Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 14:13

13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more : but judge this rather , that no man put a stumbling, or an occasion to fall in his brothers way .

q. d. Seeing all must be judged by Christ, let us no more judge one another, but mend this Fault for time to come.

Hitherto his Counsel was more general, respecting both the Strong and the Weak. Here he begins in a more particular manner, to apply himself to the more Strong and Knowing Christians; Counselling them to take heed, lest by the Abuse of their Christian Liberty, they should be an Offence to them, that were weak, and more ignorant. He entereth upon this with an Elegant Transition, making use of the same Word in a different Sence; for he doth not speak Contraries, when he sayes, judge not, but judge; for the Word in the former part of the Verse, signifies, to condemn and censure; but here in the following part, to deliberate or consider. q. d. Instead of judging others, let us look upon this as a Rule for our selves, and our own Deportment, that we put no stumbling block, &c.

q. d. Take heed of Offending your Brethren in any kind; do not, by an unseasonable Use of your Liberty, either drive them from their Christian Profession, or provoke them to imitate you, and so to Sin against their Consciences. You have a Parallel Text, 1 Cor. 8.9. There he speaks only of a stumbling block; here he adds an occasion of Falling, or as 'tis in the Original, a Scandal. Though these two Words do differ in their Etymologies, yet they have one and the same Signification. The Latter word, as Stephanus observes, is peculiar to Holy Scripture; and seldom, if ever, used in any common Author, It signifieth properly, the Bridge in a Trap, which, by its falling down, catcheth a Creature in a Snare, and so occasions its Ruine; and from thence it is used to denote any thing, which is an occasion to others of stumbling or falling; any thing whereby we so Offend another, as that he is hindered from Good; drawn into or confirmed in Evil. Scandal or Offence is either Passive or Active; Passive Scandal is, when that which is Good, is by reason of Man's Corruption, an occasion of falling to him. So Christ himself, and his Doctrine, was a Scandal to the Iews, vid. 1 Cor. 1.23., 1 Pet. 2.8. Active Scandal is, when any thing is done or said, which gives occasion of Offence to others, when it is an occasion of Grief, or of Sin to them, ver. 15.21. This Occasion may be Administred, Either by Evil Counsel, Mat. 16.23. Rev. 2.14. Or by Evil Example, Isa. 9.16. Mat. 15.14. Or by the Abuse of Christian Liberty in things indifferent, 1 Cor. 8.9.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 10.32.; Or, scandal.