Mark 9
Verse 42 – 48
Jesus tells John and the others they need to let people who are serving God serve. He follows up with verse 42; “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.”
We need the ability to discern between truth and error. Those who are serving God for God’s glory and not their own. Those who claim to be serving God but who are actually leading people who believe in Jesus to stumble. Those people would be better off with a milestone tied around their neck and thrown in the sea according to Jesus.
Jesus refers to the people who are being led to stumble as being little ones. Jesus is still in the same place as He was in verse 33. The little children are still there. This is the little ones He is using as an analogy.
Notice Jesus does not tell the disciples to go and put milestones around people’s neck and cast them into the sea. This is the Lord’s responsibility. Our responsibility is to recognize those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing and to protect the little ones. In order to do so we must know the word of God, not just know something about it.