Romans 14:15

If this verse be connected with the preceding by for, with the majority of the Mjj., it is very difficult to understand their logical relation. Meyer paraprhases thus: “It is not without reason that I remind you of that (the preceding restriction); for love is bound to take account of such a scruple.” Hofmann rightly judges this explanation of the for impossible; but is his own less so? He takes the phrase following in the interrogative sense: “ For, if thy brother is grieved thereby, wouldest thou for this error on his part henceforth cease to walk toward him in love?” It is difficult to imagine anything more forced. We must therefore, though the T. R. δέ, now then or but, has only a single Mj. (L) in its favor, prefer this reading (Reiche, Rück., De W., Philip.). This δέ may be taken in the sense of now then, or in that of but. The adversative sense seems to me preferable. The but refers to the first part of Romans 14:14: “I know that nothing is unclean..., but if, nevertheless...The meaning is excellent, and the construction the more admissible because the second part of Romans 14:14 was a simple parenthesis. Λυπεῖται, is grieved, hurt; this word expresses the painful and bitter feeling produced in the heart of the weak by the spectacle of the free and bold eating of the strong.

With the words: “Thou walkest no more (οὐκέτι) charitably,” we must evidently understand the idea: when thou actest thus. The threat, added by the apostle, of compromising thereby our neighbor's salvation, is so grave, that it is not explicable at the first glance, and one is tempted to refer it to the sin which the weak believer would commit by imitating the strong; comp. Romans 14:20. But it is not till afterward that Paul comes to this side of the question, and it is far from probable that the weak man, at the very time when he is wounded by the conduct of the strong, could be tempted to imitate him. These words therefore refer to the profound irritation, the hurtful judgments, the breach of brotherly ties, which must result from such wounding. The asyndeton is striking: it shows Paul's emotion when writing these last words.... “By thy meat make him perish whom Christ saved by His death!” The whole scene supposed by this verse is infinitely better understood if it is placed in the full love-feast, than if the strong and the weak are supposed taking their meal at their own houses. The following verses (Romans 14:16-19 a) complete by some secondary considerations the principal motive which has been expressed at the end of Romans 14:15.