He now passes on to another question, which he had merely touched upon in the sixth chapter, without fully discussing. For when he had spoken of the avarice of the Corinthians, and had drawn that discussion to a close with this statement — _Neither covetous, nor extortioners, nor fornicators, etc.,... [ Continue Reading ]
2._And if any man thinketh _That man _thinketh that he knoweth something_, who is delighted with the opinion that he entertains of his own knowledge, and despises others, as if he were far above them. For Paul does not here condemn knowledge, but that ambition and haughtiness which ungodly men contr... [ Continue Reading ]
3._But if any man loves God _Here we have the conclusion, in which he shows what is especially commendable in Christians, and even renders knowledge, and all other endowments worthy of commendation, if we _love God_; for if it is so, we will also love our neighbors in him. By this means all our acti... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Concerning, therefore, the eating of those things _He now returns to the statement with which he had set out, and speaks more plainly in reference to the pretext made use of by the Corinthians. For as the whole of the evil took its rise from this root — that they were pleased with themselves, and... [ Continue Reading ]
5._For though there be that are called _“They have,” says he, “the name, but the reality is wanting.” He uses the word _called _here, to mean — _renowned in the estimation of men _He has also made use of a general division, when he says in _heaven or on earth _The gods that are made mention of as be... [ Continue Reading ]
6._But to us there is but one God, the Father _Though Paul says these things by anticipation, he repeats the excuse made by the Corinthians, in such a way as at the same time to convey instruction. For, from what is more especially peculiar to God, he proves that there is but one God: “Whatever has... [ Continue Reading ]
7._But there is not in all that knowledge. _He refutes, in a single word, all that he had previously brought forward in their name, showing that it is not enough that they know that what, they do is right, if they have not at the same time a regard to their brethren. When he said above — _We know th... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Meat recommendeth us not to God _This was, or may have been, another pretext made use of by the Corinthians — that the worship of God does not consist in meats, as Paul himself teaches in his Epistle to the Romans, (Romans 14:17,) that _the kingdom of God is not meat or drink _Paul answers: “We m... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Take heed that your liberty _He leaves their liberty untouched, but moderates the use of it thus far — that it may not give occasion of stumbling to the weak. And he expressly desires that regard be had to the weak, that is, to those who are not, yet thoroughly confirmed in the doctrine of piety,... [ Continue Reading ]
10._If any one see thee. _From this it appears more clearly, how much liberty the Corinthians allowed themselves; for when the wicked made a kind of sacred banquet for their idols, they did not hesitate (471) to go to it, to eat of the sacrifice along with them. Paul now shows what evil resulted fro... [ Continue Reading ]
11._And thy brother perish _Mark how serious an evil it is, that mankind commonly think so little of — that of venturing upon anything with a doubtful or opposing conscience. For the object to which our whole life ought to be directed, is the will of the Lord. This, therefore, is the one thing that... [ Continue Reading ]
12._When ye sin so against the brethren_, etc. For if the soul of every one that is weak is the price of Christ’s blood, that man who, for the sake of a very small portion of meat, hurries back again to death the brother who has been redeemed by Christ, shows how contemptible the blood of Christ is... [ Continue Reading ]
13._Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend _With the view of reproving more severely their disdainful liberty, he declares, that we ought not merely to refrain from a single banquet rather than injure a _brother_, but ought to give up the eating of meats during our whole life. Nor does he merel... [ Continue Reading ]