Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 10:24

24. [ἕκαστος] after τοῦ ἑτέρου. Omit אABCDFG Vetus Lat. Vulg. Rec. inserts with E and Peshito. The word is wanted to complete the sentence and has probably been added for that purpose.

24. τὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου. The benefit of other people. Cf. Romans 15:1-3; Philippians 2:4. The conclusion is moral, not positive. No rule is laid down about eating or not eating any kind of food as a matter of importance in itself. With such things the Gospel has no concern. What St Paul does prescribe, relates to the effect of our conduct upon others. See Romans 14 throughout. It will thus happen in our case, as in that of the Apostle, that what may be quite wrong under one set of circumstances may be quite right in another, as in Galatians 2:3, and Acts 16:1. See also notes on ch. 8. It may be interesting to remark how these questions were treated by the theologians of later times. Estius gives several examples of the casuistry of the Latin Fathers. Augustine decides the case of those who, pressed by hunger, might be tempted to eat of food in an idol temple when quite alone, by saying that if they know it to have been offered to idols, they must refuse it. Jerome decides that the invocation of idols and daemons makes such food unclean. Gregory commends the virtue of some unlettered Christians who preferred rather to be slain than to eat meats offered to idols which their Lombard captors endeavoured to force upon them. The Greek Father, Chrysostom, however, remarks that St Paul does not suffer the Christian to question what it is he buys, but simply to eat whatever comes from the market. Compare for the moral sentiment Marcus Aurelius IV. 3 ὅτι τὰ λογικὰ ζῷα�, and IV. 12 πρὸς τὸ πρᾶξαι μόνον ὅπερ ἂν ὁ τῆς βασιλικῆς καὶ νομοθετικῆς λόγος ὑποβάλλῃ, ἐπ' ὠφελείᾳ�. And Cicero de Finibus II. 14 ‘Ut profectus a caritate domesticorum ac suorum, serpat longius et se implicet primum civium, deinde omnium mortalium societate, atque ut ad Archytam scripsit Plato non sibi se soli natum meminerit, sed patriae, sed suis, ut perexigua pars ipsi relinquatur.’

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 10:24

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