I recall growing up in rural Alabama. I was the youngest of six boys in our family. My daddy and momma decided to stop trying for a daughter after I was born. I don’t know if that was because they saw me and were afraid to keep trying, or they just couldn’t afford to have more mouths to feed. Anyway, while we were poor in comparison to the material world, we were rich in love for one another and love for God.
Growing up in the country with a house full of boys, we learned to hunt and fish, play baseball (we nearly had our own team), and appreciation for God’s natural world. One of the things that I remember was how we would build rabbit traps. First we made a wooden box with wire mesh covering one end. A wooden sliding door was placed at the other end. That door was designed to drop through a slot cut in the top of the box near the opened end. We also cut a small round hole in the top of the box toward the back. We tied a small string from a small peg which held the sliding door in the raised position and ran the string to a stick which we stuck through the hole and into the box. Grass was placed inside on the floor of the box along with carrots and lettuce around the stick, which held the sliding door in a raised and ready position. The box was placed near the grassy fields that surrounded our house. With the door raised and locked, carrots and lettuce bait placed around the stick trigger, and the box interior camouflaged with fresh grass – the trap was set. It didn’t take long for the unsuspecting rabbit to come along, peer into the comfortable bed, see the savory treats, and recognize the familiar field through the other end of the box. The rabbit soon began chewing on the carrots, bumping the stick, releasing the trap door, and joining us for dinner (though not the way the rabbit probably had intended).
I share this memory to illustrate Paul’s words to the Galatians in chapter 5, verse 11 or his letter to them. The King James Version translates this verse to read, “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.” I am sure that you are wondering how my childhood trapping experience relates to Paul’s challenge with the Galatians. Recently, I have heard discussions which have taken Paul’s phrase “the offence of the cross” out of the context of his letter in order to say that the Gospel of Christ is an offensive message to unbelievers. My understanding of the proponents of this position is that the receptiveness of the Gospel message is some sort of litmus test that reveals God’s chosen elect from the lost. Somehow, according to their theology and use of this scripture, the lost will be offended by Christ sacrifice rather than compelled to accept the loving redemption of God. One posting stated, “The Gospel is not palatable to the perishing. But, to the living, those who have been raised from their spiritual death, it is life.” This leaves me wondering, how does one ever get from the perishing camp and into the living camp? I believe the answer remains in the compelling message of God’s love described in the Bible.
The problem with a doctrine which defaults to the offensiveness of the Gospel is its inconsistency with other scripture, such as the words of Jesus in John 3:16. The idea of the offense of the Gospel may be caused by the modern understanding of the term translated in 1604 as ‘offence.’ The original Greek word which Paul used (no Paul didn’t carry a KJV Bible in the hip pocket of his tunic) was skandalon, which is translated as “trap stick.” The idea was the same as the stick in the rabbit box that triggered the trap door. First Century Galatians would have been familiar with the skandalon “trap stick” used in animal traps. Therefore, the New American Standard Bible provides better understanding as the text is translated, “But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.” [emphasis added] From the Greek skandalon we get our English word “scandal”
Paul’s message to the Galatians was totally different than what some have taken the old English word “offence.” Paul was acknowledging that the cross must be considered scandalous by Jewish religious leaders who placed their faith in practice of the Law. Jewish leaders in the first century viewed the cross as part of a trap that would lead to the demise of their traditions and positions of authority over others. However, Christ had fulfilled the Spirit of the Law and those leaders remained trapped in their disbelief. Paul continued to be persecuted because his message centered on a crucified Savior, which was scandalous to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks.
The word for “trap stick” was used repeatedly in the scripture;
Mark 6:3 states; “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”
Mark 4:16 & 17 “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”
Jesus said, “…It is impossible that no offenses should come…,” (Luke 17:1 NKJV). So we know that there will always be a temptation to fall into this sin. Jesus also said, “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:10 – 13 NKJV).
As I studied the application of this word, I became convicted of my own sin and personal weakness. I read various articles about “the Spirit of Offense” I realized how easily I allow myself to be offended. This is a testimony to my self-centeredness. God began to reveal to me how I had responded to the habit of offense by cutting off relationships with friends and even family members. I have prayed for God’s forgiveness and His strength to overcome this sin. I didn’t realize being offended was a trap the enemy used to prevent me from being who I am in Christ.
In Him,
Dan
www.noblepurposeministries.org
