Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, _but_ not to doubtful disputations. Ver. 1. _Him that is weak, &c._] That is, not thoroughly persuaded of all things pertaining to Christian liberty about things indifferent. _ Receive_] _Affectu charitatis, _ put him into your bosoms, bear with his weakne... [ Continue Reading ]
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Ver. 2. _Eateth herbs_] Rather than meats forbidden by the law, Daniel 1:11. The ancient Latins were as well paid of herbs to eat, as if they had had all manner of dainties. Green herbs were both food and medicine to... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 3. _For God hath received him_] viz. For his household servant, which David counted a greater dignity than to be king of Israel. And Justinian the emperor sty... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 4. _Who art thou, &c._] The wisdom from above is without censuring, without hypocrisy, saith St James, James 3:17. Intimating, that the grea... [ Continue Reading ]
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day _alike_. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Ver. 5. _Let every man be fully persuaded_] It is a safe rule, _Quod dubites ne feceris, _ In doubtful cases be sure to take the surer side. (Plin. Epist.)... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 6. _For he giveth God thanks_... [ Continue Reading ]
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Ver. 7. _For none of us liveth to himself_] St Paul stood, as it were, on tiptoes, αποκαραδοκια, Philippians 1:20, to see which way he might best glorify God, by life or by death.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 8. _We are the Lord's_] Death divides us not from Christ, but brings us home to him, 2 Corinthians 5:6. It is but winking (as that martyr said), and thou... [ Continue Reading ]
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. Ver. 9. _That he might be Lord_] He won his crown before he wore it; he fought for it, and having vanquished all enemies, he accomplished and proclaimed the victory in his glorious resurrecti... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _But why dost thou, &c._] Three things are not subject to our judgment: 1. The counsels of God. 2. The Holy Scriptures. 3. The persons of men. Be not... [ Continue Reading ]
For it is written, _As_ I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Ver. 11. _As I live, saith the Lord_] As true as I live, is an oath, as appears here, and Numbers 14:21; cf. Psalms 95:11. Forbear it, therefore.... [ Continue Reading ]
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Ver. 12. _So then every one, &c._] It was excellent counsel that the orator gave his hearers, _Ita vivamus ut rationem nobis reddendam arbitremur._ (Cic. IV in Ver.) Let us so live as those that must give an account of all at last.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 13. _Any more_] As they formerly had done; being overly sour and supercilious. _ A stumblingblock, or an occasion &c._] A lighter or greater... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _I know and am persuaded_] Many, on the contrary, are persuaded before they know; and such will not be persuaded to know. The Va... [ Continue Reading ]
But if thy brother be grieved with _thy_ meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Ver. 15. _But if thy brother be grieved_] It is his weakness to be grieved thereat, but gratify him howsoever. What one speaks of a plain place of Scripture, this ver... [ Continue Reading ]
Let not then your good be evil spoken of: Ver. 16. _Let not then your good_] That is, your Christian liberty purchased by Christ. _ Be evil spoken of_] Gr. be blasphemed. Contumely cast upon the people of God is blasphemy in the second table. God, for the honour that he beareth to his people, coun... [ Continue Reading ]
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Ver. 17. _For the kingdom of God, &c._] That was a swinish saying of Epicurus, that eternal life should be nothing else but a continual eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet, even unto an in... [ Continue Reading ]
For he that in these things serveth Christ _is_ acceptable to God, and approved of men. Ver. 18. _Is acceptable to God_] And he is a happy man that can be acquitted by himself in private, in public by others, in both by God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Ver. 19. _Wherewith one may edify another_] Discords among good people do _edificare in gehennam, _ build in hell, as Tertullian phraseth it, build backwards. One of the main scandals the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed _are_ pure; but _it is_ evil for that man who eateth with offence. Ver. 20. _The work of God_] That work of faith, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, wrought by the mighty power of God, Ephesians 1:19, who puts not forth great power but for great purposes.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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. Ver. 21. _It is good neither to eat, &c._] It will be no grief of heart (as Abigail once told David in another case, 1Sa 25:31) to have forborne in case of scandal.... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou faith? have _it_ to thyself before God. Happy _is_ he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. Ver. 22. _Hast thou faith_] _Posse, et nolle, nobile est._ To be able, and unwilling, is noble. Forbear for fear of offence, unless it be in point of necessary duty: for then... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because _he eateth_ not of faith: for whatsoever _is_ not of faith is sin. Ver. 23. _Is damned_] Both of his doubting conscience, which soundeth heavily, as a shaulm; and of God, who is greater than his conscience.... [ Continue Reading ]