The Meaning of Luke 9:49 Explained

Luke 9:49

KJV: And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

YLT: And John answering said, 'Master, we saw a certain one in thy name casting forth the demons, and we forbade him, because he doth not follow with us;'

Darby: And John answering said, Master, we saw some one casting out demons in thy name, and we forbad him, because he follows not with us.

ASV: And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  John  answered  and said,  Master,  we saw  one  casting out  devils  in  thy  name;  and  we forbad  him,  because  he followeth  not  with  us. 

What does Luke 9:49 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 9:37-50 - The Greatest Serve The Neediest
When the mountain is bathed in the glory of God we are loath to leave it. But we must not tarry in the enjoyment of its raptures, when the plain contains so much misery. Saints and angels on the one hand, demons on the other! The disciples that have not enjoyed the mountain fellowship have no power over the unclean spirits that haunt men. It is easy to denounce demons; we must do more-we must exorcize them.
But let it never be forgotten that if you are able to cope with the devil, in the power of God, you must be prepared for the Cross, Luke 9:44-45. We cannot die for men, as Jesus did; but we can suffer rebuke and shame with Him, and thus "fill up that which is behind" of His afflictions, Colossians 1:24.
Let us seek the child-heart! We must distinguish between childishness and childlikeness. One of the loveliest pictures of the coming time is Isaiah 11:6. Only childlike souls can tame and conquer the beasts. Let us welcome simple holy souls, and be ourselves of that class; and let us cultivate large-hearted charity toward those who cast out demons, though they be not of our school. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 9

1  Jesus sends his apostles to work miracles, and to preach
7  Herod desires to see Jesus
10  The apostles return
12  Jesus feeds five thousand;
18  inquires what opinion the world had of him; foretells his passion;
23  proposes to all the pattern of his patience
28  The transfiguration
37  He heals the lunatic;
43  again forewarns his disciples of his passion;
46  commends humility;
51  bids them to show mildness toward all, without desire of revenge
57  Many would follow him, but upon conditions

Greek Commentary for Luke 9:49

And John answered [αποκριτεις δε Ιωανης]
As if John wanted to change the subject after the embarrassment of the rebuke for their dispute concerning greatness (Luke 9:46-48). [source]
Master [επιστατα]
Only in Luke in the N.T. as already four times (Luke 5:5; Luke 8:24, Luke 8:45; Luke 9:33).We forbade him (εκωλυομεν αυτον — ekōluomen auton). Conative imperfect as in Mark 9:38, We tried to hinder him.Because he followeth not with us Present tense preserved for vividness where Mark has imperfect μετ ημων — e4kolouthei Note also here “with us” (ημιν — meth' hēmōn) where Mark has associative instrumental hēmin It is a pitiful specimen of partisan narrowness and pride even in the Beloved Disciple, one of the Sons of Thunder. The man was doing the Master‘s work in the Master‘s name and with the Master‘s power, but did not run with the group of the Twelve. [source]
We forbade him [εκωλυομεν αυτον]
Conative imperfect as in Mark 9:38, We tried to hinder him. [source]
Because he followeth not with us [οτι ουκ ακολουτει μετ ημων]
Present tense preserved for vividness where Mark has imperfect μετ ημων — e4kolouthei Note also here “with us” (ημιν — meth' hēmōn) where Mark has associative instrumental hēmin It is a pitiful specimen of partisan narrowness and pride even in the Beloved Disciple, one of the Sons of Thunder. The man was doing the Master‘s work in the Master‘s name and with the Master‘s power, but did not run with the group of the Twelve. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 9:49

Luke 5:5 Master [επιστατα]
Used only by Luke in the N.T. and always in addresses to Christ (Luke 8:24, Luke 8:45; Luke 9:33, Luke 9:49; Luke 17:13). Common in the older writers for superintendent or overseer (one standing over another). This word recognizes Christ‘s authority. [source]
Acts 3:6 In the name [εν τωι ονοματι]
The healing power is in that name (Page) and Peter says so. Cf. Luke 9:49; Luke 10:17; Acts 4:7, Acts 4:10; Acts 19:27; Acts 16:18. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 9:49 mean?

Answering now - John said Master we saw someone in the name of You casting out demons and we were forbidding him because not he follows with us
Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ 〈ὁ〉 Ἰωάννης εἶπεν Ἐπιστάτα εἴδομέν τινα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἐκβάλλοντα δαιμόνια καὶ ἐκωλύομεν αὐτὸν ὅτι οὐκ ἀκολουθεῖ μεθ’ ἡμῶν

Ἀποκριθεὶς  Answering 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
〈ὁ〉  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰωάννης  John 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ἐπιστάτα  Master 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπιστάτης  
Sense: any sort of superintendent or overseer.
εἴδομέν  we  saw 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
τινα  someone 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ὀνόματί  name 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
σου  of  You 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἐκβάλλοντα  casting  out 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκβάλλω  
Sense: to cast out, drive out, to send out.
δαιμόνια  demons 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: δαιμόνιον  
Sense: the divine power, deity, divinity.
ἐκωλύομεν  we  were  forbidding 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: κωλύω  
Sense: to hinder, prevent forbid.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἀκολουθεῖ  he  follows 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀκολουθέω  
Sense: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him.
ἡμῶν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.