ภาษาไทย

Pelagius

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 465 passages across 8 books

Commentary

401–420 of 465
Romans 14:4

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

What authority do you have to judge someone whom the law does not judge? This is why James says: “He who judges his brother judges the Law”; in other words, he judges himself to be wiser than the law. Nevertheless, Paul himself judged those who broke the commandments and gave others the power to judge. A man either lives or dies according to his own master.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:5

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Therefore Paul is speaking here about fasting and abstinence, which are not treated under a fixed provision of the law. Each individual should do whatever he sees fit in the light of his desire to share in the reward. Thus it follows that in a matter of this kind one should simply do what he himself has judged to be better.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:6

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

The man who fasts for God’s sake and not on account of other people observes the day for the Lord. He eats for God’s sake so that he may have strength to preach the gospel, for which every convert should thank God. This man is not devoted to his own stomach but to the salvation of others.But it is also true that by the example of the one who does not eat meat many are saved and return thanks to God. For one who gives thanks with the voice gives thanks alone, but one who gives thanks in deed as well as voice gives thanks with many others.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:7

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

No believer lives for himself or dies for himself, because “Christ has died for all, so that those who live no longer live for themselves but for him.”

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:8

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Therefore, we must take care that we do not live for ourselves in eating or die on account of others in fasting.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:9

For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

The coming of Christ will find people alive and will bring the dead back to life. It does not matter whether he brings you back to life or finds you alive, as long as you appear righteous before him.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:10

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

By what authority do you condemn your brother as a voracious glutton? For what reason do you despise him, as if he were weak or his fast were pointless? The Lord will judge our consciences to see with what sort of desire and intention we did what we did.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:11

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

This shows that we must all account for our actions to the Lord alone.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:12

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

We shall account to God for those things about which the law is silent. But if we do not rebuke someone when we see him sinning, we shall also give an account to the Lord for that.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:13

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

From here on, Paul subtly begins to recommend abstinence and says that even though those who eat are strong, they ought to abstain in case the weak are subjected to a stumbling block by their example.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:14

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Paul is not saying here that there is anything which is unclean but that for someone with a tender conscience things do become unclean, for even after coming to faith in Christ he is still judging according to Jewish custom.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:15

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

Paul did not say that a brother is distressed because of fasting but because of food; therefore you should not incite or constrain anyone by the example of what you eat. If your neighbor eats something which is not good for him against his will, you are no longer loving him as yourself if you are not thinking of his good as much as of your own.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:16

Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

What is good is our freedom, which we have in the Lord, so that everything is clean to us. We should not use our freedom in such a way that we appear to be living for the stomach and for feasts.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

We are not justified by food. But one should also note that Paul did not say that “fasting and temperance” are not the kingdom of God but rather food and drink. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are more easily maintained through abstinence, for where there is righteousness (by loving one’s neighbor as oneself) there is also peace, and where there is peace there is also spiritual joy, because distress and trouble always arise out of discord.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:18

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

No one can doubt that a person like this is holy.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:19

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Let us not judge one another in matters of this kind. Abstinence is edification; food, on the other hand, even if it does not ruin anybody, edifies no one.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:20

For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

The “work of God” means “a human being, created by God.” Paul repeats what he said above [in verse 14], lest it appear that he is condemning creation. What is clean in itself becomes wrong if someone else takes offense on his account.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:22

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

If you consider yourself faithful in this matter, eat in such a way that nobody is weakened by your example. The man who, in demonstrating his own strength, does not think of himself but of the salvation of the weak, is truly blessed.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 14:23

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Whatever destroys another is not of faith and is therefore sin.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

Romans 15:1

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

If you really are strong, Paul says, do as I did and become weak in order to win the weak.

PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS

All writers