Z5 D¹ 1-8. Knowledge brings liberty to oneself.
D² 9-13. Liberty may cause stumbling to others.
D¹ E 1-. Things offered to idols.
F -1,2. Knowledge.
G 3. He who loves God, gets knowledge through Him.
H l 4-. The idol is nothing.
m -4. There is only one God.
H l 5. There are idol gods so called.
m 6-. There is only one God.
G -6. Those who know God know Him through Christ.
F 7-. Knowledge.
E -7,8. Things offered to idols.
1 Corinthians 8)
1 Now concerning the things offered to idols (see Acts 15:29. This was another subject about which they had written), we know that we all have knowledge.
(Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. (See Acts 9:31. Contrast between a bubble and a building.)
2 And if any man think that he knows any thing, he not yet any thing (a double negative) as he ought to know.
3 But if any man love God, the one is known by Him.)
4 As concerning therefore the eating of the things that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world,
and that there is no other God but one.
5 For though there be that are called gods (cp. Ps. 82:1,6), whether in heaven (see Matt. 6:9,10) or upon earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto Him;
and one Lord Jesus (Gr. Iesous is the same as Heb. Yahshua, and means Salvation of Yahaveh, or Yahaveh the Savior) Christ, by means of whom are all things, and we by Him. (Cp. John 14:6. Rom. 5:1. Phil. 1:17)
7 However there is not in all the knowledge:
for some with custom (see John 18:39. 1 Cor. 11:16. Having been so long accustomed to believe the idol to have a real existence, they regard the sacrifice as a real one) of the idol until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience (i.e. conviction) being weak is polluted.
8 But meat presents us not to God (see Acts 1:3, and cp. 2 Cor. 11:2. Eph. 5:27. Col. 1:22,23): for neither, if we eat, are we the better (lit. do we exceed); neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. (Lit. do we lack, or come short. See Rom. 3:23)
D² J 9. Care lest liberty cause stumbling.
K n 10-. Influence of one who has knowledge.
o -10. Effect of example on a weak brother.
K n 11. Influence of one who has knowledge.
o 12. Effect on example on a weak brother.
J 13. Care lest liberty cause stumbling.
9 But look to it lest by any means this authority (or right) of yours become a stumbling-block to the weak. (See Rom. 9:32)
10 For if any man see thee which has knowledge sitting down in the idol's temple,
shall not the conscience of him since he is weak be emboldened (Lit. built up, as in v.1. There is Irony here. Instead of building up the weak brother, the edifice will come tottering down [v.11]) for eating those things which are offered to idols;
11 And upon your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, on account of whom Christ died? (This sentence is not a question.)
12 But when you sin so against the brethren, and strike their conscience since it is weak, you sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to stumble (to cast a snare before on), I will by no means eat flesh (see Rom. 4:21) to the age, in order that I may not make my brother to stumble.