Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
are said to offend him. 504 Whoever then desires to escape that fearful punishment which Christ
denounces, let him stretch out his hand to the little ones who are despised by the world, and let him
kindly assist them in keeping the path of duty; for Christ recommends them to our notice, that they
may lead us to exercise voluntary humility; as Paul enjoins the children of God to
condescend to men of low estate, (Romans 12:16,)
and again says that
we ought not to please ourselves, (Romans 15:1.)
To hang a millstone about a man’s neck, and drown him in the sea, was the punishment then
reckoned the most appalling, and which was inflicted on the most atrocious malefactors. When our
Lord alludes to this punishment, we are enabled to perceive how dear and precious those persons
are in the sight of God, who are mean and despised in the eyes of the world.
7. Woe to the world on account of offenses! This passage may be explained in two ways. It may
be taken actively, as meaning that Christ pronounces a curse on the authors of offenses; and then
by the term world, we must understand all unbelievers. Or it may be taken passively, as meaning
that Christ deplores the evils which he perceives to be rapidly coming on the world on account of
offenses; as if he had said, that no plague will be more destructive, or attended by more fearful
calamities, than the alarm or desertion of many on account of offenses. The latter meaning is more
appropriate; for I have no doubt that our Lord, who had spoken on another occasion about offenses,
proceeded to discourse more largely on this subject; in order to make his disciples more attentive
and watchful in guarding against them. That Satan may not gain advantage over us through our
sluggishness, our Lord breaks out into an exclamation, that there is nothing which we ought to
dread more than offenses; for as Satan has innumerable kinds of them in his hand, he constantly,
and at almost every step, throws new difficulties in our way; while we, through excessive tenderness
or sloth, are too ready to yield. The consequence is, that there are few who make tolerable progress
in the faith of Christ; and of the few who have begun to walk in the way of salvation, there is
scarcely one in ten who has the courage to persevere till he reaches the goal. 505 Now since Christ
intended to strike his disciples with terror on account of offenses, and thus to arouse them to exertion,
woe to our indifference, if each of us does not earnestly apply himself to overcome those offenses
For offenses must come. To awaken more powerfully their care and anxiety, our Lord reminds
his disciples that there is no possibility of walking but in the midst of various offenses; as much as
to say, that this is an evil which cannot be avoided. Thus he confirms the former statement; for
Christ shows us how great are the inconveniences which arise from offenses, since the Church never
will be, and indeed never can be, free from this evil. But he does not state the reason of this necessity,
as Paul does, when, speaking of heresies, he says that they arise, that the good may be made manifest,
(1 Corinthians 11:19.) It must be held by us as a fixed principle, that it is the will of God to leave
504 “L’Escriture dit que nous oftensons ou scandalizons cestuy la.” — “Scripture says that we give offense or scandal to that
man.”
505 “Qui persevere courageusement iusqu’a la fin;” — “who perseveres courageously to the end.”
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John Calvin