Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.
The disciples were especially sensitive to the success of this other exorcist in light of their own recent failure to cast the mute spirit from the boy. It sounded as though the problem wasn't so much that the exorcist wasn't a follower of Jesus as that he wasn't a follower of theirs. The disciples, were, after all, being prepared to be leaders in the Church. Rogues operating outside of their authority would seem to be a problem. The disciples seemed not to be jealous for the sake of Jesus but rather because it was a blow to their own pride. In this way worse than when Eldad and Medad were able to prophesy even though they were outside the camp. At that time it seemed that Joshua was at least jealous for the sake of Moses. But the thing that both Joshua and the disciples got wrong was basically the same even if they got it wrong for different reasons.
Moses had said, "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets" (see Numbers 11:29). Similarly, Jesus said, "Do not prevent him". He had come to fulfill the prophecy of Joel which stated that God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh (see Joel 2:28). He created the conditions in which Paul could say, "Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy" (see First Corinthians 14:5) with the belief that it was possible. The point of leadership and of hierarchy was not one that was primarily focused on narrowness and restriction but rather on making the abundance of Jesus available to as many as possible.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
The role of the disciples was indeed to oppose those who could speak ill of Jesus, whose supposed prophetic gifts were a sham or a con. But the fact that a prophet wasn't within the physical boundaries of the Church did not necessarily mean that he didn't love Jesus or that he was acting disingenuously. Those who were not for Jesus, not operating out of faith, hope, and love in Jesus, could only act against him. But even those who followed him imperfectly and confusedly were still for him. This was the abundance of Christ. Only those who set themselves against him and could speak ill of him were excluded. By contrast, there were no limits to what Jesus could do through those who were for him, no matter what their personal limitations may have been.
Wisdom breathes life into her children
and admonishes those who seek her.
He who loves her loves life;
those who seek her will be embraced by the Lord.
Jesus is the power of God and the wisdom of God (see First Corinthians 1:24) for all peoples. It is not a wisdom that comes from the world. It is not a wisdom that comes from textbooks. It is a wisdom that comes from loving Jesus. It is in this sense that John taught, "you have no need that anyone should teach you" (see First John 2:27) because Jesus himself would teach them.
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