The Answerer

Punishment for child abusers. - Matthew Ch.6:11-18

NB:‘theanswerer’ has no doubt that children were Jesus’ favourite people. How do I know? Not once did Jesus criticize children- but plenty of times He ‘told off’ the grown-ups!

Children cannot say “No.”, and are defenceless against a strong adult, and if they are abused they cannot grow into happy normal adults. Child sexual abuse, as one friend told me is: “Murder of the soul”.

Currently in my country, Australia (in 2016-2017) there is a long running Royal Commission on child abuse, mainly by church and church institutions. Some of it is horrific: grown–up people mentally and emotionally crippled by priests and others. They mostly have little hope of a happy family life and such things, some have suicided (killed themselves). No wonder Jesus used his strongest words of punishment for the abusers. Severe judgement awaits them!!

Please note that in the Old Testament God separated children from the unbelieving adults. “All those twenty years and older will never enter the Promised Land.” Meaning even 19 year olds were not considered old enough to be a serious ‘doubter’ of God’s goodness, ie. not yet mature enough to be classed as adults! (See Numbers, Chapter 14:26-35)

This is what Jesus said: “It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin (or ‘to stumble’ or ‘To lose his faith in me’). These people would be better off thrown into the deepest part of the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks.” (Mt.18:6) And: “Don’t be cruel to any of these little ones! I promise you that their angels are always with my Father in heaven.” (Mt.18;10-11 From The Bible for Today)

One of the world’s finest Bible scholars, Dean Farrar, a former Dean of Canterbury, spent several years of his life in the land where Jesus lived and died. He lived with the local people, took the original Greek scripture text and wrote his story as a book: Life of Christ.   My copy is 103 years old and from his understanding of Jesus, wrote this comment on the words of Jesus. Do understand that this man, Dean Farrer, understood the very feelings that Jesus put into his words –things we cannot always get it in our English translation. They are powerful words indeed!! He wrote this:

“ And then gently resuming His discourse-the child nestling in His arms, and furnishing the text for his remarks-He warned them of the awful guilt and peril of offending, of tempting, of misleading, of seducing from the paths of innocence and righteousness, of teaching any wicked thing, or suggesting any wicked thing, or suggesting any wicked thought to one of these little ones, whose angels see the face of His Father in heaven.

Such wicked men and seducers, such human performers of the devil’s work-addressing them in words of more bitter crushing than any which He ever uttered-a worse fate, He said awaited them, than to be flung with the heaviest millstone around their neck into the sea.” Farrer, Dean; Life of Christ. p366.

Only God devises what their punishment will be, something very awful I am sure!

This book can be seen on the WWW-the same as my 103 year old copy.

Post Script: If you dear reader in the past, have done serious wicked things-there is forgiveness for you. John wrote: “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” We then have a ‘New start’ and begin again, leaving our sinful life behind.  (I John 1:9 NIV)