And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
All Commentaries on Mark 9:42 Go To Mark 9
Bede
AD 735
John, loving the Lord with eminent devotion, thought that He who performed an office to which He had no right wasto be excluded from the benefit of it.Wherefore it is said, “And John answered Him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and hefolloweth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.”.
By which He shows that no one is tobe driven away from that partial goodness which he possesses already, but rather to be stirred up to that which he has not as yet obtained.
And fitly the man who if offended is called a little one, for he who is great, whatever he may suffer, departs not from the faith; but he who is little and weak in mind looks out for occasions of stumbling. For this reason we must most of all look to those who are little ones in the faith, lest by our fault they should be offended, and go back from the faith, and fall away from salvation.
