And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Ver. 8. And a rock of offence] Like that rock Judges 6:21, out of which comes fire to consume the reprobate.
Which stumble at the word] An ill sign, and yet an ordinary sin. A bridge is made to give us a safe passage over a dangerous river; but he who stumbleth on the bridge is in danger to fall into the river. The word is given as a means to carry us over hell into heaven; but he who stumbles and quarrels at this means, shall fall in thither, from whence otherwise he had been delivered by it. Few sins are more dangerous than that of picking quarrels at God's word, and taking up the bucklers against it, snuffing at it,Malachi 1:13; chatting against it, Romans 9:19,20; enviously swelling against it, Acts 13:45; casting reproaches upon it, Jeremiah 20:8,9; gathering odious consequences from it. Surely of such a man may say, as one doth of a hypocrite; I read not in Scripture, saith he, of a hypocrite's conversion; and what wonder? for whereas after sin, conversion is left as a means to cure all other sinners; what means to recover him who hath converted conversion itself into sin? so here; what hope that he shall be saved who stumbleth at the only ordinary means of his salvation?