1. Matthieu 18:8–9 (NEG79)
  2. Explication du texte

Does Jesus literally require sinners to cut off their hand or foot or tear out their eye?

Matthieu 18:8–9 (NEG79)

8 Si ta main ou ton pied sont pour toi une occasion de chute, coupe-les et jette-les loin de toi; mieux vaut pour toi entrer dans la vie boiteux ou manchot, que d'avoir deux pieds ou deux mains et d'être jeté dans le feu éternel.

En bref

No, Matthew 18:8 is still discussing stumbling blocks (see Matthew 18:7)—moving from causing others to stumble to receiving or experiencing stumbling. Jesus had already said these same words to his disciples (Matthew 5:29–30), not literally meaning the cutting off of a hand or foot, or the plucking out of an eye, but rather that even the most precious possession must be given up if it leads one into sin. Matthew 18:8–9 is not about church discipline, except insofar as this passage speaks of the seriousness of causing others to stumble, so that the church must remove from its midst whoever causes offense. The fact that this follows only by inference from this passage, however, is seen in the fact that, when speaking of discipline, the subject has changed—namely, not the church, for this passage concerns individual believers.

No, Matthew 18:8 continues the theme of stumbling blocks (see Matthew 18:7). However, whereas the preceding passage had dealt with causing others to stumble, this one concerns receiving or experiencing stumbling. There is, in fact, a double metaphor here: Jesus had already spoken these same words earlier to his disciples (Matthew 5:29–30). At that time, it became clear that the cutting off of a hand or foot, or the plucking out of an eye, could not be taken literally. What Jesus meant was this: that even the most precious possession must be given up if it leads one into sin.1
Matthew 18:8–9 therefore does not speak about church discipline, which can only be inferred indirectly—that is, in connection with what had been said elsewhere, and insofar as this passage speaks of the dreadful seriousness of causing others to stumble. From this, one may deduce that the church must now remove from its midst anyone who causes offense. The fact that this follows only by inference from this passage, however, is evident from the fact that, when speaking of discipline, the subject has changed—namely, it is not the church, for this passage addresses the individual believer.2