properly "a starting point," was used to denote "a base of operations in war." In the NT it occurs as follows: "(a) the Law provided sin with a base of operations for its attack upon the soul, Romans 7:8,11; (b) the irreproachable conduct of the Apostle provided his friends with a base of operations against his detractors, 2 Corinthians 5:12; (c) by refusing temporal support at Corinth he deprived these detractors of their base of operations against him, 2 Corinthians 11:12; (d) Christian freedom is not to provide a base of operations for the flesh, Galatians 5:13; (e) unguarded behavior on the part of young widows (and the same is true of all believers) would provide Satan with a base of operations against the faith, 1 Timothy 5:14 ." * [* From Notes on Galatians, by Hogg and Vine, P. 269.]
The word is found frequently in the papyri with meanings which illustrate those in the NT. In the Sept., Proverbs 9:9; Ezekiel 5:7 . Notes: (1) For the RV renderings "occasion (or 'occasions') of stumbling," "occasion of falling," see FALLING , B, Note (3), OFFENSE. (2) In 2 Corinthians 8:8 , AV, the phrase "by occasion of" translates the preposition dia, "through, by means of" (RV, "through").