After the discussion of the other possible Christian, Jesus mentions that if one causes someone who believes in him to sin, it would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea.
Since it comes after the other possible Christian doing his own practice, it seems to further increase the warning to his disciples to not stop this man. It also suggests that maybe this man is a Christian after all, but this is implied from the prompted teaching and not directly stated.
This might be somewhat controversial, but it might even suggest that people in faith can fall out of faith and a state of unbelief. What "sin" could Jesus is referring to? Any sin? Perhaps. Alternatively, based on the context of what follows, it might be a state of unbelief.
Jesus then mentions several parables about how it is better to be maimed and to enter the Kingdom of God, than to go to hell. In some ways, this mirrors the parable about the man who sold everything to buy he field. There maybe a cost to follow Jesus, but it is worth it.
As for hell, it is associated never-dying worms and never-quenching fires. I know this is associated with ever-lasting conscious torment, but I think that is over-reading these particular verses. Rather, this description is made further vague by the reference to it being "death". The verse refers to Isaiah 66:24, which discusses the decay of the dead bodies of those who rebelled against God. The fact that it is referred to as "dead" bodies suggests a lack of conscious state. However, everlasting worms and unquenching fire suggests the eternal magnitude of whatever is going on. I think the language of these verses is vague and leaves open a lot of different interpretations of what exactly is "hell".
It is even further complicated because Jesus next says that everyone will be salted with fire, but salt is good. This suggests that fire is inevitable or possibly even necessary for Christians. It is a strange follow-on to discussing the fires of "hell".
Two possible interpretations. I think Jesus is discussing both at once.
1. Hell is on earth. It is the Christian interaction and opposition against hell that gives the Christian salt.
2. After death, parts of every Christian must burn away in hell in order to be make the rest pure (salt). given that this comes after it is better to pluck out one's eye or chop off one's hand to enter to the Kingdom of God, this might mean me that all of us will lose some part of ourselves as we know it to fully enter God's presence.
All of what I say has my own interpretation and bias. I am reminded that all this begins with Jesus warning his disciples not to stifle some other person's faith development. I think there is no accident. This is a "weird" passage with a lot of differing interpretations. Grace among the viewpoints should abound.
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