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23. In What Sense “Necessary.”
Next we must test accurately the meaning of the word
“necessity” in the passage, “For there is a
necessity that the occasions come,”5968
and to the like effect in Luke, “It is ‘inadmissible’
but that occasions of stumbling should come,”5969 instead of “impossible.”
And as it is necessary that that which is mortal should die, and it is
impossible but that it should die, and as it must needs be that he who
is in the body should be fed, for it is impossible for one who is not
fed to live, so it is necessary and impossible but that occasions of
stumbling should arise, since there is a necessity also that wickedness
should exist before virtue in men, from which wickedness
stumbling-blocks arise; for it is impossible that a man should be found
altogether sinless, and who, without sin, has attained to virtue. For
the wickedness in the evil powers, which is the primal source of the
wickedness among men, is altogether eager to work through certain
instruments against the men in the world. And perhaps also the
wicked powers are more exasperated when they are cast out by the word
of Jesus, and their worship is lessened, their customary sacrifices not
being offered unto them; and there is a necessity that these offences
come; but there is no necessity that they should come through any
particular one; wherefore the “woe” falls on the man
through whom the stumbling-block comes, as he has given a place to the
wicked power whose purpose it is to create a stumbling-block. But
do not suppose that by nature, and from constitution, there are certain
stumbling-blocks which seek out men through whom they come; for as God
did not make death, so neither did He create stumbling-blocks; but
free-will begot the stumbling-blocks in some who did not wish to endure
toils for virtue.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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