* As, therefore, God is the supreme Judge, and we are to render our ac- count to him, we should await his decision, and not presume to act the part of judge over our brethren.'
(13) Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more; but judge this, rather, that no man put a stumMing'hlock, or an occasion to fall, in his brother^s way. After drawing the conclusion from the preceding discussion that we should leave the office of judging- in the hands of God, the apostle introduces the second leading topic of the chapter, viz. the manner in which Christian liberty is to be exercised. He teaches that it is not enough that we are persuaded a certain course is, in itself considered, right, in order to authorize us to pursue it. We must be careful that we do not injure others in the use of our liberty. The word rendered judge means also to determine, to make up one's mind. Paul uses it first in the one sense, and then in the other. ' Do not judge one another, but determine to avoid giving ofience.' The words rendered a stumbling-block and an occasion to fall do not differ in their meaning ; the latter is simply exegetical of the former.
(14) / know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is no- thing unckan of itself ,' but to him that esteemeih any thing to be un- clean, to him it is unclean. ' The distinction between clean and un- clean meats is no longer valid. So far the Gentile converts are right. But they should remember that those who consider the law of the Old Testament on this subject as still binding, cannot, with a good con- science, disregard it. The strong should not, therefore, do any thing which would be likely to lead such persons to violate their own sense of duty.' I know and am persuaded by (in) the Lord Jesus, i. e. this know- ledge and persuasion I owe to the Lord Jesus ; it is not an opinion founded on my own reasonings, but a knowledge resulting from divine revelation. That there is nothing unclean of itself. The word ren- dered unclean has this sense only in Hellenistic Greek. It means com- mon, and, as opposed to holy (i. e. separated for some special or sacred use), it signifies impure ; see Acts 10 ; 14, 28. Mark 7 : 2, &c. £ut to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean, i. e. though not unclean in itself, it ought not to be used by those who regard its use as unlawful. The simple principle here taught is, that it is wrong for any man to violate his own sense of duty. This being the case, those Jewish converts who believed the distinction between clean and unclean meats to be still in force, would commit sin in disregarding it; and, therefore, should not be induced to act contrary to their consciences.
(15) But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died That is, though the thing is right in itself, yet if indulgence in it be in- jurious to our Christian brethren, that indulgence is a violation of the law of love. This is the first consideration which the apostle urges lo enforce the exhortation not to put a stumbling-block in our brother's way The word is grieved may mean is injured. E ither sense suits the context