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1 Corinthians 8

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Knowledge vs. Love 1–3

1
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. ​
2
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. ​
3
But if any man love God, the same is known of him. ​

The Truth About Idols and God 4–8

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. ​
5
For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) ​
6
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. ​
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. ​
8
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. ​

Liberty Must Not Cause Stumbling 9–13

9
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. ​
10
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; ​
11
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? ​
12
But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. ​
13
Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Corinthians 8

Verse 1

things offered unto idols — Eidolothyton, found also in Acts 15:29, ‘abstain from meats offered to idols’, and in Rev 2:14, 20. ‘Puffeth up’ (physioo) is Paul’s verb for pride in 4:6, 4:18–19 and 5:2, and 13:4 says charity ‘is not puffed up’. ‘Edifieth’ (oikodomeo) is to build, the figure of 3:9–14.

Verse 2

he knoweth nothing yet — ‘Think’ is dokeo, the verb of 3:18, ‘seemeth to be wise’. The proverb is Prov 26:12, ‘Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.’ The measure given is ‘as he ought to know’, which 13:12 puts as the fulfilment still to come: ‘now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known’.

Verse 3

is known of him — The sentence turns from the man’s knowing to God’s: love for God is followed by being ‘known of him’. Paul puts the same turn in Gal 4:9, ‘ye have known God, or rather are known of God’, and 2 Tim 2:19 says ‘The Lord knoweth them that are his’. God’s knowing is seen when he says to Moses, ‘I know thee by name’ (Ex 33:17).

Verse 4

an idol is nothing in the world — ‘Idol’ is eidolon. The second confession, ‘none other God but one’, is that of Deut 4:39, ‘the LORD he is God… there is none else’. Isa 41:24 says of the gods of the nations, ‘ye are of nothing’. In 10:19–20 Paul qualifies what is offered at the altar: ‘they sacrifice to devils, and not to God’.

Verse 5

gods many, and lords many — ‘Lords’ (kyrios) is the title v.6 gives to Christ. Deut 10:17 names the one God by the same two titles, ‘God of gods, and Lord of lords’. Those ‘called gods’ are described in Gal 4:8 as ‘them which by nature are no gods’. The parenthesis allows that the names exist.

Verse 6

one God, the Father… one Lord Jesus Christ — The prepositions are those of Rom 11:36. ‘Of’ is ek; ‘in’ translates eis, the ‘to’ of ‘to him’ there; ‘by’ is dia, the ‘through’ there. The Father is source and goal of all things, and all things are ‘by’ the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘All things were made by him’ (John 1:3); ‘by him were all things created’ (Col 1:16).

Verse 7

their conscience being weak is defiled — ‘Conscience’ is syneidesis, ‘weak’ is asthenes, and ‘defiled’ is molyno, to stain, used elsewhere only in Rev 3:4 and 14:4. The principle is set out in Rom 14:14, ‘there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean’. ‘Unto this hour’ (arti) means until now.

Verse 8

meat commendeth us not to God — ‘Commendeth’ is paristemi, to present, the verb of Rom 12:1, ‘present your bodies a living sacrifice’. ‘Better’ is perisseuo, to abound, and ‘worse’ is hystereo, to lack. Rom 14:17 says the same: ‘the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’

Verse 9

this liberty of yours — ‘Liberty’ is exousia, authority, the ‘power’ of Rom 13:1 and the root of ‘brought under the power’ in 6:12. ‘Stumblingblock’ (proskomma) is the word of Rom 14:13, ‘put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way’. ‘Take heed’ (blepo) is the verb of 3:10, and Gal 5:13 gives the use of liberty: ‘by love serve one another’.

Verse 10

be emboldened — The Greek is oikodomeo, the verb of v.1: the weak man’s conscience is ‘built up’ to eat. ‘Idol’s temple’ (eidoleion) occurs only here. ‘Sit at meat’ is katakeimai, to recline at table. In 10:28–29 Paul speaks of the conscience of the man who points out that the food ‘is offered in sacrifice unto idols’.

Verse 11

for whom Christ died — ‘Through thy knowledge’ takes up the gnosis of v.1. ‘Perish’ is apollymi, the verb rendered ‘Destroy’ in Rom 14:15, ‘Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died’. ‘Brother’ (adelphos) is used four times in vv.11–13.

Verse 12

ye sin against Christ — ‘Sin… against’ (hamartano eis) is the construction of 6:18, ‘sinneth against his own body’. ‘Wound’ is typto, to strike, the ‘smote’ of Luke 18:13. Christ’s words are close: ‘Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me’ (Matt 25:45), and of offending ‘one of these little ones which believe in me’ (Matt 18:6).

Verse 13

make my brother to offend — ‘Offend’ is skandalizo, to cause to stumble, twice in this verse; Rom 14:21 uses it with ‘flesh’: ‘It is good neither to eat flesh… nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth’. ‘I will eat no flesh’ (ou me, never) carries the strong negative. The practice is stated in 9:22, ‘To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak’.