In Mark 9:38-50 the disciples—at least John—are upset because they saw somebody, not a disciple, “casting out demons” in Jesus’ name. Here John sounds strikingly similar to the Pharisees, who became upset when someone out of their control, Jesus, healed a person on the sabbath (Mark 3:1-6). A common tendency among religious leaders seems to be uneasiness with God acting in ways that are outside of the expected channels and outside of their control.
Throughout Mark’s gospel we are reminded that God’s activity and power are not controlled by or limited to established religious institutions. This point is made clear in the opening verses of the gospel. Mark doesn’t begin the story of the “good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1) in Jerusalem, where one might expect the story of a holy person to start. Instead, the beginning of Mark’s gospel takes us to the wilderness, a place often associated with the absence of God’s presence. But it is precisely in the wilderness where we find John, proclaiming that “the kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15).
There was a sense in Jesus’ time that God could or would only be present in the temple, and that God’s activity was determined by the actions of the religious leaders. We have the same temptation today. We often think of what happens in the church building as God’s activity, but forget that God is also present and acting in the world outside the church. We often think of Christians doing God’s work, but neglect to notice the ways in which non-Christians are also active in doing things that help to bring God’s kingdom near. Jesus’ response to his disciple’s consternation about the fact that someone who is not a disciple is casting out demons in Jesus’ name is an important instruction to us as well. We shouldn’t stop someone who is doing God’s will and bringing God’s kingdom near, just because they aren’t a part of our group. In fact, we may even want to learn more about what they are doing, and join them!