1 Corinthians 10:28

28 But if any man saith [If any man soothly say to you], This thing is offered to idols, do not ye eat, for him that showed [this thing], and for conscience;

1 Corinthians 10:28 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 10:28

But if any man say unto you
Either a weak believer, to prevent the doing of what he thought to be sinful; or the unbeliever, that invites to try the integrity of his Christian guest, and to draw him into a snare:

this is offered in sacrifice unto idols;
the meat that is in that dish, or that portion of food which stands in such a part of the table, came out of an idol's temple, and was sacrificed to idols; which with the Jews were forbidden ^F15: for

``everything that came out of an idol's temple was forbidden, and was reckoned as the sacrifices of the dead; for it was not thought possible it could be there, and not offered to idols:''

now when any at the feast, either believer or unbeliever, should thus point at any particular dish, and affirm this of it; then the apostle's advice is,

eat not for his sake that showed it:
who, if a weak believer, will be grieved and wounded; and if an infidel, will be hardened in his impiety, and be furnished with an opportunity of reproaching the Christians, as variable, insincere, and unfaithful in their religion:

and for conscience sake;
which is explained in the following verse:

the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
which words are neither in the Syriac version, nor in the Vulgate Latin, nor in the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and are thought by some to be added, from ( 1 Corinthians 10:26 ) though the repetition of them is far from being impertinent; since they contain a very good reason why such a man should abstain from things sacrificed to idols, seeing there is such a plenty and variety of creatures for his use, which he has a right to eat of; and therefore is under no necessity to eat of such sacrifices, nor is it any hardship upon him to forbear the use of them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 32. 2.

1 Corinthians 10:28 In-Context

26 The earth and the plenty of it, is the Lord's.

27 If any of heathen men call you to supper [Forsooth if any of unfaithful, or heathen men, calleth you to supper], and ye will go, all thing that is set to you, eat ye, asking nothing for conscience.

28 But if any man saith [If any man soothly say to you], This thing is offered to idols, do not ye eat, for him that showed [this thing], and for conscience;

29 and I say not, thy conscience, but of another [man's]. But whereto is my freedom deemed of another man's conscience [Soothly whereto is my liberty, or freedom, deemed of another man's conscience]?

30 Therefore if I take part with grace, what am I blasphemed, for that that I do thankings [for that that I do graces, or thankings]?