How does Matthew 18:7 address the inevitability of stumbling blocks? Canonical Text “Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!” — Matthew 18:7 Immediate Literary Setting Matthew 18 forms Jesus’ “community discourse,” outlining kingdom relationships. Verses 1-6 warn against harming “little ones” (childlike believers). Verse 7, therefore, frames unavoidable scandal (“stumbling blocks”) within stern judgment on the perpetrator, preparing for radical remedies (vv. 8-9) and the parable of the lost sheep (vv. 10-14). Inevitability Explained 1. Fallen World: Since Adam, creation is “subjected to futility” (Romans 8:20); moral entropy guarantees occasions to sin. 2. Permissive Providence: God’s sovereignty (Isaiah 45:7) accommodates human freedom, weaving even offenses into redemptive history (Genesis 50:20). 3. Eschatological Achievement: The Messiah’s atonement presupposes betrayal (Matthew 26:24), persecution (John 15:20), and apostasy (1 Timothy 4:1). Stumbling blocks confirm prophetic forecast, underscoring Scripture’s coherence. Human Responsibility Intensified While offenses are inevitable, personal culpability remains. Jesus fuses certainty (“must come”) with liability (“woe…through whom”). This upholds moral realism: external circumstances never excused Judas (Matthew 27:3-5) nor Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). Old Testament Continuity • Leviticus 19:14 forbids placing a “stumbling block before the blind.” • Ezekiel 3:18-20 portrays watchmen accountable for another’s fall. • Psalm 119:165 declares those loving God’s law have “no stumbling,” anticipating Messiah’s protection. Matthew thus situates Jesus within the ethical trajectory of Torah and Prophets. Parallel Synoptic Witness Luke 17:1 preserves the same logion; Mark 9:42 emphasizes millstone judgment. Independent attestation argues authenticity (criterion of multiple attestation), reinforced by early papyri (𝔓45, 3rd cent.) and Codex Vaticanus (B 03, 4th cent.). Archaeological Corroboration Basalt “donkey-millstones” (avg. 90 kg) recovered on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee match Jesus’ imagery (Matthew 18:6). Their ubiquity clarifies the severity of drowning imagery and authenticates the cultural backdrop. Theological Synthesis: Divine Sovereignty & Human Freedom Scripture pairs inevitability (Acts 2:23: “by God’s set plan”) with blame (Acts 2:23: “you, with wicked hands”). Matthew 18:7 encapsulates this compatibilism, shielding God’s holiness while diagnosing human agency. Christological Center The ultimate offense—Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23)—becomes the cornerstone of salvation. God turns the worst stumbling block into the instrument of redemption, displaying grace without nullifying justice. Ethical and Pastoral Applications 1. Guard Influence: Teachers, parents, influencers bear heightened accountability (James 3:1). 2. Prioritize Restoration: Confrontation (Matthew 18:15-17) aims at repentance, reflecting the Good Shepherd (v. 12). 3. Exercise Self-Examination: Remove personal “hand/eye” scandals (vv. 8-9) before addressing others (cf. Matthew 7:5). Eschatological Warning and Hope “Woe” anticipates final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). Yet every offense also signals history’s march toward consummation when stumbling blocks will be removed (Matthew 13:41) and creation liberated (Romans 8:21). Conclusion Matthew 18:7 affirms that stumbling blocks are an inescapable feature of a fallen yet sovereignly governed world, intensifies individual accountability for causing them, and directs the community toward vigilant holiness grounded in the atoning victory of the resurrected Christ. |
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