1 Corinthians 10:23

On πάντα ἔξεστιν κ. τ. λ., see notes to 1 Corinthians 6:12. The form of that ver. seems to be purposely repeated here (μοι only omitted), with the effect of bringing out the altruistic as complementary to the self-regarding side of Christian expediency. On Paul's dialectical use of the words of opponents, cf. 1 Corinthians 8:10 ff. and notes. Closing his discussion about the sacrificial meats, P. returns to the point from which he set out in ch. 8., viz., the supremacy of love in Church life there commended as superior to knowledge, here as supplying the guard of liberty; in both passages, it is the principle of edification. The tacit obj [1543] of οἰκοδομεῖ (see 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 3:9-17) is “the Church of God” (1 Corinthians 10:32). Edification, in its proper meaning, is always relative to the community; P. is safe-guarding not the particular interests of “the weak brother” so much as the welfare of the Church, when he says, “Not all things edify”.

[1543] grammatical object.