Mark 9:38-41
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us
38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
39 “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, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 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.
Matthew 12:22-37
Jesus and Beelzebul
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Jesus makes two seemingly contradictory statements...On one hand, He says, "Whoever is not against us is for us" (Mark 9:40 / Luke 9:50), suggesting a broad inclusivity of all believers and people who are maybe broadly tolerant...On the other, He declares, "Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters" (Matthew 12:30 / Luke 11:23), implying a stark choice and no room for neutrality...It is in studying these statements it is natural to wonder how these can both be true, especially when considering those who may not actively oppose His teachings but also aren't actively spreading them and may not want to spread His Gospel...
The context of "Not Against Us is For Us" is out of context until we look at the whole set of verses surrounding His Teaching...This inclusive statement arose when Jesus's disciples found a man casting out demons in His Name, even though he wasn't part of their immediate, recognized group...The disciples, with a narrow view, tried to stop him...Jesus rebuked them, emphasizing inclusivity and the broader reach of God's Kingdom...The man was genuinely doing Good Work, consistent with Jesus's Mission of freeing people from demonic oppression, regardless of his formal association with the disciples...Jesus was essentially saying, "Don't hinder those who are truly doing God's Work, even if their methods or affiliations differ from yours...If their actions aren't actively opposing My Kingdom, then by default, they are furthering it...There's no need to stop or condemn them."...This statement teaches tolerance for diverse expressions of faith and encourages recognizing allies in the greater spiritual battle...
When we look at the context of the statement of "Not With Me is Against Me."...This seemingly exclusive declaration comes in a different context, often after Jesus had cast out a demon and the Pharisees, filled with opposition, accused Him of doing so by the power of Beelzebul (Satan's power)...Jesus challenged their accusation, making it clear that if He was casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God had indeed arrived...In this scenario, Jesus is emphasizing that when it comes to the Ultimate Spiritual Battle between God's Kingdom and the kingdom of darkness, there is no neutrality...You can't be a passive observer...If you're not actively "with" Him in battling evil and advancing God's Kingdom, then you are, by default, hindering it or effectively aligning with the opposition, thus "scattering" rather than "gathering."...This statement calls for Ultimate Allegiance and Active Participation in the most fundamental spiritual war...
So even within the context of these statements how do we reconcile the seemingly contradictory two teachings...The apparent contradiction resolves when we understand that Jesus is addressing different levels or "spheres" of engagement and allegiance..."Whoever is not against us is for us" applies to secondary differences and diverse forms of service within the broader mission of God's Kingdom...It teaches us to be inclusive, tolerant, and have empathy towards those who, even outside our defined circles, are genuinely doing God's Work...It's about not being an obstacle to others who are contributing to the Good in His Name...
"Whoever is not with Me is against Me" applies to primary allegiance and the fundamental choice between God's Kingdom and opposing spiritual forces...It underscores that in the ultimate spiritual reality, there is no true middle ground in terms of loyalty to Him...One's Life and Actions inherently either draw people towards God (gathering) or push them away (scattering)...To be genuinely neutral in this ultimate battle is to be ineffective, or inadvertently to side with the forces that oppose God's Purpose...The Gospel is not a passive philosophy; it's a dynamic, transformative force that calls for active alignment and participation...
With all this said there still is room for me to be confued...The weight of the statement "Not with Me is against Me", to me seems more powerful...It's a call to a decisive and active allegiance to Jesus Christ...It stresses that in the spiritual realm, neutrality is an illusion...Your life, your choices, and your heart's orientation either contribute to God's Gathering or inadvertently to Scattering...The first statement, "Whoever is not against us is for us," remains true simultaneously, but it operates on a different level...It speaks to His being inclusive and tolerant for those doing good work aligned with God's Heart, even if their methods or formal affiliations differ...It tells us not to hinder those who are clearly working for Good in His Name...It's about recognizing allies in the broad sense of humanitarian and spiritual efforts...
But the second statement, powerfully affirmed by the concept of lukewarmness that John mentions in Revelations, reminds us that when it comes to the core of our being, our Spiritual Identity, and our Ultimate Destiny, Jesus demands a clear and active alignment...There's no comfortable middle ground in our personal relationship with Him and our participation in His Kingdom...It's a call to be "hot," actively "with" Him, diligently "gathering," rather than passively contributing to "scattering" through indifference...
My confusion is my reflection on these profound statements of Jesus...We are called to "seek God's Kingdom first" (Matthew 6:33) which already sets a tone of active pursuit and undivided focus, which can make the "not with Me is against Me" statement feel more powerful and weighty...That powerful statement from Jesus, clarified by the warning against lukewarmness, emphasizes the critical importance of a decisive and active faith in Him...Yet, I do understand about the power of tolerance, inclusitivity, patience, empathy, and loving others who disagree with us that He teaches throughtout the Gospels...