By some modern critics St. Paul is described as hard and inflexible, and as incapable of anything like compromise and accommodation under any circumstances. But the above passages, as well as many others Avhich could be quoted, by no means confirm this judgment. That he could be as Arm and as inflexible as a rock where a question of principle was at stake is amply proved by his statement in Gal 2', e.g., in the matter of the attempt to compel Titus to be circumcised : ' to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour.' In his teaching of principles he was from first to last most resolute and uncom- promising. But in things indifl'erent he was ever ready to go any length in order to avoid giving oflence to others. In such matters it was with him always a question of expediency, not of rights ; what was prohtable, not what was lawful. To the Romans he says (Ro 15'): 'We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.' And again, he tells the Corinthians (I Co 8"): 'Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.' While he held tenaciously to great principles, and Avas even ready to sacrifice life itself in their defence, yet in practical conduct he was willing to submit to any privation and suffer- ing to meet the scruples and prejudices of the weak. And in this mode of conduct he claims to be following the example of Christ (Ro 15'°'*, 1 Co 11').
It will be seen that consideration must be had, not only for the weak members of the Church of Christ, but also for those who are without the pale of the Church. Cf. 1 Co 10^-, where the sjihere of moral oltligation is enlarged. Jew and Greek, as well as the Christian Church, are to be objects of our Christian solicitude.
(2) The dangers of expediency. — (a) As regards what is immoral, and so, strictly prohibitive. The question of expediency involves that of accom- modation and conii)iomise. Hence in an endeavour to win men over one must always guard against allowing oneself to countenance what is unlawful.
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It is evident that some at Corinth had taken St. Paul's words ' All things are lawful unto me ' as a general maxim. Such persons are always inclined to have regard to the lawfulness of an action rather than to its expediency, and so require, for their own good, to be firmly treated. 'A great many cannot be pleased unless thou cocker their lust ; so that if thou wilt be gracious with a many, thou must not so much regard their salvation as satisfy their folly ; neither mayest thou respect what is expedient, but what they covet to their own destruction. Thou must not, therefore, study to please such as like nothing but that is evil ' (Calvin on Ro 152 [ed. Beveridge, 1844, p. 396]).
(6) As recjai'ds what is indifferent, (i.) It is possible for the Church to show itself over- scrupulous— a thing which would lead to govern- ment by the weak, and legislation by the unin- telligent. And so, while the law of love calls upon the strong not to use their liberty in a reckless manner, and demands that in certain cases they should abstain from certain disputed modes of action, in order not to shock the weak members, and thus to break down the Church instead of building it up, still this love requires that this submission shall not be unlimited. For then the weak would only be confirmed in their mistake, whilst the strong would be hindered in their pro- gress. It is for the strong, therefore, to seek to lead the weak to a clearer knowledge, and to show them that the matters in dispute may be contem- plated from another point of view than the merely worldly and unethical. Thus accommodation is to be combined with correction.
(ii. ) But perhaps there is less danger of this than of over-assertiveness, i.e. a strong and persistent maintaining of one's rights, against which St. Paul again and again warns his readers. By indifference to external observances we may injure another man's conscience. To ourselves it is perfectly in- difl'erent whether we conform to a certain obser- vance or not. But we are called upon to conform for the sake of our weak brother. Still, this call to sub- mission is not to be always or in all circumstances.
(iii. ) Another danger to which a man who always considers the expediency of his actions is exposed is that of being misjudged. A mode of conduct largely regulated by consideration for others is always open to misconception. And that St. Paul did not escape the charge of being a mere obsequious time-server, with no steadfast principle, aiming only at pleasing men, is evident from his writings. We can easily understand how readily such accusations would be set on foot, and how plausible they could be made to appear. That they painfully affected the Apostle's mind is evident from the frequency of the references he makes to them, and from the earnestness and deep pathos of feeling which not infrequently mark these references. It is to such sinister criticism that he alludes when in 2 Co 5^', after saying 'we persuade men,' he adds, 'but we are become manifest unto God'; i.e. although he did make a habit of aiming at persuading ( = making friends of) men, still the unselfishness and sincerity of his action were known to God. Another refer- ence to this matter is found in Gal P" ' For am I now persuading men, or God ? or am I seeking to please men ? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.' Possibly the reference here is to his action in the matter of the Jerusalem Decree (Ac 15) and the circumcision of Timothy (Ac 16»).