Matthew 18:6

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones, etc.] Not in age, but are little and mean in their own eyes, and contemptible in the esteem of the world; though otherwise men of great grace, gifts, and usefulness; who may be said to be offended, when they are not received; their persons despised, their ministry rejected, and they reproached and persecuted; and everything done to them to discourage, and cause them to stumble and fall, to drop their profession of Christ, to quit his service, and desert his cause: and that such persons are designed, appears by the following descriptive character of them, which believe in me; which cannot be said of infants, or little ones in age, and who also…”

“See also Mark 9:33-41; Luke 9:46-50. Who is the greatest in the kingdom, of heaven? - By the kingdom of heaven they meant the kingdom which they supposed he was about to set up - his kingdom as the Messiah. They asked the question because they supposed, in accordance with the common expectation of the Jews, that he was about to set up a temporal kingdom of great splendor, and they wished to know who should have the principal offices, and posts of honor and profit. This was among them a frequent subject of inquiry and controversy. Mark Mark 9:34 informs us that they had had a dispute on this subject in the way. Jesus, he says, inquired of them what they had been disputing about. Luke Luke…”

“18:6 To cause one . . . to fall into sin is to lead believing children (or possibly believing adults who become “like children”; see 18:3) to reject Christ and abandon the faith. • The designation little ones emphasizes their humility (5:3-12; 18:4; 19:13-15). • Though the thought of being drowned with a large millstone around the neck is frightful, Jesus warned that causing another to fall away will bring far greater misery (18:7; 26:24; Rev 18:21; see Matt 22:13).”

“offend: Psa 105:15; Zac 2:8; Mar 9:42; Luk 17:1, Luk 17:2; Act 9:5; Rom 14:13-15, Rom 14:21; Rom 15:1-3; Co1 8:9-13, Co1 10:32, Co1 10:33; Th2 1:6-9 little: Mat 18:10, Mat 18:14; Zac 13:7; Luk 17:2 that a: This mode of punishment appears to have obtained in Syria as well as in Greece, especially in cases of parricide. That it was customary in Greece we learn from Suidas, in υπερβολον λιθον, and the scholiast on the Equites of Aristophanes: Οταν \[Strong's G3752\], γαρ \[Strong's G1063\], κατεποντων \[Strong's G2671\], τινας \[Strong's G5099\], βαρος \[Strong's G922\], απο \[Strong's G575\], των τραχηλων \[Strong's G5137\], εκρεμων \[Strong's G2910\]. "When a person was drowned, they hung a…”