1 Corinthians8

New King James Version

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¹Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

²And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

³But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

⁴Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

⁵For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),

⁶yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

⁷However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

⁸But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

⁹But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

¹⁰For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?

¹¹And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

¹²But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

¹³Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Corinthians 8.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The danger of having a high conceit of knowledge. (1–6). The mischief of offending weak brethren. (7–13).

vv1-6

There is no proof of ignorance more common than conceit of knowledge. Much may be known, when nothing is known to good purpose. And those who think they know any thing, and grow vain thereon, are the least likely to make good use of their knowledge. Satan hurts some as much by tempting them to be proud of mental powers, as others, by alluring to sensuality. Knowledge which puffs up the possessor, and renders him confident, is as dangerous as self-righteous pride, though what he knows may be right. Without holy affections all human knowledge is worthless. The heathens had gods of higher and lower degree; gods many, and lords many; so called, but not such in truth. Christians know better. One God made all, and has power over all. The one God, even the Father, signifies the Godhead as the sole object of all religious worship; and the Lord Jesus Christ denotes the person of Emmanuel, God manifest in the flesh, One with the Father, and with us; the appointed Mediator, and Lord of all; through whom we come to the Father, and through whom the Father sends all blessings to us, by the influence and working of the Holy Spirit. While we refuse all worship to the many who are called gods and lords, and to saints and angels, let us try whether we really come to God by faith in Christ.

vv7-13

Eating one kind of food, and abstaining from another, have nothing in them to recommend a person to God. But the apostle cautions against putting a stumbling-block in the way of the weak; lest they be made bold to eat what was offered to the idol, not as common food, but as a sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of idolatry. He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to Christians, are done to Christ; but most of all, the entangling them in guilt: wounding their consciences, is wounding him. We should be very tender of doing any thing that may occasion stumbling to others, though it may be innocent in itself. And if we must not endanger other men's souls, how much should we take care not to destroy our own! Let Christians beware of approaching the brink of evil, or the appearance of it, though many do this in public matters, for which perhaps they plead plausibly. Men cannot thus sin against their brethren, without offending Christ, and endangering their own souls.

Key Words

NowG1161Greek

δέ (dé): but, and, etc.

concerningG4012Greek

περί (perí): properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period)

offered to idolsG1494Greek

εἰδωλόθυτον (eidōlóthyton): an image-sacrifice, i.e. part of an idolatrous offering

knowG1492Greek

εἴδω (eídō): used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι) and G3708 (ὁράω); properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know

thatG3754Greek

ὅτι (hóti): demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because

usG3956Greek

πᾶς (pâs): all, any, every, the whole

possessG2192Greek

ἔχω (échō): to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)

knowledgeG1108Greek

γνῶσις (gnōsis): knowing (the act), i.e. (by implication) knowledge

puffs upG5448Greek

φυσιόω (physióō): to inflate, i.e. (figuratively) make proud (haughty)

loveG26Greek

ἀγάπη (agápē): love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast

Cross References

1 Corinthians 8

v11Romans 14:15thematic

Direct thematic parallel warning against destroying a brother with meat for whom Christ died.

Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB

v13Romans 14:21thematic

Parallels Paul's resolution to abstain from eating meat or doing anything to offend a brother.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v3Galatians 4:9allusion

Exhibits the same theological reversal of knowing God versus being known by Him.