Romans 14:4

The question has been much debated whether the observance of the Sabbath was one of the tenets of the "weak brethren," and so whether it is here ruled by St Paul to be not of permanent moral obligation. (Cp. Colossians 2:16.) If by "the Sabbath" is meant the last day of the week strictly, the answer to both questions must be yes. But as to the observance of a divinely-consecrated Weekly Rest, it is evident (from Genesis 2:3 and Exodus 20:8-11, and cp. such passages of prophetic doctrine as Isaiah 58:13-14,) that the institution stands on a very different level from that of the monthly and yearly Mosaic festivals. It is antecedent to all Jewish law, and in the Decalogue of Exodus it is based on strictly universal grounds, and placed among the great elements of moral duty. No doubt it is impossible to trace the whole process of transition from the observance of the Seventh day to that of the First; but the plain fact remains that the sanctity of the primeval weekly worship-rest was of a kind most unlikely to be slightingly put asideby the Apostles; and thus in such places as this and Colossians 2:16 it is far more likely that the wrong opinion in question was that the whole Mosaic code of festivals was still binding in full detail; that therefore the Saturday was the only possible Sabbath; and that it was to be observed by the Rabbinic rules.

How to deal with those who might reject the Weekly Rest altogether might be a difficult question. But all we are here called on to enquire is whether it was likely that St Paul, with the O. T. before him, would treat the Sabbath (the Sabbath apart from its Rabbinicaspect) as a thing of the same quality as, for example, the new-moon feast.

Who art thou that judgest The verb "judge" connects this with the "judgment" passed by the "eater of herbs" upon the Christianity of his "stronger" brother. The word "judge" here (as in Matthew 7:1) manifestly does not forbid the entertainment, nor the right expression, of opinions, but the assumption of a tone of judicialopinion: the thinking of others from a level of isolated authority and sanctity.

standeth or falleth In the sense of acceptance or non-acceptance.

Yea, he shall be holden up Lit. But he shall he made to stand. The "but" points out that of the two alternatives just given ("standing," "falling,") the former, in this case, is certain.