Matthew 18:6-10

Mat 18:6 (KJB)
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Many times the pro-life movement will use this verse as a teaching against abortion but that is not what is in view here. When Jesus uses the term “little children” or “little ones” it is speaking about all those who believe in Him. (Mat 10:42 KJV) And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. In the book of John the term is also used. (John 13:33 KJV) Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. It means every believer will eventually be vindicated if they have suffered persecution. Jesus is stating that those who offend which means “to cause to stumble” will be judged and sent to the lake of fire. This is why Jesus is stating that it is better that a millstone be hung around the neck. Millstones were very heavy and that would mean if it was tied around someone’s neck, there would be no way they could ever come to the surface. Then Jesus states that they should be drowned in the depths of the sea, which means the deepest parts. Jesus is not mincing words here because He takes it very seriously when someone not only persecutes a Christian but even if they cause them to stumble or cause them to drift from the path of truth.

Mat 18:7 (KJB)
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Offence - Stumbling Block, snare, or scandal

Then Jesus pronounces a woe upon the world for the same offences. Those offences are such as temptations to sin, false beliefs, apostasy, and anything else which may cause someone to stumble in their Christian walk or which prevents the true gospel from being preached. Jesus also states that because of the sinful nature of this world, these offences are inevitable and will happen. The woe means that eventually the world will come under judgment as a whole because it is slated to be burned up but then Jesus also states a woe on the person who is responsible for causing Christians to stumble or from preventing the preaching of the Gospel. That person will appear before the White Throne Judgment Seat of Christ and will be judged for their hatred of the Gospel.

Mat 18:8 (KJB)
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

Jesus then makes an illustration which should definitely not be taken literally because that would be mutilating the body God gave us. The point that Jesus is making here is the hand and foot both represent action or behavior. He is pinpointing that if there is some type of habit in your life which may cause you to stumble, then you need to expunge that habit as if you were actually cutting off your foot or hand. It is called radical surgery because it will save the life of the person. In this case, if a sinful habit is keeping you from seeking the Lord, then once that habit is out of your life, you will have a clearer path to seek the Lord. It is a question of your attitude toward the things of the Lord. If you desire to keep on with your habitual sin, then you will be cast full bodied into the lake of fire. Jesus is stating that as one loses his hand or foot, if you lose the bad habit you may seem to the world as maimed because you do not want to run with them anymore. (1 Pet 4:3-4 KJV) For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: {4} Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Losing the bad habit without salvation in Christ will wind you up in the same place as all sinners but if you have stopped sinning because you have become saved, then you have passed from death to life.

Mat 18:9 (KJB)
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

The eye is the receptor and is the first cause of sin in a person’s life. A person can easily see sinful things around them but if they continue to gaze upon them, then those sightings will turn into desires and that is when we engage the hands and the feet. Jesus makes the same observation that just as a person plucks out their eye and can no longer see, then we must be blind to the things which will cause us to stumble. When we are in the supermarket line and there are magazines with scantily dressed people looking at us, we must turn away and refuse to look. If one has a problem in that area, they might even want to stay away from the shore because bathing suits aren’t suits anymore. Basically what Jesus is teaching is that we must give up what comes between us and our obedient Christian walk.

Mat 18:10 (KJB)
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

(Psa 91:11 KJV) For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Believers have angels assigned to them to carry out the Father’s wishes and to protect the believers. Since the believers are children of God, those angels which are assigned to protect them have direct access to the throne of God the Father and because of that the warning goes out that one must be careful that they do not hate any of the Christians. That is because an inner hatred will always lead to physical actions. We see this in countries where Islam prevails as there adherents persecute and kill Christians.

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