But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea

 

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter  the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where

'Their worm does not die, 

And the fire is not quenched.'

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

 

- Mark 9:42–50 

 

On Saturday we read that Jesus and the disciples departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

 

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter  the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die, 

and the fire is not quenched.'"   These repeated references to mutilation -- of a hand, or foot, or eye -- are an illustration of decisive action to avoid sin.  (Clearly, they are not meant to advocate literal amputation!)  This follows the teachings of Saturday's reading (above), in which Jesus taught, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Following this teaching, He emphasized the lesson, taking a little child as example, and teaching,  "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."   Here, He follows up with dire warnings against abuses of power, especially of  little ones, that is, not only children but all those who are least in the Church, in the social hierarchy.  Let us note that the warning is about causing the little ones to stumble.  One can only imagine the ways in which a corrupt leader can lead the littlest ones into corruption and stumbling as well.  These apostles to whom Jesus speaks will be the first bishops and pillars of the Church, so this lesson applies to all of us who follow.  If we consider what it means, there are a few images that immediately suggest themselves:  a hand may grasp what does not belong to it, or reach out to strike another.  A foot may tread or trespass where it is unwanted and unwelcome to go, an eye looks upon and covets what is not righteous and does not belong to oneself.  My study Bible suggests that this teaching also applies to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  The repeated warning of the dire fate for those who transgress these teachings comes from Isaiah 66:24.  It is an emphasis on the extreme seriousness of these particular teachings regarding such abuses, especially of power.

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."   My study Bible says that to be seasoned with fire means being tested to see if one's faith and works are genuine (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).  In saying that every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt, Jesus is quoting Leviticus 2:13, in which salt stands for the remembrance of the covenant between God and God's people. 

 

Jesus' teachings on how one conducts oneself with power -- and particularly for these disciples, who will be the foundation of the building of the Church -- come as the strongest words we've read in the Gospel.  The warnings are dire and extreme for those who transgress these commands regarding abuses of the little ones; that is, those without power or standing.  And let us note once again that this warning is about causing the little ones to stumble.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matthew 18:6-7).  For He Himself should be seen in the image of the little one, and not only Christ, but even the One who sent Him.  There is no stronger statement of emphasis possible beyond this.  Jesus takes this into even deeper territory by reminding them that this constitutes His covenant with them -- and with us -- and that therefore we must be seasoned with salt, or we ourselves become "worthless."  These teachings are so powerful in their stark sense of command.  Let us remember that at Jesus' time, considering the types of legal systems and penalties of the ancient world, it was no joke to speak of cutting off hand or foot or even the plucking out of an eye.  These are stern warnings about the seriousness of transgression of His commands regarding abuses of power, abuse of those least powerful, to those in whose footsteps the rulers of the Church and all the rest of us would follow.  The repeated warning in the words from Isaiah is about the fate of those who transgressed against the Lord.  Coupled with the image of the salt of covenant, the implication is clear regarding the transgression of this command in particular.  One can think of nowhere else Christ is so stern in His message, and it once again reinforces the true compassionate nature of God at the heart of our faith.  For Jesus defines here through His teachings a righteousness (or right-relatedness) between people that not only depends upon simple justice, but actually the practice of good stewardship toward the least powerful.  How could one find a more extreme image than the one Christ gives them (and us) when He takes a little child to Himself, and tells them if they receive such a little one then they are receiving Him, and not only Him but also even God the Father?   In Jesus' great critique of the Pharisees and scribes, He tells them, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves" (Matthew 23:15).  Here Jesus speaks in the most harsh terms possible to avoid this in the Church that will follow Him.   It is Christ who gives us our standards, and if we believe they are difficult to live up to, then let us concern ourselves with the grace with which we're blessed to follow His word.  Let us always remember we have been given the Holy Spirit to help us to find our way to live up to His word, to understand Him, and to bear our Church and faith into the world.  We must take seriously this mission, for it makes all the difference, and is part of Christ's legacy to the world.