Matthew 18:6

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.

Verse 5 Read Chapter 18 Verse 7

Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

“Whoso offendeth one of these little ones,” that is so humble as He would have his disciples to be, by not obeying, or by opposing,(as the Apostle says of Alexander, ) “it were better for him that a mill-stone should be hanged about his neck, and he be drowned in the depths of the sea,” that is, it were better for him that desire of the things of the world, to which the blind and foolish are tied down, should sink him by its load to destruction.

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George Leo Haydock

AD 1849

But he that shall scandalize, shall by their evil doctrine or example draw others into sinful ways. The words scandalize, and scandal, being sufficiently understood, and authorized by use, both in English and French, might I thought be retained. The words offend and offences, in Protestant translation, do not express sufficiently the sense. (Witham) That is, shall put a stumbling-block in their way, and cause them to fall into sin. (Challoner) By these strong expressions of our Lord, we may judge of the enormity and malice of scandal. Rather than be the cause of scandal to any of the faithful, and occasion the loss of his soul, we must be ready to undergo every torment, yes, and suffer death itself. (Denis the Carthusian) The ancient punishment among the Greeks for sacrilege was drowning, with a mill-stone fastened about the neck, according to Diodorus Sic ulus.

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Glossa Ordinaria

AD 1480

Interlin.: “Except ye be converted” from this ambition and jealousy in which you are at present, and become all of you as innocent and humble in dispositionas you are weak in your years, “ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven; "and since there is none other road to enter in, “whoso shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven;” for by how much a man is humble now, by so much shall he be exalted in the kingdom of heaven.

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Gregory The Dialogist

AD 604

Otherwise; What is denoted by the sea, but the world, and what by the mill-stone, but earthly action? which, when it binds the neck in the yoke of vain desires, sends it to a dull round of toil. There are some who leave earthly action, and bend themselves to aims of contemplation beyond the reach of intellect, laying aside humility, and so not only throw themselves into error, but also cast many weak ones out of the bosom of truth.Whoso then offends one of the least of mine, it were better for him that a mill-stone be tied about his neck, and he be cast into the sea, that is, it were better for a perverted heart to be entirely occupied with worldly business, than to be at leisure for contemplative studies to the hurt of many.

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Hilary of Poitiers

AD 368

These important items of comparison are not idle. Such an offender is to be sunk in the sea with both a millstone and an asses’ pack load, and even this is better for him! What is better in the accepted sense of the word is always beneficial. What then is the utility of being sunk with an asses’ millstone hung around one’s neck? So harsh a death will profit him in terms of future punishment. In some way it will be beneficial to meet that death which is the ultimate of evils. But how should we understand this spiritually? That is the deeper question. The millstone stands for blind toil, for pack animals are driven around in a circle with their eyes closed. And we frequently find the Gentiles referred to under the name ass. The Gentiles do not know what they do. They are in ignorance, and their life’s work is like blind labor. Not so the Jews. For them the path of knowledge has been set forth in the law. Insofar as they gave offence to Christ’s apostles, it was more just for them to be ... Read More

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Hilary of Poitiers

AD 368

He calls infants all who believe through the hearing of faith; for such follow their father, love their mother, know not to will that which is evil, do not bear hate, or speak lies, trust what is told them, and believe what they hearto be true. But the letter is thus interpreted.

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Jerome

AD 420

This can be viewed as a general sentence against all who raise a stumbling block. Yet according to the context of the discourse, it can also be understood as spoken against the apostles. In asking who was greater in the kingdom of heaven, they seemed to have just previously been contending among themselves for honor. If they persisted in this misbehavior they could lose those whom they were calling to the faith, if they should see the apostles fighting among themselves for honor. But when Jesus said, “It would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck,” he is following the rite of the province and telling how among ancient Jews this was the punishment for major crimes, that they be sunk in the deep with a rock attached to them. It is better for him, because it is much better to receive a short, quick punishment for one’s sin than to be reserved for eternal tortures. For the Lord will not punish the same fault twice. .

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Jerome

AD 420

The disciples seeing one piece of money paid both for Peter and the Lord, conceived from this equality of ransom that Peter was preferred before all therest of the Apostles. Jesus seeing their thoughts would heal their ambitious strivings, by arousing an emulation in lowliness; whence it follows, “And Jesus calling a little child, set him in the midst of them.”. One whose tender age should express to them the innocence which they should have. But truly He set Himself in the midst of them, a little one who had come "not to be ministered unto, but to minister,” the little one of the Holy Spirit whom He set in the hearts of His disciples, to change their pride into humility. “And he said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”. Or otherwise; “Whoso shall humble himself as this little child,” that is, whososhall humble himself after My example, “he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.”It follows, “And... Read More

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John Chrysostom

AD 407

After this, to obtain yet more acceptance for His saying, He establishes it not by the honor only, but also by the punishment. For as they, says He, who honor these for my sake, have heaven, or rather an honor greater than the very kingdom; even so they likewise who dishonor them (for this is to offend them), shall suffer the extremity of punishment. And marvel thou not at His calling the affront an offense; for many feeble-minded persons have suffered no ordinary offense from being treated with slight and insult. To heighten therefore and aggravate the blame, He states the mischief arising therefrom. And He does not go on to express the punishment in the same way, but from the things familiar to us, He indicates how intolerable it is. For when He would touch the grosser sort most sharply, He brings sensible images. Wherefore here also, meaning to indicate the greatness of the punishment they shall undergo, and to strike into the arrogance of those that despise them, He brought f... Read More

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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 be... Read More

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Remigius of Rheims

AD 533

In the understanding of grace, or in ecclesiastical dignity, or at least in everlasting blessedness.

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Theophylact of Ochrid

AD 1107

. Not only, He says, must you be humble, but if for My sake you honor others who are humble, you shall receive your reward. For when you receive the children, that is, the humble, you are receiving Me. Then He says by contrast, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones," that is, give insult to those who make themselves small and who humble themselves although they are great, "it would be better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck." He brings to the fore the sensory punishment, wishing to show that those who insult and give offense to the humble in Christ will endure great punishment. And you, O reader, understand that even if a man gives offense to one who is truly small, that is, weak, and does not instead use every means to bear him up, he will be punished. For it is not a great man who easily takes offense, but a small man.

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