_a_. Περὶ δὲ τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων : another topic of the Church Letter, to which the Apostle continues his reply (see note on 1 Corinthians 7:1; also _Introd_., chap. 2). The word εἰδωλόθυτον (see parls.), “the _idol_ -sacrifice,” substituted for the ἱερόθυτον (1 Corinthians 10:28) of the heathen vocabul... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 25. KNOWLEDGE OF THE ONE GOD AND ONE LORD. In inquiring from their Ap. “about the εἰδωλόθυτα,” the Cor [1217] had intimated their “knowledge” of the falsity of the entire system of idolatry. Here Paul checks them at the outset. The pretension betrays their one-sided intellectualism. Such matters a... [ Continue Reading ]
Loveless knowledge is _ruinous_ (1 Corinthians 8:1 _b_); more than that, it is _self-stultifying_. The contrasted hypotheses εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἐγνωκέναι τι (= δοκεῖ σοφὸς εἶναι, 1 Corinthians 3:18) and εἴ τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν Θεόν define the position of men who build upon their own mental acquirements, or who m... [ Continue Reading ]
is one of Paul's John-like sayings. In the apodosis he substitutes, by an adroit turn, “is known (ἔγνωσται : pf. pass [1228] of _abiding effect_ upon the obj [1229]) by God” for “hath come to know God,” the expected consequence see the like correction in Galatians 4:9; _cf._ Philippians 2:12 f., 1 C... [ Continue Reading ]
After his thrust at Cor [1233] γνῶσις, P. resumes, with οὖν (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 11:17-20), from 1 Corinthians 8:1 the question “About the eating of idolothyta,” repeating the “we know” at which he had interrupted his correspondents. For οἴδαμεν in a _confessio fidei, cf._ 1 John 5:18 ff. That the t... [ Continue Reading ]
may be an interjected comment of the Church Letter upon its creed; (_c_) the expression “gods many and lords many” applied to heathen divinities, which is foreign to Pauline as to Jewish phraseology, but natural _on the lips of old polytheists_; (_d_) the aptness with which ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν πᾶσιν ἡ γνῶσι... [ Continue Reading ]
affirms in positive Christian terms, as 1 Corinthians 8:4 _b_ stated negatively and retrospectively, the creed of the Cor [1249] believers. The “one God” of O.T. monotheism is “to us one God the Father”. “Of whom are all things, and _we_ for Him:” the universe issues from God, and “we,” His sons in... [ Continue Reading ]
“But not in all is there the knowledge”(ἡ γνῶσις) which you and I claim to have (1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 8:10), expressed just now in the terms of the Church confession (1 Corinthians 8:4 ff.). τῇ συνηθείᾳ ἕως ἄρτι τοῦ εἰδώλου, “by reason of their habituation up till now to the idol”: for t... [ Continue Reading ]
§ 26. THE WEAK CONSCIENCE OF THE OLD IDOLATER. The knowledge of the one Father and Lord upon which the Cor [1251] Church prided itself, had not released all its members from fears respecting the _idolothyta_; in some the intellect outran the heart, in others it lagged behind. With the latter, throug... [ Continue Reading ]
βρῶμα δέ κ. τ. λ.: “But _food_ will not present us to God,” _non exhibebit nos Deo_ (Mr [1259]): that on the ground of which the verdict turns may be said to “present” one to the judge. To “commend” is συν -, not παρίστημι (see parls.); for the _fut_. (see txtl. note), _cf._ Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
“Beware, however, lest this right of yours” _sc_. to eat the idolothyta, for which many of the Cor [1261] are contending, and probably in the Church Letter (1 Corinthians 8:1). For ἐξουσία in this use, _cf._ 1Co 9:4 ff., 1 Corinthians 9:12, also ἔξεστιν in 1 Corinthians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:23. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
enforces (γάρ) the above warning. σὲ τὸν ἔχοντα γνῶσιν “thee, the man that has knowledge” (see 1): the Cor [1262] pretension to superior enlightenment, shown in 1 Corinthians 8:2 f. to be faulty in Christian theory, now discloses its practical mischief. The behaviour of the Christian man of knowledg... [ Continue Reading ]
“For the weak man [whom you talk of building up!] _is being destroyed_ through thy knowledge the brother, on whose account Christ died!” (Romans 14:15). This affirms, with terrible emphasis, the issue implied by 1 Corinthians 8:10 : “est ædificatio ruinosa” (Cv [1267]). ὁ ἀσθενῶν means (more than ὁ... [ Continue Reading ]
In such case, not only the weak brother sins by yielding, but the strong who tempted him; and the latter sins directly “against Christ” (for the construction, _cf._ 1 Corinthians 6:18): “But sinning in this way against the brethren, and inflicting a blow on their conscience while it is weak, you sin... [ Continue Reading ]
sums up the debate in the language of personal conviction: “Wherefore verily” for this last reason above all “if (a matter of) food (βρῶμα, indef.) is stumbling my brother, I will eat no flesh-meats for evermore, that I may not stumble my brother”. κρέα (pl [1269] of κρέας) signifies the kinds of βρ... [ Continue Reading ]