8:1 ¶ Now as touching things offered unto idols, we
know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
2 And if any man think that he knoweth
any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if any man love God, the same is known of
him.
Another issue in the church must have been presented to Paul in
the letter from the Corinthians that he discusses here regarding Christian
liberty tempered by self-restraint and a good testimony before the world and
fellow Christians. This has more to do with a question that we typically would
not face today which underscores how the Bible is written in such a way that it
can address problems for those who lived immediate to its writing as well as
for believers of all times. But the principle remains; you can almost do what
you like but be careful how your liberty impacts others.
Charity refers to the Christian’s love for their brothers and
sisters in Christ. Peter refers to its importance.
1Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of
sins.
2Peter 1:5 ¶ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to
your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience
godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul will emphasize its importance even more in this letter later
on. Elsewhere, he refers to it as what makes us complete.
Colossians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Now, we have food that has been offered to idols as in the
modern-day Hindu ritual of Prasada. Food is offered to a god. The preparing,
offering, and eating of the food is an act of worship.
In Rome household deities were offered wheat, first-fruits,
grapes, honeycombs, and a whole manner of food stuffs which might find their
way to the table in a meal. In a pagan temple animals butchered and eaten as a
sacrifice to a god were also eaten in a ceremonial meal. Paul is about to warn
the Corinthians about how bad that will look if they attend one of those feeds
that probably were a lot like we have down at the fire hall to raise money for
a charity. We can’t imagine this but it appears that Corinthian Christians were
attending these feeds.
In verse 3 we see where the preposition of can be used for ‘by’ just as in Ephesians 2:8 it implies ‘from’
so it’s a good idea to note the word’s meanings when you come to it.
Paul starts out here with a warning to not be all full of yourself
or puffed up with the knowledge you think you have regarding spiritual matters.
He usually values compassion and empathy and a sort of understanding rather
than a judgmental one toward his fellow Christians unless they are really going
off the rails, as the Corinthian church has done. Paul is pointing out that not
everyone has a knowledge of Christ and the unsaved world lies in ignorance.
But, don’t get too swelled up about your knowledge of God.
8:4 ¶ As concerning therefore the
eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that
an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God
but one. 5 For though there be that are
called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords
many,) 6 But to us there is but
one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we
by him.
We know that false gods are, well, false. There is no God but the
God of the Bible. There is no Buddha, Allah, or Quetzcoatl ruling over anything
although demonic forces and fallen cherubs (Satan) want to lead mankind away
from the knowledge of God because of their hatred of us and later Paul will
call Satan the god of this world.
But, there are a multiplicity of religions and beliefs in many
gods.
8: 7 ¶ Howbeit there is
not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this
hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being
weak is defiled. 8 But meat commendeth
us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat
not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed
lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that
are weak. 10 For if any man see thee
which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience
of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to
idols; 11 And through thy knowledge
shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and
wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend,
I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Not everyone knows or believes the truth, obviously. Food is food
and what we eat does not commend us to God as a pagan idol-worshipper would
believe. An idol is nothing. But, it is
not a good testimony for a Christian to attend one of these meals, certainly
not a good testimony to other Christians whose faith may not be as strong. Paul
is very clear about not being a stumbling block to the faith of others and to
their struggles with sin.
Romans 14:1 ¶ Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all
things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him
which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s
servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up:
for God is able to make him stand. 5 One
man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that
regardeth the day, regardeth it
unto the Lord; and he that
regardeth not the day, to the Lord
he doth not regard it. He that
eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not,
to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man
dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live,
we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we
live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might
be Lord both of the dead and living. 10
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy
brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every
tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then
every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any
more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to
fall in his brother’s way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord
Jesus, that there is nothing
unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not
charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and
drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of
men. 19 Let us therefore follow after
the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God.
All things indeed are pure; but
it is evil for that man who
eateth with offence. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor
to drink wine, nor any thing
whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he
alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth is
damned if he eat, because he eateth
not of faith: for whatsoever is
not of faith is sin.
15:1 ¶ We then that are strong ought to bear the
infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as
it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
scriptures might have hope.
The point here is that while we have liberty in Christ we must not
allow that to become a stumbling block to a weaker Christian, so it is better
if we refrain from something that we are permitted to do rather than set a
wrong example for someone who is watching us. Paul’s argument will
continue, while not forbidding Christians from attending a communal feast, but
warning them of the gravity of such a thing. Remember the context. This is not
about Paul threatening to become a vegetarian but regarding feasts to which
Christians were invited.
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