1 Corinthians 8:9

Take heed (blepete). A warning to the enlightened. Lest by any means (mh pw). Common construction after verbs of caution or fearing, mh pw with aorist subjunctive genhtai. This liberty of yours (h exousia umwn auth). Exousia, from exestin, means a grant, allowance, authority, power, privilege, right, liberty. It shades off easily. It becomes a battle cry, personal liberty does, to those who wish to indulge their own whims and appetites regardless of the effect upon others. A stumbling-block to the weak (proskomma toi asqenesin). Late word from proskoptw, to cut against, to stumble against. So an obstacle for the foot to strike. In Romans 14:13 Paul uses skandalon as parallel with proskomma. We do not live alone. This principle applies to all social relations in matters of law, of health, of morals. Noblesse oblige. The enlightened must consider the welfare of the unenlightened, else he does not have love.