1 Corinthians 8
8
1But concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2If any one think he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. 3But if any one love God, he is known of him):
4— concerning then the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God save one. 5For and if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many,) 6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
7But knowledge is not in all: but some, with conscience of the idol, until now eat as of a thing sacrificed to idols; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8But meat does not commend us to God; neither if we should not eat do we come short; nor if we should eat have we an advantage. 9But see lest anywise this your right to eat itself be a stumbling-block to the weak. 10For if any one see thee, who hast knowledge, sitting at table in an idol-house, shall not his conscience, he being weak, be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to the idol? 11and the weak one, the brother for whose sake Christ died, will perish through thy knowledge. 12Now, thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13Wherefore if meat be a fall-trap to my brother, I will eat no flesh for ever, that I may not be a fall-trap to my brother.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
1 Corinthians 8
8
Knowledge Insufficient. 1Now in regard to meat sacrificed to idols:#8:1a] Meat sacrificed to idols: much of the food consumed in the city could have passed through pagan religious ceremonies before finding its way into markets and homes. “All of us have knowledge”: a slogan, similar to 1 Cor 6:12, which reveals the self-image of the Corinthians. 1 Cor 8:4 will specify the content of this knowledge. we realize that “all of us have knowledge”; knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.#Rom 15:14 / 1 Cor 13:1–13; Rom 14:15, 19. 2If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3But if one loves God, one is known by him.#Rom 8:29; Gal 4:9;
4So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols: we know that “there is no idol in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.”#10:19; Dt 6:4. 5Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth (there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”), 6#This verse rephrases the monotheistic confession of v. 4 in such a way as to contrast it with polytheism (1 Cor 8:5) and to express our relationship with the one God in concrete, i.e., in personal and Christian terms. And for whom we exist: since the Greek contains no verb here and the action intended must be inferred from the preposition eis, another translation is equally possible: “toward whom we return.” Through whom all things: the earliest reference in the New Testament to Jesus’ role in creation. yet for us there is
one God, the Father,
from whom all things are and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things are and through whom we exist.#Mal 2:10 / Rom 11:36; Eph 4:5–6 / 1 Cor 1:2–3 / Jn 1:3; Col 1:16.
Practical Rules. 7But not all have this knowledge. There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.#10:28; Rom 14:23 / Rom 14:1; 15:1.
8#Although the food in itself is morally neutral, extrinsic circumstances may make the eating of it harmful. A stumbling block: the image is that of tripping or causing someone to fall (cf. 1 Cor 8:13; 9:12; 10:12, 32; 2 Cor 6:3; Rom 14:13, 20–21). This is a basic moral imperative for Paul, a counterpart to the positive imperative to “build one another up”; compare the expression “giving offense” as opposed to “pleasing” in 1 Cor 10:32–33. Now food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better off if we do.#Rom 14:17. 9But make sure that this liberty of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak.#Rom 14:13, 20–21. 10If someone sees you, with your knowledge, reclining at table in the temple of an idol, may not his conscience too, weak as it is, be “built up” to eat the meat sacrificed to idols? 11Thus through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died.#Rom 14:15, 20. 12When you sin in this way against your brothers and wound their consciences, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ. 13#His own course is clear: he will avoid any action that might harm another Christian. This statement prepares for the paradigmatic development in 1 Cor 9. #Mt 18:6; Rom 14:20–21. Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin.
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