John Calvin Commentary Matthew 11:6

"And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me." — Matthew 11:6 (ASV)

And blessed is he who shall not be offended in me. By this concluding statement Christ intended to remind them that he who would adhere firmly and steadfastly to the faith of the Gospel must encounter offenses, which will tend to interrupt the progress of faith. This is said in anticipation, to strengthen us against offenses; for we will never lack reasons for rejecting it, until our minds are raised above every offense. The first lesson, therefore, to be learned is that we must contend with offenses if we would continue in the faith of Christ, for Christ Himself is justly called:

rock of offense and stone of stumbling, by which many fall,
(1 Peter 2:8)

This happens, no doubt, through our own fault, but that very fault is remedied when he pronounces those to be blessed who shall not be offended in him; from which we also infer that unbelievers have no excuse, even though they plead the existence of innumerable offenses.

For what hinders them from coming to Christ? Or what drives them to revolt from Christ?

It is because he appears with his cross, disfigured and despised, and exposed to the reproaches of the world; because he calls us to share in his afflictions; because his glory and majesty, being spiritual, are despised by the world; and in a word, because his doctrine is totally at variance with our senses.

Again, it is because, through the stratagems of Satan, many disturbances arise with the aim of slandering and making hateful the name of Christ and the Gospel; and because everyone, as if on purpose, builds up a mass of offenses, being instigated by a malice no less than their zeal to withdraw from Christ.⁷

⁷ “Pource que tous non seulement sont bien aises de se retirer de Christ, mais aussi tachent malicieusement d’entrouver les moyens;” — “because not only are all strongly disposed to withdraw from Christ, but they even endeavor maliciously to discover the means of doing so.”;” — “because not only are all strongly disposed to withdraw from Christ, but they even endeavor maliciously to discover the means of doing so.”