Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

THE QUESTION OF MEATS OFFERED IN SACRIFICE TO IDOLS

There is a great general similarity between this chapter and Romans 14. The question comes before the reader there in a somewhat different form. There rules are laid down concerning clean and unclean meats; here about meats offered in sacrifice to idols. There the weak brother is a Jew; here he may be also a Gentile. See note on 1 Corinthians 8:7. But this difference only brings out in stronger relief the identity of the principle, as laid down in ch. 1 Corinthians 6:12 of this Epistle (where see note). Matters of this kind are purely indifferent in themselves. It is only so far as they are likely to affect the conduct of others that they become important. The Christian was not to be over-scrupulous; not to fret himself about the lawfulness or unlawfulness of this or that particular act, but to consider all questions of this kind on the broad general ground of the welfare of the community, and therefore, as a matter of course, of the individuals who composed it. The instructed Christian knew well enough that an idol was but a piece of wood or stone. But all were not so enlightened. Each was therefore bound to consider the effect of his conduct on others, and not simply to act as if he were the only party concerned. By the decision in Acts 15:23-29, the Gentile converts were specially forbidden to eat meats offered to idols. Why does St Paul, it may be asked, make no reference to that decision here, and in some cases give a different one? It would seem that the directions given in Acts 15. were intended for special circumstances, and not for an universal rule. The letter containing them was addressed only to the Churches of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, and was probably intended to allay the violence of the dissensions between Jewish and Gentile converts.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

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