O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?

 

 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. 

And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. 

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great.   Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

 

- Luke 9:37–50 

 

 Yesterday we read that it came to pass, about eight days after Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus' prophesy about His Crucifixion and the way of the Cross, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said.  While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.  But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.   

 

Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.   My study Bible comments on this passage that while the disciples' faith was incomplete (Matthew 17:19-20), Christ's rebuke ("O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?")  is also to the crowds, whose faith was weaker still.  (See Mark 9:22-24, in which the father of the child pleads, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!")

 

 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.   My study Bible says that Christ's repeated prediction of His Passion was meant to encourage and strengthen the disciples for the terrifying events that they would face -- and also to assure them that Christ was not powerless, but went to the Cross willingly. 

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great.   Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."   Here Jesus begins to instruct the disciples on how He desires "greatness" among them in His Church to come.  The key to this teaching is grace and humility, even in receiving a little child in Christ's name.  In so doing, we receive Christ, and we receive the Father who sent Him.  Regarding John's comment, my study Bible cites Theophylact, who sees John's comment as regret, his conscience being pricked by what Christ has said about the least and the great.  On the other hand, it notes, St. Ambrose sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany these blessings.  In either interpretation, Christ's response indicates that all acting in good faith are not excluded, even if not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact writes, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples" (see also Numbers 11:24-30).  On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.  

Faith plays a great role in today's reading, as we begin with a story of healing in which the crowd's faith is challenged directly by Jesus.  He says, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?"  Jesus has come down from the Mount of Transfiguration (together with the disciples Peter, James, and John) to find this crowd and a dispute:  the other disciples were asked to heal a child, and they could not.  So, the father of the child brings his case before Jesus, and Christ's words addressed to the crowd and their lack of faith are the result.  It's almost like a signal about the change happening in Christ's ministry at this point, and it coincides with His now second warning to the disciples that follows, that they need to "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  Notice that Jesus insists that they hear this, even as the crowd marvels at the healing that is finally done for the man and his son, and they were all amazed at the majesty of God.   The disciples fail to take in Christ's words:  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.   But even though they can't consciously perceive nor process, perhaps, what is happening, there is a subtle shift nonetheless.  Amidst the great revelation of the Transfiguration in yesterday's reading, and the stunning healing of the boy by Jesus (and casting out of the demon) before the crowd, there is something distinctly turning toward a different end than perhaps they -- or anyone else except Jesus -- would expect.  And then in that change that has begun happening, faith perhaps paradoxically begins to take on even more importance than has been given even in Christ's teaching until now.  Here is the place where the disciples will need to grow their faith more than ever, for Jesus will not be with them for all time -- not in the worldly sense, anyway, and not in the sense in which He can come and effect a  healing which they failed to perform.  For now with His second warning of what is to come in His earthly life at the Crucifixion, the disciples will need to be prepared to carry on this work they've begun in their first apostolic mission (Luke 9:1-6), in their roles as disciples, and in taking up the mantle of authority in His Church which is to come.  Faith will need to play an even greater role, as it must for us today, when Christ is no longer with them as the human Jesus, their Lord and Teacher.   As the disciples begin to understand that something great will happen at Jerusalem, they begin to dispute who will be the greatest.  Perhaps the immediacy of the presence of the Kingdom is something that's been communicated to them about the experience of Peter, James, and John on the mountain at the Transfiguration.  Perhaps Christ's words that He will be betrayed sparks expectations of a sort of confrontation in which they cannot imagine Christ would not be victorious in an earthly sense of power or authority.   But couple these expectations and lack of understanding with Jesus' startling teaching on humility as the sign of greatness, that it is the least among them all who would be great, presents yet a greater demand for faith.  It is a teaching impossible to carry out and to serve without it.   Finally, there is Christ's teaching on the others who cast out demons in Christ's name, but who are not among those who follow together with the disciples.  Even they, it seems, are not subject to the disciples' correction and authority to forbid, " for he who is not against us is on our side."   This again is yet a new, perhaps subtle demand on the faith of the disciples that somehow this mission and aim of Christ's ministry will be fulfilled, even if there are others who do not follow together with them, even if they were mistaken in forbidding the others.  As Jesus is preparing the disciples for what is to come, they are being asked not to give up their mission, but to take even greater responsibilities for faith, for functioning in ways they perhaps have not expected, for meeting even greater demands upon that faith, for humility toward others, for tolerance, for the receiving of even a little child in His name and its ultimate meaning of receiving Christ and even the Father.  These things are asked of us today, and what they ask us for is faith.  For even though Christ's healing of the young boy takes the crowd into amazement at the majesty of God, we who are faithful have a mission for faith that persists and grows in our own lives today.  This is a faith that must be shaped and defined by the Cross and the Resurrection, the hope of things to come but also the love of God we know.  We rely upon the Spirit which is present and filling all things, Who teaches us to pray and brings to mind and gives meaning to the words of Christ which are spirit and life.  All of this asks us for faith, and one that grows and endures.  In this we are prepared by Christ as are the disciples, and we can look at our lives, and the things we cherish that are good in the world,  and know what it is to build upon this rock that is faith. 

 

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock

 

 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall."  And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

 

- Matthew 7:22–29 

 

We have been reading through the Sermon on the Mount in our recent lectionary readings.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught,  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

  "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"  This statement should be taken in conjunction with the final verse from yesterday's reading (above):  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."   My study Bible comments that this is a threefold testimony to the deity of Jesus Christ:  He calls Himself Lord (referring to the divine name of "Yahweh" in the Old Testament); He speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares; and finally, as judge, He's revealed as God, for only God can execute true judgment.  In that day is a reference to the final judgment.  We should also note that here, He's addressing religious leaders who have done works in His name, as those would be ones who prophesied, cast out demons, and performed many wonders.

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall."  And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  My study Bible comments that hearing the gospel alone is not enough.  Salvation is not based on hearing alone, nor even on faith alone, but also on doing these sayings of Mine, the things spoken by Christ.   See James 2:24.

Jesus' analogy about building one's house on the rock is an apt one.  It gives us a vivid metaphor to keep in mind about how we structure our lives, and what is important for our own sense of security in life, our choices that we make.  These images of the rain descending and floods coming are those of forces of chaos and upheaval sweeping through our lives.  Winds blowing and beating on the house suggest the tempests that sweep through the world, giving rise to all kinds of movements and turns of history, changes such as both personal and political upheavals.  But the house built upon the rock is the house founded and situated upon Christ's teachings for us, which save us from chaos and upheavel, changes that shake up our lives, and keep us rooted and firmly on the solid ground where we need to place our faith.  The rain and flood imagery suggests to us tribulation and persecution, the things that uproot the good seed in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23).  The winds that sweep in and beat on the house can be doubts that shake us, the particular sway of ideologies in the world, or even the forces that urge us toward "the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches" (see again the parable of the Sower) that drive our lives, our concerns and care.  Life will always be offering to us ways to persuade us to abandon our faith, the sweep us off of our solid ground, to distract us from the path that Christ gives.  But Jesus teaches us about remaining in a firm place, finding ourselves where we need to be -- no matter how much external matters may threaten our peace of mind.  It's important to consider Christ's teachings as those which give us firm steps to take in life, and precautions against the things that cause chaos or lead us down a bad path.  Security comes from an internal sense of remaining within guidelines that give us truth, and not risky behaviors that look like shortcuts, but rather take us into a circuitous route from which we'll need to find our way back again to a road we can trust.  The life we want has to be one in which we take the perspective of the long haul, and not a temporary vision.   The only way to do this is by placing our faith in what is trustworthy and has stood the test of time, in the wisdom that Christ offers to us.  For unlike the winds that blow through our lives and beat on our houses occasionally, or the rains that come and threaten us with floods, Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  In the Revelation we read, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8).  When Jesus prophesies about the end times to the disciples, He declares, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matthew 24:35).  These everlasting words, that outlive everything else -- even heaven and earth -- are the rock upon which to build one's house, our lives.

 

 

 

 

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock

 

 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'  Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall."  And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

 

- Matthew 7:22–29 

 

We have most recently been reading through the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5 - 7 in Matthew's Gospel.  Yesterday we read that Jesus taught, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." 

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"  As we reach the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus testifies to His own divinity.  If we look at the end of yesterday's reading (just above), we see that He calls Himself Lord, and also refers to "the will of My Father."  In these verses, He expands that, indicating that He is also Judge -- and only God can execute true judgment.  My study Bible tells us that in that day refers to the final judgment.  It is also important to understand that when He speaks of His name, it is also testimony to His union with the Father in will and in being.  But most importantly, let us note that Jesus says that even stupendous acts of nominally spiritual works done in His name -- He cites those who have prophesied in Your name, or cast out demons in Your name, or done many wonders in Your name -- will count as nothing if we fail to seek God's will in what we do and how we live, and to keep that first in our hearts.  This is what it is to be truly close to God, to be a "son of God" by adoption, to be "like God."

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall."  And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  My study Bible comments here that hearing the gospel alone is not enough, for salvation is not based on hearing alone, nor on faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ (see James 2:24).  That Jesus teaches as one having authority is yet another testimony to His divinity.

Jesus says, "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"  This is an extremely powerful statement about judgment.  For He begins by citing acts which seem to manifest tremendous spiritual gifts and favor:  prophesy, casting out demons, working wonders.  And not only that, but these are great works done in His name (my emphasis) to which He's responding negatively in judgment, and calling the practice of lawlessness.  He's making a distinction between nominally spiritual acts of great faith and the practice of truly seeking the will of God the Father and living that.  Is it conceivable there are times when great wonders should not be performed, or demons cast out, or prophesies given?  I would venture to say that perhaps this is so, but we wouldn't know it unless we truly sought God's will for ourselves in humility.  We know there are times when Jesus performed no miracles, and did no cures, and also refused to speak.  Each of these was tied to times of rejection and especially the lack of presence of faith in those who would demand such works.  Everything comes back to this faith, an active love and loyalty in the heart, a true burning desire to seek and to do the will of God the Father.  This requires a living type of communion, an active relationships, a deep participation in the life of Christ, even a deep seeking for true holiness.  He is pronouncing the failure to seek this will the practice of lawlessness.  In Matthew 15:8, Jesus quotes to the scribes and Pharisees from Isaiah 29:13, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."  Apparently, in Jesus' summing up of His judgment on the Sermon on the Mount, even those who speak prophecies in His name, cast out demons in His name, and even do many wonders in His name might also be those who draw near, but whose heart is far away.  The key is the willingness to pursue the will of the Father in the heart, a depth of relatedness that is ultimately a shared love, and the depth of love, from which we also learn to love.  Even when we might think we're perfect, there will always be more to learn to "be like" Him.  So we open the heart, and follow Him on that journey.  Let us build our house on the rock, and follow His commandments.

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

 

- Mark 9:30–41 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus came to the disciples (from the Mount of the Transfiguration, with Peter, James, and John), He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him to Me."  Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, "From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:  "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  This is the second time that Jesus predicts His death and Resurrection to the disciples (see also Mark 8:31).  My study Bible says that He does so in order to show that He is going to His Passion freely, and is not being taken against His will.  Note that the disciples still cannot comprehend what He is saying to them.  

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  Today's reading really reflects upon the conventional understanding of what the Messiah would bring.  Just as the disciples cannot comprehend that the Messiah should be killed, they also seem to expect a worldly or "earthly" kingdom to be initiated by Christ.  Hence, their dispute as to who would be the greatest.  That is, who would occupy the highest position in such a kingdom.  My study Bible comments that it indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Thus, Christ points to a little child (see Matthew 18:2-4).  This emphasizes the virtues which are required for entrance into His Kingdom.  The qualities of the little child are humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In Mark's version, Jesus' emphasis on receiving the little child teaches the disciples the need for humility and service:  even in receiving one of these little children, we receive Christ Himself -- and not only Christ, but the Father who sent Him.

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side."  My study Bible comments on this same story in Luke 9:46-50 that Theophylact sees John's comment as a regret, his conscience having been pricked by what Christ has just said.  But St. Ambrose, on the other hand, sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany such blessings.  In either sense, Christ's response shows those acting in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact writes:  "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples" (see also Numbers 11:24-30).  On those using Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23, Acts 19:13-16). 

"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."  In some sense, this statement is another version of the one about receiving a little child in Christ's name.  It also is like another parable teaching about the nature of the kingdom of God.  There is a kind of network effect at work here, where faith forms a circuit of blessedness.  For a person to show hospitality in Christ's name -- even a cup of water to drink --  to such a one who bears the Kingdom is to also receive a reward.

Jesus tells the disciples, "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."   I can't say that I perfectly understand what the word "reward" means in this context.  One supposes it has to do with the ultimate Judgment of Christ, and the understanding of the heart that is possessed only by God.  In Greek the word is μισθός/misthos, a word indicating something like wages, payment for work, recompense for labor.  (In modern Greek, it means "salary.")  In this case, we can consider it the reward for a good work.  It is the same word used in Matthew 5:12, where Jesus states in the Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12).  It is a reward in the sense that one reaps what one sows, as again it is the same word used when Jesus states speaks of hypocrites who fast in order to show to others their holiness, and He declares, "Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward" (see Matthew 6:16).  In this case, He means there is no heavenly reward awaiting, but only the "worldly" award they sought in making such an appearance to others.  If we dismantle this sentence, we see there are two parts to the blessed action:  The cup of water is given by someone "in My name" and to "you" who "belong to Christ."  It is a sense in which believers who offer the least gift of charity in His name, to others who are seen as belonging to Christ shall not lose their blessed reward.   Jesus has just introduced a little child who, if received in His name, is the same as receiving Christ and also the Father who sent Him.  Moreover He has added that the disciples should not discourage others who work in His name.  Putting these two teachings together, we can simply imagine the many scenaria that would apply here to our own graciousness, and the gift of hospitality which is so important and was so cherished from the earliest years of monasticism.  Do we know who we receive?  Do we act in His name to offer graciousness or kindness to another, even a cup of water?  Let us recall the words of St. Paul, referring to the hospitality of Abraham: "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Hebrews 13:2).   This two-way reciprocity of both receiving and giving in His name and those who belong to Christ reminds us of the instructions Christ gave to the disciples when sending them out on their first apostolic mission:  "And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" (Matthew 10:12-15).  The special peace of which He speaks is linked to the blessing of the reward He names, a very spiritual understanding of blessedness and the hidden realities that connect us in faith and in grace.  There is a blessedness to faith which is not only necessary for Christ's miracles, healings, and exorcisms, but also for the spiritual fruits of a life in Christ.  Let us not forget how they are connected to hospitality, an understanding of graciousness, and how we are linked to our fellow faithful in His name, even strangers whom we don't know.  For we are connected in a fellowship which belongs to Him, and to the One who sent Him.