“Not with me is against me,” or “not against us is on our part”?
One speaks of a man’s stand toward Christ, where there is no middle ground; the other of the disciples’ toward one who was doing Christ’s work.
The Passages
Matthew 12:30
Mark 9:40
See Also
Mark 9:38-39
Luke 9:49-50
Luke 11:23
The Difficulty
Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Matthew 12:30). But when John told of one casting out devils in His name who “followeth not us,” He said, “Forbid him not … For he that is not against us is on our part” (Mark 9:38–40).
The Answer
The two sayings answer two different questions. Matthew 12:30 was spoken when the Pharisees said He cast out devils by Beelzebub: between Christ and Satan there is no middle ground, and whoever isn’t on Christ’s side is against Him (Gill). Mark 9:40 was spoken of a man who was casting out devils in Christ’s name though he didn’t follow the twelve: he was doing Christ’s work against the same enemy, and so was on their side, though not of their company (Gill). One is about where a man stands toward Christ; the other, about how the disciples should regard one who stood with Him. Luke gives both sayings (Luke 9:50; 11:23).
Sources
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none ought to be neutral; whoever is not on the side of Christ, is reckoned as an enemy
Checked against: Internet Archive scan of the first edition, 2026-10-28 -
inasmuch as he was opposing the same common enemy, and did nothing against them, he ought to be reckoned as one for them, and on their side
Checked against: Internet Archive scan of the first edition, 2026-10-28
