A word appearing in several warnings and admonitions in the Greek New Testament is 'skandalon', which is translated in English as scandal, stumbling stone or stumbling block.A stumbling-block is a snare or a trap, something or someone that hinders and even challenges our journey. Jesus said to his disciples, "Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come." (Luke l7:1) This remains an important timely reminder to travel with vigilance.How can we become stumbling-blocks? Let us look at examples in the New Testament. Jesus was foretelling his suffering, death and resurrection to his disciples when Peter, apparently stunned to hear his Master speak of terrible suffering awaiting him, said, "God forbid it Lord.This must never happen to you." But Jesus rebuked him and said to him, "Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." (Matt.l6 :22, 23.)We are stumbling-blocks when we are always ready to see life in a safer, more congenial pattern rather than in a realistic manner. The fact of suffering we prefer to ignore. Paul was writing to the Corinthians about the problems they were having with food and drink. "Food will not bring us close to God."Paul wrote, but he warned the new followers of Christ not to disregard the conscience of the weak. "But take care that the liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak." (l Cor. 8 :9 ) We do not live alone. We bear a responsibility to others and our insensitivity and thoughtlessness can make us not helpers but stumbling-blocks.
Perhaps the strongest warning about causing persons to stumble comes from Jesus himself when he described children as "greatest in the kingdom of heaven." He declared to his listeners, "If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea."(Matthew l8 :6)This harsh saying drives us to ask ourselves, Have we ever been stumbling-blocks to children, or have we ever put stumbling-blocks on their path as they grew, as they developed and learnt? We think of the examples we set before children, we think of our words which will live in their hearts for perhaps a lifetime.In the succeeding verses in Matthew had some strict warnings about living with stumbling -blocks. These may be as precious and dear to us as a foot or an eye, but if they cause us to stumble we are to "cut it out and throw it away."(Matt. 18 :8 9)This leads us to serious self-examination. Is there anything we love and cherish that is keeping us from enjoying closeness and communion with God? We cannot have it both ways. We cannot serve two Masters or walk two paths at the same time.Jesus himself has been compared to a stumbling stone. In his letter to the Romans contrasts reliance on fulfillment of the law with reliance on faith as offered by Christ.
( l Cor 1: 22, 23 ).