(1) Repeated words:
Cause one to sin v.42, cause you to sin v.43, 45, 47
Meaning=(BDB) to cause to be brought to a downfall, cause to sin (the sin may consist in a breach of the moral law, in unbelief, or in the acceptance of false teachings)
drown in the sea v.42
(NET) The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.
(BKC) This verse concludes the thought in verses 35–41 and sets the stage for verses 43–50. Jesus sternly warned anyone who would deliberately turn somebody away from believing in Him. The punishment for such an offense was so severe that it would be better for him to be drowned in the sea before he could cause one of these little ones who believe in Jesus
hell, unquenchable fire v.44, 46, 47, 48, worm never dies v.48, salted with fire v.49
(NET) The word translated hell is “Gehenna” (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge hinnom (“Valley of Hinnom”). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan god Molech (cf. Jer 7:31; 19:5–6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (cf. 1 En. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36). This Greek term also occurs in vv. 45, 47.
(PNTC) The instruction to hack off body parts that cause one to stumble is an example of metaphoric hyperbole characteristic of Jesus and is not meant to be taken literally...The fact that a saying is not meant to be taken literally is not to diminish or discount its importance, however. If anything, the hyperbole enhances the teaching that God is more important than even those things most indispensable to us. It attests to the uncompromising offense of the gospel and of the authority of Jesus, that nothing—not even things we value supremely like eyes, hands, and feet—should stand in the way of eternal life.
(BKC) It is better to be a disciple and to enter eternal life (cf. 10:17, 30) in God’s future kingdom (9:47), and to do so maimed, minus earthly possessions that have been renounced, than to be an unbeliever. An unbeliever retains his allegiance to this world, refuses eternal life with God on His terms, and so will be thrown into hell
(2) Reflection #1: 9:42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone tied around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.
In persecution people would lead Christian away from their faith and Jesus sternly warned them by telling them the serious consequences. God cares about His believers very much and is not pleased if anyone does that. On one hand, we will thank God for that. On the other hand, we shall confess our sins if we have led others into sins. God sees leading one to sin as a serious thing which bears consequences. Note, the definition of the word includes the situation if we lead others to violation of moral law, or we make other people disbelieve, or accept false teachings.
(3) Reflection#2: After talking about leading others into sin Jesus turned to the topic of leading oneselves to sin.
Do we agree with Jesus that it is better to lose our most valuable things and go to the Kingdom of God (be with God) than continue to sin and then go to hell? If the time spent in both places are equal then maybe it is a difficult decision. Jesus reminded us that it is not. The worm never dies and the fire is never quenched. May this be a picture we will remember when we are tempted to sin.
Audrey
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