Chapter 8
Eating Food Offered to Idols
8:1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
Often considered to be an odd place for a ‘logic lesson’, Paul introduces his next set of instructions to be about food that is offered to idols. He then notes that all humans possess knowledge. But that knowledge can lead to pride, yet love builds up. He adds that if someone thinks they know all the answers they really don’t know that much. But if anyone loves God is truly recognized and understood by Him. He knows us personally on an intimate level, better than we know ourselves and will direct and provide for us accordingly. Paul then concludes that we know that idols are not alive and that they really do not exist, especially as a ‘god’, because we know there is only one God.
8:5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Paul makes an understatement when he said there are many so-called gods. It is hard for us to understand the impact these deities had on the culture during this time. Between the Roman, Greek, and Egyptian pantheons there would have been several thousand deities! Needless to say, food offered to an idol will not be consumed. Then Paul makes it clear that there is only one God, the Father, through whom all things were created and for whom we live, and Jesus also through whom all things were created and for whom we live.
8:7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
Paul makes an interesting observation, that not all knew that there is only one God. The concept of believing that there are multiple gods and goddesses and then placing the Hebrew God and Jesus amongst them is foreign to most modern readers. Sadly, there are parts of the world today that still believe and worship several deities and do indeed put Jesus as one of many. Some have been known to make a sacrifice on the way home from church.
Paul also understood that some had come from a pagan background and that eating food that was once offered to an idol was to them just second nature.
8:8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
Food makes no difference to God, eating something or not eating does not matter to Him. We cannot gain favor or bring us closer to God based on what we eat or don’t eat.
8:9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
The freedom to eat and drink whatever, like most behaviors of a believer, can be seen by others and one may be judged based on what has been observed. This is especially true for mature believers being watched by lesser mature or new believers. Due to their incomplete understanding of their freedom in Christ or some presupposition that they believe is improper behavior for a believer, the less-mature believer can become confused and the issue becomes a barrier to their beliefs. Paul used the example of food that was offered to idols, when seen by them can ‘wound’ their ‘conscience’, making it a sin against Jesus. Paul says for that reason, he will not eat meat that was once offered to idols.
Some Christians place drinking alcohol in the same category and that drinking alcohol for a believer is prohibited. But not all Christians agree to that prohibition, should they be concerned about creating a “stumbling block” for a lesser-mature Christian who believes consuming alcohol is wrong? Yes, that is why many Christians will not drink in public.