Philippians 1:10 That you may approve things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. The word as used in the New Testament does not mean what we mean when we use the word now. You say you gave So-and-so "offence." You mean you made him angry. Well, if you put anything in a man's way in the dark and he strikes against it and he falls over it and hurts himself, most likely he will be angry. But the Bible does not concern itself about feeling. That is of no consequence. The Bible concerns itself with a man's being hurt — the mischief done. Hence always in the New Testament it means, concerning a man himself, that in his conduct and temper and speech he should not put anything in his practical course of life that may cause him to stumble and fall, not because he would be irritated but because he would be hurt. And so, with regard to others, we are to do nothing which might prove as a stumbling block in a man's way as he is going on in his life, lest he also should strike against it and fall over it and be hurt. (J. Aldis.) Parallel Verses KJV: That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; |
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