Vv. 23 forms the transition to this third passage, which is, as it were, the recapitulation of the whole matter treated in these three Chapter s.

Vv. 23. “All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful, but all things edify not.”

The apostle here repeats the adage already enunciated, 1 Corinthians 6:12, applying it, however, to a wholly different matter. We must beware of concluding from this repetition, as has been done, that the whole intermediate part has only been a digression. Such a subordinate position would not be in keeping with the gravity of the subjects treated. What meets us in these words is simply a sort of dictum which had come to be used at Corinth on all occasions, without discernment and without taking sufficient account of the limitations enjoined by watchfulness and charity. The logical bond between this rash affirmation of Christian liberty and the thought of 1 Corinthians 10:22 is obvious.

The term all things applies to external acts, in themselves indifferent, such as using this or that kind of food. The pronoun μοι, for me, ought probably to be omitted in this sentence, as well as in the following, with the majority of authorities, not, however, without remarking that this pronoun is read in the two propositions of the verse, not only in K L and the Peschito, but also in the Coislinianus (H), a MS. of the sixth century, transcribed from the autograph MS. of Pamphilus of Caesarea.

The same meaning is usually given to the two verbs συμφέρει, is expedient, and οἰκοδομεῖ, edifies. But this would be a pure tautology. It seems to me probable, from 1 Corinthians 10:33, that the former applies to spiritual good in general, including our own (comp. 1 Corinthians 9:23 to 1 Corinthians 11:22), and the second more specially to our neighbour's (comp. 1 Corinthians 8:1 to 1 Corinthians 9:22).

Such is the general principle; it will be repeated at the close (1 Corinthians 10:31) in different terms. 1 Corinthians 10:24 reproduces it immediately in a negative form, in order to exclude the great obstacle to its realization.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising

Old Testament

New Testament