1 Corinthians 8:7-12

Applebury's Comments

Text

1 Corinthians 8:7-12. Howbeit there is not in all men that knowledge: but some, being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak. 10 For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ.

Not All Have This Knowledge (7-12)

Commentary .

there is not in all men that knowledge.The complete revelation of all things that pertain to life and godliness is given in the Bible. But we are not all on the same level in the comprehension of that knowledge. Try to imagine the situation of those who had the background of idolatry with its attendant sins. It must have been a difficult adjustment for those to make who had been used to thinking that they were worshipping idols when they ate the meats that were sold in the markets.

their conscience being weak is defiled.Our word conscience is derived from the Latin and has the same root meaning as the Greek term. The prefix signifies with or together. The root word means to know. This suggests that conscience is the awareness of an act together with its moral implications, that is, the thing that is right or wrong about it. Conscience condemns us for doing what is wrong or commends us for doing what is right according to our accepted standard. For the Christian, that standard is the Bible.

The Christian whose background was pagan and who had been used to eating food that had been sacrificed to idols was aware that he was still using such food. His question was, Is it right for a Christian to do so? In many cases the answer was No for he did not have the knowledge that nothing is an idol in this world. His guilt, though not based on truth, was, nevertheless, real to him. The person who persists in doing what he believes to be wrong, even though it might not be wrong, is in danger of reaching the state in which his conscience no longer functions as a warning against wrongdoing. In this way the conscience is stained or defiled. The stain that sin leaves on the conscience can only be removed by the blood of the Lamb (Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:22-23).

A weak conscience is one that is not fully instructed. It permits one to do what he believes to be wrong. The weak conscience can be strengthened by the truth and by training it to function correctly. The trained conscience that has the truth to guide it will condemn what is wrong and commend what is right.

But food will not commend us to God.Literally, does not present us to God. The thought is that food, whether we eat it or not, is not the thing that presents us to God in a favorable light. The thing that does commend us to God is the proper consideration for the weak brother lest we cause him to sin.

Jesus had a word to say on this matter of defilement: Not that which entereth into the mouth defiles the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man (Matthew 15:11). But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and defile the man. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings: these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man (Matthew 15:18-20).

this liberty of yours.The apostle sounds a warning to those who have knowledge about food that had been sacrificed to idols. They are to consider the brother with a weak conscience, lest by their action he be led to sin.

The word translated liberty is usually translated authority in the New Testament. But there are places where it clearly means right as in this context and in 1 Corinthians 9:5 and perhaps also 1 Corinthians 11:10. In this sense it is closely related to freedomliberty as in 1 Corinthians 10:29.

The basic idea of the word is right to choose or liberty of action. It can mean authority, power, or right. See John 10:18 where Jesus speaks of His power or right to lay down His life. He had the right to do so for He had received the command from the Father. In John 1:12 He tells of the rightcertainly not the powerto become children of God which was given to the believer in Christ.

There was no question about one's right to eat the food that had been used in the worship of idols. There were, however, some things that did limit this right. No one had a right to cast a stumblingblock before his brother.

For if a man see thee who hast knowledge.Paul supposes a possible situation to illustrate what he means. He thinks of the man who knows that meat sacrificed to an idol may be eaten by a Christian without his participation in the worship of an idol. But what of the brother with a weak conscience who sees you doing this? Will he not be encouraged by your example to do what he believes to be wrong? the brother for whose sake Christ died.A Christian's conduct can cancel the cross of Christ. Christ died for the weak brother as well as for the strong. But should one who has knowledge do a thing that causes another for whom Christ died to be lost? We should think of this side of the matter when we face similar situations today.

sinning against the brethren.This was being done thoughtlessly Undoubtedly, the strong Christian said to himself that there was nothing wrong in what he was doing, but he was not considering it's effect on the one who did not know about idols.

wounding their conscience.This thing struck a blow that left a wound on the conscience of the weak brother. Even though it was right in itself, it became a sin, for it caused a brother to be lost.

ye sin against Christ.Were they really aware of this before Paul pointed it out? This is the real reason why a Christian should limit his personal liberty, for sinning against a brother is sinning against Christ. As Paul was writing this, was he remembering the voice he had heard on the Damascus road? Why persecutest thou me? Jesus takes an injury done to one of these least as an injury to Himself (Matthew 25:40).