7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.
9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
12 And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
This is a continuation of the discussion about idols. Some believers, most probably Jewish Christians, were feeling smug because they did not worship idols or the gods represented by those idols. That smugness and arrogance was upsetting some of the Gentile believers. There is an additional problem with respect to the idols.
V. 7 - “Not all men have this knowledge” - The church is becoming ‘multi-cultural’, i.e., Gentiles and Jews are being saved. Some, or all, of the Gentiles will know of sacrifices made to idols and the pagan altars. Most of the religions in that time had idols, and the gods that inhabited the idols. And often the gods of these religions may have been powerful, but also limited in some way, not being omnipotent. Gentiles coming to faith in Christ may be newly introduced to the concept of Yahweh God who is above and beyond all others.
“some, being accustomed to the idol until now” - It seems that some people were eating food that had been offered to idols. Since Jews and Jewish Christians did not believe in the idols or the gods of the idols, they may have had no problem eating the food left from the sacrifice.
From a different point of view, the Jews were very aware that food that had been offered as a sacrifice (with a very few exceptions according to the Law) were never eaten by the Jews. Some was eaten by the Levites, some was eaten by the priests, but that is about it. (See: Exodus 34:15; Dt 27:7; 1 Sam 9:13 ) (See Note 1, below) Jews may have been leery, uncomfortable, eating food offered in a sacrifice.
David Guzik (in his commentary on 1 Corinthians) indicates that pagan offerings or sacrifices were distributed in three possible ways - one portion burned on the altar, one portion given to the offerer to be eaten as a feast, and one portion given to the priest. The priests might sell the meat in a market place. Matthew Henry’s commentary says something similar.
“Eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.” - The question seems to be centered on whether eating food (meat, especially) that was originally offered to a pagan idol is okay to eat. Have they sinned against God if they eat the offered meat? Obviously, some of the Christians had no problem eating food formerly offered to an idol - after all, the idol meant nothing. However, others were bothered significantly, bothered to the point they felt defiled by the practice.
I think this may be like the question, “Should Christians drink beer?” There are believers who see no problem having a beer (as long as you don’t go to excess and drunkenness). There are believers that think any consumption of alcohol is leading to sin. Which one is correct? Well, it depends. Back to the dilemma presented to Paul: If you are not tempted sin, when eating meat sacrificed to idols, go ahead and eat. If your conscience will be ‘defiled’ by eating meat, don’t eat the sacrificed meat. That is, if eating sacrificial food will lure you away from living for Christ and into sin, stay away from it.
V. 8 - “But food will not commend us to God” - What you eat does not bring you to a closer relationship with the Lord.
“we are neither the worse... nor the better” - Being a vegan will not cleanse you of your sin. Only Christ’s death and resurrection can do that. Eating meat will not move you up the ‘approved’ list of God’s people. We have all fallen short and are in need of the cleansing blood of Christ.
V. 9 - “But take care that this liberty of yours” - However. What you do can have negative consequences for other believers. We now have moved from theoretical theology into living the Christian life, caring for and about others. Put other’s needs above your own. See the following: “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13) “... encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:25) “We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thes 5:14)
“a stumbling block to the weak” - Let nothing you do cause a fellow believer to be weakened spiritually and fall into sin. If drinking beer with a believer weakens his resolve - don’t do it. I am not sure it is ‘your fault’ if a Christian weakens and sins, it is his personal choice. He will bear the consequences of his sin, not you. But if your behavior, your activity, causes that believer to question his commitment to the Lord, and commit a sin, you have become a ‘stumbling block’. Don’t do it.
V. 10-13 - “For if someone sees you” - Paul sets up this hypothetical lesson.
“will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?” - So you ‘know better’ than others, and don’t have any problem eating meat or food that was dedicated to an idol or a god. On the other hand, another person isn’t so sure that eating such dedicated food is not a sin. Your actions encourage them to violate their own conscience to partake.
“For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined” - As a result the other person, led by your actions, has remorse and guilt because of the perceived sin of eating dedicated food. The joy of living for Christ has been sullied, dirtied.
“the brother for whose sake Christ died” - Jesus died for the other person’s sin, just as He died for yours. You are no better than any other.
“by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience” - The brethren were doing okay in their Christian life. Now, because they were tempted to sin (it may not have been a sin to you, but with their background and understanding...) their conscience tells them they have done wrong. You can say that it was their responsibility, not yours. Indeed, they had to make the final decision. But they did it against their own best judgment and now they believe they have sinned.
“you sin against Christ” - Your encouragement to eat dedicated meat was not an enlightenment for them. You were part of the temptation for them to sin. You have offended Christ Jesus our Lord because you didn’t care enough about your fellow Christian. That is your sin - not loving others as Christ has loved you!
“Therefore” - Paul’s conclusion to the object lesson:
“if food causes my brother to stumble” - Your actions do not follow these words in Hebrews, “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13) Or, “let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:24-25)
“I will never eat meat again” - More than saying, “Sorry ‘bout that.” I know there are some Christians who drink beer occasionally (myself included). I know there are some for whom drinking beer is anathema. If drinking beer while with them bothers them, I will refrain. I will not, to the best of my ability, live my life in a way that harms another’s faith in the Lord. This is a pretty low hurdle to clear! Live so as to not harm those who already believe in Jesus. An even more important life goal is to live so non-believers will want to know who Christ is and how He has changed your life. God loves us, and Jesus Christ is the only way we can know and understand that love.
*** Note 1: The Biblical law specifies which offerings were eaten and which were wholly consumed. Burnt offerings (olah) were wholly burned on the altar and not eaten (Leviticus 1:9 ESV). By contrast, grain offerings and peace (fellowship) offerings had parts burned but other portions were for the offerer and for the priests to eat—“it shall be eaten on the day of his offering” (Leviticus 2:3,10; 7:11–15 ESV). Some sin and guilt offerings gave the priest a portion to eat in the sanctuary in certain cases (Leviticus 7:6; Numbers 6:19–20 ESV). (From faith assistant AI on “Leading the Way” website.) ***End of Chapter
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