1The preference of charity to knowledge. 4An idol is nothing in the esteem of those who have right notions of one God, and of one Lord Jesus Christ. 7But it is sin in those, who by an indiscreet use of their knowledge, in eating meats offered to idols, tempt weaker consciences to offend.
1NOW as touching things offered 1unto idols, we know that 2we all have knowledge. Knowledge 3puffeth up, but 4charity edifieth.
1 The Greek word eidolon, which we call idol, signifies any kind of image or likeness, and generally whatsoever without or together with God any religious honor is given to, and is here taken for an image whereby men honor any idol, or to which men give divine or religious honor under what pretense so ever it be. Now seeing the Gentiles used part of the sacrifices which they offered to their idols for feasts, which they held at their houses or else in the temples of the idols whereunto the Christians were also sometimes invited; therefore it was asked of the apostle, whether it were also lawful for them, whether it were without or within the temples of the idols, to go to such feasts, whereunto the apostle answers partly in this chapter, partly in the tenth.
2 Namely, who are duly instructed of God and of His nature and withal of our christian liberty. For he even excludes the weak from this afterwards, verse 7. Here the apostle seems to quote the words which some persons used among themselves to excuse their actions.
3 That is, makes self-conceited and despisers of our neighbor when knowledge is without love and the true fear of God, as the following words entail.
4 That is, causes the knowledge to be used for the edification of ourselves and our neighbor. See Rom. 14:19.
2And if any man 5think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
5 Namely, without the addition of love, as mentioned in verse 1.
3But if any man love 6God, the same is 7known of him.
6 Namely, and consequently also his neighbor for the sake of God, two things which cannot be separated; 1 John 4:20, and 5:1, 2.
7 That is, known for His (own), as John 10:14; Rom. 8:29, and consequently also taught by Him, as some take the word know. See also 1 Cor. 13:12, and Gal. 4:9.
4Asa concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know thatb an idol is 8nothing in the world, andc that there is none other God but one.
a Rom. 14:14.
b 1 Cor. 10:19.
8 That is, is no God, nor has any Divine power to pollute meats or to hallow them; otherwise idols are also something in the world, namely, gold, silver, stones, the sun, moon, deceased men, wicked spirits and the like, which the Gentiles held for gods, but have no Divine power like as they thought, whereof they are also called vanities and lies in the Word of God.
c Deut. 4:39; Eph. 4:6.
5For though there be 9that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (10as there be gods many, and lords many,)
9 Namely, by blind men who accounted such creatures or even their own fancies for gods, Rom. 1:21, etc.
10 Namely, such contrived gods, or which also God’s Word itself calls gods, as there are the angels and authorities, Psalm 8:5; 82:1.
6Butd to us there is but 11one God, the Father, 12ofe whom are all things, and we 13in him; andf14one Lord Jesus Christ, 15by whom are all things, and 16we by him.
d Mal. 2:10; Eph. 4:6.
11 Namely, Who is truly and essentially the eternal God.
12 That is, by Whose ordering and almighty power. See the like, Rom. 11:36.
e Rom. 11:36.
13 That is, for His service and for His glory, Prov. 16:4, and 1 Cor. 10:31.
f John 13:13; 1 Cor. 12:3; Philip. 2:11.
14 Namely, Who has absolute power and command over us and our consciences. This the apostle says, not to exclude the Father and the Holy Spirit, Who are also called everywhere in the Scriptures our Lord, but only all creatures and contrived gods; as before he has said the Father to be a God, not to exclude the Son and the Holy Spirit from it, but only the creatures and beautified gods.
15 Namely, as a Co-worker with the Father in all His Divine works, John 1:3; 5:19.
16 Hereby he understands the work of redemption.
7Howbeit there 17is not in every man that knowledge: forg some 18with conscience of the idol 19unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak 20is defiled.
17 Namely, that the idol is nothing, or has no power to defile that which is offered.
g 1 Cor. 10:28.
18 That is, who feels with a conscience that the idol is something, and has power to pollute the meat.
19 That is, without having been able to be brought this far to another opinion.
20 Namely, seeing they nevertheless eat that which they hold to be defiled, and that against their judgment.
8Buth21meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, 22are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
h Rom. 14:17;
21 That is, the simple use of meat. Some take this for the words of the apostle, who would hereby instruct the strong that they may so much the better leave such meat. Others take it for the words of them who under this pretext dared themselves to eat of the sacrifice to the idol. Both do satisfactorily agree with what follows.
22 Namely, in the spiritual things, or in respect of acceptableness before God. So also what follows. See Rom. 14:17.
9Buti take heed lest by any means 23this liberty of yours become 24a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
i Gal. 5:13.
23 Namely, which you have or think that you have in the use of such meat.
24 The word stumblingblock signifies sometimes a grief which a man has for what anyone does amiss, but here it signifies a boldness which anyone takes to do like another, although he thinks that the other does ill, as the following shows.
10For if any man see thee 25which hast knowledge sit at meat 26in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be 27emboldened 28to eat those things which are offered to idols;
25 Namely, that an idol is nothing, as before.
26 Or, as some understand this, at the idol’s table, that is, at the feast which is kept for the honor of the idol.
27 Gr. be edified, which here is taken in an ill sense.
28 Namely, whereas nevertheless he reckons that the idol has defiled these things, or as the idolaters spoke, consecrated it to himself.
11Andj29through thy knowledge shall the weak brother 30perish, 31for whom 32Christ died?
j Rom. 14:15.
29 Or, for thy knowledge, that is, by or for the misuse of your knowledge, seeing you do not use it for edification, but with offense to the weak.
30 Namely, seeing thereby, as much as is in you, you give occasion by your example to your weak brother to fall little by little to the idol, and to fall away from the christian religion, and so perish. See the like phrase, Mat. 5:28; Rom. 14:15.
31 Namely, the weak brother.
32 Namely, to keep him from destruction, and for this end also to redeem him from idolatry and from his former vain conduct, 1 Peter 1:18. For although those, for whom Christ died and whom by His death He has truly redeemed, cannot be deceived by the deceiving power of offenses, Mat. 24:24; John 10:15, 28, yet, nevertheless, they, who give offense, do nothing else but as much as in them is to bring such as are weak in the faith to destruction, except they are kept by the power of God and the intercession of Christ, Luke 22:31, 32; 1 Peter 1:5.
12But when ye sin so against the brethren, and 33wound their weak conscience, ye sin 34against Christ.
33 Gr. strike, which is a matter of great cruelty to make the conscience of such which is weak of itself, by striking or wounding yet weaker, and, as it were, kill it.
34 Namely, Whose members they are. See Acts 9:4.
13Wherefore,k35if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
k Rom. 14:21; 2 Cor. 11:29.
35 Namely, of what sort so ever it be. Here the apostle gives a general rule, according to which the conscience of all believers must be regulated, in respect of indifferent things and of the weak; but not in respect of those who are obstinate or mischievous. See Mat. 15:12, and Gal. 2:3, etc.