Did Jesus Scandalise people?

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Hi since we are told to avoid scandal, (activities that lead others to sin, or normalise sin) did not Jesus perhaps do the opposite?

When he hung out with prostitues for example could people have thought that he was actually using them (which is a sin) thereby leading them to think it was ok to use prostitues?
And times when Jesus drinks wine he is described as a “drunkard” which in my thinking could lead people to believe that being drunk is not a sin, therefore leading them into sin.

Scandal is something that i try and think hard about in my life, but if jesus was doing these things and causing this kind of reaction, would this mean the context of the verse which scandal is taught may be referring to “intentionally” leading people to sin?

Don’t get me wrong, I love our Lord and Saviour but i was just curious as to what peoples opinions are on this matter since it has crossed my mind and (other christians which i have corrected, thought that since Jesus is described as a drunkard that its ok to get drunk because he did it) which i dont believe is true at all!
 
There is scandalizing, and then there is scandalizing. Some people are scandalized by seeing other people doing what is right; this is what Jesus was doing. The scandalizing we are to avoid is the scandalizing brought about by letting other people see us appear getting away with doing wrong.
 
Welcome, OP. May I ask, where was Jesus described as a “drunkard”? I don’t have the Bible memorized, but I’ve never heard that.:confused:
 
lerapt78 said:
Welcome, OP. May I ask, where was Jesus described as a “drunkard”? I don’t have the Bible memorized, but I’ve never heard that.:confused:
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I second that welcome!

I also second that question because I had the same reaction. OP, please tell us where in the Bible that Jesus was described as a “drunkard” because I too have never read that before, nor have I heard that anywhere, ever, until today.
 
Hi

Thanks for your welcome 🙂

He is described in Matthew 11:19 as " The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds".

well this is what my friend i believe was referring to.
 
That passage was talking about how the world treated christians.
 
There is a difference between scandalizing and being honest. People will be scandalized even if that is not your intent but you are just being honest. I speak to an Orthodox priest and he tells me honestly the Orthodox point-of-view of the faith which to me as a Catholic, scandalizes me sometimes. But that is not his intention. Also he is being honest with me and not making stuff up just to avoid hurting my feelings.

Jesus is the same way. He does things honestly and lovingly. This will always offend people who are prideful and doesn’t want to see the truth.
 
james_neville said:
Hi since we are told to avoid scandal, (activities that lead others to sin, or normalise sin) did not Jesus perhaps do the opposite?

When he hung out with prostitues for example could people have thought that he was actually using them (which is a sin) thereby leading them to think it was ok to use prostitues?
And times when Jesus drinks wine he is described as a “drunkard” which in my thinking could lead people to believe that being drunk is not a sin, therefore leading them into sin.

Scandal is something that i try and think hard about in my life, but if jesus was doing these things and causing this kind of reaction, would this mean the context of the verse which scandal is taught may be referring to “intentionally” leading people to sin?

Don’t get me wrong, I love our Lord and Saviour but i was just curious as to what peoples opinions are on this matter since it has crossed my mind and (other christians which i have corrected, thought that since Jesus is described as a drunkard that its ok to get drunk because he did it) which i dont believe is true at all!
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Perhaps we need to rethink what actually “scandalizes.”

Scandal in the theological sense (and the etymological sense, which isn’t always the same!) is putting a stumbling block in front of someone.

It has very little to do with the popular use of “scandalize” to mean “shock.”

Sometimes shocking people is the best way to remove stumbling blocks in their way!

I don’t think scandal means “doing things that people might think of as sinful.” It means “doing things that can reasonably be expected to make people more likely to sin.”

Edwin
 
Contarini said:
I don’t think scandal means “doing things that people might think of as sinful.” It means “doing things that can reasonably be expected to make people more likely to sin.”

Edwin
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Yes, that.

OP, you have to keep in mind that Christ was showing us to bring Him to those in need. As Christ said, He (the “Doctor”) came to cure the “sick”. He was not hanging out with sinners to show that we need to hang out with sinners, He was going to them to heal them. If some looked at that and saw His actions through their own clouded lenses, that’s not “scandal”, it’s a failure on their part to seek to understand what was going on.
 
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