Tag: skandalon

Romans 16:17 – Who to Avoid

Posted on by Will

Now I exhort you, brothers, take note of those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

Truth to Learn

Avoid those who teach false doctrine.

Behind the Words

“Exhort” is translated from the Greek verb parakalō, which literally means “to call alongside.” It is one of those verbs that has a number of nuances depending on how it is used. It can mean “to encourage, to comfort, to invite, to call for, to help, or to urge.”

The verb “take note of” is from skopeō, meaning “to spy out, to look toward, to give attention to, or to be on the lookout for.”

“Divisions” is from dichostasia, which literally means “separate standings.” It is a picture of two groups of people standing separate from each other.

The word “offenses” is from skandalon, which we have seen before. It refers to the trigger of a trap. Here it refers to something which will cause other Christians to stumble in their walk with God.

The word “doctrine” is translated from didachē, which refers to “something which is taught.” Here it is a reference to the teachings, or doctrines, of the church.

“Turn away from” is from ekklinō, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” and klinō, meaning “to bend, to incline, or to turn.” Thus ekklinō means “to turn away from” or “to completely avoid.”

Meaning Explained

Having finished all of the personal greetings he wanted to send to his friends at the church in Rome, Paul now gives one final word of caution. He tells them to be on the lookout for “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” That is, he is warning about people who are not focused on the good of the church and the unity of the body. Instead, these people are focused on what they want rather that what God wants for the church.

In the Greek text, both the word translated “divisions” and the word translated “offenses” have definite articles associated with them. In other words, Paul is warning about those people who cause the divisions and the offenses. Thus, there must have been specific problems that he wanted them to avoid.

We know from several of Paul’s other letters that there were several false teachings that had crept into the church even in its earliest years. Two of these false doctrines were legalism, and an early form of Gnosticism. Most of Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches and part of this letter to the Romans addressed the issue of legalism because there were many converted Jews in the early church who believed that Christians had to keep the law in order to remain saved. Another heresy that crept into the early church was Gnosticism, which tried to spiritualize many of the teachings of Christianity, introducing the notion that there was some “special knowledge” that was required to complete salvation. Paul’s specific instructions were to “turn away from and completely avoid” those who professed these false doctrines.

Application

Teaching true doctrine and the unity of the body of Christ are both essential aspects of the Church. Be on the lookout for false teachers and avoid them like the plague!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 14:13 – Judge Yourself

Posted on by Will

Therefore we should not judge one another anymore, but rather decide not to put a stumbling block or a hindrance in our brother's way.

Truth to Learn

Our actions should not hinder the relationship between our brother or sister and the Lord Jesus Christ; it should enhance it.

 

Behind the Words

Paul starts off this verse with the Greek word mēketi, which is made up of mē, meaning “not” and eti, meaning “anymore.” Hence, mēketi means, “not any more” or “no longer.” It carries the notion that there is something which was being done which will cease to be done.

This use of the verb “judge” is from the Greek verb krinō, which is in the subjunctive mood, implying action which is possible or probable. So this phrase is translated, “Therefore we should not judge one another anymore …”

“Decide” is also translated from krinō; however, here it is expressed in the imperative mood meaning “you must do this.” It is as if Paul were saying, “Therefore you should not judge one another anymore, but you must judge yourselves in this.”

The word translated “stumbling block” is proskomma, which refers to “something that someone hits or runs into.” Figuratively this refers to something that someone stubs their toe on or trips over.

The word translated “a hindrance” is skandalon, which is “the trigger of a trap which when touched causes the trap to close.”

 

Meaning Explained

This verse contains the second half of the conclusion that Paul started in the previous verse. There we were told that the reason we are not to judge other Christians is because each of us will give an account of ourselves, not of others, to God at the judgment seat of Christ.

Now he reiterates how we should behave toward other Christians. First, we are to stop condemning each other. Notice that Paul uses the pronoun “we” in this phrase, indicating that he, too, needs to stop judging other Christians.

The second thing that Paul tells us here is more forceful than the first. He commands us to judge our own actions so that we won’t cause other Christians to fall. And, we are to judge our own actions to ensure that we don’t do anything that will cause our Christian brother or sister to sin. In other words, we are to be constantly watching our own actions to ensure that what we do doesn’t either cause another Christian to stumble in their walk with God or cause them to become entrapped in sin.

Some translations express skandalon as “an offense.” Though this is a reasonable translation, it is often misunderstood. It does not refer to something that will offend another Christian, rather something that will cause them to be ensnared by sin.

 

Application

Are you watching your Christian brothers and sisters in order to judge their actions as right or wrong? Or are you watching and judging yourself to ensure that you do not do something that will cause your brother or sister in Christ to stumble or sin?” Again, it’s a matter of where your focus is!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 11:9 – Ensnared by Blessings

Posted on by Will

And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a repayment to them.

Truth to Learn

Blessings can become a trap if taken for granted.

 

Behind the Words

The words “let … become” are translated from a form of ginomai, meaning “to cause to be” or “to become.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood indicating a command. Though in English we often interpret the word “let” as “allow,” it is used here and elsewhere in the Bible as a command to cause something to be.

The word “table” is from trapedza, which is made up of tetra, meaning “four” and pedza, meaning “foot.” Hence, it refers to something having four feet, like a table. It is used here as a metonym, referring to the feast that is on the table.

“Snare” is from pagis, “that which is set-up or fixed in place.” It is the word that is used to refer to a snare or a trap.

The word “trap” is from thēra, referring to “a hunt for an animal,” which usually ended up in the animal being caught in a net or other inescapable trap.

“Stumbling block” comes from skandalon, which refers to “the trigger of a trap on which the bait is placed.”

The word translated “repayment” is antapodoma, meaning “the penalty which is justly deserved.”

 

Meaning Explained

In this verse and the following Paul makes a very curious quotation from a psalm of King David. This quotation (though not exact) is from Psalms 69:22, 23 which reads:

Let their table be a trap before them, and their well-being a snare. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; and make their loins shake continually.

But notice also the verse that comes just before this:

They also gave me gall for my food, and they gave me vinegar to drink for my thirst. (Psalms 69:21)

This passage is talking about the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, while he was hanging on the cross paying the penalty for all of our sins. While He was hanging on the cross, they were enjoying the blessings He had provided for them as God’s chosen people. But in the midst of their enjoyment of the benefits of God’s blessing, they were blinded by their appetites regarding the truth that was right in front of them. They were so busy enjoying the temporary, physical blessings which God had provided for them, they totally missed the eternal, spiritual blessings they should have received if they had only believed in the One they were killing. They were ensnared by their appetites, resulting in the penalty which they justly deserved.

Paul will finish his thought, and the condemnation of the unbelieving Jews, in the next verse.

 

Application

This is a warning to all of us not to take God’s blessings for granted. All of the temporal things that we have, our health, our welfare, our possessions, our freedom, our peace, are a direct gift from God and He can take away any or all of them at any moment. So, instead of taking them for granted, let’s stop right now and thank our Heavenly Father for them. Let’s release the right to these things to the One who truly owns them, and then trust in His care and provision for us.

I think it’s time to pray.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 1:23 – A Foolish Trap

Posted on by Will

but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

Truth to Learn

The world does not understand the simple gospel message.

Behind the Words

“Preach” is translated from the verb kērussō, which means “to proclaim, to herald, or to preach.” It is expressed in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood. This portrays present ongoing action.

The word “crucified” is from stauroō, which means “to be nailed to a pole or a cross.” It is probably the most painful and certainly the most degrading form of execution performed by the Romans.

Skandalon (from which we get our English word “scandal”) is the word translated “stumbling block.” It literally refers to the trigger of a trap on which the bait is laid. In general usage, it indicates an enticement to self-destructive action.

“Foolishness,” as we have seen previously, is from moros, from which we get our English word moron. It denotes foolishness or absurdity.

Paul uses a grammatical device in this verse to compare the foolishness of “religious” Jews and “wise” Greeks with Christians. He does so with the two Greek particles men and de. Men roughly means “indeed” and de means “and” or “but.” In English, we might say, “on the one hand … but on the other hand …”

Meaning Explained

Continuing on with his comparison of the foolishness of worldly wisdom and the wisdom of the “foolish” gospel, Paul now states clearly what the Greeks and the Jews think of the Gospel message. The Jews have their minds so blinded regarding the truth of their Messiah that the “good news” becomes a snare, a trap for them. They believed that their Messiah was coming as a conquering king (which He will someday), not as a meek and mild-mannered man who was executed on a cross. They are so blinded by their own belief regarding their Messiah that they reject Him completely. This reference to a “stumbling block” may be referring to Psalms 11, which Jesus also quoted in Matthew 21:42,

The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalms 118:22-23)

The Greeks, on the other hand, had no such beliefs about the Messiah. In fact, most of the Roman Empire believed that Caesar was the “son of god” and their conquering hero. To them, the idea of Jesus being the Son of God was absurd. After all, this supposed Messiah did not fight any battles and He certainly didn’t conquer anyone. Likewise, the Greeks, who revered men of education and accomplishment, saw this executed Jewish criminal as a cast-off of society, certainly not worthy of any respect, let alone worship.

Application

Neither religious activity nor great mental accomplishment can bring you closer to God. They can’t even provide lasting personal satisfaction. Only faith in the good news of God’s Son and His work on the cross can produce these things.

 
In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

Romans 16:17 – Who to Avoid

Posted on by Will

Romans 16:17 – Who to Avoid

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

Truth to Learn

Avoid those who teach false doctrine.

Behind the Words

“Urge” is translated from the Greek verb parakalō, which literally means “to call alongside.” It is one of those verbs that has a number of nuances depending on how it is used. It can mean “to encourage, to comfort, to invite, to call for, to help, or to urge.”

The verb “note” is from skopeō, meaning “to spy out, to look toward, to give attention to, or to be on the lookout for.”

“Divisions” is from dichostasia, which literally means “separate standings.” It is a picture of two groups of people standing separate from each other.

The word “offenses” is from skandalon, which we have seen before. It refers to the trigger of a trap. Here it refers to something which will cause other Christians to stumble in their walk with God.

The word “doctrine” is translated from didachē, which refers to “something which is taught.” Here it is a reference to the teachings, or doctrines, of the church.

“Avoid” is from ekklinō, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” and klinō, meaning “to bend, to incline, or to turn.” Thus ekklinō means “to turn away from” or “to completely avoid.”

Meaning Explained

Having finished all of the personal greetings he wanted to send to his friends at the church in Rome, Paul now gives one final word of caution. He tells them to be on the lookout for “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” That is, he is warning about people who are not focused on the good of the church and the unity of the body. Instead, these people are focused on what they want rather that what God wants for the church.

In the Greek text, both the word translated “divisions” and the word translated “offenses” have definite articles associated with them. In other words, Paul is warning about those people who cause the divisions and the offenses. Thus, there must have been specific problems that he wanted them to avoid.

We know from several of Paul’s other letters that there were several false teachings that had crept into the church even in its earliest years. Two of these false doctrines were legalism, and an early form of Gnosticism. Most of Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches and part of this letter to the Romans addressed the issue of Legalism because there were many converted Jews in the early church who believed that Christians had to keep the law in order to remain saved. Another heresy that crept into the early church was Gnosticism, which tried to spiritualize many of the teachings of Christianity, introducing the notion that there was some “special knowledge” that was required to complete salvation. Paul’s specific instructions were to “turn away from and completely avoid” those who professed these false doctrines.

Application

Teaching true doctrine and the unity of the body of Christ are both essential aspects of the Church. Be on the lookout for false teachers and avoid them like the plague!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 14:13 – Judge Yourself

Posted on by Will

Romans 14:13 – Judge Yourself

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Truth to Learn

Our actions should not hinder the relationship between our brother or sister and the Lord Jesus Christ; it should enhance it.

Behind the Words

Paul starts off this verse with the Greek word mēketi, which is made up of mē, meaning “not” and eti, meaning “anymore.” Hence, mēketi means, “not any more” or “no longer.” It carries the notion that there is something which was being done which will cease to be done.

This use of the verb “judge” is from the Greek verb krinō, which is in the subjunctive mood, implying action which is possible or probable. So this phrase could be translated, “Therefore we should not judge one another any more, …”

“Resolve” is also translated from krinō; however, here it is expressed in the imperative mood meaning “you must do this.” It is as if Paul were saying, “Therefore you should not judge one another anymore, but you must judge yourselves in this.”

The word translated “stumbling block” is proskomma, which refers to “something that someone hits or runs into.” Figuratively this refers to something that someone stubs their toe on or trips over.

The word translated “a cause to fall” is skandalon, which is “the trigger of a trap which when touched causes the trap to close.”

Meaning Explained

This verse contains the second half of the conclusion that Paul started in the previous verse. There we were told that the reason we are not to judge other Christians is because each of us will give an account of ourselves, not of others, to God at the judgment seat of Christ.

Now he reiterates how we should behave toward other Christians. First, we are to stop condemning each other. Notice that Paul uses the pronoun “we” in this phrase, indicating that he, too, needs to stop judging other Christians.

The second thing that Paul tells us here is more forceful than the first. He commands us to judge our own actions so that we won’t cause other Christians to fall. And, we are to judge our own actions to ensure that we don’t do anything that will cause our Christian brother or sister to sin. In other words, we are to be constantly watching our own actions to ensure that what we do doesn’t either cause another Christian to stumble in their walk with God or cause them to become entrapped in sin.

Some translations express skandalon as “an offense.” Though this is a reasonable translation, it is often misunderstood. It does not refer to something that will offend another Christian, rather something that will cause them to be ensnared by sin.

Application

Are you watching your Christian brothers and sisters in order to judge their actions as right or wrong? Or are you watching and judging yourself to ensure that you do not do something that will cause your brother or sister in Christ to stumble or sin?” Again, it’s a matter of where your focus is!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 11:9 – Ensnared by Blessings

Posted on by Will

Romans 11:9 – Ensnared by Blessings

And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them.

Truth to Learn

Blessings can become a trap if taken for granted.

Behind the Words

The word “let” is translated from a form of ginomai, meaning “to cause to be” or “to become.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood indicating a command. Though in English we often interpret the word “let” as “allow,” it is used here and elsewhere in the Bible as a command to cause something to be.

The word “table” is from trapedza, which is made up of tetra, meaning “four” and pedza, meaning “foot.” Hence, it refers to something having four feet, like a table. It is used here as a metonym, referring to the feast that is on the table.

“Snare” is from pagis, “that which is set-up or fixed in place.” It is the word that is used to refer to a snare or a trap.

The word “trap” is from thēra, referring to “a hunt for an animal,” which usually ended up in the animal being caught in a net or other inescapable trap.

“Stumbling block” comes from skandalon, which refers to “the trigger of a trap on which the bait is placed.”

The word translated “recompense” is antapodoma, meaning “the penalty which is justly deserved.”

Meaning Explained

In this verse and the following Paul makes a very curious quotation from a psalm of King David. This quotation (though not exact) is from Psalms 69:22, 23 which reads:

Let their table become a snare before them, and their well-being a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; and make their loins shake continually.

But notice also the verse that comes just before this:

They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. (Psalms 69:21)

This passage is talking about the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, while he was hanging on the cross paying the penalty for all of our sins. While He was hanging on the cross, they were enjoying the blessings He had provided for them as God’s chosen people. But in the midst of their enjoyment of the benefits of God’s blessing, they were blinded by their appetites regarding the truth that was right in front of them. They were so busy enjoying the temporary, physical blessings which God had provided for them, they totally missed the eternal, spiritual blessings they should have received if they had only believed in the One they were killing. They were ensnared by their appetites, resulting in the penalty which they justly deserved.

Paul will finish his thought, and the condemnation of the unbelieving Jews, in the next verse.

Application

This is a warning to all of us not to take God’s blessings for granted. All of the temporal things that we have, our health, our welfare, our possessions, our freedom, our peace, are a direct gift from God and He can take away any or all of them at any moment. So, instead of taking them for granted, let’s stop right now and thank our Heavenly Father for them. Let’s release the right to have them to the One who truly owns them, and then trust in His care and provision for us.

I think it’s time to pray.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to: