Sometimes the Bible can be confusing. In St. Luke’s gospel Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Luke 11:23. In St. Mark Jesus says, “Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40).Not the same thing! Did Jesus say different things at different times? Did the Church in an ancient version of the telephone game mess up the message? Did the evangelist get confused? The key to interpretation lies in the difference between “me” and “us.” In St. Luke, Jesus is using almost military imagery in the fight against Satan. Jesus declares that there isn’t any neutral party in the battle. If you aren’t on his side, the God side, you have thrown your lot with the enemy. The scene in Mark is about the prerogatiave of an apostle. Must you have your name in the book, to be one of “us,” to be on God’s side? Jesus says that everyone striving to live a godly life and bring God’s love into the world is on the side of righteousness, whether signed up on not.
