City Life Starter

I. The Word: 1 Corinthians 8

By Ji Yun

I am a husband and father.

I love my wife and my daughter.

I am willing to sacrifice anything on behalf of their wellbeing.

You must be thinking, duh! It should not even be a question or statement to make since it is the bare minimum for a husband and father to do.  If you do not love your spouse and children, nor are willing to sacrificing for them, this person will be considered a bad husband or need of some serious intervention.

We constantly exercise sacrificial love to those who are close and dear to us.  But how much will you be willing to sacrifice for your fellow believers?  Would you be willing to give up something in order that others may benefit?  This is the heart of the question in the 1 Corinthians 8.

Exegesis

V. 1-3, As the previous chapters have stated, Paul is responding to the questions that were raised by the Corinthian Church. This time, the question is regarding the food that was offered to the idols and should believers eat such that were used to worship idols.

V. 4, “we know that” serves two purposes, first, it shows how we as the believers should perceive idols, nonexistent, and second, there is only one true God.  Paul’s statement of “One God” is in conjunction with the Old & New Testament.  In the OT, the understanding of one true God is in Deuteronomy 6, part of Shema prayer:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, ESV)

In the NT, Jesus responds to scribes who asked what is the greatest commandment.

“Jesus answered, “The most important is, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:29, ESV)

V. 5, “as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords.” In the first century Roman Empire, Romans took the idea of gods from their predecessors, Hellenism.  They took in the majority of the Greek gods and goddesses, in addition Roman emperors defined themselves as a god.

V. 6, “yet for us” points to those who believe in Christ, that there is only one true God, making Christians monotheistic contrary to Pagans who divided creations into gods and goddesses.

V. 7-8, It is best to approach this and following verses with the presupposition that was laid by Paul in the previous verses, that there is only one true God, and idols are nothing.  What many Corinthian Christians were experiencing as young believers was how to live the new life without observing their pre-Christian days habits.  For example, during the days this letter was written, there were idol temples where sacrifice was made and the meat was then eaten.  Their thought is that if they ate the meat that was sacrificed to idols, they are participating in idolatry.  Paul’s explanation is quite simple, in that since the idol is nothing, what they eat does not matter, but Paul insists there are some criteria for the Corinthian believers in following verses.

V. 9-11, Paul’s criteria for eating meat that was sacrificed to idols is that individual must be considerate to those who are weak in faith.  If exercising their rights of freedom they have in Christ by eating the meat sacrificed to the idols, the would ultimately become a stumbling block to those who are weak, it is better to sacrifice themselves by not eating, in order that they do not make the weak brother stumble.

V. 12-13, Paul summarizes the issue of this chapter by reiterating freedom in Christ leads us to seek what is the best in others and not our own.  Though eating meat sacrificed to idols does not violate individual’s faith in Christ, if eating can lead the weakness in faith to stumble or struggle, Paul would choose to sacrifice over their rights.

Conclusion

Christian theologian Leon Morris offers a practical implication for today’s readers by stating, “The principle laid down in this chapter is one of great practical importance. It is always easy for the strong Christian to see no harm whatever in actions which the weak can only regard as sinful. While it would not be true to say that the robust Christianity of the New Testament envisages the strong as permanently shackled by the weak, yet the strong must always act towards the weak with consideration and Christian love. In cases like the one dealt with here the strong must adapt their behavior to the conscience of the weak.” (1 Corinthians, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries)

When we think of making a sacrifice, we do not need to look further than the wonderful cross.  On the cross, we see Jesus, our Lord, and Savior who willingly accepted to be sacrificed on our behalf.  This is what we, as Christians are called to do, sacrifice ourselves in order that others may benefit.  If my action, whatever it might be, can jeopardize or make my friends stumble, it is best for me to sacrifice in order that my brothers and sisters may win.  Will you be willing to sacrifice, in order that others may benefit?