Romans 14:1-23

II. SPECIAL DISCUSSION RESPECTING THE SCRUPLES OF CERTAIN WEAK BRETHREN.

This part of the Epistle was occasioned by the existence at Rome of a class of Christians who had scruples in regard to eating meat and drinking wine, and who clung to the observance of the Jewish festivals. Whatever may have been the origin of such a class (see below), the result was that these judged their less scrupulous Christian brethren, who in return looked upon them with contempt. The Apostle's exhortation, while addressed mainly to the stronger brethren, who constituted the great majority of the church, lays down a principle of universal validity in regard to differences of opinion among Christians on practical points not inconsistent with common faith in Christ, and hence not essential to salvation. The passage may be, for convenience, divided into three sections: (1) Exhortation to reciprocal forbearance and regard, mainly addressed to the weak; chap. Romans 14:1-12. (2.) Proper use of Christian liberty, on the part of the stronger brethren; chap. Romans 14:13-23. (3.) More general treatment of the subject, passing over into expressions of Christian praise; chap. Romans 15:1-13. The entire passage is ‘at the same time the first step in the return horn the form of a treatise to that of a letter; it forms, in consequence, the transition to the epistolary conclusion of the entire writing' (Godet). This is important in its bearing upon the question respecting the place of chaps, 15, 16 in the Epistle.

THE WEAK BRETHREN AT ROME. The scruples of the weak brethren were respecting eating flesh, drinking wine, and the non-observance of Jewish festivals. The result of these scruples, as indicated by the Apostle's exhortation, gives no certain clue to their origin. But the tone of the exhortation shows that Paul did not regard these brethren in the same light as he did the Judaizing teachers in Galatia, the errorists in Colosse, or even the weak brethren at Corinth (1 Corinthians 8:10). He speaks of and to them in a mild and persuasive way, entirely different from his language against false teachers. We must therefore consider them as men with weak ascetic prejudices rather than as legalists, or antipauline Judaizers. The persons referred to in 1 Cor. seem most closely allied in opinion to these, but at Rome the scruple does not appear to have been confined to meat offered to idols. They were not Jewish Christians who wished to retain the law, but it is probable that they were mainly of Jewish origin. Scrupulousness about meat offered, and wine poured out to idols, may have led to entire abstinence from meat and wine, or even from all food which in their view others might have rendered unclean in their preparation of it. Possibly this asceticism was due to Essenic influences; but it could scarcely have been derived from the schools of heathen philosophy. Godet discovers an attempt to return to the vegetarian rule of the antediluvian age. The entire discussion shows profound insight respecting human character, and the adaptation of the principles laid down to social Christian life in all ages has been again and again proven. Unfortunately ecclesiastical bodies have too often made deliverances on matters of minor morals which overpass the limits here set to bearing the infirmities of the weak. The attempt to make men holy by ecclesiastical law has always failed; no other result is possible, since the law of Moses proved powerless to sanctify.