Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 18:7-9

"Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh! And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire." — Matthew 18:7-9 (ASV)

Glossa Ordinaria: The Lord had said that it is better for the one who causes offense to have a millstone hung around his neck. He now adds the reason for this: Woe to the world from offenses!—that is, because of offenses. ¹

Origen of Alexandria: We should not understand this to mean the material elements of the world; rather, the people who are in the world are here called “the world.”ⁱ

But Christ's disciples are not of this world, which is why there cannot be woe to them from offenses. For even if there are many offenses, they do not touch the one who is not of this world. But if he is still of this world by loving the world and the things in it, then as many offenses will seize him as those that surrounded him in the world.

It follows, For it is necessary that offenses come.

St. John Chrysostom: This does not undermine the freedom of the will or impose a necessity on any act, but foretells what must come to pass. Offenses are hindrances on the right path. But Christ's prophecy does not cause the offenses, for this does not happen because He foretold it; rather, He foretold it because it was certain to happen. ²

But someone will say, “If all people are restored, and if there is no one to cause the offenses, will His words not be proven false?” By no means. For since people were incurable, He therefore said, It is necessary that offenses come—that is, they surely will come. He never would have said this if all people could be corrected.

Glossa Ordinaria: Or, it is necessary that they come because they are necessary—that is, useful—so that by this means they that are approved may be made manifest (1 Corinthians 11:19). ³

St. John Chrysostom: For offenses rouse people and make them more attentive; and he who falls by them quickly rises again and is more careful.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Or, the humility of His passion is the scandal of the world, which refused to receive the Lord of eternal glory under the disgrace of the cross. And what is more dangerous for the world than to have rejected Christ? He says that offenses must come, since in the sacrament of restoring eternal life to us, the full humility of His suffering had to be fulfilled in Him.

Origen of Alexandria: Or, the scandals that are to come are the angels of Satan. But do not expect these offenses to show themselves in a substantial or natural form, for in some people the freedom of the will has been the origin of offense, as they are unwilling to undergo the struggle for the sake of virtue. There cannot be real good without the opposition of evil.

It is necessary, then, that offenses come, just as it is necessary that we encounter the evil assaults of spiritual powers. Their hatred is stirred up all the more as Christ's word, entering people, drives out evil influences from them. They seek instruments through whom the offenses may work more effectively, and there is greater woe for such instruments. For it will be worse for the one who gives the offense than for the one who receives it, as it follows: But woe to that man by whom the offense comes.

St. Jerome: This is as much as to say, “Woe to that man through whose fault it comes to pass that offenses must be in the world.” Under this general declaration, Judas is particularly condemned, as he had prepared his soul for the act of betrayal.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Or, the “man” denotes the Jewish people, as the introducers of this entire offense concerning Christ's passion. For they brought upon the world the whole danger of denying Christ in His passion—the one whom the Law and the Prophets had preached would suffer.

St. John Chrysostom: But so that you may learn that there is no absolute necessity for offenses, hear what follows: If your hand or your foot offend you, etc. This is not said about the limbs of the body, but about friends whom we value as if they were necessary limbs, for nothing is so harmful as evil company.

Rabanus Maurus: “Scandal” (offense) is a Greek word that we can call a stumbling block, a fall, or a striking of the foot. A person scandalizes his brother, then, when by a wrong word or deed he gives him an occasion to fall.

St. Jerome: Therefore, all affection and all our family must be severed from us, so that under the guise of duty no believer is exposed to offense.

If, He says, someone is united to you as closely as your hand, foot, or eye—and is useful, eager, and quick to discern—yet causes you offense and by his improper behavior is drawing you into hell, it is better for you to lack his kinship and usefulness than to have a cause for falling while you seek to gain relatives or friends.

Every believer knows what harms, troubles, and tempts him. It is better to lead a solitary life than to lose eternal life for the sake of having the necessities of this present life.

Origen of Alexandria: Or, the priests may with good reason be called the eyes of the Church, since they are considered her watchmen. The deacons and the other ministers are her hands, for through them spiritual deeds are performed. The people are the feet of the body, the Church. We should not spare any of these if they become an offense to the Church.

Alternatively, the offending hand is understood as an act of the mind, the offending foot as a motion of the mind, and the sinning eye as a vision of the mind. We ought to cut these off if they cause offense, for in this way, the actions of the limbs are often used in Scripture to represent the limbs themselves.

1. non occ.
2. Hom., lix
3. interlin.