The Importance and Meaning of Stumbling Blocks, by James Durham (1622-1658). The following contains an excerpt from his work, "The Scandal of Stumbling Blocks: Avoiding Spiritual Harm".

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
~ Matthew 18:7

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
~ Romans 14:13

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
~ Romans 16:17

Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
~ Leviticus 19:14

Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
~ Ezekiel 14:3

Causing stumbling is condemned by Christ. There is no sin that has more woes pronounced against it. The Lord Himself denounces it and doubles a woe against it in Matthew 18:7. The apostle confirms this in Romans 14:20, where he describes it as literally evil to do something that will make a brother stumble. The Lord takes special notice of how people walk in reference to causing stumbling in others and is highly provoked where He sees anyone guilty of it (Rev 2:6). He shows this by comparing it with what Balaam did (Rev 2:14).

Causing stumbling is condemned by the New Testament. Whole chapters in the New Testament are devoted to the subject of scandal1 (Mat 18; Act 15; Rom 14; 1Co 8). No duty is more extensively commanded than the duty of giving no offense, nor is any sin more fully condemned than insensitivity and carelessness about giving offense. Indeed, in Acts 15 the apostles and elders thought that regulating indifferent things so as to prevent scandal was worthy to be enacted in the very first synod and church council.

Causing stumbling is intrinsically hateful. The hatefulness of offense is apparent in its origins: (1) it is an evident sign of disrespect to God and a lack of the impression of His dread; (2) it is a sign of inward pride and self-conceitedness; and (3) it is a sign of uncharitableness, showing disregard for others and belittling them, as we can see from Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8. Can there be anything more to be shunned than

Footnote:
1 scandal – In the modern sense, scandal means “a disgraceful event” or “malicious talk, especially gossip about the private lives of others.” However, in the Bible, a scandal is a stumbling block. “In the NT, two Greek words are used: proskomma (tou lithou), ‘stone of stumbling’ (Rom 9:32-33; 14:13; 1Co 8:9; 1Pe 2:8) is used of any form of barrier; skandalon (Rom 11:9; 1Co 1:23; Rev 2:14), originally the trigger stick of a trap, is used in LXX to translate Hebrew miḵšôl, but also môqēš, ‘a snare’, ‘a trap’ (cf. Psa 69:22; 140:5). Cf. also Mat 16:23, ‘you are a hindrance (skandalon; AV ‘offence’) to me.’” (J. B. Taylor, “StumblingBlock,” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood et al. [Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996], 1136.) Note: Throughout the articles of this issue, then, the words scandal and scandalize mean “stumbling block” and “stumble another into sin.” Offense means “causing or making opportunity for another to sin.”

these? And you will find that people are tenderhearted and conscientious in the matter of offense and the use of their Christian liberty in the same proportion that they are tender or untender in all the material duties of religion toward God and others.

Causing stumbling brings dreadful consequences. There can be no worse effects than those that follow from causing others to stumble. It brings a woe to the world, and Christ reckons it a most grievous plague when it abounds, for it brings destruction with it to many souls (Rom 14:20). It brings reproach on the profession of Christianity, it cools love among brethren, it begets and fosters contention and strife, it mars the progress of the gospel, and in a word, it makes iniquity to abound. Often, in particular, it ushers error into the church, as we can see from the passages of Scripture already cited and from Matthew 24:10-12, where, because many are offended and stumble, many false prophets arise. When we analyze it, we will find that lack of sensitivity in the matter of stumbling has been every bit as damaging to the church of Christ with respect to her outward beauty and peace, and the inward thriving of her members, as either error or profanity, which have been only the product of causing stumbling.

Causing stumbling hardens us in sin. Lack of sensitivity and carelessness in giving offense opens the door to all kinds of carelessness in the person who gives offense.

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