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 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus and the disciples departed from the region of Caesarea Philippi 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."  My study Bible comments that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.

"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.'"  My study Bible comments that Christ's references to mutilation in today's passage (cut it off, pluck it out) are illustrations of decisive action to avoid sin.  They are not advocacy for literal amputation.  These images also apply to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 66:24.  Here we may consider the transgressions and selfish actions which a hand may commit against little ones; it reaches out to strike, or to grab something that does not belong to oneself.  A hand may point an accusing finger against the innocent.

"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.'"  A foot may trespass over boundaries not meant to be crossed, into territory where we don't belong.  It may be used to kick another, especially harmful to a "little one."  Let us note that such abusive actions may also be figurative, illustrative of actions that take place on a social or personal level of harm, insult, or injury in a psychological sense.

"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.'"  An eye covets what does not belong to oneself, or it looks with envy and malevolence.  Our eye may also be "bad" or "evil" in the sense that we don't properly see the person we behold, but cast them in a false negative light. 

"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."  To be seasoned with fire is to be tested to see if one's faith and works are genuine, my study Bible teaches.  See 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.   As Jesus says every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt, He quotes Leviticus 2:13.  There, my study Bible explains, salt stands for the remembrance of God's covenant with God's people.  Because salt had preservative powers, was necessary for life, and has the ability to give flavor, it takes on religious and sacrificial significance.  To eat salt with someone, my study Bible adds, meant to be bound together in loyalty.  See also Matthew 5:13 in the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus calls believers "the salt of the earth."

Jesus seems to take great care here to caution the disciples against abuses of power -- especially abuses of the "little ones" in the Church.  These little ones can be thought of as all those who are humble, as my study Bible says, and those without clout or power, who come to faith within that framework of the poor in spirit who need and depend upon God and their faith.  As we know all too well thanks to popular notions of psychology, abuse (especially to the powerless, "little," or humble) often leads to great harm to a person -- making it that much more likely they will sin and pass on that harm and abuse to others.  We would do well to remind ourselves over and over again that the whole point of Christ's teaching is here, when He says, "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."  To cause one of these little ones to stumble could mean to place a stumbling block or snare before them, such as false or misleading teachings that include abuses of power by those who would be hierarchs or authorities in the Church.  Such stumbling blocks and temptations may also include various forms of abuse itself, of which we have become all too aware in the Church, or practices that scandalize the little ones and help to drive them away or to reject the faith.  Recovery from such stumbling blocks and scandals can be long and hard, and one must overcome one's own bad experiences in order to return to the road of faith, especially within the Church.  When we look at scandals, abuses, and bad practices, particularly within the purview of the Church -- or even by believers who are, after all, representatives to the world of our faith -- then we should think of these verses.  They are strong (indeed, the strongest possible) advocacy by Jesus to look to our own behaviors and take all measures to correct them.  This is the case even if changing one's own habits feels as difficult as cutting off a cherished body part (a hand, a foot, an eye).  Christ's thrice-repeated reminder of an eternal torment (Isaiah 66:24) is the strongest possible warning against offenses that cause the little ones who believe in Him to stumble.  Equally stunning is His remark that it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."  Since we know that Jesus does not choose words flippantly or lightly, we'd better pay close attention to that word, "better," for this is again a dire and stark warning.  In Luke 12:48, Jesus says in reply to a question by Peter, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."  Therefore we must consider that the greater the responsibility, and the more understanding we have of our faith, the more incumbent Christ's warnings become for us.  For it is yet another temptation to let greater authority persuade us that we may relax our own diligence and self-awareness.  In truth, the need we have for vigilance in this respect only grows in such circumstances.  Perhaps that's why it is wisdom to consider that whoever desires to be first shall be last of all and servant of all.  As we are each ambassadors for our faith in some sense, as we may each represent our faith to others, Christ's words remain essential to our awareness.  Let us consider as well another teaching from yesterday's reading, that when we behold one of the little ones who belong to Him (in His name), we not only behold Christ, but also the Father who sent Him.  Once again, as we remind ourselves that we are in Lent, let us receive Christ's words with all the seriousness with which He gives them to us.