1 Korinther 8:8

8 Speise aber empfiehlt uns Gott nicht; weder sind wir, wenn wir nicht essen, geringer, noch sind wir, wenn wir essen, vorzüglicher.

1 Korinther 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 Korinther 8:8 In-Context

6 so ist doch für uns ein Gott, der Vater, von welchem alle Dinge sind, und wir für ihn, und ein Herr, Jesus Christus, durch welchen alle Dinge sind, und wir durch ihn.

7 Die Erkenntnis aber ist nicht in allen, sondern etliche essen, infolge des Gewissens, das sie bis jetzt vom Götzenbilde haben, als von einem Götzenopfer, und ihr Gewissen, da es schwach ist, wird befleckt.

8 Speise aber empfiehlt uns Gott nicht; weder sind wir, wenn wir nicht essen, geringer, noch sind wir, wenn wir essen, vorzüglicher.

9 Sehet aber zu, daß nicht etwa dieses euer Recht den Schwachen zum Anstoß werde.

10 Denn wenn jemand dich, der du Erkenntnis hast, im Götzentempel zu Tische liegen sieht, wird nicht sein Gewissen, da er schwach ist, bestärkt werden, die Götzenopfer zu essen?