Paul’s approach to correcting errors in the Corinthian
church is to give his opponents some leeway at the beginning
of the argument, only to show they are wrong by the time he
ends the argument. In chapter 7, verse 1, Paul appears to
agree with the ascetics, who think that sex is wrong, “it is
good for a man not to touch a woman.” The ascetics seem to
have taken this as a global principle, so that Christians
were abstaining from sex in marriage, were seeking to
abandon their existing marriages, and were instructing those
who were single that they could not marry. As Paul’s
argument in chapter 7 develops, he commands married partners
not to cease sexual relationships for any extended period,
he instructs married couples not to leave their marriage
partners, and he makes it clear that eligible singles are
not sinning if they choose to marry.
While Paul allows initially in his argument; he may
eventually prove it wrong. This is the case in 1 Corinthians
8-10. In chapter 8, he allows those Corinthians who view
themselves as being more spiritual than others to retain
this false notion temporarily. However, by the end of
chapter 10, those who think they have the liberty to eat
meat offered to idols Paul reveals them for what they are.
The question of eating meat offered to idols is not new, but
a question that arose shortly after Gentiles began to come
to faith in Christ. The apostles and early church leaders at
Jerusalem considered the matter and concluded that Gentile
Christians should not eat meat offered to idols, along with
avoiding blood, things strangled, and fornication. A group
of Corinthian Christians claimed that meats offered to idols
could be eaten by professing Christians. They even went so
far as to look down on those who refused to eat meat offered
to idols. Those who were eating the meat offered to idols
seem to have taken pride in their superior knowledge of good
and evil and their spirituality. Paul has some things to say
to these men. Using their own assumptions, Paul will show
that they have fallen short of true knowledge, true love,
and true spirituality.
Paul sets the stage for his teaching on meats offered to
idols in verses 1-3. In these three verses, Paul addresses
those who prided themselves for their higher knowledge and
who indulged themselves in sinful acts in the name of
liberty. Paul lays down four foundational truths that they
need to understand.
There was an ancient heresy known as Gnosticism that plagued
the early church. Gnostics prided themselves in possessing
knowledge not found in Scripture, but outside of biblical
revelation, and handed down orally to a select few. Paul
denies that there is any such knowledge outside of the
Scriptures and known by the spiritually elite by claiming
knowledge is not restricted to the few but is available to
all.
When Jesus sent His disciples out to proclaim the coming of
the kingdom of God, they returned, rejoicing over the mighty
works God had accomplished through them. Jesus corrected
them saying, “do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are
subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in
heaven” (Luke 10:20). We know the way to God through the
love that God has instilled within us and not because of our
knowledge of God. If these all-knowing, professing
Christians knew more about God than others did, then they
were the spiritual elite. However, they have placed
knowledge above love.
In verses 4-6, Paul supplies us with the doctrine, certain
professing Christians in the Corinthian church twisted in
order to justify eating meat offered to idols. This same
doctrine can be twisted in order to justify all the sinful
acts of men and women in the twenty-first century. The
doctrine, there is but one God. He is the Creator and
Sustainer of all things. He is the One from whom all things
come, and for whom all things exist (1 Corinthians 8:6).
While there is but one God, He exists in three persons:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here, Paul speaks only of
Father and Son as the one true God, but it is clear that
while he distinguishes Father and Son, he also considers
them as One. The Father is the One from whom all things have
come; the Son is the One through whom all things are, and
through whom we exist (v 6). Contrary to the objections of
the Jewish religious leaders in days when Jesus dwelt
physically on this earth, His deity was not a contradiction
to the existence and worship of God as the only God. The
same is true today.
From this foundational truth concerning God, the Corinthians
sought to build an argument that rationalized the eating of
meats offered to idols. Every detestable behavior in the
twenty-first century is rationalized using the foundational
truth concerning God the Corinthians used to rationalize the
eating of meat offered to idols.
Paul traces their reasoning from the truth of God’s
exclusive existence as God to the error of eating meats
offered to idols.
If there is but one God, and all true followers of Jesus
know this to be true, then there are no other “gods.” Idols
are symbols or representations of these “no-gods.” These
“no-gods” exist only in the minds of their pagan
worshippers, and not in reality. Thus, since there are no
other gods then God idols really have no meaning or
significance, they represent nothing. Idols are like
counterfeit money, it is worthless. If idols are nothing,
then the foods offered to them are of no significance
either. If this is true, meats offered to idols are
certainly free of moral contamination.
The Corinthians based their argument regarding the meats
offered to idols on a lack of knowledge, not an abundance of
knowledge. The same argument is used to today regarding the
evil and wickedness in our society.
The truth that God is One that He is God alone, was the
truth that they desperately needed to know and to practice
by shunning every form of idolatrous worship and practice.
The truths that God taught the Israelites through Moses were
to be on their hearts. In the Bible, the “heart” is not just
the seat of the emotions it includes the mind and the will
of the individual. The Israelites were not only to know of
God’s exclusive existence, they were to love God with all
their heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5;
Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). In their love for
God, they were to teach their children to do likewise
(Deuteronomy 6:4-9). According to the Bible, love and
knowledge are to be interwoven.
Paul has shown the Corinthians how their “knowledge” has
been twisted to excuse and even encourage sin; now he will
show them how their “love” is lacking as well.
If the “knowledge” of some Corinthians was defective, so was
their love. Paul shows the deficiency of their love in
verses 7-13. It may be that these Corinthians prided
themselves on their love, as well as their knowledge. Paul
will show them that their love no more meets God’s standards
than does their knowledge.
The Corinthians defective knowledge was an obstacle to one
who appeared to be a weaker brother. Paul will show them
that one who loved his brother would surrender any right
that would be detrimental to the weaker brother. For the
time being, Paul allows some false assumptions to stand
unchallenged. He allows those who are eating meat offered to
idols to think they are more spiritual than those who refuse
to eat the meat offered to idols.
Paul opens his argument against eating the meat offered to
idols using the assumptions of those who are eating the meat
offered to idols. We can apply this argument to the
assumptions of those who rationalize the evil and wickedness
in the world and our society today.
While some professing Christians claiming superior knowledge
seem to have the right to eat meat offered to idols or in
our society indulge in degrading lifestyles, there are
others who have not come to this same knowledge. How, then,
does the one with this superior knowledge respond to the one
without it? Specifically, what does a man do about eating
meat offered to idols or indulging in degrading lifestyles
when a man or woman, without this superior knowledge
believes it is wrong to eat meat offered to idols or indulge
in degrading lifestyles? What does a man or woman whose
superior knowledge permits them to eat the meat offered to
idols and indulge in degrading lifestyles when a man or
woman cannot easily disassociate themselves from the eating
of meat offered to idols or degrading lifestyles, or from
the pagan worship associated with it, due to his past
involvement in such worship.
In verses 8 and 9 Paul told the Corinthians while neither
eating the meat offered to idols nor abstaining from it
changes their spiritual status, what they do can have a
great impact on a brother who does have the superior
knowledge those who are eating the meat offered to idols
claim. There are legitimate activities in life we can be
involved in that will not change our spiritual status. Paul
told the Corinthians a truly weaker brother does not have
the same liberty those who claim a superior knowledge enjoy.
If a truly weaker brother views those who claim a superior
knowledge in spiritual matters as a stronger brother, he
does not see eating this meat as a liberty, but as a sin. If
a weaker brother, views the stronger brother’s lifestyle as
an example to follow since his conscience is not clear with
respect to good and evil his following the example will be a
sin for him.
In verses 11 and 12, Paul shows that eating meat offered to
idols is not only a sin against a brother; it is a sin
against Christ. Christ died for sinners, to save them from
their sin and to sanctify them. Christ’s work on the cross
of Calvary was to set men free from their sin, and to
present them holy and blameless to the Father. Christ’s work
on the sinner’s behalf was for their edification, for their
spiritual birth, growth, and maturity. When a thoughtless,
self-serving professing Christian insists on eating meat
offered to idols or living a degrading lifestyle, he knows
that his weaker brother will be encouraged to follow his
example. However, in so doing he causes the weaker brother
to stumble. In verse 1 Paul said, “knowledge makes arrogant,
love edifies.”
In verse 13, Paul sets down a principle that establishes the
relationship of love to knowledge and Christian liberties.
No liberty should be exercised which is contrary to love,
and love always seeks to edify.
