We were able to pick up our son from his mission to Greece. The departing missionaries and their families who had come met on Mars Hill for a final testimonies. We were also able to travel to Corinth. So very powerful to walk where the apostles taught.
Thank you for this Come Follow Me! I had a question connecting to another scripture, the man who did signs and the Apostles stopped him - Jesus counseled the Apostles to let him because 'he who is with us is not against us.' I assume the context is different but was curious on your insight on the difference culturally or a possible interpretation with this and the damsel in this podcast. I appreciate the podcast!
Great question. The verse in question is Mark 9.40. It reads as follows: For he that is not against us is on our part. This is in connection with the man spoken of in Mark 9.38-39 who casts out devils in Jesus' name but was not following the apostles. It could be seen as a verse emphasizing inclusivity and unity. It suggests that those who are not actively opposing or against the message of Jesus can be considered as supportive or aligned with his teachings. Some interpret this verse as promoting tolerance and cooperation among different groups. It implies that individuals who may not belong to the same specific group can still work together if their intentions are not hostile. The verse could also be a message against exclusivity and rigid division among religious or ideological groups. It encourages a more open-minded approach and discourages the rejection of those who are not part of a specific group. I see this in today's world, where we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have reached out to other Christian churches to find common ground and common causes that we can align ourselves with to spread light. The current Apostles today are models of this in my opinion. The interpretation can also depend on the surrounding context and the broader message of the passage. In the context of Mark 9, Jesus is addressing his disciples' concern about someone else casting out demons in Jesus' name. The verse could be emphasizing the importance of the shared goal, even if the methods or affiliations differ. One of my favorite scholars on the Gospel of Mark, Julie Smith, explained it this way: “This line is a common proverb, but it can also be read as a prophecy of the future. Someone who is not actively opposed to Jesus and who performs exorcisms in Jesus’ name will, in the future, desire to be on Jesus’ side. (Julie M. Smith, The Gospel According to Mark, BYU New Testament Commentary, 2018, p. 542) Elder Maxwell saw the verse this way: "One important thing we can do, as Church members, is to gladly and spontaneously rejoice over how much good so many other people do and in so many good causes! Jesus so responded to offset the wonderment of His meridian disciples who were concerned over good deeds being done by some who apparently were not of Jesus' flock: 'And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.' (Mark 9:38-41.) Our zeal must never lead to intolerance. Nor should we restrain our rejoicing in all good deeds. In fact, Mormon revealed that 'all things which are good cometh of God' (Moroni 7:12). Therefore, we should sincerely rejoice in all goodness." (Neal A. Maxwell, That Ye May Believe, Bookcraft, 1992, p.187.)
@@talkingscripture Thank you for the indepth response! I appreciate the time it took to write this and the well articulated way of being inclusive to all good things. Article of Faith 13 comes to mind for this subject as well "we seek after these things." Thanks again!
