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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [First Corinthians VIII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1721)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T C O R I N T H I A N S.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. VIII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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The apostle, in this chapter, answers another case proposed to him by
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some of the Corinthians, about eating those things that had been
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sacrificed to idols.
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I. He hints at the occasion of this case, and gives a caution against
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too high an esteem of their knowledge,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. He asserts the vanity of idols, the unity of the Godhead, and the
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sole mediation of Christ between God and man,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:4-6">ver. 4-6</A>.
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III. He tells them that upon supposition that it were lawful in itself
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to eat of things offered to idols (for that they themselves are
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nothing), yet regard must be had to the weakness of Christian brethren,
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and nothing done that would lay a stumbling block before them, and
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occasion their sin and destruction,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:7-13">ver. 7 to the end</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Co8_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>On Things Offered to Idols.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 57.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we
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all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
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2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth
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nothing yet as he ought to know.
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3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The apostle comes here to the case of things that had been offered to
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idols, concerning which some of them sought satisfaction: a case that
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frequently occurred in that age of Christianity, when the church of
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Christ was among the heathen, and the Israel of God must live among the
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Canaanites. For the better understanding of it, it must be observed
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that it was a custom among the heathens to make feasts on their
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sacrifices, and not only to eat themselves, but invite their friends to
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partake with them. These were usually kept in the temple, where the
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sacrifice was offered
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>),
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and, if any thing was left when the feast ended, it was usual to carry
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away a portion to their friends; what remained, after all, belonged to
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the priests, who sometimes sold it in the markets. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+10:25"><I>ch.</I> x. 25</A>.
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Nay, feasts, as Athenæus informs us, were always accounted, among
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the heathen, sacred and religious things, so that they were wont to
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sacrifice before all their feasts; and it was accounted a very profane
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thing among them, <B><I>athyta esthiein,</I></B> to eat at their
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private tables any meat whereof they had not first sacrificed on such
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occasions. In this circumstance of things, while Christians lived among
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idolaters, had many relations and friends that were such, with whom
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they must keep up acquaintance and maintain good neighbourhood, and
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therefore have occasion to eat at their tables, what should they do if
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any thing that had been sacrificed should be set before them? What, if
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they should be invited to feast with them in their temples? It seems as
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if some of the Corinthians had imbibed an opinion that even this might
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be done, because they knew an idol was nothing in the world,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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The apostle seems to answer more directly to the case
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+10:1-22"><I>ch.</I> x.</A>),
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and here to argue, upon supposition of their being right in this
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thought, against their abuse of their liberty to the prejudice of
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others; but he plainly condemns such liberty in
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+10:1-22"><I>ch.</I> x</A>.
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The apostle introduces his discourse with some remarks about knowledge
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that seem to carry in them a censure of such pretences to knowledge as
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I have mentioned: <I>We know,</I> says the apostle, <I>that we all have
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knowledge</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>);
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as if he had said, "You who take such liberty are not the only knowing
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persons; we who abstain know as much as you of the vanity of idols, and
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that they are nothing; but we know too that the liberty you take is
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very culpable, and that even lawful liberty must be used with charity
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and not to the prejudice of weaker brethren." <I>Knowledge puffeth up,
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but charity edifieth,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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Note,
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1. The preference of charity to conceited knowledge. That is best which
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is fitted to do the greatest good. Knowledge, or at least a high
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conceit of it, is very apt to swell the mind, to fill it with wind, and
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so puff it up. This tends to no good to ourselves, but in many
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instances is much to the hurt of others. But true love, and tender
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regard to our brethren, will put us upon consulting their interest, and
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acting as may be for their edification. Observe,
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2. That there is no evidence of ignorance more common than a conceit of
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knowledge: <I>If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth
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nothing yet as he ought to know.</I> He that knows most best
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understands his own ignorance, and the imperfection of human knowledge.
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He that imagines himself a knowing man, and is vain and conceited on
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this imagination, has reason to suspect that he knows nothing aright,
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<I>nothing as he ought to know it.</I> Note, It is one thing to know
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truth, and another to know it as we ought, so as duly to improve our
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knowledge. Much may be known when nothing is known to any good purpose,
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when neither ourselves nor others are the better for our knowledge. And
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those who think they know any thing, and grow fain hereupon, are of all
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men most likely to make no good use of their knowledge; neither
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themselves nor others are likely to be benefited by it. <I>But,</I>
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adds the apostle, <I>if any man love God, the same is known</I> of God.
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If any man love God, and is thereby influenced to love his neighbour,
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the same is known of God; that is, as some understand it, is made by
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him to know, is taught of God. Note, Those that love God are most
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likely to be taught of God, and be made by him to know as they ought.
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Some understand it thus: He shall be approved of God; he will accept
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him and have pleasure in him. Note, The charitable person is most
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likely to have God's favour. Those who love God, and for his sake love
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their brethren and seek their welfare, are likely to be beloved of God;
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and how much better is it to be approved of God than to have a vain
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opinion of ourselves!</P>
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<A NAME="1Co8_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>On Eating Things Offered to Idols.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 57.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are
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offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol <I>is</I>
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nothing in the world, and that <I>there is</I> none other God but one.
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5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven
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or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
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6 But to us <I>there is but</I> one God, the Father, of whom <I>are</I>
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all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
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<I>are</I> all things, and we by him.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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In this passage he shows the vanity of idols: <I>As to the eating of
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things that have been sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is
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nothing in the world;</I> or, there is no idol in the world; or, an
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idol can do nothing in the world: for the form of expression in the
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original is elliptical. The meaning in the general is, that heathen
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idols have no divinity in them; and therefore the Old Testament they
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are commonly called <I>lies</I> and <I>vanities,</I> or <I>lying
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vanities.</I> They are merely imaginary gods, and many of them no
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better than imaginary beings; they have no power to pollute the
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creatures of God, and thereby render them unfit to be eaten by a child
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or servant of God. <I>Every creature of God is good, if it be received
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with thanksgiving,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:4">1 Tim. iv. 4</A>.
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It is not in the power of the vanities of the heathens to change its
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nature.--<I>And there is no other God but one.</I> Heathen idols are
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not gods, nor to be owned and respected as gods, for there is no other
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God but one. Note, the unity of the Godhead is a fundamental principle
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in Christianity, and in all right religion. The gods of the heathens
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must be nothing in the world, must have no divinity in them, nothing of
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real godhead belonging to them; for there is no other God but one.
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Others may be called gods: <I>There are that are called gods, in heaven
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and earth, gods many, and lords many;</I> but they are falsely thus
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called. The heathens had many such, some in heaven and some on earth,
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celestial deities, that were of highest rank and repute among them, and
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terrestrial ones, men made into gods, that were to mediate for men with
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the former, and were deputed by them to preside over earthly affairs.
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These are in scripture commonly called <I>Baalim.</I> They had gods of
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higher and lower degree; nay, many in each order: <I>gods many, and
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lords many;</I> but all titular deities and mediators: so called, but
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not such in truth. All their divinity and mediation were imagery. For,
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1. <I>To us there is but one God,</I> says the apostle, <I>the Father,
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of whom are all things, and we in or for him.</I> We Christians are
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better informed; we well know there is but one God, the fountain of
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being, the author of all things, maker, preserver, and governor of the
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whole world, of whom and for whom are all things. Not one God to govern
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one part of mankind, or one rank and order of men, and another to
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govern another. One God made all, and therefore has power over all. All
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things are of him, and we, and all things else, are for him. Called the
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<I>Father</I> here, not in contradistinction to the other persons of
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the sacred Trinity, and to exclude them from the Godhead, but in
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contradistinction to all creatures that were made by God, and whose
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formation is attributed to each of these three in other places of
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scripture, and not appropriated to the Father alone. God the Father, as
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<I>Fons et fundamentum Trinitatis--as the first person in the Godhead,
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and the original of the other two,</I> stands here for the Deity, which
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yet comprehends all three, the name God being sometimes in scripture
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ascribed to the Father, <B><I>kat exochen,</I></B> or <I>by way of
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eminency,</I> because he is <I>fons et principiam Deitatis</I> (as
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Calvin observes), <I>the fountain of the Deity</I> in the other two,
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they having it by communication from him: so that there is but one God
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the Father, and yet the Son is God too, but is not another God, the
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Father, with his Son and Spirit, being the one God, but not without
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them, or so as to exclude them from the Godhead.
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2. There is to us but one Lord, one Mediator between God and men, even
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Jesus Christ. Not many mediators, as the heathen imagined, but one
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only, by whom all things were created and do consist, and to whom all
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our hope and happiness are owing--the man Christ Jesus; but a man in
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personal union with the divine Word, or God the Son. This very man hath
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God made both Lord and Christ,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+2:36">Acts ii. 36</A>.
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Jesus Christ, in his human nature and mediatorial state, has a
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delegated power, a name given him, though above every name, that at his
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name every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord.
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And thus he is the only Lord, the only Mediator, that Christians
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acknowledge, the only person who comes between God and sinners,
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administers the world's affairs under God, and mediates for men with
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God. All the lords of this sort among heathens are merely imaginary
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ones. Note, It is the great privilege of us Christians that we know the
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true God, and true Mediator between God and man: <I>the true God, and
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Jesus Christ whom he hath sent,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+17:3">John xvii. 3</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="1Co8_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Co8_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>On Eating Things Offered to Idols.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=BOTTOM><FONT SIZE=-1>A. D.</FONT> 57.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>7 Howbeit <I>there is</I> not in every man that knowledge: for some
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with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat <I>it</I> as a thing
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offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
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8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat,
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are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
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9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become
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a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
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10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in
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the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak
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be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
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11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for
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whom Christ died?
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12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their
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weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
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13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no
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flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The apostle, having granted, and indeed confirmed, the opinion of some
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among the Corinthians, that idols were nothing, proceeds now to show
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them that their inference from this assumption was not just, namely,
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that therefore they might go into the idol-temple, and eat of the
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sacrifices, and feast there with their heathen neighbours. He does not
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indeed here so much insist upon the unlawfulness of the thing in itself
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as the mischief such freedom might do to weaker Christians, persons
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that had not the same measure of knowledge with these pretenders. And
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here,</P>
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<P>
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I. He informs them that every Christian man, at that time, was not so
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fully convinced and persuaded that an idol was nothing. <I>Howbeit,
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there is not in every man this knowledge; for some, with conscience of
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the idol, unto this hour, eat it as a thing offered unto an idol;</I>
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with conscience of the idol; that is, some confused veneration for it.
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Though they were converts to Christianity, and professed the true
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religion, they were not perfectly cured of the old leaven, but retained
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an unaccountable respect for the idols they had worshipped before.
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Note, Weak Christians may be ignorant, or have but a confused knowledge
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of the greatest and plainest truths. Such were those of the one God and
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one Mediator. And yet some of those who were turned form heathenism to
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Christianity among the Corinthians seem to have retained a veneration
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for their idols, utterly irreconcilable with those great principles; so
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that when an opportunity offered to eat things offered to idols they
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did not abstain, to testify their abhorrence of idolatry, nor eat with
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a professed contempt of the idol, by declaring they looked upon it to
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be nothing; and <I>so their conscience, being weak, was defiled;</I>
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that is, they contracted guilt; they ate out of respect to the idol,
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with an imagination that it had something divine in it, and so
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committed idolatry: whereas the design of the gospel was to turn men
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from dumb idols to the living God. They were weak in their
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understanding, not thoroughly apprized of the vanity of idols; and,
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while they ate what was sacrificed to them out of veneration for them,
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contracted the guilt of idolatry, and so greatly polluted themselves.
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This seems to be the sense of the place; though some understand it of
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weak Christians defiling themselves by eating what was offered to an
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idol with an apprehension that thereby it became unclean, and made
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those so in a moral sense who should eat it, every one not having a
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knowledge that the idol was nothing, and therefore that it could not
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render what was offered to it in this sense unclean. Note, We should be
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careful to do nothing that may occasion weak Christians to defile their
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consciences.</P>
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<P>
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II. He tells them that mere eating and drinking had nothing in them
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virtuous nor criminal, nothing that could make them better nor worse,
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pleasing nor displeasing to God: <I>Meat commendeth us not to God; for
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neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are we the
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worse,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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It looks as if some of the Corinthians made a merit of their eating
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what had been offered to idols, and that in their very temples too
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>),
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because it plainly showed that they thought the idols nothing. But
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eating and drinking are in themselves actions indifferent. It matters
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little what we eat. What goes into the man of this sort neither
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purifies nor defiles. Flesh offered to idols may in itself be as proper
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for food as any other; and the bare eating, or forbearing to eat, has
|
|
no virtue in it. Note, It is a gross mistake to think that distinction
|
|
of food will make any distinction between men in God's account. Eating
|
|
this food, and forbearing that, having nothing in them to recommend a
|
|
person to God.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
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|
III. He cautions them against abusing their liberty, the liberty they
|
|
thought they had in this matter. For that they mistook this matter, and
|
|
had no allowance to sit at meat in the idol's temple, seems plain from
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+10:20"><I>ch.</I> x. 20</A>,
|
|
|
|
&c. But the apostle argues here that, even upon the
|
|
supposition that they had such power, they must be cautious how they
|
|
use it; it might be a <I>stumbling-block to the weak</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
|
|
|
|
it might occasion their falling into idolatrous actions, perhaps their
|
|
falling off from Christianity and revolting again to heathenism. "If a
|
|
man see thee, who hast knowledge (hast superior understanding to his,
|
|
and hereupon concedest that thou hast a liberty to sit at meat, or
|
|
feast, in an idol's temple, because an idol, thou sayest, is nothing),
|
|
shall not one who is less thoroughly informed in this matter, and
|
|
thinks an idol something, be emboldened to eat what was offered to the
|
|
idol, not as common food, but sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of
|
|
idolatry?" Such an occasion of falling they should be careful of laying
|
|
before their weak brethren, whatever liberty or power they themselves
|
|
had. The apostle backs this caution with two considerations:--
|
|
|
|
1. The danger that might accrue to weak brethren, even those weak
|
|
brethren for whom Christ died. We must deny ourselves even what is
|
|
lawful rather than occasion their stumbling, and endanger their souls
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ
|
|
died?</I> Note, Those whom Christ hath redeemed with his most precious
|
|
blood should be very precious and dear to us. If he had such compassion
|
|
as to die for them, that they might not perish, we should have so much
|
|
compassion for them as to deny ourselves, for their sakes, in various
|
|
instances, and not use our liberty to their hurt, to occasion their
|
|
stumbling, or hazard their ruin. That man has very little of the spirit
|
|
of the Redeemer who had rather his brother should perish than himself
|
|
be abridged, in any respect, of his liberty. He who hath the Spirit of
|
|
Christ in him will love those whom Christ loved, so as to die for them,
|
|
and will study to promote their spiritual and eternal warfare, and shun
|
|
every thing that would unnecessarily grieve them, and much more every
|
|
thing that would be likely to occasion their stumbling, or falling into
|
|
sin.
|
|
|
|
2. The hurt done to them Christ takes as done to himself: <I>When you
|
|
sin so against the weak brethren and wound their consciences, you sin
|
|
against Christ,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
|
|
|
|
Note, Injuries done to Christians are injuries to Christ, especially to
|
|
babes in Christ, to weak Christians; and most of all, involving them in
|
|
guilt: wounding their consciences is wounding him. He has a particular
|
|
care of the lambs of the flock: <I>He gathers them in his arm and
|
|
carries them in his bosom,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+60:11">Isa. lx. 11</A>.
|
|
|
|
Strong Christians should be very careful to avoid what will offend weak
|
|
ones, or lay a stumbling-block in their way. Shall we be void of
|
|
compassion for those to whom Christ has shown so much? Shall we sin
|
|
against Christ who suffered for us? Shall we set ourselves to defeat
|
|
his gracious designs, and help to ruin those whom he died to save?</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
IV. He enforces all with his own example
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+8:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh
|
|
while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.</I> He does
|
|
not say that he will never eat more. This were to destroy himself, and
|
|
to commit a heinous sin, to prevent the sin and fall of a brother. Such
|
|
evil must not be done that good may come of it. But, though it was
|
|
necessary to eat, it was not necessary to eat flesh. And therefore,
|
|
rather than occasion sin in a brother, he would abstain from it as long
|
|
as he lived. He had such a value for the soul of his brother that he
|
|
would willingly deny himself in a matter of liberty, and forbear any
|
|
particular food, which he might have lawfully eaten and might like to
|
|
eat, rather than lay a stumbling-block in a weak brother's way, and
|
|
occasion him to sin, by following his example, without being clear in
|
|
his mind whether it were lawful or no. Note, We should be very tender
|
|
of doing any thing that may be an occasion of stumbling to others,
|
|
though it may be innocent in itself. Liberty is valuable, but the
|
|
weakness of a brother should induce, and sometimes bind, us to waive
|
|
it. We must not rigorously claim nor use our own rights, to the hurt
|
|
and ruin of a brother's soul, and so to the in jury of our Redeemer,
|
|
who died for him. When it is certainly foreseen that my doing what I
|
|
may forbear will occasion a fellow-christian to do what he ought to
|
|
forbear, I shall offend, scandalize, or lay a stumbling-block in his
|
|
way, which to do is a sin, however lawful the thing itself be which is
|
|
done. And, if we must be so careful not to occasion other men's sins,
|
|
how careful should we be to avoid sin ourselves! If we must not
|
|
endanger other men's souls, how much should we be concerned not to
|
|
destroy our own!</P>
|
|
|
|
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