We have a problem with literalism when it comes to exegesis, or determining exactly what a biblical text means. You have to consider the mode of address that is being used.

The overly sensitive or the mad have taken this passage and tried to mutilate themselves. This is an error, for the entire passage is an extended metaphor.

You cannot magically become a child again.

But you can protect, cherish and nurture children. You can even, as Christ suggests, learn from them.

Matthew 18:1-14

¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ²He called a child, whom he put among them, ³and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

⁶“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. ⁷Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!

⁸“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. ⁹And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire.

¹⁰“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. ¹²What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? ¹³And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. ¹⁴So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”

Now, there are quite a few phrases in English that imply a poetical language — it is as if a millstone. In that context, being told to mutilate yourself is a metaphor. The Law of Moses bans all mutilation — and Jesus kept the true law.

But there is a truth here, and it is the balance to yesterday. We need to take our sin seriously. We need to take our duty seriously. If we neglect to protect and enxure that our little ones are growing up protected and not exploite, we are accountable.

And we are accountable regardless of our unconscious state. We may be in various moods for various reasons, but we still have to act properly. As SSM noted :

Mrs. Lydia McGrew’s increasingly angry, shrieky comments to Dalrock on a thread at Zippy Catholic exemplify this; while he remains fairly calm and on-message, she become increasingly agitated by the topic (slutty female behavior) and essentially refuses to let anyone else talk. This reminds me of my four-year-old yelling “lalalala” when my husband and I are trying to have a discussion that she wants to interrupt, so she makes it impossible for us to hear one another.

SSM, of course, is also using a metaphor. Ms McGrew may be quite rational some days and when Dalrock is not winding her up. As adults, we have to modify what we do so we can talk to each other, and even love each other. Small kids and love completely and try to talk over us. But we need to have that trained out before they can teach and lead.

Calvin expands on this in his commentary on this passage.

This appears to be added for the consolation of the godly, that they may not be rendered uneasy by their condition, if they are despised by the world. It is a powerful obstruction to the voluntary exercise of modesty, when they imagine, that by so doing they expose themselves to contempt; and it is hard to be not only treated disdainfully, but almost trodden under foot, by haughty men. Christ therefore encourages his disciples by the consoling truth, that, if their mean condition draws upon them the insults of the world, God does not despise them.

But he appears to have had likewise another object in view; for a dispute had arisen amongst them as to the first place of honor, from which it might naturally have been inferred that the Apostles were tainted with sinful ambition. Every man who thinks too highly of himself, or desires to be preferred to others, must necessarily treat his brethren with disdain. To cure this disease, Christ threatens a dreadful punishment, if any man in his pride shall throw down those who are oppressed with poverty, or who in heart are already humbled.

Under the word offend he includes more than if he had forbidden them to despise their brethren; though the man who gives himself no concern about offending the weak, does so for no other reason, than because he does not render to them the honor to which they are entitled. Now as there are various kinds of offenses, it will be proper to explain generally what is meant by offending If any man through our fault either stumbles, or is drawn aside from the right course, or retarded in it, we are said to offend him. [504] Whoever then desires to escape that fearful punishment which Christ denounces, let him stretch out his hand to the little ones who are despised by the world, and let him kindly assist them in keeping the path of duty.

So we, as adults, have a duty to protect and to nurture. But we do not have the right to Lord over or exploit the vulnerable or the needy. Nor should we lead them into error, for any greater good or for personal gain.

This includes both the Christian feminists and the androsphere, where blaming men for liking younger women and women for liking more powerful men is rife, and there is much finger pointing. As the Zipster says.

I hate to break it to the androsphere: but realism lies somewhere in between starry-eyed idealism and black-eyed cynicism. Cynicism is just another way of refusing to come to grips with all of reality: the starry-eyed idealism of the nihilist.

And being a starry-eyed idealist about women is foolish.

So let us tread gently, particularly with those who are children or think like children. For equally, being a starry idealist about children is to place a stumbling block before them.
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