He who causes a little one who believes in Jesus to sin is subject to God’s wrath. It would be better for such a person to lie forever at the bottom of the sea, with a great millstone around his neck. The sharpness of this warning reveals the depth of the Good Shepherd’s love for even his smallest sheep.
While the Jews, unlike the Syrians, Greeks, and Egyptians, never practiced execution by drowning, they knew about it. Jesus refers to that ancient practice here, but the issue of eternal destruction is not the focus; rather, he means that such a person will be utterly and completely removed from the world. However, it is true that eternal punishment is indirectly foretold here.
He who causes one of these little ones
who believe in Jesus to sin is immediately subject to God’s wrath. It would be better for such a person to lie at the bottom of the sea, fastened there forever with a great millstone around his neck—the kind normally turned by a donkey. The sharpness of this warning reveals the depth of the Good Shepherd’s love for even the smallest sheep in his flock. These little ones,
who have become like children, are those who trust in Jesus with simple, wholehearted faith.1
Although the Jews, unlike the Syrians, Greeks, and Egyptians, never practiced execution by drowning, they were quite familiar with the idea.2 Jesus refers to that ancient practice here, and so the issue of eternal destruction and the like is not the focus, but rather it is the Saviour’s intention to proclaim that such a person will be utterly and completely removed from the world. However, the fact that eternal punishment is indirectly foretold here also cannot be denied.3
6 Mais, si quelqu'un scandalisait un de ces petits qui croient en moi, il vaudrait mieux pour lui qu'on suspende à son cou une meule de moulin, et qu'on le jette au fond de la mer.