Whoso despiseth the Word shall be destroyed.
Man’s destruction
The more literal rendering would be, “He that despiseth the Word shall bring ruin on himself.” This is a great law of the Biblical revelation--namely, that destruction is not a merely arbitrary act on the part of God, a mere penalty, but that it involves the idea of suicide or self-ruin. The law of reward and also the law of punishment are to be found within ourselves. (J. Parker, D.D.)