1 Coríntios 8:8

8 Não é, porém, a comida que nos há de recomendar a Deus; pois não somos piores se não comermos, nem melhores se comermos.

1 Coríntios 8:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 8:8

But meat commendeth us not to God
These words are said by the apostle, either as expressing the argument of such as had knowledge in favour of themselves, that what they did was a thing indifferent, by which they were made neither better nor worse; nor did they look upon it as meritorious, or expect any favour from God on account of it, and therefore were not to be blamed for using their liberty in the manner they did: or else they are spoken by him as his own sense: and the meaning is, that eating of meat, any sort of meat, and so that which is offered to idols, or abstinence from it, neither one nor the other recommends any to the love and favour of God; (abrqm al) , "does not bring near", or give access to God, as the Syriac version renders the phrase; does not ingratiate any into his affectionate regards, or make them acceptable unto him:

for neither if we eat are we the better;
or "abound", not in earthly but spiritual things, in the graces of the Spirit, and particularly in the esteem and good will of God, upon which such an action can have no influence:

neither if we eat not are we the worse;
or are deficient; meaning not in temporal things, but, as before, in spiritual; true grace and piety are not a whit the less; nor are such persons less in the love and favour of God, which is not to be known and judged of by any such action, or the omission of it.

1 Coríntios 8:8 In-Context

6 todavia para nós há um só Deus, o Pai, de quem são todas as coisas e para quem nós vivemos; e um só Senhor, Jesus Cristo, pelo qual existem todas as coisas, e por ele nós também.

7 Entretanto, nem em todos há esse conhecimento; pois alguns há que, acostumados até agora com o ídolo, comem como de coisas sacrificadas a um ídolo; e a sua consciência, sendo fraca, contamina-se.

8 Não é, porém, a comida que nos há de recomendar a Deus; pois não somos piores se não comermos, nem melhores se comermos.

9 Mas, vede que essa liberdade vossa não venha a ser motivo de tropeço para os fracos.

10 Porque, se alguém te vir a ti, que tens ciência, reclinado � mesa em templo de ídolos, não será induzido, sendo a sua consciência fraca, a comer das coisas sacrificadas aos ídolos?