Matthew 18:7

Mat_18:7

Woe unto the world because of offences.

Christian Influence

Some sinners defend themselves by saying that if they had not tempted their comrades to evil, some one else would. If your action made no difference in the mans ultimate course, it is not excused. It may be true that the temptation would have come without you; it by no means follows that it would have been equally powerful if you had not put it in the way; your example may have given it special force. How often is this so between friends and near kindred! Obedience to God extends to the temptation that is likely to lead to sin. The eye, the hand, must be plucked out, cut off, if it proved a temptation too strong for the mans resistance. If the temptation is clearly too much for you, you are bound to put yourself in such a position that it shall not be able to reach you. But our Lord not only requires a man to deal thus with himself, but also with his neighbour. We are not allowed to suppose that our brothers conduct is indifferent to us. We are to have regard to the effect of our conduct upon others. Let us consider the form which this teaching takes in sonic of the ordinary relations of life.

I. Look at life in our own homes. The doctrine that each must look only to himself would not be admitted here. We are ready to interfere with what affects our comfort; are we as ready with loving care to remove stumbling-blocks. It is easy to expose selfishness, but not so easy to be perpetually setting an example of sacrifice.

II. The relationship of master and servant is peculiarly one which calls for the constant care for one another. How many temptations can we remove from the path of servants if we give our thoughts to it. Living in a household, servants imbibe the principle of their masters. What a power for removing temptation from a child does every servant possess.

III. Look at society and see how the rule applies there. In a Christian country society should have regard for the weaknesses of humanity; to mould the customs of society so as to put as few temptations as possible in the way of these weaknesses. True, the demand for this is not so strong here as in our own homes; but it is easier to recognize. In the home you deal with individuals, peculiarity and diversity of temperament, and it may be hard to recognize what is a temptation, and what the best way of removing it; but in regard to society we have no such difficulties; here we have to deal with the effects of temptation on thousands, and this does not admit of much doubt. Every member of society is responsible for his share in customs which create temptation.

IV. Consider this rule as applied to legislation. No act of legislation ought to pass without consideration as to its moral effects, its likelihood to increase or diminish the temptations of the people. It is often urged that man gains strength by conflict with temptation, and that the removal of temptation is a weakness. This not the entire truth: the removal of temptation is often the only thing which gives the soul time to gather the forces of grace to triumph. (Bishop Temple.)

Offences

I. Let us inquire why it must needs be that offences come.

1. Not from any fault in the gospel of the Redeemer.

2. Not that God necessitates men to lay before others these hindrances in the path to heaven, and encouragements to sin.

3. Why then? Light has come into the world, and men love darkness, etc. He does not interpose by omnipotent force.

II. Let us examine what are the chief offences against which we should guard?

1. False sentiments in religion, and doctrines inconsistent with the Word of God often prove an offence and tend to lead others away from felicity.

2. The influence of unholy examples.

3. Persecution.

4. The unsuitable walk of professing Christians.

III. Illustrate the propriety of the double woe pronounced by our Lord.

1. Woe to the world because of offences, for many will be seduced by them.

2. Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh.

(1) Because he frustrates as far as in his power the design which Christ had in coming into the world.

(2) Because he renders himself guilty of all the crimes he has led others to commit.

(3) Because the reparation of those evils is morally impossible. (H. Kollock, D. D.)

Offences inevitable and evil

A caution this, as Jerome has well observed, particularly necessary for the disciples at this time striving for superiority; for if they had continued in that spirit, they would have turned out of the way those they had gained to the faith. Let us inquire-

I. What we are to understand here by offences. Stumbling-blocks in the way that leads to heaven. Figurative expression (Rom_14:13; Rom_14:21): offences may be taken when they are not given. Offences may be given when they are not taken. Stumbling-blocks are of three kinds-

1. Such as God has laid in the way.

(1) Jesus Christ is in this sense a stumbling-block (1Pe_2:6; 1Pe_2:8; Rom_9:31-33; Isa_8:13-15; Luk_2:34; Mat_13:57; Mat_26:64-65).

(2) The doctrine of Christ is a cause of offence (Mat_15:12; Mat_19:22, 1Co_1:22-23; Joh_6:61-66; Mat_13:54).

(3) The suffering and death of Christ on the cross is a stumblingblock (1Co_1:23; Mat_26:31; Mat_26:33; Luk_24:21). The Jews called Christ, in derision, Talui, the man that was hanged. An offence without reason.

2. Such as are laid in the way by the subtlety and malice of the devil and his children. Such as false doctrine, reproaches, etc.

3. Such as, through the devices of the grand adversary, are laid in the way by the inattention, folly, and misconduct of those who are, or profess to be, the children of God (Rom_14:21; 1Co_8:7; 1Co_8:9).

II. How it appears that it must needs be that offences come.

1. Offences of the kind first mentioned must come (Mat_2:6). These are only stumbling-blocks in our apprehension. They that stumble at these, stumble at their own mercies and salvation.

2. Offences of the second kind will come, not, strictly speaking of necessity, but in the nature of things. For the devil and his children will hate the children of God, etc. (Zec_3:2; 1Co_11:19; Act_20:30; 2Co_11:26).

3. Offences of the last kind will also come, as appears from the text, and from (Luk_17:1), where the Greek word imports it is not to be expected, etc. He does not appoint or ordain these offences. He does not withhold the grace whereby they may be avoided. But He permits, or does not absolutely hinder them.

III. Why our Lord pronounces a woe upon the world because of offences, and upon that man by whom the offence cometh.

1. By the world, may be here meant, those that know not, and love not, God (Joh_15:16; Joh_15:19; Joh_17:9; Joh_17:14; 1Jn_5:19). Through offences, especially those of the last-mentioned kind, many of these perish eternally. Therefore, woe to them! They dishonour God, obstruct and injure others, and lose their own souls.

2. The world, may mean mankind in general, including even the people of God.

3. Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh. For he dishonours God in a manner none else can do-he does the work of the devil and pleases him-he confirms the wicked in their prejudices, etc. All this mischief will be required at his hands, etc.

Application-

1. See that you offend not (Mat_18:6).

2. See that you be not offended yourself (Mat_18:8-9). (Joseph Benson.)

A discourse of offences

1. The unavoidables of offences.

2. The woes pronounced against them.

I. What we are to understand here by offences.

II. From whence the unavoidableness of them doth arise.

III. That offences are of woeful consequence, both to men in general, and to those particular persons by whom they come. (Bishop Fowler.)

Ways of offending..

1. The drawing of our brethren into erroneous opinions; such as have an ill-influence on mens lives and manners.

2. Enticing men to sin by wicked advice and solicitations.

3. Affrighting or discouraging others from being religious, or from the doing of their duty in particular instances: such things as

(1) persecuting for righteousness sake:

(2) representing the ways of religion as very rugged and difficult, and the duties thereof as over-harsh and severe:

(3) making a great number of additions to the law of God, and imposing them as necessary to salvation:

(4) treating those who have fallen into errors of judgment or practice, with too great harshness and severity.

4. Offering an evil example. (Bishop Fowler.)

Necessity of scandals arising

Let us grant that in individual cases a man may give such care and attention as not to sin, yet it is impossible that-taking all contingent events in the lump-a man should not sometimes be remiss, and fail or slip. For this is the infirmity of the mind of man since the Fall. In the same way it is necessary that the most skilful archer, who to a certainty hits the mark as often as he chooses to do so, should sometimes miss it, if he is perpetually shooting at it. For this is a condition and result of human weakness-that mind, hand, or eye cannot long keep up the strain of their attention, that a man should hit the mark a hundred times running. He must miss sometimes. (Lapide.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 18:7-9. Wo unto the world because of offences — That is, unspeakable misery will be in the world through them: for it must needs be that offences come — Such is the nature of things, and such the weakness, folly, and wickedness of mankind, that it cannot be but they will come: but wo to that man — That is, miserable is that man; by whom the offence cometh. Offences are all things whereby any one is turned out of or hindered in the way of God. If thy hand, foot, eye, offend thee, that is, cause thee to stumble; if the most dear enjoyment, or the most beloved and useful person, turn thee out of or hinder thee in the way. Is not this a hard saying? Yes; if thou take counsel with flesh and blood. For a further elucidation of the words, see notes on Mat 5:29-30; and Mar 9:42-50.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

THE WOE OF OFFENCES, Mat_18:7-9.

7. Woe unto the world because of offences — Let it be noted that the word offences here does not signify merely sins, or provocations to anger. It means causes which produce sins or apostacies in men. Nor does the word stumbling-blocks, adopted by some commentators, convey a correct image or idea. The word is derived from a Greek term, which originally signified the trap-stick to which the bait was fixed, by touching which the animal sprung the trap and so was caught. Hence it signifies any moral enticement by which a person is entrapped into error, sin, or apostacy. Snare or entrapment is the true moral idea. In this world these temptations and entrapments must come. But woe to the man who is the intentional author of them. He who broaches deceitful infidelities or heresies, by which men are seduced from the paths of truth and well-doing, is performing the devil’s work, and must reap the devil’s reward. See commentary on Mat_5:19-20. Since errors and temptations are sure to come, and so liable to ruin both their author and their victim, do thou sever them from thee, though as dear as the hand or the eye.

It must needs be that offences come — Since men are free, and being free will offend, it must follow that offences will meet us in our experiences. God does not slay men, nor deprive them of their free nature, nor limit its natural flee action in its allotted range, in order to prevent the sin. For it is a fundamental law of probation, that character shall have full scope freely to develop itself; so that responsibility can justly exist, penalty can be justified, and rewardable free desert can arise. God reserves to himself an absolute control over the laws of nature; he locates men in existence, confers or limits their capabilities, and foreseeing what they will thus freely do, he regulates all his own plans so as to educe the highest good.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 18:7. Τῷ κόσμῳ, to the world) offences spread far and wide,—τῶν σκανδάλων, of THE offences) τὰ σκάνδαλα, THE offences.—τὸ σκάνδαλον, THE offence) The article is emphatic.—ἀνάγκη[810] γάρ ἐστιν ἐλθεῖν τὰ σκάνδαλα, for it must needs be that offences come) especially in the age blessed by the presence of the Messiah; just as insects abound in summer. The disciples were near offence: how much nearer must others have been!—πλὴν, but) used emphatically.[811] Woe to the world which is injured by offences: but woe indeed to the man who injures it by offence.

[810] Ἀνάγκη, it is necessary) On account of the frequency of unbelief.—V. g.

[811] Πλὴν being added to the previous enunciation, forms an ‘Epitasis,’ or emphatic addition. See Append.—ED.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_18:7. Οὐαί] θρηνεῖ ὡς φιλάνθρωπος τὸν κόσμον ὡς μέλλοντα βλαβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν σκανδάλων, Theophylact.

ἀπό] indicating the causal origin of the woe for humanity (τῷ κόσμῳ). The world is not conceived of as giving the offence (in answer to Jansen, Arnoldi, Bleek), but as suffering from it. With regard to ἀπό, see Buttmann, Neut. Gramm. p. 277 [E. T. 322].

ἀνάγκη γάρ] assigns the reason for the ἀπὸ τῶν σκανδάλ. immediately before: on account of offences, I say, for they cannot but come. This necessity (necessitas consequentiae) has its foundation in the morally abnormal condition of mankind, yet (comp. 1Co_9:19) is to be traced back to the divine purpose (not merely permission), which, however, does away neither with the moral freedom of him who, by word or deed, gives offence (Rom_14:13), nor with his liability to punishment. Hence: πλὴν (yet) οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, κ.τ.λ.

τὰ σκάνδαλα] temptations, as a general conception.

τὸ σκάνδ.] the temptation as conceived of in each individual case.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 18:7 . οὐαὶ τῶ κόσμῳ , woe to the world, an exclamation of pity at thought of the miseries that come upon mankind through ambitious passions. Some (Bleek, Weiss, etc.) take κόσμος in the sense of the ungodly world, as in later apostolic usage, and therefore as causing, not suffering from, the offences deplored. This interpretation is legitimate but not inevitable, and it seems better to take the word in the more general sense of humanity conceived of as grievously afflicted with “scandals” without reference to who is to blame. They are a great fact in the history of mankind, by whomsoever caused. ἀπὸ τ . σ .: by reason of; points to the ultimate source of the misery. τῶν σκανδάλων : the scandals; a general category, and a black one. ἀνάγκη γάρ : they are inevitable; a fatality as well as a fact, on the wide scale of the world; they cannot be prevented, only deplored. No shallow optimism in Christ’s view of life. πλὴν : adversative here, setting the woe that overtakes the cause of offences, over against that of those who suffer from them. Weiss contends that it is not adversative here any more than in Mat 11:24 , but simply conducts from the general culpability of the world to the guilt of every one who is a cause of scandal, even when he does not belong to the world.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A good man cannot but go through the midst of offences, yet he must cut off all occasion of offences.

Lets and hindrances which stop the course of good works. The Greek word importeth thus much, things which we stumble at.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 7. Wo!] Or, alas! ουαι. It is the opinion of some eminent critics, that this word is ever used by our Lord to express sympathy and concern.

Because of offences] Scandals, stumbling-blocks, persecutions, &c.

For it must needs be that offences come] Αναγκε γαρ εϚιν ελθειν τα σκανδαλα, for the coming of offences is unavoidable. Such is the wickedness of men, such their obstinacy, that they will not come unto Christ that they may have life, but desperately continue deceiving and being deceived. In such a state of things, offences, stumbling-blocks, persecutions, &c., are unavoidable.

Wo to that man] He who gives the offence, and he who receives it, are both exposed to ruin.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(7) Woe unto the world.—The interjection is one of sorrow as well as denunciation, and here the former meaning is predominant, as the latter is in the next clause of the verse. The true meaning of “offence,” as meaning not the mere transgression of a law, but such a transgression as causes the fall of others, must be carefully borne in mind throughout. The words, “It must needs be that offences come, but woe unto that man . . . ,” unite in strange contrast the two truths which all the history of human guilt brings before us. Crimes seem to recur with something like the inevitable regularity of a law, and yet in each single instance the will of the offender has been free to choose, and he is therefore rightly held responsible both by divine and human laws.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7–9. Of Offences. Mar_9:43-48

From offences—hindrances to the faith of Christ’s little ones—the discourse proceeds to offences in general—every thing that hinders the spiritual life.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Woe unto the world because of offences!.... By which are meant, not sins, as sometimes, but rather temptations to sin; and so the Ethiopic version renders this word by "temptation" in every clause, as the Arabic does in the next; and may design all the contempt and reproach cast upon the doctrines, ordinances, and people of Christ, and all those afflictions, distresses, and persecutions exercised on them, on purpose to cause them to stumble and fall; to tempt them to deny the truth, drop their profession of religion, and relinquish the service of Christ; things which are displeasing to God, discouraging to his people, and often attended with bad consequences to formal professors; and bring down the judgments of God upon the men of the world; who sooner or later will vindicate his own cause, avenge his own elect, and render tribulation to them that trouble them.

For it must needs be that offences come; considering the implacable malice of Satan, his unwearied and indefatigable pains, the malignity of the men of the world, their aversion and enmity to the Gospel of Christ, and all good men; it cannot be thought, God suffering such things for the trial of such as are truly gracious, and for the discovery of hypocrites, and for the manifestation of his grace, power, and faithfulness in the preservation of his dear children, that it should be otherwise, but that such offences should be:

but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh; for though God, for wise ends and reasons, as above, voluntarily permits such things to be in the world; and though they do not succeed, as to cause the true followers of Christ so to stumble and fall, as to perish, yet this does not excuse their sin and wickedness, in doing all that in them lay to effect it. For though God will, and does overrule all their base designs against his ministers, church, and people, for his glory, and their good, this is no thanks to them; and as it does not in the least extenuate their crime, it will not abate the severity of their punishment.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Ver. 7. Woe to the world, because of offences] Σκανδαλον, proprie tendicula, hoc est, lignum illud curvum, quo moto decipula clauditur. The world, besides the offences they give to the saints, they give and take much hurt one from another, and so heap up wrath; while, besides their own, they bring upon themselves their other men’s sins to answer for. I have read of a woman, who living in professed doubt of the Godhead, after better illumination and repentance, did often protest that the vicious life of a great scholar in that town did conjure up those damnable doubts in her soul. When therefore corruption boils, and thou art ready to run into some reproachful evil, think the name of Christ and thy poor brother’s soul lie prostrate before thee. And wilt thou trample upon that and throttle this?

It must needs be that offences come] By God’s permission, Satan’s malice, and man’s wickedness: Venenum aliquando pro remedio fuit (Senec. de Benef.). God often draws good out of evil, as wine draws a nourishing virtue from the flesh of serpents: as the skilful apothecary, of the poisonful viper, maketh a wholesome triacle, 1Co 11:10.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Woe unto the world because of offences - That is, offences will be the cause of woe or of suffering. Offences, here, mean things that will produce sin: that will cause us to sin, or temptations to induce others to sin. See the notes at Mat 5:29.

It must needs be ... - That is, such is the depravity of man that there will be always some who are attempting to make others sin; some people of wickedness endeavoring to lead Christians astray, and rejoicing when they have succeeded in causing them to fall. Such, also, is the strength of our native corruption and the force of passion, that our besetting sins will lead us astray.

Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh - He who leads others into sin is awfully guilty - no man can be more guilty. No wickedness can be more deeply seated in the heart than that which attempts to mar the peace, defile the purity, and destroy the souls of others; and yet in all ages there have been multitudes who, by persecution, threats, arts, allurements, and persuasion, have endeavored to seduce Christians from the faith and to lead them into sin.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

It must needs be, not absolutely, but the weakness and wickedness of the world considered that scandals should happen. (Witham) --- Considering the wickedness and corruption of the world, such things always will happen; but the judgments of God, though slow, will be terrible in the extreme. Lento quidem gradu Divina procedit Vindicta, sed tarditatem gravitate compensat. (Val. Max.) --- We must not suppose for a moment that Christ subjects human actions to the control of rigid fatality. It is not the prescience or prediction of Christ, which causes these evils to take place; they do not happen, because Christ foretold them; but, Christ foretold them, because they would infallibly happen. The Almighty permits scandals, because the good are benefited by them, making them more diligent and more watchful: witness the great virtue of Job, of Joseph, and many others perfected in temptation. If the less virtuous receive any detriment from scandals, they owe it to their own sloth and laziness. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. lx.) --- Jesus Christ pronounces a double woe to the man who bringeth scandal, and to the world which is punished by it. But why, asks St. John Chrysostom does he bewail the miseries of the world, when it depended upon him to stretch forth his hand and remove them? He imitates the conduct of a good physician, who, after prescribing various remedies, feels himself obliged to declare to his patient, that by neglecting the prescriptions, he is increasing his distemper. Jesus Christ had left the throne of his glory, taken upon him the form of a servant, and suffered the greatest extremities, but seeing man so perverse as to reap no advantage from all he had done and suffered for him, he weeps over his miserable state. Nor is this without its particular fruit; for it frequently happens, that whom good counsel cannot move, prayers and tears, and the relation of the dismal consequences attendant on sin, bring to repentance. This also manifests his tenderness and boundless charity, since he weeps over the people, who of all others most contradicted him. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. lx.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

By offences are here meant stumbling blocks to souls, such persons or actions as are to others temptations to sin. The world, saith our Savour is full of temptations. Temptations to sin are on all hands, some enticing and persuading men to that which is evil, others setting them an example to it, others alluring them by promises, others by threatenings and punishments driving men to it as much as in them lieth: the world will one day find the evil and mischief of it.

It must needs be that offences come; God hath so ordered it in the wisdom of his providence, that he will not restrain the lusts of all men’s hearts, but suffer some to walk in their own ways. Men in power will command those under them to do what is sinful, fright them by threatenings, force them (if possible) by punishments. Equals and inferiors will set examples of sin, allure, entice, and persuade. But woe be to those by whom such offences come! Men, saith our Savour, should be so afraid to sin, as they should rather part with the dearest things they have in the world, if they be as dear as eyes, hands, feet, rather than sin, or endure them to be occasions of sin to them. See Poole on "Mat 5:29", where Mat 18:8,9 are opened. Mark hath the same things, Mar 9:43-48, only with the addition of this saying thrice, Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched; which phrase doth but denote the eternity of sinners’ misery, taken from Isa 66:24.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This and the preceding verse occur in St. Luke (Luk_17:1, Luk_17:2) in an inverted order. Woe unto the world! The Lord thinks of the deadly evil brought into the world by offences given, such as bad example, unholy lives of Christians, persecutions, scoffs, thoughtlessness things which lead so many astray. For it must needs be. While men are what they are, such consequences must be expected. This is not an absolute, but a relative, necessity. Man"s heart is evil, his tendencies are evil, temptation is strong. Satan is active; all these forces combine to bring about a fatal result. Thus St. Paul says, (1Co_11:19) "There must be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." So these offences of which Christ speaks are overruled and permitted for wise purposes, that by them the righteous may be proved and purified, and the chaff separated from the wheat. But woe to that man! Because of this evil principle which is rife in the world, no man is exonerated from the guilt of giving offence. He has free will; he can choose good; he can use the means of grace; he can strengthen his natural weakness, control his perverseness, overcome corruption, by the help of God always ready to be given to them who seek. The first "woe" is a cry of pity for a world in danger; the second "woe" is a denunciation of the sinner as being responsible for the evil which he introduces. We are all in some sort our brothers" keepers, and are bound to help forward their salvation, and to do nothing which may tend to endanger their souls" health.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Woe to the world because of offenses - That is, unspeakable misery will be in the world through them; for it must needs be that offenses come - Such is the nature of things, and such the weakness, folly, and wickedness of mankind, that it cannot be but they will come; but wo to that man - That is, miserable is that man, by whom the offense cometh. Offenses are, all things whereby any one is turned out of, or hindered in the way of God.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Two things are here observable:

1. The necessity of scandalous offences: It must needs be that offences come:

2. The misery and mischief that comes by them: Woe unto the world because of offences: Woe unto such as give offence; this is va indignantis, the woe of one denouncing; and woe to such as stumble at offence given, this is va dolentis, the woe of one lamenting.

From the whole, Note, 1. That scandals, or offensive actions in the church of Chrsit, will certainly fall out among those that profess religion, and the name of Christ. Offences will come; Their necessity is partly from the malice of Satan, partly from the wickedness and deceitfulness of men’s own hearts and natures, God permitting those to have their natural effects.

2. That scandalous and offensive actions from such as profess religion and the name of Christ, are baneful and fatal stumbling-blocks to wicked and worldy men.

3. That the offence which wicked men take at the falls of the professors of religion, to the hardening of themselves in their wicked practices, is matter of just and great lamentation; Woe unto the world because of offences!

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Woe unto the world because of offences! There will continue to be temptations and causes of stumbling in the world which will lead thousands astray and cause much sorrow.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Connecting Statement:

Jesus continues to use a little child to teach the disciples and warns against the terrible consequences of causing children to sin.

to the world

Here "world" refers to people. AT: "to the people of the world" (See: Metonymy)

stumbling blocks ... those stumbling blocks come ... the person through whom those stumbling blocks come

Here "stumbling" is a metaphor for sin. AT: "things that cause people to sin ... things come that cause people to sin ... any person who causes others to sin" (See: Metaphor)

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you

Jesus exaggerates here to emphasize that people must do anything necessary to remove from their lives what causes them to sin. (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

your ... you

All occurrences of these words are singular. Jesus is speaking to all people in general. It may be more natural for your language to translate with a plural "you." (See: Forms of You)

into life

"into eternal life"

than to be thrown into the eternal fire having two hands or two feet

This can be stated in active form. AT: "than to have both hands and feet when God throws you into the eternal fire" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

woe

world

stumble

eternity

hell

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

7–9. OF OFFENCES

Mar 9:43-48.

From offences—snares and hindrances to the faith of Christ’s little ones—the discourse proceeds to offences in general—everything that hinders the spiritual life.

7. οὐαί. Alexandrine, but corresponding to ὀά, Æsch., Pers. 115, 121, the Latin form is væ. ἀπὸ denotes that σκάνδαλα are the source of woes.

σκάνδαλα. Snares, allurements to evil, temptations. See notes on ch. Mat 5:29-30.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7.] See 1Co 11:19. Stier suggests that Judas, who took offence at the anointing in Bethany, may have been on other occasions the man by whom the offence came, and so this may have been said with special reference to him. Still its general import is undeniable and plain. See also Act 2:23.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks! for there is necessity that stumbling-blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling-block comes!] Luk 17:1 has: ἀνέδεκτόν ἐστιν τοῦ τὰ σκάνδαλα μὴ ἐλθεῖν, πλὴν οὐαὶ διʼ οὗ ἔρχεται. The editor inserts the saying here because of the verbal connection between σκάνδαλα and σκανδαλίσῃ of the previous verse; cf. the juxtaposition of 6:16 (ἀφανίζουσι) and 6:19 ἀφανίζει. For κόσμος, cf. 5:14, 13:38.

(M)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.