Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Luke 9:50

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

Marvel then at the power of Christ, how His grace works by means of the unworthy and those who are not His disciples: as also men are sanctified through the priests, although the priests be not holy.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Western Saints

Ambrose of Milan

Now John is not blamed, because he did this from love, but he is taught to know the difference between the strong and the weak. And therefore our Lord though He rewards the stronger, yet does not exclude the weak; as it follows, And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not, for he that is not against you is for you. True, O Lord. For both Joseph and Nicodemus, through fear Thy secret disciples, when the time came, did not refuse their offices. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Bede

And Jesus said to him: Do not forbid him. For whoever is not against you is for you. Taught by this saying, the Apostle says: But whether in pretense or in truth Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice (Philippians 1). But although he rejoices even in those who proclaim Christ insincerely, such people sometimes doing signs in the name of Christ are considered not to be prohibited for the sake of others' salvation, however, their own conscience is not made secure through such signs. …

On the Gospel of Luke ↗

Bonaventure

Third, as regards the persuasion to humility on the part of the Master, he adds: And Jesus said to him: Do not forbid, but rather humbly bear with the imperfect one, because, Romans 15, "we who are stronger ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not to please ourselves"; and especially when the weak one is not an adversary of the truth. On account of which he adds: He who is not against you is for you. …

Commentary on Luke, Chapter 9 ↗