1 Corinthiërs 8:5-13

5 Want hoewel er ook zijn, die goden genaamd worden, hetzij in den hemel, hetzij op de aarde (gelijk er vele goden en vele heren zijn),

6 Nochtans hebben wij maar een God, den Vader, uit Welken alle dingen zijn, en wij tot Hem; en maar een Heere, Jezus Christus, door Welken alle dingen zijn, en wij door Hem.

7 Doch in allen is de kennis niet; maar sommigen, met een geweten des afgods tot nog toe, eten als iets dat den afgoden geofferd is; en hun geweten, zwak zijnde, wordt bevlekt.

8 De spijze nu maakt ons Gode niet aangenaam; want hetzij dat wij eten, wij hebben geen overvloed; en hetzij dat wij niet eten, wij hebben geen gebrek.

9 Maar ziet toe, dat deze uw macht niet enigerwijze een aanstoot worde dengenen, die zwak zijn.

10 Want zo iemand u, die de kennis hebt, ziet in der afgoden tempel aanzitten, zal het geweten deszelven, die zwak is, niet gestijfd worden, om te eten de dingen, die den afgoden geofferd zijn?

11 En zal de broeder, die zwak is, door uw kennis verloren gaan, om welken Christus gestorven is?

12 Doch gijlieden, alzo tegen de broeders zondigende, en hun zwak geweten kwetsende, zondigt tegen Christus.

13 Daarom, indien de spijs mijn broeder ergert, zo zal ik in eeuwigheid geen vlees eten, opdat ik mijn broeder niet ergere.

1 Corinthiërs 8:5-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 8

In this chapter the apostle proceeds to consider the case of eating things offered to idols, which, though an indifferent thing, was abused by many in the Corinthian church, to the scandal and hurt of weak Christians; wherefore the apostle dissuades from the use of it, and refutes the arguments which were used by them in defence of their practice. And the general foundation on which they proceeded being their knowledge of Christian liberty, he begins with that; and makes answer to it, by granting, that he, and they, and all had knowledge in general; and by distinguishing between knowledge and charity, the one puffing up, and the other edifying: wherefore to argue from the one, to the disuse of the other, was wrong, 1Co 8:1 seeing that kind of knowledge, which was not accompanied with love, was no true knowledge, 1Co 8:2 but that was right which had annexed to it love to God, and our neighbour, 1Co 8:3 and then applies this observation to the case of things offered to idols; and explains the knowledge which some had, and boasted of, that an idol was nothing, and that there was but one God, 1Co 8:4 which latter he proves and confirms, partly by allowing that there were many nominal gods and lords, both in heaven and earth; but then they were only so by name, not by nature, 1Co 8:5 and partly by observing the common faith of Christians, that there is but one God, and one Lord Jesus, who are both described by their names and properties, 1Co 8:6 But now, though there was such knowledge concerning an idol, as nothing, and things offered to it, as indifferent, in some, this was not the case of all; who, as their knowledge was small, their consciences were weak, and were defiled by eating such things through the example of others, 1Co 8:7 wherefore it became such who had greater knowledge to abstain from eating them; partly from the unprofitableness of such eating to them with respect to divine acceptance, it making them neither better nor worse, 1Co 8:8 and partly from the harmfulness of it to others, it being a stumblingblock to the weak, which ought not to be laid in their way, 1Co 8:9 and emboldening to do so likewise to the injury of their weak consciences, 1Co 8:10 and so was to the loss and ruin of their peace and comfort, which is aggravated by their being brethren, and such for whom Christ died, 1Co 8:11. Thus by wounding their weak consciences, they that drew them into this practice, by their example, sinned both against their brethren, and Christ himself, 1Co 8:12. From all which the apostle concludes, that rather than offend a weak brother, it was right never to eat any flesh at all; and this he strengthens by his own example and resolution, 1Co 8:13.