s a simple yet profound statement that challenges the disciples’ us-versus-them mindset. Whether this lone exorcist is on the disciples’ roster or not, Jesus’ words suggest that the kingdom of God isn’t confined to their little band; it’s broader than they think. It’s about recognizing genuine good being done, even by unexpected people. It’s a call to humility and openness rather than territorialism.
This encounter is also a reminder for us about being graceful. The disciples didn’t have a monopoly on Jesus’ power, and neither do we. God can work through anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Sometimes even more effectively than through the "official" channels.
Mark’s version adds that Jesus says,
Mark 9:39-40
"No one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me." It reinforces the idea that the man’s success points to sincerity.
"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, for whoever is not against us is for us."
Now, on the other hand, in Acts 19:13-16, some Jewish exorcists try using Jesus’ name without faith, and it backfires spectacularly. The difference? Intent and authenticity matter. So faith again is the linchpin. Not membership, not affiliation, not piety, not anything external. What seems to be the power behind exorcism is faith in the name of Jesus Christ.
A moral resume doesn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of things. And Jesus puts a pin in this idea.
Luke 9:41
"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."
Now contrast this story to what Luke records next.
Luke 9:51-53
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
Jesus sends his messengers to a Samaritan village to arrange hospitality for them while they travel to Jerusalem, but the Samaritans reject Him. Why?
The scripture tells us why...
"Because his face was set toward Jerusalem"
...but not why it should be a problem for the Samaritan people.
Their hostility likely stems from the deep-seated Jewish-Samaritan rivalry, because from their perspective Jerusalem symbolizes the Jewish religious center that they are opposed to. They have the mount where Abraham sacrificed Issac and Jacobs well and they believe their worship centers are worthy of God. They have no need for Jerusalem in their spiritual lives. In John's gospel Jesus flips that script as well but that's for another day.
So now we go from outsiders doing good in Jesus' name to outsiders being unkind towards them. They won’t receive Jesus, not because of personal unbelief in His power, but because of their cultural and religious animosity toward Jerusalem. In the first case, the disciples want to stop the outsider who’s doing good, assuming he’s stepping out of line. And now, James and John, the same John from 9:49, ask if they should call down fire to destroy the Samaritans for rejecting Jesus.
WOW! Hate much? Talk about a Jonah moment.
Faith in Jesus’ name empowers the exorcist in 9:49. In 9:51-53, the Samaritans’ lack of openness (possibly lack of faith in who Jesus is, clouded by prejudice) leads to rejection. Both scenes challenge tribalism and reveal Jesus’ broader perspective on the cost of discipleship. It’s almost like a two-sided coin, faith in Him unites across many religious boundaries (the exorcist), while rejection of Him, even for cultural reasons, separates them from his grace (the Samaritans). It's both universal and exclusive.
In Luke 9:49-50, the universality of Grace shines through. Jesus extends His approval to an outsider casting out demons in His name, no membership card required. The power of His name, rooted in His identity and authority, is available to anyone who trusts in it. And yet Grace isn’t automatic, it’s tied to faith in Jesus.
This harkens back to earlier in this chapter when we learned that Jesus doesn't appreciate a "me first" attitude. Remember how he taught that the disciples must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him.
So, Grace is universal in scope, God’s love and power are for all, no one’s excluded from the invitation. Yet it’s exclusive in application, faith in Jesus is the hinge.
1 John 2:2
"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."
Who commissioned this grace?
Jesus, exclusively
To whom?
The whole world, universally.
And so again the linchpin is Jesus, and many have the semblance of faith but not the ability. And visa versa. There’s a recurring theme in Scripture of people coming close to the kingdom, sensing its truth or power, yet stopping short of fully receiving Jesus.
In Acts 26, Paul is on trial before King Agrippa II, and he shares his testimony, his dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and his mission to preach the Gospel. And King Agrippa comes close to believing in Christ.
He says to Paul,
"In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?"
And Paul replies,
"Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains." (Acts 26:27-29)
Is the King being sarcastic, intrigued, or genuinely wrestling? Either way, he’s close. So often we're not told the true heart of the hearer. He knows the prophets, he’s heard Paul’s story, and he’s face-to-face with the Gospel’s power. Yet he doesn't make the leap of faith. Faith, the linchpin we’ve been talking about, doesn’t click into place for him. There's a kind of power in the reception of faith. A definite divine power, a divine protection even. A power to bring the testimony to us and a power to preserve the testimony in us. This backs up the idea that faith is a divine gift. Tying the "near but not in" pattern to the idea that faith itself is a divine gift.
Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
So we know that the lone exorcist wasn't on his own, he was gifted with his mission against demons by God. God enabled that belief. It’s a gift that lets him step into Grace, not just near it. And likewise the Samaritan's given the opportunity to have this divine gift but they wouldn't receive Him. Their cultural lens blocks them. Faith is a gift, but they didn’t receive it, or didn’t accept it, because God’s timing or purpose didn’t spark it in them yet. And maybe never will. But some do because we have John's gospel and the Samaritan woman at Jacobs well. So, there's always exceptions to the rule.
Why Some and Not Others?
This is where it gets tricky. If faith is a gift, why do the exorcist and Paul get it, while Agrippa and the Samaritans stay on the doorstep?
Maybe Jesus explains this for us. Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's jump ahead to see what Jesus had to say about this:
Luke 10:22-24
"All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Then turning to the disciples he said privately,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
This isn’t random luck; it’s divine timing and selection. The disciples didn’t earn this front-row seat; it was given to them. And same goes for the lone exorcist, who isn't really alone. Jesus says it’s about what He reveals, not just what they wanted or sought. Just being spiritual isn't enough to secure the gift. Even godly folks like prophets, or powerful ones like kings, missed out. Faith comes when He opens their eyes, not before. Grace is universal in scope (He’s revealing God to the world), but exclusive in who gets the eyes to see it (those seventy-two disciples he sends out, the exorcist, the twelve disciples, Paul); they’re all blessed not because they’re smarter or holier, but because Jesus revealed it to them.
And we see this principle extends beyond Jesus' ascendancy into heaven. Which means this faith principle is continuing even today.
Romans 9:15-16
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy…So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy."
It’s not about merit; it’s about Jesus’ purpose and timing.
And that's all she wrote...for now.