[Greek] σκάνδαλον (skandalon), [Latin] offensio, [Latin] scandalus:a trap, a scandal, a snare, an obstacle, an obstacle to faith, something that arouses anger or rejection, cause for stumbling, stumbling block; Rom. 11:9, Mt. 13:41, 1Cor. 1:23, Gal. 5:11
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means trap stick and movable stick (to catch animals). Smart young lawyers set verbal traps to convict Athenian war veterans. As a result, these war veterans have to use their own savings to pay their fine. Aristophanes’ Acharians 687 states “We others, now old men and heavy with years, are ill-used, harassed with law suits, delivered over to the scorn of stripling orators. Our minds and bodies are ravaged with age. The accuser overwhelms us with his ready rhetoric. He drags us before the judge. Old Tithonus says, ‘This fine robs me of the last trifle that was to have bought my coffin.”
Old Testament: This term means cause of ruin, what causes one to sin, stumbling block, obstacle, trap, and hindrance. You sit and speak against your brother, slandering your mother’s son (Psa.50:20). Lovers of your law have much peace, for them there is no stumbling block. See, I will place before these people obstacles to trip them up (Jer.6:21). For if you serve their gods, this will become a snare for you (Exo.23:33). I recognized that wickedness is foolishness and folly is madness (Ecc.7:25). Let an impious man not rule, nor those who ensnare their people (Job 34:30).
New Testament: This term means obstacle, stumbling block (stone), hindrance, and opponent. Those who cause sin and evil doers will be collected out of the kingdom. Peter becomes a human obstacle to Jesus’ divinely appointed path. It is inevitable that those (who cause sin) will occur. Old Testament prophecy foretells stumbling stones and hindrances for accepting Jesus. Paul warns about self-seeking teachers in Rome. Christ becomes a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. The Cross also becomes a stumbling block to many.
Scripture:
“The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will collect out of His kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.” Mt. 13:41
The Church is the place where Jesus’ kingdom is found on earth. The Church becomes an obstacle to those who do evil. The actions of evildoers become an obstacle or stumbling block, which leads to sin.
“And David says, ‘Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them’” Rom 11:9
Paul finds the scandal for the Jews predicted in Psalm 69:22.
“But we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” 1 Cor. 1:23
The idea of Christ crucified became an obstacle to the Jews and some Gentiles. The Jews expected a victorious strong King as the Messiah. Instead the idea of crucified Christ as the Messiah became a stumbling for Jews to accept. Some Gentiles considered it be absurd to believe and worship a dead man. They saw this as the ‘folly of the Cross’.
Conclusion:
Scandal, scandalous, offence, offend
From this term comes the words scandal and scandalous. So it not surprising that being caught, being trapped, and being offensive (engaged in bad behavior), being tripped, and being offended is all tied together. This “stumbling block” can happen equally to ordinary persons, public officials, and celebrities.
