<p>18:7 <i>Woe to the world... the man</i>- CEV: &quot;The world is in for trouble because of the way it causes people to sin&quot;. The&nbsp;<i>kosmos</i>&nbsp;in mind was surely the Jewish world [the word usually has this primary meaning in John's Gospel]. In this case &quot;Woe to that man&quot; would then be specifically addressed to the disciples; they were to take the warning to themselves each one, which is why the next verse speaks of the need for 'you' singular to do absolutely everything to avoid causing another to stumble. The Jewish religious system caused men to stumble, as the Lord often pointed out. Bu there would be an especial woe to the individuals who caused the stumbling, because for doing this they will be liable to personal condemnation. The Jewish world, the system, was to face the &quot;Woe&quot; of Divine judgment specifically because it made men stumble spiritually. That's what these words of Jesus seem to be saying, and His criticisms of that system recorded elsewhere would accord with that view- the 'Woes' He pronounces on the Jewish system in Mt. 23 particularly focus on the damage that system did to people, and the barrier it became between God and man.</p>
<p><i>Because of temptations to stumble! For it is necessary that the temptations occur, but woe to that man through whom the temptation comes!-&nbsp;</i>The Lord continues His theme of giving offence to others when He says: &ldquo;It must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! [The Lord must have said this after such careful introspection, knowing that He was the rock of offence to many, and that Jewry were to be &lsquo;offended&rsquo; by Him].&nbsp;<i>Wherefore</i>&nbsp;if thy hand or thy foot&nbsp;<i>makes you a cause of stumbling</i>&nbsp;[i.e. to others], cut them off&hellip;&rdquo; or else you will be condemned (Mt. 18:7 Gk.). This is how important it is to search our lives and see what may cause others offence. And, in His relentless way, the Lord continues: &ldquo;See that ye despise not one of these little ones&rdquo; (Mt. 18:10), the little ones He has Himself just been so careful not to offend, by paying up His taxes. We offend people by &lsquo;despising&rsquo; them. And, on and on and on, Jesus incisively takes His teaching further- in the parable of the shepherd who seeks the lost sheep.</p>
<p>To&nbsp;<i>not</i>&nbsp;seek others&rsquo; salvation is to despise them. We may not think we are despiteful people. But effectively, in His eyes, we are&hellip;if we neglect to actively seek for their salvation until we find it. To not offend others is thus made parallel to seeking their salvation. And the shepherd seeking the lost sheep matches the man who plucks out his eye and cuts off his hand lest they offend others. So you see the parallels throughout Matthew 18:</p>
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellspacing="10" cellpadding="0" width="80%">
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Lest we offend them</p>
            </td>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Pay the temple tax, go fishing, make the effort</p>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Lest we offend others and are cast into   condemnation</p>
            </td>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Pluck out our eye, cut off our hands and feet</p>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Lest we offend the little ones and are cast into   the sea</p>
            </td>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Receive the little ones as if they are Christ,   see the Christ in them</p>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Don&rsquo;t despise others</p>
            </td>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Go out looking for the lost sheep with unlimited   effort</p>
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Lest we are cast &ldquo;to the tormentors&rdquo;</p>
            </td>
            <td valign="top">
            <p>Give unlimited forgiveness to your brother, try   to &ldquo;gain your brother&rdquo;</p>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p>The self-willed effort we must make to not offend our brother is quite something. Just imagine looking at yourself in the mirror, wedging your finger nails under your eye socket, and pulling out your eye. This is the conscious effort we must make not to offend, and thereby to save. It&rsquo;s really quite something. Note that the parallels tabled above show that to not offend is to save. If we seek above all the salvation of others, then we will not offend them. We will, quite simply,&nbsp;<i>care for them</i>&nbsp;as the Lord cares for us.</p>