But whoever shall offend one of these little ones who 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.
All Commentaries on Matthew 18:6 Go To Matthew 18
John Chrysostom
AD 407
He chose, I suppose, quite an infant, devoid of any of the passions.
Not only if ye become such yourselves, but also if for My sake you shall pay honour to other such, ye receive reward; and as the return for the honour you pay them, I entail upon you the kingdom. He puts indeed what is far greater,“Receiveth me.”.
And to make this word the rather received, He subjoins a penalty in what follows, “Whoso offendeth one of these little ones” as though He had said, As those who for My sake honour one of these, have their reward, so they who dishonour shall undergo the extreme punishment. And marvel not that He calls an evil word an offence, for many of feeble spirit are offended by only being despised.
To correspond with the foregoing, He should have said here, Receiveth not Me, which were bitterer than any punishment; but because they were dull, and thebefore-named punishment did not move them, by a familiar instance He shows that punishment awaited them; for He therefore says, “it were better for him, "because another more grievous punishment awaits him.
