Sometimes we lose a lot in event the best of translations. Many words do not correspond one to one with the equivalent words in another. One New Testament word like that is the Greek word skandalon, from which we get our English word, scandal. Originally it meant the trigger stick in an animal trap. But over time it came to mean something that trips you up, or causes you to fall to ruin. Our translators use words like: temptations, offenses, cause for stumbling, hindrance, and obstacle. But these translations are much too weak.
We can get a feel for how serious and weighty this word was from Paul’s exhortation to the Christians at Corinth.
9But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block (skandalon) to the weak. 10For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed—the brother for whom Christ died. 12Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble (skandalizes), I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble (skandalize)
In this passage, the skandalon, or stumbling block would be causing a weak Christian to re-engage in idolatry would bring about his destruction! I wish that the English language had a word that was that strong to translate the force of skandalon (the noun) and scandalize (the verb). We’re talking about stumbling to destruction. . . like losing your footing and falling over a rocky hundred foot cliff, or like falling down in battle and being run through with a spear.
You can see the same intensity and seriousness involved when Jesus used the word to warn his disciples:
1And he said to his disciples, stumbling blocks (skandalons) are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3Pay attention to yourselves! . . .” Luke 17:1–3 (cp. Matt. 18:7)
Some English translations say “temptations to sin” or “offenses” but these hardly do justice to the force of the word. And we can clearly see from Jesus’ drastic imagery (“a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea”) that He is speaking of things with dire, eternal consequences.
We can see the seriousness of “scandalizing” someone when Peter suggests that Jesus choose not to be crucified:
23But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance (skandalon) to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matthew 16:23
Our English translators struggle to find an English word that captures the seriousness that suggestion was to Jesus. He says, “Get behind me, Satan,” to Peter, one of his closest disciples. That’s pretty harsh! Why would Jesus say that? Because Peter’s suggestion was a skandalon to Him. It wasn’t just a “hindrance” as many English translations suggest. If Jesus had actually “stumbled” by taking Peter’s suggestion, there would have been no cross, no burial, no resurrection, and no salvation for the world! The whole house of cards would have fallen. The plan of God to reconcile us to himself by the blood of His Son would have become a train-wreck!
In Revelation 2:14 Jesus tells the church Pergamum that the Old Testament characters Balaam put a stumbling block before the people of Israel, that caused many to fall into idolatry and be destroyed by God. (Rev. 2:14)
This is why Paul warns the Christians in Rome to
“. . . watch out for those who cause divisions and create stumbling blocks contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. Romans 16:17–18
These people could be bringing Christians down to ruin by their false doctrine which they delivered in their “smooth talk and flattery.”
So we find ourselves living in a very dangerous world. Things can cause us to stumble and fall to our ruin. We can also be the cause of that in someone else’s life. . . and then have to answer to God for it! But there is good news; Jesus says that when he returns:
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all stumbling blocks (skandalons) and all law-breakers, 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:41–43
In the new heavens and the new earth there will be no more stumbling blocks to bring us down! In this world, from the time of our new birth until they put us in the box, we are constantly fighting against temptations to sin, the enemy and his assaults, and stumbling blocks that could take us out. We have to stay fully armed with the armor of God, steadfast and alert for the devil, that prowling lion who would like nothing more than to rip us to shreds. We dare not let down our guard for a moment. (It brings to minds scenes in movies like Saving Private Ryan, where a soldier takes off his helmet for a moment to wipe the sweat from his face, and takes a fatal bullet to the head.) It’s one long, protracted battle. But. . . in the new heavens and the new earth, the battle will finally be over! We can take our armor off for good. There will be no more causes for stumbling!
Aren’t you glad? No wonder we are to look forward to the new heavens and the new earth!