Mark 9:42

“And whoever shall cause one of these little ones (or ‘low ones') who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he was thrown into the sea.”

This may well have continued on from the previous words. Jesus was in Peter's home and had sat down and at least one child had approached Him and had been taken up into His arms. Having answered John's question He might well have turned back and indicated the child and continued in this vein. The act of causing a child, or any young believer, who believes in Christ to stumble is in deliberate contrast to the one who gives the cup of water to a follower of the Messiah. The one is a small act with great results in heaven, the other again seemingly a small act but with devastating results for the perpetrator.

Again the emphasis is on the importance of ‘little' things. These young children who believed in Jesus were of such great importance to God that to cause them to stumble spiritually was to commit the greatest of sins. Wars and politics could go on and God would stand by and let men destroy themselves. But let them touch but one of these children who believed in Him and God would notice immediately. How careful we must be when around such little children.

But the word ‘mikros' may mean ‘humble ones' rather than ‘little ones. In this case the one who gave the cup of water may be specifically in mind and the thought may be of the value of the lowest and least important of Christ's followers. For those who think themselves important to behave or speak in such a way that they cause humble believers to stumble, proving that they themselves were salt which had lost its savour, would be a scandal indeed and would result in the worst of fates, for it is the humble who are the important ones to God.

‘Cause to stumble.' By some act, word or behaviour that affected their faith in God lead them into sin and error.

‘A great millstone.' This is speaking of the huge stones that ground the corn in the village mill, far too huge to hang around a man's neck. No one could have even lifted them. But God could. It was of course deliberate humour and exaggeration. But it would certainly have made sure that the man sank rapidly to the deepest depths. And this is preferable to what would happen to the one who causes others to stumble.

So the argument about greatness has resulted in revealing that true greatness is expressed by recognising what is really important to God and acting accordingly. Thus the giving of a cup of cold water to a servant of Christ, the nurturing of a believing child's faith, these are acts of true greatness. But to be busy fighting for position and arguing about greatness, or seeking to evidence it by behaviour, could well cause a little child to stumble. Then let such beware lest they receive the condemnation due.