All things are lawful unto me
That is, which are of an indifferent nature; otherwise everything
is not lawful to be done:
but all things are not expedient;
when the doing of them destroys the peace, comfort, and
edification of others; when it stumbles and grieves weak minds,
and causes offence to them; see ( 1
Corinthians 10:23 )
all things are lawful for me;
which is repeated for the sake of saying the following words:
but I will not be brought under the power of
any;
which would be very inexpedient, should any by the use of liberty
in things indifferent, on the one hand, offend his brethren, and,
on the other, bring himself into bondage to those very things he
has the free use of; and therefore the apostle determines, that
these shall not have the mastery over him, that he will use them,
or not use them, at his pleasure. It is somewhat difficult to
know what in particular he has respect unto, whether to what he
had been treating of before, concerning going to law before
unbelievers; and his sense be, that however lawful this might be
in itself, yet it was not expedient, since it was exposing of
themselves to ungodly persons, and a putting themselves under
their power to judge and determine as they pleased; or whether to
the use of meats forbidden under the law, or offered to idols;
which though in themselves lawful to be eaten, every creature of
God being good, and not to be refused and accounted common and
unclean; yet it was not expedient to use this liberty, if a weak
brother should be grieved, or a man himself become a slave to his
appetite.