Romans 14:6

regardeth Lit. thinketh, mindeth. Same word as e. g. Romans 8:5.

unto the Lord i.e. the Lord Christ, "the Lord of the dead and living" (Romans 14:9). The word thus used is a good implicit proof of St Paul's view of the supreme dignity of Messiah; especially when we find him just below writing, in the same connexion, "he giveth God thanks." It would indeed be unsafe to say that in that clause "God" means specially or exclusively "Christ." But the two words are so used that no such gulf as that between Creator and Creature can possibly divide them. "Unto the Lord:" i.e., as one who not only isresponsible to Him, but ownsthat he is. This seems to be required by the use made of the fact of thanksgivingjust below.

and he that regardeth not not regard it Documentary evidence appears to exclude this part of the verse. But as an explanatory gloss it is just and valuable.

He that eateth Probably read And before this clause.

for he giveth God thanks And so evidences his sense of subjection and responsibility.

and giveth God thanks Here again, the inward sense of responsibility to "the Lord" is evidenced by the outward act of thanksgiving to "God." The thanks given is, of course, for the food (vegetable, or "clean" meat), which he doeseat.