Luke 17:2

Because the Pharisees were covetous and railed against Christ when He preached poverty, He put to them the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Afterwards, in speaking with His disciples concerning the Pharisees, He declares them to be men who caused division, and placed obstacles in the divine way. As it follows; Then said he unto his disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come, that is, hindrances to a good life and which is pleasing to God. Or, He says that there must arise many obstacles to preaching and to the truth, as the Pharisees hindered the preaching of Christ. But some ask, If it needs be that offences should come, why does our Lord rebuke the author of the offences? for it follows, But woe to him through whom they come. For whatsoever necessity engenders is pardonable, or deserving of pardon. But observe, that necessity itself derives its birth from free-will. For our Lord, seeing how men cling to evil, and put forward nothing good, spoke with reference to the consequence of those things which are seen, that offences must needs come; just as if a physician, seeing a man using an unwholesome diet, should say, It is impossible but that such a one should be sick. And therefore to him that causes offences He denounces woe, and threatens punishment, saying, It were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, &c.

It is better for him that a millstone be placed around his neck and he be cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. He speaks according to the custom of the province, by which this punishment …

This is spoken according to the custom of the province of Palestine; for among the ancient Jews the punishment of those who were guilty of the greater crimes was that they should be sunk into the deep with a stone tied to them; and in truth it were better for a guilty man to finish his bodily life by a punishment however barbarous, yet temporal, than for his innocent brother to deserve the eternal death of his soul. Now he who can be offended is rightly called a little one; for he who is great, whatsoever he is witness of, and how great soever his sufferings, swerves not from the faith. As far then as we can without sin, we ought to avoid giving offence to our neighbours. But if an offence is taken at the truth, it is better to let the offence be, than that truth should be abandoned.

And indeed, for a person who causes offenses and obstacles, it is better that "a millstone be hung around his neck and he be cast into the sea" than that he should offend and lead astray "one of these little ones," that is, the faithful.

To persecutors, who offer any injury to the least of Christ's little ones, in word or deed, by which they are discouraged in serving Christ, and doing their duty, or in danger of being driven off from it. To seducers, who corrupt the truths of Christ and his ordinances, and so trouble the minds of the disciples; for they are those by whom offences come.

It is almost impossible but that offences will come, and therefore we are concerned to provide accordingly; but woe to him through whom they come, his doom will be heavy (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

It were better for him that a millstone,.... See Gill on Mat 18:6 and See Gill on Mar 9:42.

A mill-stone - That drowning a person with a stone tied about the neck was an ancient mode of punishment, see proved in the note on Mat 18:6, Mat 18:7 (note), to which let the following be added. To have a mill-stone hanged about the neck, was a common proverb. “Samuel saith, A man may marry, and after that addict himself to the study of the law. Rab.

We are taught for one thing in these verses — the great sinfulness of putting stumbling-blocks in the way of other men's souls. The Lord Jesus says, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come — but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck — than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin!" When do men cause others to sin?

We are taught for one thing in these verses — the great sinfulness of putting stumbling-blocks in the way of other men's souls. The Lord Jesus says, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come — but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck — than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin!" When do men cause others to sin? They do it, beyond doubt, whenever they persecute believers, or endeavor to deter them from serving Christ. But this, unhappily, is not all. Professing Christians do it whenever they bring discredit on their religion by inconsistencies of temperament, of word, or of deed. We do it whenever we make our Christianity unlovely in the eyes of the world — by conduct inconsistent with our profession. The world may not understand the doctrines and principles of believers — but they are very keen-sighted about their practice . The sin against which our Lord warns us, was the sin of David. When he had broken the seventh commandment, and taken the wife of Uriah to be his wife — the prophet Nathan said to him, "You have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." (2 Samuel 12:14.) It was the sin which Paul charges on the Jews, when he says, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." (Romans 2:24.) It is the sin of which he frequently entreats Christians to beware, "Give no offence, neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God." (1 Corinthians 10:32.) The subject is a deeply searching one. The sin which our Lord brings before us, is unhappily very common. The inconsistencies of professing Christians, too often supply the men of the world with an excuse for neglecting religion altogether. An inconsistent believer, whether he knows it or not — is daily doing harm to souls.