The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 323

Their seats long after next the seat of ing no question for conscience sake, Do not God, trouble your conscience by scruples ansmg 'I'l!_eir nltcn·s by his altar, gods adored from needless investigation (avup/,.,,,) Among the nations round.'' about the food. (' Paradise Lost,' i.) Ver. 26.-For the earth is the Lord's (Ps. xxiv. 1). Consequently," Every creature of -St. Paul uses a word which, while it would God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it not be needlessly offensive to Gentiles, -conveyed hie meaning. The Greeks them- be received with thanksgiving" (1 'I'im. iv. 4). 'fhe text formed the ordinary Jewish selves called their deities daimonia, o.nd St. "grace before meat." The fulneas thereof. Paul adopts the word; but to Jewish ears 'l'he plenitude of its created furniture- it meant, not "deities" or "demigods," but plants, animals, etc. "'demons." Ver. 27.-Bid you to a feast. It is assumed Ver. 21.-Ye cannot. It is amoral impos- that the feast is to take place in a private sibility that you should. The Lord's table. house, not an idol-temple (eh. viii. 10). Ye '!'his is the first instance in which this be disposed to go; rather, ye wish to go, with -expression is used, and it has originated the an emphasis on the "wish," which,as Grotius name. The table of devils (see Deut. xxxii. says, perhaps implies that the wish is not :37). In the fine legend of Persephone, she particularly commendable, although the might have been o.ltogether liberated from apostle, in his large-hearted tolerance, does the nether world if she ho.d eaten nothing not actually blame it. The rabbis decided ;since her sojourn there; but unhappily she very differently. "If," said Rabbi Ishmael, had eateµ something, though it was only "an idolater makes a feast in honour of his the few grains of a pomegranate; and hence • son, and invite~ all the Jews of his town, she must leave·the upper o.ir, and become they eat of the sacrifices of the doo.d, even the Queen of Hades. though they eat and drink of their own 11 Ver. 22.-Do we provoke the Lord to (' Avodah Zarah,' fol. 18, 1). There are many jes.lon.syl (Deut. xxxii. 21," They have moved pas.sages of the To.Imud which raise the me to jealousy by that which is not God"). suspicion that the rabbis are purposely -TheexpreBBion, "ajealonsGod," is used in the running counter to the teaching of the New second commandment with express reference Testament. to idolatry, as in Exod. xxxiv. H, 15. Are Ver. 28.-But if any man say unto you. we stronger than he l Can we, therefore, Who is tbe ,; any mo.n II is left undefined. with impunity, kindle his anger against us? Perhaps some "weak" Christian is meo.nt, "He is ... mighty in strE1ngth : who bath who happens to be a fellow-guest. This hardened himself againsthim,o.nd bath pro.s- is offered in sacri.floe unto idols. 'I'he true }Jere<l?" (Job ix. -1). reo.~ing is probably, hiei·othuton, sacred Ver. 23-ch. x.i. !.-Directions about eat- sacrifice, not eidolothuton, idol-rncrifice. iu!J idol-o.fferi11gs,founded 011 these pri11ciples. Perhaps there is o. touch of delicate reserve Ver. 23.-All things are lawful for me in the word, implying that the remark is (see ch.vi. 12). The "for me" is not found in made at the taLle of hcatheus, who would be ~.A, B, C, D. St. Paul repeats the assertion insulted by the word eidulotl11don, sacrificed and it.s limitations, because he has now proved to idols, Whoever the interlocutor is sup- their force. He has shown that Christian posed to be-heathen host or Christian liberty must be modified by considerniions guest-the mere fact of attention beingdra.wn of cxpeJicncy and edifiootion in accordance to the footl. as forming part of a heathen with the feelings of sympathy and charity. sacrifice is enough to make it your duty to Ver. 24.:..._But every man another's wealth. give no pvert sanction to idolatry. In that The 11<ldition of the word "wealth" is very cnse, thernfore, you ought to refuso it. It will in felicitous. Ra.ther, as in the Revised be seen how ~:rose wuR the <'1iluruny which V crsiou, but each his neighbour's good (comp. assCl'tcd thnt St. Pnul t1rnght men to bti ver. 33 and Rom. xv. 2). i111l(9'ere11t about eating things otfereJ to Ver. 25.-Whataoever ia sold. By this idols. He ouly tnu~ht indifference in co.see practical rule of common sense he protects where idolatry could not be directly in- the weak Christian from being do.ily worried volved in the question. He only repudiates by over-scrupulosity. If a Christian merely the idle superstition tho.t the footl. btcame bought his ment iu the open marl<ct, no one i1,herently tainted by such o. consecration could suspect him ofmeauing thereby to con- when the co.ter was unaware of it. In Inter nive at or show farnur to idolatry. It would, times, when the ea.ting of such offerings wu~ therefore, be needless for him to en tertnin deliberately erected into a test of apostasy, fantastic scruples about a matter purely ho wouhl have used lo.np;nage a.s strong indifferent. The fuct orits forming part of an ngainbt every scmblanco of compli1ince as idol-offering made 110 i11trinsic difference in auy which was used by St. Johu himself the food. Shambles; mthrrjood-marl:et. Ask- 01· by Justin Martyr. Differenco of time 11n<l  326 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE COUINTHIANS. [ea. x. 1-33~