Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 14:21
[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.
21. It is good ] The word is in antithesis to the “ it is evil ” just before. The “strong” Christian might deem his own exercise of liberty good per se; and his “weak” brother’s obedience to scruples evil per se. The Apostle shews him that the exact contrary might be the case. Not the principle of liberty, but its application, might be positively mischievous, and the practical “breach” of the theory might be its truest “honour.”
For a still stronger expression of the noble principle of this verse, see 1Co 8:12. Never did that principle more need to be remembered than at the present day.
offended ] Here, of course, as throughout this passage, the word bears its antiquated meaning “ is made to stumble.”
is made weak ] In his obedience to the sense of duty.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
It is good – It is right; or it is better. This verse is an explanation or enlarged specification of the meaning of the former.
To eat flesh – That is, such flesh as the Jewish convert regarded as unclean; Rom 14:2.
Nor to drink wine – Wine was a common drink among the Jews, and usually esteemed lawful. But the Nazarites were not allowed to drink it Num 6:3, and the Rechabites Jer. 35 drank no wine, and it is possible that some of the early converts regarded it as unlawful for Christians to drink it. Wine was moreover used in libations in pagan worship, and perhaps the Jewish coverts might be scrupulous about its use from this cause. The caution here shows us what should be done now in regard to the use of wine. It may not be possible to prove that wine is absolutely unlawful, but still many friends of temperance regard it as such, and are grieved at its use. They esteem the habit of using it as tending to intemperance, and as encouraging those who cannot afford expensive liquors. Besides, the wines which are now used are different from those which were common among the ancients. That was the pure juice of the grape. That which is now in common use is mingled with alcohol, and with other intoxicating ingredients. Little or none of the wine which comes to this country is pure. And in this state of the case, does not the command of the apostle here require the friends of temperance to abstain even from the use of wine?
Nor anything – Any article of food or drink, or any course of conduct. So valuable is peace, and so desirable is it not to offend a brother, that we should rather deny ourselves to any extent, than to be the occasion of offences and scandals in the church.
Stumbleth – For the difference between this word and the word offended, see the note at Rom 11:11. It means here that by eating, a Jewish convert might be led to eat also, contrary to his own conviction of what was right, and thus be led into sin.
Or is made weak – That is, shaken, or rendered less stable in his opinion or conduct. By being led to imitate the Gentile convert, he would become less firm and established; he would violate his own conscience; his course would be attended with regrets and with doubts about its propriety, and thus he would be made weak. In this verse we have an eminent instance of the charity of the apostle, and of his spirit of concession and kindness. If this were regarded by all Christians, it would save no small amount of strife, and heart-burnings, and contention. Let a man begin to act on the principle that peace is to be promoted, that other Christians are not to be offended, and what a change would it at once produce in the churches, and what an influence would it exert over the life!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rom 14:21
It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth.
It is good not to drink wine
Many object to total abstinence because it is not insisted on in the New Testament in so many words. True; but Paul appeals to our honour, conscience, brotherly feelings, and that to the Christian ought to be equivalent to a command.
I. Abstinence embodies the spirit of the gospel. We that are strong, etc. (Rom 15:1). This principle is recognised in the State. Laws are framed, not for the rich and powerful, but the poor, the oppressed, the submerged tenth. So in the home–the infant, the feeble, the invalid have the first claim. So in the Church–the sinner, the weakling should be our supreme care. Unlike the world saying, Let the devil take the hindmost, or Cain asking, Am I my brothers keeper? Paul declares, If meat make my brother, etc. He practised what he preached. Illustrated by his taking the vow solely for the sake of his weaker brethren. Christ also taught self-abnegation, and enforced it by His example. If we were in personal peril every one would admit we should abstain. Our neighbour is, and Christ said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Christ gave His life a ransom for many. We are therefore treading in His footsteps when we sacrifice our opinions and our tastes for the sake of our brother who is in danger of stumbling.
II. It fulfils the golden principle that underlies the text.
1. The case is desperate. Diseases desperate grown by desperate appliance are relieved. The surgeon cuts off a limb that he may save a life. The fireman pulls down a house that the devouring flames may not consume a city. Even if drink were one of the good creatures of God, it is Christlike to give it up for the sake of those it is destroying body and soul.
2. We are free from a terrible responsibility. Meroz was cursed for its neutrality. Let us not share its fate by aiding the foe or holding aloof in the battle that is raging between the Church and the drink traffic.
3. None of us liveth to himself, etc. By taking decided temperance views no one can quote our example for a moderation that may lead to fatal excess.
4. Our usefulness will be increased. We can better help the drunkard back to sobriety and Christ when we support him by our practice.
5. We shall be rewarded. It may cost a struggle to surrender the convictions and habits of a lifetime. But if abstinence be right we are simply confessing that we are wiser to-day than we were yesterday. Having done it for Christs sake, we may safely leave ourselves in His hands. (W. Wakinshaw.)
Christian abstinence
I. The general principle of our text is that it is the duty of every Christian scrupulously to avoid all those things which have a tendency to lead others to sin. This principle I would seek to maintain because–
1. Its philosophy is sound. Mankind are imitative animals. What others do, rather than what God says, is the constant inquiry. This gives to example its mighty influence. It is surely most rational that Christians, who possess powerful influence by their example, should inquire, whether in their meats or their drinks, their dress or their manners, they are likely to lead others to evil.
2. Its philanthropy is obvious. Cain proudly asked, Am I my brothers keeper? and betrayed the apathy of his murderous heart when he asked the question. We are taught to love our neighbour. And how can I do that better than by scrupulously avoiding everything which has a tendency to lead my friend, the members of my family, to sin.
3. Its piety is unquestionable. The whole life of the Son of God was an exemplification of the principle before us.
II. The peculiar application of this principle to the present subject. We ask you to abstain–
1. Not from wholesome food, but from poisonous drink. St. Paul laid it down as an axiom, that the Christian disciple should forego that which was healthful, and pleasant, for the sake of his weak brethren; but we ask you to give up that which is baneful, for which you can say nothing but that it affords you a temporary gratification, and may lead on to habits that may corrupt the mind and destroy the body.
2. Not from that which may trouble a tender conscience, but from that which will debase moral character. The Jewish converts were scrupulous concerning the use of certain meats and drinks, and lest they should be tempted to eat, and thus bring guilt on their conscience, the apostle persuades them, out of kindness to their brethren, to abstain. But we are asking you to regard moral character, for you are likely by moderate use of ardent spirits to form the habit that pollutes the soul of man.
3. From that which, if innocent to yourselves, may be ruinous to others. As the Gentiles could eat and drink with a safe conscience, so you may use ardent spirits so diluted and so seldom, that you may escape the mischief; but what about others–your children and servants, e.g.?
Conclusion: To strengthen the argument I appeal to you–
1. On behalf of yourselves.
2. For the sake of your country. Drunkenness is the source of disease, poverty, and immorality.
3. For the sake of our Churches. Many strong men have been wounded by the hateful practice.
4. For the sake of missions. The use of ardent spirits has been a fearful hindrance. (J. Blackburn.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 21. It is good neither to eat flesh, c.] The spirit and self-denying principles of the Gospel teach us, that we should not only avoid every thing in eating or drinking which may be an occasion of offence or apostasy to our brethren, but even to lay down our lives for them should it be necessary.
Whereby thy brother stumbleth] , from , against, and , to strike, to hit the foot against a stone in walking, so as to halt, and be impeded in one’s journey. It here means, spiritually, any thing by which a man is so perplexed in his mind as to be prevented from making due progress in the Divine life. Any thing by which he is caused to halt, to be undecisive, and undetermined and under such an influence no man has ever yet grown in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Or is offended] , from , a stumbling-block; any thing by which a person is caused to fall, especially into a snare, trap, or gin. Originally the word signified the piece of wood or key in a trap, which being trodden on caused the animal to fall into a pit, or the trap to close upon him. In the New Testament it generally refers to total apostasy from the Christian religion; and this appears to be its meaning in this place.
Or is made weak.] , from , negative, and , strength; without mental vigour; without power sufficiently to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, lawful and unlawful. To get under the dominion of an erroneous conscience, so as to judge that to be evil or unlawful which is not so. The two last terms are omitted by two excellent MSS. (the Codex Alexandrinus and the Codex Ephraim,) by the Syriac of Erpen, the Coptic and the Ethiopic, and by some of the primitive fathers. It is very likely that they were added by some early hand by way of illustration. Griesbach has left them in the text with a note of doubtfulness.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The apostle proceedeth to enlarge his doctrine touching this particular, beyond the controversy that occasioned this his discourse; for he showeth, that to avoid the scandal or offence of our brethren, we are to abstain, not only from things prohibited by the law, but also from things that are not prohibited thereby; as from flesh or wine, or any indifferent thing whatsoever. These words, any thing, are not in the original, but they are understood, and well supplied in our translation. Thus to do, he says, is good, as the contrary, in the foregoing verse, was said to be evil: it is good in regard of God, to whom it is acceptable and pleasing; and in regard of our brethren, to whom it is profitable and advantageous; the positive (it may be) is pnt for the comparative; it is good, for it is better: so Mat 18:8,9.
Whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak: some distinguish these three words, stumbleth, is offended, made weak, making the first to be the greater, and the last the lesser injury: others will have the first to be the lesser, and the last the greater injury. But there are those that think they all three do signify the same thing; and the Syriac interpreter renders them all by one word, viz. is offended: and the same thing may be expressed by divers words, to insinuate the great care we should take, that we do not put a stumblingblock (as it is Rom 14:13) or an occasion of falling into our brothers way. The apostle seems to practise what he here prescribeth, in 1Co 8:13.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. It is good not to eat flesh, norto drink wine, nor any thing“nor to do any thing”
whereby“wherein”
thy brother stumbleth, or isoffended, or is made weakrather, “is weak.” Thesethree words, it has been remarked, are each intentionally weaker thanthe other:”Which may cause a brother to stumble, or even beobstructed in his Christian course, naythough neither of these mayfollowwherein he continues weak; unable wholly to disregard theexample, and yet unprepared to follow it.” But this injunctionto abstain from flesh, from wine, and from whatsoevermay hurt the conscience of a brother, must be properly understood.Manifestly, the apostle is treating of the regulation of theChristian’s conduct with reference simply to the prejudices of theweak in faith; and his directions are to be considered not asprescriptions for one’s entire lifetime, even to promote thegood of men on a large scale, but simply as cautions against the toofree use of Christian liberty in matters where other Christians,through weakness, are not persuaded that such liberty is divinelyallowed. How far the principle involved in this may belegitimately extended, we do not inquire here; but ere we considerthat question, it is of great importance to fix how far it is hereactually expressed, and what is the precise nature of theillustrations given of it.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
It is good neither to eat flesh,…. Any sort of flesh, even that which is not forbidden in the law, rather than offend a weak brother; and the apostle determines for himself, that he would not, where there was any danger of doing this, 1Co 8:13.
Nor to drink wine; not only the wine of libations to Heathen deities, but wine in common; which was not prohibited by the law of Moses, but in the case of a Nazarite, and of vows:
nor anything, be it what it will,
whereby thy brother stumbleth. The Syriac version reads, “our brother”; anyone that stands in such a spiritual relation to any of us; and for which reason care should be taken, that no stumblingblock, or occasion to fall, should be put in his way; particularly that Christian liberty in things indifferent be not unseasonably and imprudently used, and so become a means of stumbling and staggering to weak minds:
or is offended; to that degree, as to censure and judge him that eats, as an impious person, and a transgressor of the law; with whom he cannot keep his communion, but withdraws himself from it, and is even tempted to drop his profession of the Christian religion entirely, being ready to think it is not right, since contrary to the law of Moses:
or is made weak; more weak in the faith than he was before, and his love is weakened and grows very cold and indifferent to his Christian brethren, that can take and use a liberty which he cannot. These two last phrases are not in the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, nor in the Alexandrian copy, though in others, and are used for the sake of explanation and amplification.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Not to eat ( ). “The not eating.” Articular infinitive (second aorist active of ) and subject of (copula, understood).
Flesh (). Old word, in N.T. only here and 1Co 8:13.
To drink (). Shortened form for (second aorist active infinitive of ).
Whereby ( ). “On which thy brother stumbleth” ().
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
To eat flesh – drink wine. The two points of the weak brother ‘s special scruple. Omit or is offended or is made weak.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “It is good neither to eat flesh,” (kalon to me phagein krea) “it is ideal (or the proper thing) not to eat flesh,” if the eating offend a weak brother –Paul would not, 1Co 8:13; 1Co 10:33.
2) “Nor to drink wine, nor anything,” (mede piein onion mede) “Not even to drink wine, nor (not) one thing”; 2Co 6:3; one under Christian liberty is to avoid doing any thing that may cause a weaker brother in Christ to fall, to do wrong, or to develop a weak compromising conscience, 1Co 8:9-13.
3) “Whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak,” (en ho adelphos sou proskoptei) “By which your brother stumbles,” or is obstructed in following Christ, or may cause the one eating or drinking, because he has the law and liberty to do so, to have a guilty, or accusing conscience, 1Jn 3:21; Gal 5:1; Gal 5:13; Gal 6:1-2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(21) It is good neither to eat flesh.These direct, clear, incisive sentences are as characteristic of the style of the Apostle (when he is dealing with moral questions of present urgency, and not with the abstract problems of theology) as the generous impulse which prompts them is of his heart.
Any thingi.e., to do anything; all three words have to be supplied.
Or is offended, or is made weak.There is a remarkable division of authority for the omission or retention of these words, the Sinaitic and Alexandrine MSS. with the Paris rescript being on the one side, and the Vatican, with the Grco-Latin Codices, on the other; and the versions pretty nearly divided. Here internal evidence comes in, and decides us to omit the words as most probably a gloss.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Any thing The italic words are of course supplied by the translator. The complete sense requires nor to do any thing; for the apostle means to generalize the precept, Do nothing that may ruin the soul of thy brother.
We have already said that it almost needs an apostle’s wisdom correctly to apply the apostle’s maxim.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Rom 14:21. Is offended, or is made weak That is, drawn to the doing of any thing, of the lawfulness of which not being fully persuaded, it becomes a sin to him. See Locke.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Rom 14:21 . Maxim for the strong in faith, which results from the preceding . . .: “ It is excellent , morally right and good, to eat no flesh, and to drink no wine, and (generally) to do nothing whereby thy brother takes offence ,” etc. Comp. 1Co 8:13 . On , as joined to the infinitive with the article, see Baeumlein, p. 296. The article belongs only to . . With the second , the general is simply to be supplied (Winer, p. 542 [E. T. p. 729]; Buttmann, p. 336), and also refers back to the eating of flesh and drinking of wine. Rckert and Kllner (following Luther, Grotius, Flatt) are mistaken in holding that is to be taken comparatively , and that the comparison lies in . . .; in which case we should have very arbitrarily to assume that the apostle, instead of following it up with an . . . (see on Mat 18:8 ), had been led away from the construction. According to Hofmann, we should read . But this would in fact denote, not, as Hofmann thinks, nor yet anything at all , but neque unum , or ne unum quidem (see on 1Co 6:5 ; Joh 1:3 ), which would be unsuitable here. Quite unfounded withal is the objection against the reading , that with is not elsewhere found; for is to be taken by itself (absolutely), and means whereby , as is also to be understood in Sir 30:13 ; see Fritzsche on Ecclus . p. 167. On the absolute . comp. Sir 34:17 ; Sir 13:23 , also Joh 11:9-10 .
The following threefold designation of the same thing, namely, of the giving occasion for conduct opposed to conscience (comp. Rom 14:13 ), is explained by the urgency of the sorrowful thought.
] not: becomes weak, but, as it always denotes: is weak, i.e. morally powerless to withstand temptation and to follow his moral conviction, not different in substance from the two preceding figurative designations already employed in Rom 14:13 .
Further, that in Rom 14:21 not a merely problematic extension of abstinence is expressed, as those suppose who hold the abstinence on the part of the weak not to refer to all flesh, and to refer to wine either not at all, or only to the wine of libation (see introd. to the chapter, and on Rom 14:2 ), is evident from Rom 14:2 , where abstinence from all flesh is expressed; and hence here, alongside of the , the admits of no other conclusion than that the weak in faith drank no wine, but held the use of it likewise (see Rom 14:14 ) to be defiling.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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.
Ver. 21. It is good neither to eat, &c. ] It will be no grief of heart (as Abigail once told David in another case, 1Sa 25:31 ) to have forborne in case of scandal. A great grief it would be if by some rash word we should betray a brother, or smite out the eye of our dearest child; should we then destroy the life of grace in another by our unadvised walking?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21. ] It is good not to eat meats nor to drink wine, nor ( to do any thing : the ellipsis is a harsh one. Fritzsche says, “aut supple , . . ., as Thl., Beng., Flatt, al., or (or ) . . ., as Grot. Meyer, &c. Prfero illud, quoniam per totum hunc locum de cibo potuque agitur.” But why should not the Apostle, as so often, be deducing a general duty from the particular subject?) in (by) which thy brother stumbles, or is offended (see on Rom 14:13 ), or is weak (Thol. remarks that the three verbs form a climax ad infra ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rom 14:21 . A maxim for the strong. For cf. Mar 14:6 . Abstinence in order that others may not be made to stumble is morally noble. : usually takes the Dat [38] , Rom 9:32 1Pe 2:8 . That there were those in the Church at Rome who had scruples as to the use of flesh and wine, see on Rom 14:2 . Paul would not have written the chapter at all unless there had been scruples of some kind; and he would not have taken these examples if the scruples had concerned something quite different.
[38] dative case.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
neither = not. App-105.
flesh Compare 1Co 8:13.
nor, nor. Greek. mede. App-105.
whereby = in (App-104.) which.
stumbleth. See Rom 9:32.
offended. See Joh 16:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
21.] It is good not to eat meats nor to drink wine, nor (to do any thing: the ellipsis is a harsh one. Fritzsche says, aut supple , …, as Thl., Beng., Flatt, al.,-or (or ) …, as Grot. Meyer, &c. Prfero illud, quoniam per totum hunc locum de cibo potuque agitur. But why should not the Apostle, as so often, be deducing a general duty from the particular subject?) in (by) which thy brother stumbles, or is offended (see on Rom 14:13), or is weak (Thol. remarks that the three verbs form a climax ad infra).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 14:21. , ) neither, viz. to eat, drink, do anything, in which, etc.-) stumbleth, and is wounded, induced rashly to imitate thee, with the loss of righteousness. As there is a difference between righteousness and joy, so there is a difference between the loss of each.-, is offended) is ensnared and impeded, feeling a repugnance to thy action [in eating, and yet doing it in imitation of thee], accompanied with the loss of peace.-) is made weak, or at least remains so, 1Co 8:9-10; defective in mental strength, and hesitating between imitation and horror, with the loss of joy: comp. Rom 14:17. , LXX., .
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 14:21
Rom 14:21
It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth.-From the cases presented, this general practical truth is drawn. He emphasizes the principle that it is good for a Christian neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine, which leads the weak to ruin, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is led to sin, or is made weak. This is a principle the Holy Spirit lays down to guide the children of God. It teaches that Christ denied himself to save us; that he gave up heaven, with all its joys and glories, to help us. We must be willing to forego our privileges of a temporal and fleshly character to help our weak brother. Much is said in the Bible on the subject of the use of wine and intoxicants. The Holy Spirit, knowing fully all that was taught on the subject, gives this as the final deliverance of God to guide men for all time. In it is safety to ourselves and to our fellow man and honor to God. Even if a man thinks he could drink in moderation of intoxicants without injury to himself, he is under obligation to refrain from it, lest by his example a weak brother be led to drink. In leading him to do what leads to his ruin he sins against Christ. He destroys the work of God. I knew a young Christian who became a slave to intoxicants. He was very fond of the preacher, went with him from place to place. He was offered whisky. He refused several times. He refused to touch it. One night he and the preacher lodged with an elder of the church. On the following morning the elder offered him liquor. He refused to drink. The preacher drank. It was again offered the young man. This time he drank. Within a few days he was wallowing in the mire. The preacher and the elder sinned against him, destroyed the work of God, and led him for whom Christ died down to ruin. So in all the paths that lead to sin.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
good: Rom 14:17, Rom 15:1, Rom 15:2, 1Co 8:13
whereby: Rom 14:13, Mal 2:8, Mat 16:23, Mat 18:7-10, Luk 17:1, Luk 17:2, Phi 1:10, Heb 12:13, Rev 2:14
Reciprocal: Lev 11:8 – they are unclean Num 32:15 – ye shall 1Sa 25:31 – grief Psa 73:15 – offend Jer 18:15 – caused Mat 5:30 – offend Mat 17:27 – lest Mat 18:6 – offend Mat 18:10 – heed Joh 16:1 – General Act 15:29 – ye abstain Rom 4:19 – being Rom 14:3 – despise Rom 14:20 – but 1Co 8:9 – take 1Co 8:11 – shall Col 2:16 – in meat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
:21
Rom 14:21. This verse is a generalization of the arguments of the chapter. We should not press our “rights” on a brother who is weak concerning these practices.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 14:21. It is good; admirable, honorable, morally good, in view of what has been said; hence this is the general principle of action, for the strong brother.
Not to eat flesh, etc. This suggests that the weak brother had special scruples on the two points here named, totally abstaining from animal food and wine.
Nor to do anything. It is best to supply to do, since other things than eating and drinking are included.
Whereby; lit, in which, referring to all that precedes,
Stumbleth. Some of the most ancient authorities omit the rest of the verse. While it is difficult to decide which is the correct reading, the preponderance is slightly in favor of the briefer form. The principle is included in the word stumbleth, which is related to that rendered offence (Rom 14:20). (If the longer reading be accepted, made weak should be changed to is weak; the meaning being that we should avoid the weak point of a Christian brother, even when knowing that his scruple is incorrect.) A strong Christian should strive to act upon the principle of this verse, but the weak brother has no right to demand it of him; such a demand is a confession that he is wrong in his scruple. The self-denial of the strong is not a warrant for the tyranny of the weak, who should study the passages meant especially for him.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
It is not good; that is, it is not charitable to make use of any part of our Christian liberty, when by so doing any weak Christian is offended, discouraged, and driven from his profession, and brought to any kind of sin. And if it be a Christian’s obliged duty to forbear the use of indifferent things, when it is a scandal to the weak; how much more is it a duty to avoid obtruding and imposing such things to the scandal, offence, and hurt of others.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Vv. 21 is the summing up of the whole warning addressed to the strong from Rom 14:13.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth. [Do not for a trifling indulgence destroy a man, the noblest work and likeness of God. Look not at your act alone, but consider also its consequences. True, indeed, that your weak brother, in following your example, will not be harmed by the food itself, yet he will surely do evil if he offends his conscience in eating. Therefore your proper course is abstinence that your brother may not be tempted. Though Paul’s reference is to the contamination of the wine of idolatry, yet the principle applies equally well to the wine of intemperance.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
21. It is good to neither eat meat nor drink wine nor anything else by which thy brother stumbleth. We must have the kingdom of God in our hearts, i. e., righteousness, peace and joy wrought by the Holy Ghost, or we ourselves are reprobates. Then we must keep out of everybodys way, i. e., we must not do anything over which others will stumble, and thus keep clear of their blood.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
It is interesting that the apostle mentioned drinking wine since that is one of the most problematic amoral practices in American evangelicalism. Paul himself was willing to forego any particular food or drink to avoid causing spiritual growth problems for a brother (1Co 8:13; cf. Mar 9:42). Certainly we should be willing to do the same. We willingly alter our pace of walking while leading a small child by the hand so he or she will not stumble. How much more should we be willing to alter our Christian walk for the benefit of a weaker brother or sister in Christ whom we are leading.
". . . modern Christians who . . . abstain from all alcoholic beverages do so not because they fear ritual contamination. Some abstain because they are leery of a product that has had such a sad history of ’enslaving’ those who partake (see the principle of 1Co 6:12 b). Many others do not drink because they do not want to set a bad example for others who might not be able to handle alcohol. Abstinence on these grounds may be a laudable course of action; but it has little basis in Paul’s argument in these chapters. For the ’weak’ here are not those who cannot control their drinking. They are people who are not convinced that their faith in Christ allows them to do a particular thing. They are not ’weak’ in respect to handling alcohol; they are ’weak’ in respect to their faith (Rom 14:1). And Paul urges the ’strong’ to abstain, not because their example might lead the ’weak’ to drink to excess but because their example might lead the ’weak’ to drink and so to violate their conscience (Rom 14:22-23)." [Note: Moo, p. 881.]