Jesus pronounced “woe for temptations to sin” on people scattered throughout the whole world who are subject to temptations. But the disciples, who do not contemplate the things that are seen, are not of the world. Neither is their Master of the world. Therefore the “woe for temptations to sin” does not apply to Jesus’ faithful disciples. Rather, “great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” But there are some who appear to be disciples yet are still of the world. They love the world, and they love inordinately what is in it. They love the life that is led in these earthly places or the money which is in them, or the possessions or any resources whatsoever. The words “they are not of the world” do not apply to them. But “woe for temptations to sin” will apply to them since they are indeed of the world.
This we may understand not of the material elements of the world; but here the men who are in the world, are called the worlda. But Christ's disciples are not of this world, whence there cannot be woe to them from offences; for though there be many offences, they do not touch him who is not of this world. But if he be yet of this world in loving the world, and the things in it, as many offences will seize him as those by which he was encompassed in the world. It follows, For it must needs be that offences come.
Or; The scandals that are to come are the Angels of Satan. But do not look that these offences should show themselves in a substantial or natural shape, for in some the freedom of the will has been the origin of offence, not liking to undergo toil for virtue's sake. But there cannot be real good, without the opposition of evil. It must needs be then that offences come, as it must needs be that we encounter the evil assaults of spiritual powers; whose hatred is the more stirred up, as Christ's word invading men drives out the evil influences from them. And they seek instruments by whom the offences may the rather work; and to such instruments is more woe; for him who gives, it shall be worse than for him who takes, the offence, as it follows, But woe unto that man by whom the offence cometh.
Or, The priests may with good reason be called the eyes of the Church, since they are considered her watchmen, but the deacons and the rest her hands, for by them spiritual deeds are wrought; the people are the feet of the body, the Church; and all these it behoves not to spare, if they become an offence to the Church. Or, by the offending hand is understood an act of the mind; a motion of the mind is the offending foot, and a vision of the mind is the sinning eye, which we ought to cut off if they give offence, for thus the acts of the limbs are often put in Scripture for the limbs themselves.
Or; The lowliness of His passion is the scandal of the world, which refused to receive the Lord of eternal glory under the disgrace of the Cross. And what more dangerous for the world than to have rejected Christ? And He says that offences must needs come, forasmuch as in the sacrament of restoring to us eternal life, all lowliness of suffering was to be fulfilled in Him.
Or; By the man is denoted the Jewish people, as the introducers of all this offence that is about Christ's passion; for they brought upon the world all the danger of denying Christ in His passion, of whom the Law and the Prophets had preached that He should suffer.
And if 'it must needs be that offenses come,' (some one of our adversaries may perchance say), why does He lament over the world, when He ought rather to afford succor, and to stretch forth His hand in its behalf? For this were the part of a physician, and a protector, whereas the other might be looked for even from any ordinary person.
What then could we possibly say, in answer to so shameless a tongue? Nay what do you seek for equal to this healing care of His? For indeed being God He became man for you, and took the form of a slave, and underwent all extremities, and left undone none of those things which it concerned Him to do. But inasmuch as unthankful men were nothing the better for this, He laments over them, for that after so much fostering care they continued in their unsoundness.
It was like as if over the sick man, that had had the advantage of much attendance, and who had not been willing to obey the rules of the physician, any one were to lament and say, Woe to such a man from his infirmity, which he has increased by his own remissness. But in that case indeed there is no advantage from the bewailing, but here this too is a kind of healing treatment to foretell what would be, and to lament it. For many oftentimes, though, when advised, they were nothing profited, yet, when mourned for, they amended.
For which reason most of all He used the word Woe, thoroughly to rouse them, and to make them in earnest, and to work upon them to be wakeful. And at the same time He shows forth the good will He had towards those very men and His own mildness, that He mourns for them even when gainsaying, not taking mere disgust at it, but correcting them, both with the mourning, and with the prediction, so as to win them over.
But how is this possible? He may say. For if it must needs be that offenses come, how is it possible to escape these? Because that the offenses come indeed must needs be, but that men should perish is not altogether of necessity. Like as though a physician should say (for nothing hinders our using the same illustration again), it must needs be that this disease should come on, but it is not a necessary consequence that he who gives heed should be of course destroyed by the disease. And this He said, as I mentioned, to awaken together with the others His disciples. For that they may not slumber, as sent unto peace and unto untroubled life, He shows many wars close upon them, from without, from within. Declaring this, Paul said, Without were fightings, within were fears; 2 Corinthians 7:5 and, In perils among false brethren; 2 Corinthians 11:26 and in his discourse to the Milesians too He said, Also of you shall some arise speaking perverse things; Acts 20:30 and He Himself too said, The man's foes shall be they of his own household. Matthew 10:36 But when He said, It must needs be, it is not as taking away the power of choosing for themselves, nor the freedom of the moral principle, nor as placing man's life under any absolute constraint of circumstances, that He says these things, but He foretells what would surely be; and this Luke has set forth in another form of expression, It is impossible but that offenses should come. Luke 17:1
But what are the offenses? The hindrances on the right way. Thus also do those on the stage call them that are skilled in those matters, them that distort their bodies.
It is not then His prediction that brings the offenses; far from it; neither because He foretold it, therefore does it take place; but because it surely was to be, therefore He foretold it; since if those who bring in the offenses had not been minded to do wickedly, neither would the offenses have come; and if they had not been to come, neither would they have been foretold. But because those men did evil, and were incurably diseased, the offenses came, and He foretells that which is to be.
But if these men had been kept right, it may be said, and there had been no one to bring in an offense, would not this saying have been convicted of falsehood? By no means, for neither would it have been spoken. For if all were to have been kept right, He would not have said, it must needs be that they come, but because He foreknew they would be of themselves incorrigible, therefore He said, the offenses will surely come.
And wherefore did He not take them out of the way? It may be said. Why, wherefore should they have been taken out of the way? For the sake of them that are hurt? But not thence is the ruin of them that are hurt, but from their own remissness. And the virtuous prove it, who, so far from being injured thereby, are even in the greatest degree profited, such as was Job, such as was Joseph, such as were all the righteous, and the apostles. But if many perish, it is from their own slumbering. But if it were not so, but the ruin was the effect of the offenses, all must have perished. And if there are those who escape, let him who does not escape impute it to himself. For the offenses, as I have said, awaken, and render more quick-sighted, and sharper, not only him that is preserved; but even him that has fallen into them, if he rise up again quickly, for they render him more safe, and make him more difficult to overcome; so that if we be watchful, no small profit do we reap from hence, even to be continually awake. For if when we have enemies, and when so many dangers are pressing upon us, we sleep, what should we be if living in security. Nay, if you will, look at the first man. For if having lived in paradise a short time, perchance not so much as a whole day, and having enjoyed delights, he drove on to such a pitch of wickedness, as even to imagine an equality with God, and to account the deceiver a benefactor, and not to keep to one commandment; if he had lived the rest of his life also without affliction, what would he not have done?
2. But when we say these things, they make other objections again, asking, And why did God make him such? God did not make him such, far from it, since then neither would He have punished him. For if we in those matters in which we are the cause, do not find fault with our servant, much more will not the God of all. But whence did this come to pass? one may say. Of himself and his own remissness. What means, of himself? Ask yourself. For if it be not of themselves the bad are bad, do not punish your servant nor reprove your wife for what errors she may commit, neither beat your son, nor blame your friend, nor hate your enemy that does despite to you: for all these deserve to be pitied, not to be punished, unless they offend of themselves. But I am not able to practise self-restraint, one may say. And yet, when you perceive the cause not to be with them, but of another necessity, you can practise self-restraint. When at least a servant being taken with sickness does not the things enjoined him, so far from blaming thou dost rather excuse him. Thus you are a witness, that the one thing is of one's self, the other not of one's self. So that here too, if you knew that he was wicked from being born such, so far from blaming, you would rather have shown him indulgence. For surely, when you make him allowance for his illness, it could not be that you would have refused to make allowance for God's act of creation, if indeed he had been made such from the very first.
And in another way too it is easy to stop the mouths of such men, for great is the abounding power of the truth. For wherefore do you never find fault with your servant, because he is not of a beautiful countenance, that he is not of fine stature in his body, that he is not able to fly? Because these things are natural. So then from blame against his nature he is acquitted, and no man gainsays it. When therefore you blame, you show that the fault is not of nature but of his choice. For if in those things, which we do not blame, we bear witness that the whole is of nature, it is evident that where we reprove, we declare that the offense is of the choice.
Do not then bring forward, I beseech you, perverse reasonings, neither sophistries and webs slighter than the spider's, but answer me this again: Did God make all men? It is surely plain to every man. How then are not all equal in respect of virtue and vice? Whence are the good, and gentle, and meek? Whence are the worthless and evil? For if these things do not require any purpose, but are of nature, how are the one this, the others that? For if by nature all were bad, it were not possible for any one to be good, but if good by nature, then no one bad. For if there were one nature of all men, they must needs in this respect be all one, whether they were to be this, or whether they were to be that.
But if we should say that by nature the one are good, the other bad, which would not be reasonable (as we have shown), these things must be unchangeable, for the things of nature are unchangeable. Nay, mark. All mortals are also liable to suffering; and no one is free from suffering, though he strive without end. But now we see of good many becoming worthless, and of worthless good, the one through remissness, the other by earnestness; which thing most of all indicates that these things do not come of nature.
For the things of nature are neither changed, nor do they need diligence for their acquisition. For like as for seeing and hearing we do not need labor, so neither should we need toils in virtue, if it had been apportioned by nature.
But wherefore did He at all make worthless men, when He might have made all men good? Whence then are the evil things? says he. Ask yourself; for it is my part to show they are not of nature, nor from God.
Come they then of themselves? he says. By no means. But are they unoriginated? Speak reverently, O man, and start back from this madness, honoring with one honor God and the evil things, and that honor the highest. For if they be unoriginate they are mighty, and cannot so much as be plucked up, nor pass into annihilation. For that what is unoriginate is imperishable, is surely manifest to all.
3. And whence also are there so many good, when evil has such great power? How are they that have an origin stronger than that which is unoriginate?
But God destroys these things, he says. When? And how will He destroy what are of equal honor, and of equal strength, and of the same age, as one might say, with Himself?
Oh malice of the devil! How great an evil has he invented! With what blasphemy has he persuaded men to surround God! With what cloak of godliness has he devised another profane account? For desiring to show, that not of Him was the evil, they brought in another evil doctrine, saying, that these things are unoriginate.
Whence then are evils? one may say. From willing and not willing. But the very thing of our willing and not willing, whence is it? From ourselves. But thou dost the same in asking, as if when you had asked, whence is seeing and not seeing? Then when I said, from closing the eyes or not closing the eyes, thou were to ask again; the very closing the eyes or not, whence is it? Then having heard that it was of ourselves, and our will, thou were to seek again another cause.
For evil is nothing else than disobedience to God. Whence then, one may say, did man find this? Why, was it a task to find this? I pray you. Nay, neither do I say this, that this thing is difficult; but whence became he desirous to disobey. From remissness. For having power for either, he inclined rather to this.
But if you are perplexed yet and dizzy at hearing this, I will ask you nothing difficult nor involved, but a simple and plain question. Have you become some time bad? And have you become some time also good? What I mean, is like this. Did you prevail some time over passion, and were you taken again by passion? Have you been overtaken by drunkenness, and have you prevailed over drunkenness? Were you once moved to wrath, and again not moved to wrath? Did you overlook a poor man, and not overlook him? Did you commit whoredom once? And did you become chaste again? Whence then are all these things? Tell me, whence? Nay if you yourself do not tell, I will say. Because at one time you restrained yourself and strove, but after that you became remiss and careless. For to those that are desperate, and are continually in wickedness, and are in a state of senselessness, and are mad, and who are not willing so much as to hear what will amend them, I will not even discourse of self restraint; but to them that have been sometimes in the one, and sometimes in the other, I will gladly speak. Did you once take by violence the things that belonged not to you; and after this, subdued by pity, imparted even of your own unto him that was in need? Whence then this change? Is it not quite plain it is from the mind, and the choice of will?
It is quite plain, and there is no one who would not say this. Wherefore I entreat you to be in earnest, and to cleave to virtue, and you will have no need of these questions. For our evils are mere names, if we be willing. Inquire not then whence are evils, neither perplex yourself; but having found that they are from remissness only, flee the evil deeds.
And if any one should say, that these things come not from us; whenever you see him angry with his servants, and provoked with his wife, and blaming a child, and condemning them who injure him, say to him, how then did you say, that evils come not from us? For if they be not from us, wherefore do you find fault? Say again; is it of yourself you revile, and insultest? For if it be not of yourself, let no man be angry with you; but if it be of yourself, of yourself and of your remissness are your evil deeds.
But what? Do you think there are some good men? For if indeed no man is good, whence have you this word? Whence are praises? But if there are good men, it is quite plain that they will also reprove the bad. Yet if no one is voluntarily wicked, nor of himself, the good will be found to be unjustly reproving the bad, and they themselves too will be in this way bad again. For what can be worse than to subject the guiltless to accusations? But if they continue in our estimation good men, though reproving, and this especially is a proof of their goodness, even to the very fools it is hereby plain, that no one is ever by necessity bad.
But if after all this you would still inquire, whence are evils? I would say, from remissness, from idleness, from keeping company with the bad, from contempt of virtue; hence are both the evils themselves, and the fact that some inquire, whence are the evils. Since of them surely who do right no one inquires about these things, of them that are purposed to live equitably and temperately; but they, who dare to commit wicked acts, and wish to devise some foolish comfort to themselves by these discussions, do weave spiders' webs.
But let us tear these in pieces not by our words only, but by our deeds too. For neither are these things of necessity. For if they were of necessity, He would not have said, Woe to the man, by whom the offense comes. Matthew 18:7 For those only does he bewail, who are wicked by their choice.
And if He says by whom, marvel not. For not as though another were bringing in it by him, does He say this, but viewing him as himself causing the whole. For the Scripture is wont to say, by whom, for of whom; as when it says, I have gotten a man by God, putting not the second cause, but the first; and again, Is not the interpretation of them by God, Genesis 40:8 and, God is faithful, by whom you are called unto the fellowship of His Son. 1 Corinthians 1:9
Perhaps one of our adversaries may think, If it is necessary that temptations come, why does he call woe down on the world when he ought to help it and offer a hand? For this is the task of the physician and the protector. Cursing the world is what the man in the street does. So what are we to reply to this shameless questioner? What equal of this therapy do you seek? For though he is God, he was made man for you, took on the form of a servant, suffered all the harshest treatment and still did not fail in anything that was assigned him. But because nothing further happened among ungrateful people, for this reason he calls woe down on them, because after so much fostering care they continued in their unsoundness. It is just as if some sick man were enjoying fine care but refused to follow his physician’s regimen. Suppose someone lamented the patient, saying, “Woe to that man for his sickness, which he has increased by his own laxity!” But in that case no benefit comes from the lament. Here, however, there is also a kind of therapy, in that Jesus foretells what will happen and laments it.
(Hom. lix.) This does not subvert the liberty of the will, or impose a necessity of any act, but foreshews what must come to pass. Offences are hindrances in the right way. But Christ's prophecy does not bring in the offences, for it is not done because He foretold it, but He foretold it because it was certainly to come to pass. But some one will say, If all men are recovered, and if there be none to bring the offences, will not His speech be convicted of falsehood? By no means; for seeing that men were incurable, He therefore said, It must needs he that offences come; that is, they surely will come; which He never would have said, if all men might be amended.
For offences rouse men, and make them more attentive; and he who falls by them speedily rises again, and is more careful.
But that you may learn that there is no absolute necessity for offences, hear what follows, If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, & c. This is not said of the limbs of the body, but of friends whom we esteem as limbs necessary to us; for nothing is so hurtful as evil communications.
(Verse 7) Woe to the world because of scandals. For it is necessary that scandals come, but woe to the man through whom the scandal comes.
Not that it is necessary for scandals to come, otherwise those who cause scandal would be without guilt, but since it is necessary for scandals to occur in this world, everyone is exposed to scandal due to their own fault. At the same time, Judas, who had prepared his mind for betrayal, is struck by a general consensus.
As much as to say, Woe to that man through whose fault it comes to pass, that offences must needs be in the world. And under this general declaration, Judas is particularly condemned, who had made ready his soul for the act of betrayal.
So all affection, our whole kindred, are severed from us; lest under cover of duty any believer should be exposed to offence. If, He says, he be united to thee as close as is thy hand, or foot, or eye, and is useful to thee, anxious and quick to discern, and yet causes thee offence, and is by the unmeetness of his behaviour drawing thee into hell; it is better for thee that thou lack his kindred, and his profitableness to thee, than that whilst thou seekest to gain thy kindred or friends, thou shouldest have cause of fallings. For every believer knows what is doing him harm, what troubles and tempts him, for it is better to lead a solitary life, than to lose eternal life, in order to have the things necessary for this present life.
Of what world are we speaking when we say “Woe to the world for temptations to sin”? We speak of that world of which it is said, “And the world knew him not.” We are not speaking of that world of which it is said, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.” There is an evil world, and there is a good world. In the evil world are all the evil ones of this world. In the good world are all the good ones of this world. We often hear it said of a field: his field is full. Of what? Of wheat. Yet we say also, and say truly too, his field is full of chaff. So with a tree, one says that it is full of fruit while another says it is full of leaves. Both speak truly. The supply of leaves has not usurped the place of the fruit, nor has the supply of fruit driven out the mass of leaves. The tree is full of both. But one thing is plucked by the wind; the other is picked by the harvester. So therefore when you hear, “Woe unto the world because of offenses,” do not be afraid. Love the law of God, and you will have no temptation to sin.
(Quæst. Ev. i. 24) Otherwise; Whoso offendeth one of these little ones, that is so humble as He would have his disciples to be, by not obeying, or by opposing, (as the Apostle says of Alexander,) it were better for him, that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and he be drowned in the depths of the sea, (2 Tim. 4:15.) that is, it were better for him that desire of the things of the world, to which the blind and foolish are tied down, should sink him by its load to destruction.
Scandal (offence) is a Greek word, which we may call a stumbling-block, or a fall, or hitting of the foot. He then scandalizes his brother, who by word or deed amiss gives him occasion of falling.
As One Who loves mankind He laments for the world which is going to be harmed by temptations. But one might ask, "Why lament when there is need to assist and extend a helping hand?" To which we would reply that to lament for someone is of itself assistance. For often we benefit those whom our admonition has not benefitted, when we weep for them and thus bring them to an awareness of themselves. And if "it must needs be that temptations come," how can we avoid them? They must needs come but we need not perish, rather we must resist the temptations. Understand "temptations" to mean those who are an obstacle and a stumbling-block to our doing good. The "world" means those people who are low and crawl along the ground, who are easily hindered by every obstacle.
(non occ.) The Lord had said, that it is better for him who gives offence, that a mill-stone be hanged about his neck, of which He now subjoins the reason, Woe unto the world from offences! i. e. because of offences.
(interlin. 1 Cor. 11:19.) Or they must needs come because they are necessary, that is, useful, that by this mean they that are approved may be made manifest.
[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Matthew 18:7