Throughout the gospels, we can find some pretty extreme things in Jesus’ teaching. One of the most extreme is found during Jesus’ teaching about stumbling blocks that we may face.
After focusing on external causes of things that might cause someone to stumble in their faith, Jesus turns His focus onto our own bodies. To emphasize His point, Jesus says, “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.” (v. 8-9)
In this description, Mark gets even more specific and descriptive than Matthew, but instead of focusing on the graphic nature of what Jesus is describing, what is Jesus actually trying to teach us? Is Jesus saying that Christians should be the most self-inflicted, disabled group of individuals around? Is Jesus being symbolic or is this literal?
As I read this, it appears as though Jesus is being literal, because nothing in this description sounds symbolic in my mind. However, with that said, I believe that in this teaching, Jesus wants us to realize the importance of personal accountability towards God.
Perhaps it is something that has only happened in recent generations, but it seems that too many people living in the 21st century have developed the attitude of blaming others for their problems. We live in a “not my fault” society. If it is clearly obvious that someone did something, then more often than not, they are quick to shift the blame.
With this framework in place, if a part of our body causes us to sin, and we truly believe it is that part’s fault, then Jesus’ words in this passage apply. It would be like a compulsive thief/murderer blaming their hands for their actions rather than taking responsibility for what they have done. Jesus’ statement in this passage says that it would be better for them to remove their hands rather than continue to sin.
When pushed to this extreme, most people would be willing to “will” their minds into controlling their actions to change their sinful habits. Most people would prefer to change their behavior using their minds rather than lose a hand, an arm, or an eye.
But Jesus also elevates the importance of the future life in this statement. In this extreme, Jesus tells us that we should let nothing get in our way from moving towards heaven. If anything might cause us to miss out on eternal life with God, then that thing – even if it is attached to our temporary bodies – is not worth having.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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