Gathering Stones at Capernaum
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6. KJV)
Jesus always gives examples that the disciples and other listeners could relate with life application. The setting for the passages on "millstones" is Capernaum. One of the leading industries for ancient Capernaum was the manufacture of millstones for use as grinding grains, both for personal home use and also for commercial use. The closest town to Capernaum is Tabgha (about 2 miles) which was an area for commercial milling for grinding grains. Millstones were also for the shipping industry and fishing industry as anchor stones for boats. Between the two sites, the Franciscan side of Capernaum as well as in the "Anchor Museum" at Ein Giv (Israel), there are hundreds of millstones and anchor stones on that were collected from the Sea of Galilee and from archaeological sites around the Sea.
The Greek word used in both texts, is a millstone which was in two parts, the bottom was stationary and the top stone was pulled by a donkey, so the millstone in question in the parable would have been a large millstone to insure certain drowning if placed around the neck.
Under Jewish law, there were no provisions for a punishment such as attaching a millstone around the neck of an offender and throwing them into the Sea. The capital offenses in Judaism were stoning, burning, strangulation, or decapitation (also know as using the sword). The use of millstones to weight down a body to cause drowning was a Grecian/Roman practice, but there are few occurrences of its application in the historical references. Josephus describes the practice in the death of Judas the Zealot in a lake.
"Little children" is not a term that was limited to "children" but also to those who were in need of care; i.e. the poor, the sick, and the injured (any type of needy person) as well as the very young. This is also identifiable by the term, "which believe in me", indicating babes in Christianity.
Millstones were a necessary part of life for all people, and were usually found in every home. A millstone could not be taken from a poor person for a pledge (Deut 14:6, also The Writings of Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews: Book 4, Chapter 8, 26)
Therefore, the disciples understood the implication of using a "millstone" around the neck of an offender was not limited to their religion, but to the governing authority. That punishment was rarely used, and therefore, can be understood to be used for only the worst of offenders in the worst of cases--an extreme measure; not limited to "young children" but to any deprived individual unable to care for themselves and who is taken advantage by other people; or, a babe in Christ.
~serapha~
Jesus always gives examples that the disciples and other listeners could relate with life application. The setting for the passages on "millstones" is Capernaum. One of the leading industries for ancient Capernaum was the manufacture of millstones for use as grinding grains, both for personal home use and also for commercial use. The closest town to Capernaum is Tabgha (about 2 miles) which was an area for commercial milling for grinding grains. Millstones were also for the shipping industry and fishing industry as anchor stones for boats. Between the two sites, the Franciscan side of Capernaum as well as in the "Anchor Museum" at Ein Giv (Israel), there are hundreds of millstones and anchor stones on that were collected from the Sea of Galilee and from archaeological sites around the Sea.
The Greek word used in both texts, is a millstone which was in two parts, the bottom was stationary and the top stone was pulled by a donkey, so the millstone in question in the parable would have been a large millstone to insure certain drowning if placed around the neck.
Under Jewish law, there were no provisions for a punishment such as attaching a millstone around the neck of an offender and throwing them into the Sea. The capital offenses in Judaism were stoning, burning, strangulation, or decapitation (also know as using the sword). The use of millstones to weight down a body to cause drowning was a Grecian/Roman practice, but there are few occurrences of its application in the historical references. Josephus describes the practice in the death of Judas the Zealot in a lake.
"Little children" is not a term that was limited to "children" but also to those who were in need of care; i.e. the poor, the sick, and the injured (any type of needy person) as well as the very young. This is also identifiable by the term, "which believe in me", indicating babes in Christianity.
Millstones were a necessary part of life for all people, and were usually found in every home. A millstone could not be taken from a poor person for a pledge (Deut 14:6, also The Writings of Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews: Book 4, Chapter 8, 26)
Therefore, the disciples understood the implication of using a "millstone" around the neck of an offender was not limited to their religion, but to the governing authority. That punishment was rarely used, and therefore, can be understood to be used for only the worst of offenders in the worst of cases--an extreme measure; not limited to "young children" but to any deprived individual unable to care for themselves and who is taken advantage by other people; or, a babe in Christ.
~serapha~
posted by ~serapha~ at 9:51 PM
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