1 Corinthians 8:1

¶ Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

Now {G1161} as touching {G4012} things offered unto idols {G1494}, we know {G1492} that {G3754} we all {G3956} have {G2192} knowledge {G1108}. Knowledge {G1108} puffeth up {G5448}, but {G1161} charity {G26} edifieth {G3618}.

Now about food sacrificed to idols: we know that, as you say, “We all have knowledge.” Yes, that is so, but “knowledge” puffs a person up with pride; whereas love builds up.

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.

The Apostle Paul opens a crucial discussion in 1 Corinthians 8:1, addressing a significant ethical dilemma faced by the early church in Corinth: how to handle food that had been offered to idols. This verse sets the stage by highlighting the tension between intellectual knowledge and sacrificial love, a theme Paul elaborates on throughout this chapter and beyond.

Context

The city of Corinth was a bustling, pagan metropolis filled with temples and idol worship. A common practice involved sacrificing animals to deities, with portions of the meat then sold in the marketplace or consumed at temple feasts. For new Christian converts, particularly those from a pagan background, eating such meat presented a profound moral and spiritual challenge. Some believers, possessing "knowledge" that idols were merely inanimate objects and pagan gods non-existent (as Paul states in 1 Corinthians 8:4), felt free to eat this food. Others, with a weaker conscience, might have associated it with idolatry, fearing defilement or participation in pagan rituals. Paul's instruction here aims to guide the Corinthian church toward unity and spiritual maturity, prioritizing the well-being of others over personal liberty.

Key Themes

  • Knowledge vs. Love: The verse directly confronts the danger of knowledge without love. While knowledge is valuable, Paul warns that it "puffeth up," leading to intellectual pride and arrogance. In contrast, "charity" (love) "edifieth," meaning it builds up and strengthens the community. This distinction forms the bedrock of Paul's ethical teaching regarding Christian liberty.
  • Edification of the Body: The ultimate goal of Christian conduct should be the building up of other believers and the church as a whole. Actions driven solely by personal knowledge or rights, if they cause a brother or sister to stumble, are detrimental to spiritual growth and unity. Paul consistently emphasizes the importance of pursuing peace and mutual edification.
  • Christian Liberty and Conscience: This passage introduces the principle that Christian freedom, while real, must be exercised with consideration for the consciences of others. A mature believer understands that their freedom is not absolute but is bounded by the law of love.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Puffeth up" (KJV) comes from the Greek word physioō (φυσιόω), which literally means "to inflate" or "to blow up." It vividly describes the effect of unchecked knowledge: it inflates one's ego, leading to arrogance and pride rather than humility and service.
  • "Charity" (KJV) is the translation of the Greek word agapē (ἀγάπη). This is not merely sentimental affection but a self-sacrificial, unconditional love that seeks the highest good of the other. It is the divine love exemplified by Christ himself and the supreme virtue Paul exalts in 1 Corinthians 13.
  • "Edifieth" translates the Greek oikodomeō (οἰκοδομέω), meaning "to build a house," "to construct," or "to strengthen." In a spiritual sense, it means to build up, encourage, and strengthen the spiritual lives of others. Love, unlike prideful knowledge, builds up the church and individual believers.

Practical Application

1 Corinthians 8:1 holds enduring relevance for believers today. It challenges us to examine our motivations and actions, particularly in areas where Christians hold differing convictions or levels of understanding. Whether it's about spiritual gifts, worship styles, personal liberties, or theological debates, the principle remains: knowledge, without the tempering influence of love, can lead to division and spiritual harm. True spiritual maturity is not merely about possessing correct doctrine or superior understanding, but about how that knowledge is applied with humility and a heart of selfless love that seeks to build up, protect, and serve others, especially those who may be weaker in faith.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:7

    ¶ Howbeit [there is] not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat [it] as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

  • Romans 14:3

    Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

  • Isaiah 5:21

    Woe unto [them that are] wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

  • Revelation 2:14

    But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:4

    ¶ As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that [there is] none other God but one.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:2

    And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

  • Romans 15:14

    ¶ And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

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