The Corinthian Church was comprised
primarily of Gentiles who had been brought out of pagan darkness
and into the light of God's grace. These Gentiles were by their
customs and practice worshippers of many gods, even like those
Greeks which Paul confronted at Mars Hill in Athens. Yet the grace of God was shed
abroad upon them in Corinth, even as the Lord told Paul to
declare His word among them. Thus the Lord delivered them
from pagan bondage, causing them to believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. While there was great evidence
of their deliverance from idolatry, yet their past considerations
and ingrained habits were still very fresh in their minds, and
many of the weaker brethren still maintained some regard to these
pagan deities, even though it was mixed with doubt in them.
Thus Paul exhorts the stronger brethren, that is, those who
entertain no weak conscience toward the legitimacy of these
gods, to abstain from eating meat which was offered to these
idols in the pagan ceremonies, not because they did not have
liberty to do so, or because it was somehow not clean, but
because doing so might embolden the weaker brethren to have some
continuing level of regard for these false gods. This could
lead, as Paul says, to them being turned back to some reverence
for these idols if they misinterpreted the eating of this meat by the
stronger and esteemed brethren to be a sanction for participating
in these heathenish practices. Thus the whole context of Paul's
description of their liberty to eat this meat is framed around
their proper consideration of the benefit of their brethren.
in their decision to partake of that which could not bring
themselves into any condemnation, either internal or external,
but might serve to bring internal condemnation to those with a
weak conscience, as they gave some regard to those deities
to whom this meat was offered. Paul said he would rather never
eat meat again than to offend one of these little children
of God, who entertain many doubts, superstitions, and fears about
such matters. He clearly said that all things
were lawful for the sons of God, and none of them could bring
them into condemnation of any kind. Yet all things are not
expedient or proper if it puts a stumbling block in the mind
of those brethren who we are to esteem more highly than ourselves. This is an outworking of self-denial
by the Spirit of God in those who have regard unto the way
of Christ, who himself disregarded his own benefit. for that of
his brethren. The natural tendency of the flesh
is to place a great deal of emphasis on knowledge. It is this very
predisposition which caused Eve to give ear to the old deceiver,
and Adam to embrace that which he thought would satisfy his
curiosity. Our flesh delights in knowledge,
and we put upon a pedestal those who are great learned men and
experts in the eyes of the world. One of the main principles which
the Spirit of God would teach the sons of God is that they
have a very incomplete knowledge and that they must never use
knowledge as an occasion to glory in the flesh. Thus Paul reminds
the Corinthians that they know nothing as they ought to know. It is this latter point when
heeded that would enable brethren to avoid many disagreements and
divisions. Thus Paul exhorts these Corinthian
believers not to be puffed up with knowledge, regardless of
its level. All of God's people are taught
by the Spirit to the degree which He is pleased to impart that
knowledge to them. Yet the very greatest among those
who are taught by Him must acknowledge that He is but a servant of the
body. Thus Paul's exhortation to the
Corinthians is not for them to boast in their superior knowledge,
of their freedom in Christ to eat meat or ingest any substance,
but rather to consider how their use of these things might impact
their brethren whom they are taught to love even above their
own selves. To love and serve the saints
of God is to demonstrate that we know what we know, and to
insist on our right to do as we please is to demonstrate our
ignorance of the teaching of the Spirit, regardless of how
much of the letter of truth we might declare. What do you know?