So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for Him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life. However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.
1 Corinthians 8:4-8
Having dealt with wrong attitudes to knowledge and opinionated people Paul returns to the question at hand, what about eating meat offered to idols? Remember Paul has been trained in the Rabbinic School. These are examples of statements issued by the Rabbinic schools concerning this:
- “a beast, the whole of which they offer to idols, is forbidden of profit, even its dung, and its bones, and its horns, and its hoofs, and its skin, all is forbid to be of any profit”
- “flesh or wine, or fruits, which are brought in to be offered up to idols, are not forbidden to profit with, although they are brought into the idol’s temple, until they offer them up before it; but when offered up before it; they become an offering; and though they may return them, and bring them out, lo, these are forbidden for ever; and all that is found in an idol’s temple, even water and salt, are forbidden of profit by the law, and he that eats anything thereof is to be beaten.”
- “an Israelite that lifts up a cheese to worship it, but does not worship it, but a Gentile worships it, it is forbidden of profit, because the lifting of it up is an action; and so if he lifts up an egg, and a Gentile comes and worships it, it is forbidden; he that cuts a gourd, or any such thing, and worships it, it is forbidden”.
But Paul goes totally against the teaching of Judaism in proclaiming we are free of these restrictions. That is amazing. The power of Christ to see us free is truly all powerful. He who the Son sets free is free indeed. Paul is “living” proof.
Paul makes an interesting comment that we ALL know. His comment is all encompassing. We, all the world, know that idols are false. We ought to because like Isaiah says we are the ones who make them with our own hands. (Isaiah 41:7-9) Duh, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work that one out. When Paul repeats the “We know” again two verses later he is meaning we Christians. We know there is only one God. The rest may not. But we have had revelation of the One True God. Yet then he adds another level and says However, not all believers know this. Do you see how Paul is linking the “levels of knowing”. All the world knows idols are false. We Christians know there is only one God. But not all of us Christians get it. There is “knowing” and there is knowing. Remember he has just spend some time in the first three verses looking at pride of knowing and showing off what we know. This theme continues throughout this section. For some reason there is a synaptic gap in the thinking of Corinthians that does not allow them to get it.
On another level is there is an interesting contrast between the word of God אלהים [Elohim] and the word for idols אלילים [elilim]. The word idol means vain, null, worth nothing, nothingness, vanity; indicating their vanity and powerlessness.
In the context of all this thinking Paul says you are totally free to eat or not eat. It is not an issue. There is one God and everything comes from him. We derive our being and our very life from Him. Issues of idols are nothingness mere blimp on the screen of life. Be free to do what you want. Think of the comment in the context of what you read above of the rules and regulations of Judaism. See how radically Paul has been changed. But hang on to your hat, there is more radical stuff coming tomorrow.
Gathering information is KNOWLEDGE; Interpreting the meaning is UNDERSTANDING; (then) DOING what’s right is WISDOM.
Rick Warren
Every man is a fool for at least 5 minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limits.
Elbert Hubbard