An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
INstructions concerning the mutual duties, in the use of Christian liberty, of the Faithful, follow: Some of the faithful, as the converted Gentiles, were perswaded of their Christian liberty, or freedome from the yoke of Moses, and did not observe legal Holy-dayes, or choice of meats. Others there were, as some Jews, somewhat weaker in this Article, not sufficiently confirmed about their liberty, who abstained from meats forbidden by Moses, out of a reverence to the Divine Law: They observed Fasts, Holy-dayes, Sabbaths, Calends: Amongst these, there arose a dissention, which hindred the work of the Gospel. To both joyntly the Apostle gives precepts, to ver. 13. To them that were strong in the Faith, or in the perswasion of their liberty by themselves, in the remaining part of the Chapter.
Vers. 1. Him that is weak in the Faith, receive you, but not to doubtful disputations.
The Apostle counsels that they mutually adjoyn themselves to those, with whom they were perswaded concerning the abrogation of the Ceremonial Law; as also with those that were weak in the Faith, or in this perswasion, and that they would forbear contentious disputes, concerning which hee exhorts both, beginning with those that were strong in the Faith.
Vers. 2. For one believeth hee may eat all things; another who is weak, eateth herbs.
Hee shews the occasion of the difference and dispute, in the instance of meats, whilest some eat any flesh without any fear of the ceremonial prohibition: Others not perswaded, abstain from those meats forbidden, content with herbs, or any other sort of meat.
Vers. 3. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth, for God hath received him.
The Apostle forbids discords, betwixt these, and condemning of each others in such a case; using nine Arguments.
For God] Argument 1. Because God hath taken both into the fellowship of the grace of his Son; therefore it is unworthy that in such a case one should despise or condemn another. For it was unequal that they which were weak, should bee contemned by them that were stronger, as superstitious, and Novices: and in like manner, that they which were strong in the Faith, should bee condemned as prophane by them that were weak.
Verse 4. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant? to his own Master hee standeth or falleth; yea, hee shall bee holden up; for God is able to make him stand.
Argum. 2. It is unequal to judge another mans servant, without a Call from God, because it concerns his Master, not another, whether hee perish or bee saved: Therefore in this thing one ought not to condemn another.
Hee shall bee holden up] Argum. 3. Because hee that is a servant of Christ, shall bee established by him, who both can and will keep him: Therefore this Judgement is contrary to the judgement of Christ, or, mutual condemning of each other, is a sin.
Vers. 5. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man bee fully perswaded in his own mind.
Hee propounds another instance of the occasion of this contention, in observing the dayes prescribed by Moses, which days some (to wit certain converted Jews) affirmed to bee observed before others: But others, (to wit, the Gentiles) out of conscience of their liberty purchased by Christ, equally esteemed those dayes, with others, not prescribed by the Ceremonial Law. Here the Apostle prohibits contention, and condemning of each other, propounding a rule of due carriage of themselves in such a case, to wit, that every one of them should labour after solid grounds for the supporting their Faith, either for the doing or omitting those things, which were controverted touching the Ceremonial Law; and thus hee addeth a fourth Argument; That they would not condemn one another, because in the foresaid case, some might do it with a well-grounded perswasion, and another upon the like foundation might abstain: Therefore it was not fitting that they should condemn one another. For the Apostles in the Council at Hierusalem, freed the Gentiles from the Law of Moses, for the Ceremonial Law was never imposed upon them: But the Apostles taking away from the Jews the necessity of Ceremonies, for some time left them to a free use, till after a season, the Gospel shining forth more clearly, they might plainly see that their Synagogue was to bee buried; wherefore the Gentiles might with a full perswasion lay aside those ceremonies, and the Jews observe them; at least so long as the favour of God suffered the Temple at Hierusalem to stand, whereunto the chief ceremonies were tyed.
Vers. 6. Hee that regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and hee that regardeth not the day, to the Lord hee doth not regard it; hee that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for hee giveth God thanks: and hee that eateth not, to the Lord hee eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Argum. 5. Because the Jew observing a day prescribed by the Law of Moses, and abstaining from meat forbidden, in like manner the Gentile, not observing the Law of Moses, both of them acted (with Thanksgiving) to the glory of God: The Jew, because hee had meat enough, not forbidden: The Gentile, because hee might eat any meat, gave thanks: Therefore neither to bee condemned by the other.
Vers. 7. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8. For whether wee live, wee live unto the Lord: and whether wee die, wee die unto the Lord: whether wee live, therefore, or die, wee are the Lords.
9. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that hee might bee Lord both of the dead and living.
Hee confirms the end propounded to him that did observe, and to him that did not observe the ceremonies, and withall adds a sixth Argument. They that are not in their own power, but anothers, nor live to themselves, nor die to themselves, but only to Christ, they are bound to direct their actions, and omissions, to the glory of Christ, as also not to condemn their fellow-servants: But wee, or none of the Faithful lives or dies to himself, nor is at his own dispose, ver. 7. But wee live and die to Christ, to his honor, to whom appertains the care over us in life and death, ver. 8. which hee proves, because Christ died and rose again to this end, that hee might bee Lord over his Redeemed ones, living and dying: Therefore it follows, that the Faithful ought not to condemn or contemn one another.
Vers. 10. But why doest thou judge thy Brother? or why doest thou set at nought thy Brother? for wee shall all stand before the Iudgement Seat of Christ.
Argum. 7. The Faithful are Brethren, whether Jews or Gentiles: Therefore they ought not to judge or contemn one another.
Wee shall appear] Argum. 8. All are to bee judged at the Tribunal of Christ: Therefore all ought to take heed that they do not rashly condemn one another.
Vers. 11. For as it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to mee, and every tongue shall confess to God.
That hee confirms by the testimony of Isaias, foretelling, Chap. 45.23. that Christ shall bee Judge of all, and that all shall acknowledge subjection to him, as to God.
Vers. 12. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more.
Argum. 9. Drawn from the former, Every one is to give an account of himself to Christ, ver. 12. Therefore every one ought to prepare himself for the Judgement Seat of Christ, and not to judge his Brother.
The second Part.
Vers. 13. But judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way.
The second part of the Chapter follows, wherein after the conclusion of his general Exhortation, hee begins a special, properly belonging to them that are strong, that they abuse not their liberty, with offence to the weak, vers. 13.
Vers. 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing unclean of it self: but him that esteemeth any thing to bee unclean, to him it is unclean.
Hee prevents an Objection: Some might say, I am perswaded by the Grace of Christ, that no meat is impure or prohibited under the Gospel: Therefore I may eat any meat indifferently: Hee answers by denying the consequence, because pure meat, is made impure to him that eats, after two sorts: First, if hee that eats thinks it unlawful.
Vers. 15. But if thy Brother bee grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou uncharitably; Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Secondly, Meat is impure, if any one (perswaded of his liberty) eat to the offence of his Brother: In which case, hee proves that hee must not eat with scandal, or that hee must take heed, that hee abuse not his liberty, and that by eleven Arguments.
Argum. 1. It fights against charity, to act in things indifferent to the offence of the weak: Therefore wee must not abuse our liberty.
Destroy] Argum. 2. To lay a stumbling block before the weak, from the nature of the deed, tends to the destruction of a Brother for whom Christ dyed, and hee that puts an offence in his Brothers way, in a judicial sense, destroies his Brother: For as much as in him lies, hee is the cause of bringing destruction upon him: Therefore wee must not abuse our liberty.
For whom] Argum. 3. Hee that eats with offence, thereby opposes the merit of Christs death, and the intent of it, for hee died that the weak might bee saved: but hee that eats with offence, doth what is in him, to destroy him that is weak: Therefore wee must not abuse our liberty.
Vers. 16. Let not then your good bee evil spoken of.
Argum. 4. Eating with offence causeth the Christian Faith to bee evil spoken of, and to bee brought into contempt, and that Christian liberty bee evil reported of, by those that are weak, and without: Therefore wee must not abuse our liberty.
Vers. 17. For the Kingdome of God, is not meat, and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Argum. 5. Because (as it is, 1 Cor. 8.8.) meat and drink nothing promote the spiritual Kingdome of Christ, but righteousness, peace, and joy, and the other fruits of the Spirit: Therefore wee are bound to abstain from meats, or things indifferent, when there is danger, that by an unseasonable use of our liberty wee should disturb the Kingdome of Christ.
Vers▪ 18. For hee that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Argum. 6. They that use these, as meat, drink, and the like indifferent things, wisely to the service of Christ (taking them by his leave, and abstaining, that the work of Christ may bee promoted) are acceptable to God and men: Therefore wee are to use our Christian liberty without offence.
Vers. 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edifie another.
Argum. 7. By way of Consequence from the former Argument, drawn by way of Exhortation. So must wee use our liberty, that, by peace and edification of others, the Kingdome of Christ may bee promoted: Therefore wee must not use our Christian liberty, but so far as it may bee most serviceable to peace and edification.
Vers. 20. For meat, destroy not the work of God: all things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
Argum. 8. The work of God ought not to bee destroyed, or the salvation of thy Brother brought into danger, for a light matter (as the use of a certain kind of meat at a certain time:) Therefore wee must not eat with offence.
All things] Hee prevents an Objection: Some might say, all things are lawful, i. e. those meats whereof wee speak. Hee answers, It is true, considering the things by themselves, but they are unlawful (in case of scandal) to him that eats with offence, to them that are weak.
Vers. 21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink Wine, nor any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
Argum. 9. It is good to abstain from all meat and drink, when there is danger that our Brother, in the matter of Religion, may bee made worse, by our using meats and drinks: Therefore in such a case wee ought to abstain.
Vers. 22. Hast thou Faith? have it to thy self before God. Happy is hee that condemneth not himself in that thing which hee alloweth.
Hee here meets with an Objection: I have Faith concerning my liberty, and it is necessary that I profess it. Hee answers, by denying that profession is necessary, by way of fact, in matter of scandal, because liberty consists no less with abstinence, than the use of the thing; wherefore hee commands that the Objector bee content in such a case, concerning the liberty of his Faith, by an inward professing of it towards God.
Blessed] Hee confirms his assertion by an Aphorism, wherein the tenth Argument is contained. Hee is blessed, who (in that hee certainly knows to bee lawful for him, that hee may use it, or refrain from it) so using his liberty, that by abusing of it to the offence of others, hee make not himself guilty of condemnation: Therefore in such a case wee must refrain.
Vers. 23. And hee that doubteth, is damned if hee eat, because hee eateth not of Faith; for whatsoever is not of Faith, is sin.
Argum. 11. There is danger, lest a weak and doubtful person, should bee drawn by the meer example of him that eats, to eat with a doubting conscience, and sin, running headlong into the guilt of condemnation: Therefore in such a case wee must abstain.
By this Argument hee deters the weak, from eating with a doubtful conscience by the example of any man; and hee deters the strong from unseasonable eating, lest hee bee the cause of another mans sin and guilt.
Whatsoever] Hee proves him to sin that eats with a doubting conscience, because hee eats not of Faith, or out of perswasion, that the deed is lawful; and whatever is not done of Faith, that it may bee a lawful deed, hee pronounceth it to bee sin.