Mark 9:38

John answered him. Not in the sense of answering a specific question by Jesus but in the sense of commenting on Jesus’ preceding remarks. These remarks had aroused in John a suspicion that the rebuke he and his brother James had administered upon a previous occasion to one working in Jesus’ “name” was not proper (cf. DA 437).

We saw one. The fact that the incident here referred to involved only John and James suggests the possibility that it may have occurred during the course of the Third Galilean Tour, when the two brothers had gone forth together (see on Matt. 10:5; Mark 3:14).

He followeth not us. He was not one of the regular, acknowledged disciples of Jesus.

We forbad him. Or, “we hindered him.” For a similar attitude of intolerance on the part of James and John upon another occasion shortly after this, see on Luke 9:54. Upon the present occasion James and John had excused their conduct on the basis that they were jealous for the honor of their Master; in reality, jealousy for their own honor had prompted the action (see DA 437). They rebuked the man for doing what they thought they had the exclusive right to do (see on Matt. 10:8). But even though James and John were disciples, and had the “keys” of the kingdom in their hands (see on Matt. 16:19; 18:18), they had no right to lord it over others. Their commission was positive rather than negative; they were to be zealous in carrying out the orders given them, but had no right to dictate to others. It is the evil one who leads religious leaders to think it their duty to coerce other men into the pattern of conduct and belief they conceive to be right.