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Mar_9:38-40. Comp. Luk_9:49-50 (not in Matthew). The connection of thought lies in ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόμ . μου … τῷ ὀνόμ . σου ; the disciples had done the opposite of the δέχεσθαι in the case of one, who had uttered the name of Jesus. Comp. Schleiermacher, Luk. p. 153 f.; Fritzsche, Olshausen, Ebrard, p. 447 f. So John came to his question. Bengel well says: “dubitationem hanc videtur in pectore aliquamdiu gessisse, dum opportune earn promeret.” But Strauss, I. p. 642, and de Wette (comp. also Bleek), attribute this connection of thought merely to the reporter (Luke, whom Mark follows), who, on the ground of the ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόμ . μου , has inserted just here the traditional fragment. This is improbable; such casual annexations are more natural in real living dialogue, and the reflection of the reporter would have found more appropriate places for their insertion, such as after Mar_6:30.
τῷ ὀνόμ . σου .] by means of Thy name, by the utterance of it. Comp. Mat_7:22; Act_3:6; Act_19:13. The exorcist in our passage was not an impostor, but a believer; yet not one belonging to the constant followers of Jesus, although his faith was not perhaps merely elementary, but, on the contrary, even capable of miracles. What he had done appeared to the disciples as a privilege still reserved for the narrower circle, and as an usurpation outside of it.
ὃς οὐκ ἀκολ . ἡμῖν , and then again ὅτι οὐκ ἀκολ . ἡμῖν ] John brings this point very urgently forward as the motive of the disciples’ procedure (it is no “intolerabilis loquacitas,” of which Fritzsche accuses the textus receptus).
ἐκωλύομεν (see the critical remarks): the imperfect, following the aorist, makes us dwell on the main point of the narrative. See Kühner, II. p. 74.
Mar_9:39 f. Application: Of such a man, who, even without belonging to our circle, has nevertheless attained to such an energetic faith in me as to do a miracle on the basis of my name, there is no reason to apprehend any speedy change into reviling enmity against me. His experience will retain him for us, even although he has not come to his authorization, as ye have, in the way of immediate fellowship with me. It is obvious, moreover, from this passage how powerfully the word and work of Jesus had awakened in individuals even beyond the circle of His constant followers a higher power, which even performed miracles; thus sparks, from which flamed forth the power of a higher life, had fallen and kindled beyond the circle of disciples, and Jesus desires to see the results unchecked. Some have found in this man who followed not with the company of the Twelve the Pauline Christians, whom Mark makes to be judged of by Jesus only with more tenderness and tolerance than at Mat_7:21 f. (Hilgenfeld, Evang. p. 140[127]); this is more than exaggerated ingenuity; it is the invention of a criticism, the results of which are its own presuppositions.
The construction is regular, and δυνήσεται designates the ethical possibility.
ταχύ ] soon (Mat_5:25, al.; Sir_6:18; Sir_48:20; Plato, Conv. p. 184 A; Tim. p. 73 A; Xen. Cyr. 1:1. 1), not: lightly, which might be signified by τάχα , Rom_5:7; Phm_1:15.
[127] See also his Zeitschr. 1864, p. 317 f., where likewise quite untenable grounds are adduced for the above opinion. In the answer of Jesus, Eichthal sees even a specimen of good but not moral tactics, and holds that the narrative is an interpolation.