1 Corinthians 8

CHAPTER 8

Food sacrificed to Idols (8:1-13)

1 The Corinthian Christians had written to Paul earlier asking him whether it was all right to eat food sacrificed to idols. In answering their question, Paul first talks about knowledge that puffs up. Why does he do that? Because the Corinthians had been arguing among themselves on this subject of food sacrificed to idols as if they knew everything. They were “puffed up” with what they thought was “knowledge.” Some of them said it was all right to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols; others said it was not all right. Both sides were sure that they possessed knowledge of the subject; but what they didn’t possess was love for each other. Without love, knowledge puffs up. But love builds up (see 1 Corinthians 13:2,8).

2 We are all familiar with the kind of man who thinks he knows everything and won’t listen to anyone else. Such a man is puffed up with pride. He does not know as he ought to know.

How are we supposed to “know” things? With love and humility. We need to remember that we are only human, and that therefore our knowledge is limited. The wise man realizes how little knowledge he really has, and thus he remains humble (see 1 Corinthians 3:18-20).

3 If we want to obtain knowledge, we must first love God. That is the first and greatest commandment. If we do not love God, that means we do not know Him (1 John 4:8). And to know God is the highest knowledge of all. The fear of the Lord (God) is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7).

Thus we know God by two means. First, we know God when we love Him. Second, we know God when we know His Son, Jesus Christ. If we know Jesus, we will know God (see John 14:7-9 and comment).

However, in this verse Paul isn’t talking mainly about our knowing God, but about God knowing us. The person who loves God is known by God. What does that mean? To be “known by God” means to be God’s child; it means to be loved by God (see John 10:14,27). If we are not known by God, our situation is frightening indeed! (see Matthew 7:22-23).

Therefore, let us seek love first, not knowledge. If we have love, then we will have true knowledge also.

4 In Corinth, almost all the meat sold in shops had first been sacrificed to idols. The priests kept part of the meat, and then sold the rest to the shopkeepers. The question the Corinthian Christians had written to Paul about was whether it was okay to eat such meat.

Paul’s answer is this: … an idol is nothing at all. If an idol is nothing at all, then there is no dif ference between meat sacrificed to an idol and meat that has not been sacrificed. And thus it makes no dif ference whether one eats such meat or doesn’t eat it. Therefore, Paul is saying that it’s all right to eat such meat (see 1 Corinthians 10:2530 and comment).

Here we must understand an important thing. Eating food sacrificed to an idol is not the same as worshiping an evil spirit; these are two totally different things. There is nothing wrong simply with eating food that has been sacrificed to idols, because an idol itself is nothing. But if, as we eat, we are also worshiping that idol in some way, or worshiping the evil spirit or god that the idol represents, then that is a very great sin (Exodus 20:3-6; Romans 1:25). If anyone considers an idol to be a spirit or a god, then let that person not eat food of fered to idols; otherwise, in his mind he will be worshiping and honoring the spirit or god represented by that idol.

But if someone considers that an idol has no meaning whatever—that it is just a dead piece of wood or stone or metal—then that person can eat food sacrificed to idols without sinning, because he is not worshiping a god or evil spirit when he eats such food. However, he must not eat such food in the presence of a brother or sister who believes that the idol is a spirit or god, because in their eyes it will seem as if he is worshiping an idol, and they will be of fended. We must never act only according to our own opinion and understanding; we must also avoid doing those things which our brother or sister considers sinful and of fensive. If one is going to eat food sacrificed to idols, let him do it in the privacy of his own home. He must not go to the temple or other public place to eat it, because a brother or sister might see him and take of fense (see Acts 15:20,29; 1 Corinthians 10:18-22 and comments).

5 There are indeed many idols and so-called gods. Some are called gods, and some are called lords. Some, it is said, live in heaven, while others live on earth. However, none of these are God. They have no meaning; they have no real existence.

But even though idols are nothing, evil spirits (demons) are something—their existence and power is very real (1 Corinthians 10:20). These spirits or demons lead people to worship idols. When a person of fers a sacrif ice to an idol, he is actually of fering a sacrif ice to an evil spirit. However, the meat that is sacrificed to an idol doesn’t change in any way; it still remains meat.

6 We have one God, our heavenly Father. And we have one Lord, Jesus Christ.

Paul says here that all things have come through Christ. God and Christ are one, and their work is one (see John 10:30 and comment). God has done all things through Christ. He created the world through Christ (see John 1:3; Colossians 1:16 and comments). He saved the world through Christ (see John 3:17 and comment). And, in the end, He will judge the world through Christ (John 5:22).

7 But not everyone knows this. That is, not everyone knows that an idol is nothing at all (verse 4). As a result, such a person’s conscience is weak. A person with a weak conscience should not eat food sacrificed to idols. Even though such food is clean in itself, if a person thinks it is unclean, then for him it will be unclean. And if he eats it, his conscience will become unclean too (see Romans 14:14 and comment).

Food itself does not defile a Christian (Mark 7:18-19). It is doing something one thinks is wrong that defiles him; it defiles his conscience (see Romans 14:23).

8 It makes no dif ference to God whether we eat a certain food or not.²⁵ Food itself doesn’t bring us closer to God; food itself doesn’t make us better or worse (see Romans 14:17).

Some of the Corinthian Christians openly ate food sacrificed to idols right in the idols’ temples in order to demonstrate how strong their faith was—their faith that idols were nothing at all. But they were mistaken in doing this, because faith is not demonstrated by what people eat. Food is for man’s body, not for his heart or spirit.

9 In this verse, the weak are those believers who have weak consciences; they do not know that idols are nothing (verse 7). Those who have the knowledge that idols are nothing are free to eat food sacrificed to idols. But they must not use their freedom to cause their weaker brother to stumble (see Romans 14:13,15,20-21 and comment). Our freedom is not the most important thing; rather, the most important thing is our love for our brother.

10 In New Testament times, the citizens of Corinth used to hold great feasts at the temples of various idols; here they would come not only to worship the idols but also to meet each other and have a good time. Some of the Corinthian Christians also went to these feasts to enjoy themselves.

However, warns Paul, a brother with a weak conscience might see a brother with strong faith eating at one of these feasts, and he might decide to follow the strong brother’s example and eat also. But after eating, the weak brother may feel badly and think that he has sinned. And, indeed, if the weak brother thinks he is doing something wrong as he eats, then he is sinning. Thus those who have this knowledge (that an idol is nothing) will have led their weaker brother into sin because of their knowledge (verse 11)—that is, because of their freedom to eat anything. Let this not happen, says Paul. Let the stronger brothers not go to the temple to eat.

11-12 Our knowledge has made us free to eat food of fered to idols. But our knowledge (or freedom) can destroy our weak brother. And when we sin against our brother in this way, we also sin against Jesus, who died on the cross both for us and for our brother. If Christ did that much for us, can we not give up a little bit of our freedom for our brother’s sake? (see Mark 9:42; Romans 14:15).

So let us always remember that knowledge can destroy others, but love always builds up others (verse 1).

13 In this verse, eating meat is only an example of the kind of activity that can cause our brother to fall into sin. There are, of course, many other things that will cause our brother to stumble. Even if these things are not sins in themselves, we must never do them if there is any chance that they will cause our brother harm.