_Not in disputes about thoughts. [1] That is, without blaming or condemning the thoughts, and reasonings (as it appears by the Greek) of those new converts, who had been Jews, and who were still of this opinion, that they ought to abstain from meats forbidden by the Jewish law, and observe the Jewis... [ Continue Reading ]
Eat all things. Viz. without observing the distinction between clean and unclean meats, prescribed by the law of Moses: which was now no longer obligatory. Some weak Christians, converted from among the Jews, as we here gather from the apostle, made a scruple of eating such meats as were deemed uncl... [ Continue Reading ]
_God hath taken him to him, that eats of any meats; he accounts him his servant, and will reward him as such. --- God is able to make him stand, and will justify him before his tribunal. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Between day, &c. Still observing the sabbaths and festivals of the law. (Challoner.) --- And another judgeth every day. That is, thinks every day to be taken away, that was to be kept, merely because ordered under the Jewish law. And now since both they who keep days, or do not keep them; and they w... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle here gives a remarkable proof of the divinity of our Saviour. He could not possibly be more express. He had said in the preceding verse, that all men should appear before the tribunal of Christ; to prove this assertion, he adduces this testimony of the prophet Isaias: "As I live, saith t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nothing is unclean itself. Because the law that made them unclean, is not now binding of itself, yet a man must not act against his conscience, neither must he, when he can avoid it, scandalize or offend the weak: nor cause divisions or dissensions. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
St. Paul repeats this, in almost the same words, in 1 Corinthians chap. viii. and plainly gives us the understand, that Christ died for the salvation of all men, by supposing a Christian brother, for whom Christ had died, in danger of perishing by the scandal given by another. This supposition could... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let not then our good, or which we have a Christian liberty to do with a good conscience, be evil spoken of, because of the disputes and quarrels you have about it. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The kingdom of God is not meat, &c. It does not consist of eating, nor in abstaining, both which may be done without sin, but in justice, peace, &c. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Destroy not the work of God for meat. That is, do not hinder your brother's salvation, for whom, whoever he be, Christ died, who may be so offended at the liberty which you take, as to quit the Christian religion; or you may make him sin against God, by eating by your example against his weak consc... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou faith? [2] He doth not here mean, saith St. John Chrysostom, a faith to believe divine truths. But art thou by faith persuaded in mind and conscience, that to eat meats formerly forbidden, in now lawful, have it within thyself, remain in this faith and conscience, but make it not appear,... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that discerneth, or who judgeth that he ought to abstain from such meats, if he eat, is self-condemned, because he acts not according to his faith. For whatever a man doth, and is not according to what he believeth he may do, or whatever is against a man's conscience, is sinful in him. It is a m... [ Continue Reading ]