Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.
Jesus used parts of the body that are particularly precious and useful to the body to explain to the disciples the lengths they should go to avoid causing scandal to others or themselves. Entering into life is entering into the kingdom of God (v. 43). The just are promised an eternal reward for faithful service. Gehenna is most likely a reference to the valley of Ben-Hinnom, which is south of Jerusalem, where children in ancient times were offered in sacrifice to Molech (Jer. 7:31). God had forbidden the Israelites from offering their children to Molech which was punishable by stoning to death and the offender being cut off from the people which in this instance probably meant that the man’s bloodline would end. (Lev. 20:2-5). In more recent times, it was used as a garbage dump. Worms fed on the refuse and the fire burned constantly. The worms and the fire became symbols of the torment the wicked experienced as punishment (Is. 66:24). A covenant of salt is an unbreakable covenant (Num. 18:19).
Jesus warned the disciples of the consequences for anyone who puts an obstacle in the path of a believer that could cause them to sin. Sin must be avoided so that our souls do not end up in Gehenna. Rather, we must strive to enter into the kingdom of God, the place of eternal life. Everyone will be purified during the period of suffering before the final coming of the kingdom of God so they can have an unbreakable covenant with God. If the disciples lose their faith who will restore it? They must purify themselves by remaining in Christ (Jn. 15:4) and the community will be at peace.
Almighty God, we do not do the good we want, but we do the evil we do not want. Grant us the grace to endure our suffering so that we may fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ’s Church. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Comments