"Faith is ... the certainty of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1)
livingwithfaith.org
  • HOME
  • ARTICLES
  • E-BOOKS
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT

Is Your Behavior Scandalous?

11/23/2014

 
Picture
In the English language a scandal refers, of course, to anything widely regarded as morally or legally wrong and that causes public censure or outrage such as “a bribery scandal.” But the word has an interesting origin. Our word scandal comes from the Greek word skandalon signifying a snare, trap or stumbling block.  

In the Old Testament, the term for a “stumbling block” is mikshol which was rendered as skandalon in the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. In addition to skandalon, the Greek language also had another word, proskomma, for “stumbling.”  Both these words are found in the Greek New Testament: for example in 1 Peter 2:8 where Peter speaks of both a “stone of stumbling” (using a form of the word proskomma) and also a “rock of offense” (using a form of skandalon).

The English King James Version translated both these word as “offense,” but almost all modern translations use “stumbling” or “stumbling block,” which are more accurate renditions in modern English. We can see the underlying literal meaning of the Hebrew word mikshol in Leviticus 19:14 which tells us not to place a stumbling block before the blind, and in the use of the Greek word skandalon in Romans 11:9 which quotes one of the psalms speaking of “a snare and a trap, a stumbling block.”   But both the Hebrew mikshol and Greek skandalon were also used figuratively of things that cause us to be ensnared or to stumble spiritually.

For example, skandalon can refer to God causing the wicked to stumble, to things that the ungodly do that cause believers to stumble, and even to things that believers themselves do that may cause others to trip and fall spiritually. It is vital that every Christian understand this last usage of skandalon, and we will consider four ways in which it can be applied:

Most obviously, our behavior can be “scandalous” by consciously or inadvertently enticing others to sin (Luke 17:1), but we can also become a stumbling block by offending a brother or sister through doing something we feel is fine, but of which they are unsure.  Paul speaks specifically of this in saying: “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9). Yet again, we can become a stumbling block to others by encouraging them not to do something positive they know they should do. This was the situation when Christ told Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Matthew 16:23). Finally, we can even be a stumbling block through our disapproval and rejection of others who do not understand a spiritual situation fully, or who feel they are doing the right thing when we feel they are not:  “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister” (Romans 14:13).

All of these ways in which we might cause a brother or sister in the faith to stumble deserve our thought and meditation. Is there any way in which we might inadvertently be doing one of these things?  It is to the degree we think these possibilities through, with God’s help, that we can help rather than hinder our fellow believers with behavior that truly is not scandalous.


Comments are closed.

    BLOG

    Follow @livingbelief

    RSS Feed

    For a smart browser-bookmark showing new blog postings, click on the RSS Feed icon.  

    Author :

    Unless otherwise stated, blog posts are written by R. Herbert, Ph.D.,  who writes for a number of Christian venues – including our sister site: TacticalChristianity.org
    ​
    For more about us, see our About Page.

    Categories :

    All
    Behind The Stories
    Bible Study
    Biblical Concepts
    Books Of The Bible
    Christianity & Culture
    Christian Living
    Dealing With Doubt
    Discipleship
    Encouragement
    Faith Hall Of Fame
    Faith & Trust
    Faith & Works
    Family
    Fellowship
    Forgiveness
    Giving
    God
    Gratitude
    History & The Bible
    Hope
    Knowledge & Wisdom
    Love
    Persecution
    Prayer
    Relationships
    Scripture In Question
    Spiritual Growth
    The Christian Calling
    The Christian Faith
    The Life Of Jesus
    Truth
    Works Of Faith

    Archives :

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Community :

    Picture
    - Charter Member -
© 2014 – 2022 LivingWithFaith.org