Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 10:27
If any of them that believe not bid you [to a feast,] and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
27. If any of them that believe not bid you ] i.e. to a feast in a private house. Although some of the Corinthians had gone so far as to declare that a Christian might innocently sit at meat in the idol temple, confident in his conviction that an idol was ‘nothing in the world’ (ch. 1Co 8:10), yet the Christian religion could not permit them thus to abuse their freedom. To sit at meat in the idol temple was directly to countenance idol worship, and thus to become ‘partaker’ of the ‘table of devils.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If any of them that believe not – That are not Christians; that are still pagans.
Bid you to a feast – Evidently not a feast in the temple of an idol, but at his own house. If he asks you to partake of his hospitality.
And ye be disposed to go – Greek, And you will to go. It is evidently implied here that it would be not improper to go. The Saviour accepted such invitations to dine with the Pharisees (see the note at Luk 11:37); and Christianity is not designed to abolish the courtesies of social life; or to break the bonds of contact; or to make people misanthropes or hermits. It allows and cultivates, under proper Christian restraints, the contact in society which will promote the comfort of people, and especially that which may extend the usefulness of Christians. It does not require, therefore, that we should withdraw from social life, or regard as improper the courtesies of society; see the note at 1Co 5:10.
Whatsoever is set before you … – Whether it has been offered in sacrifice or not; for so the connection requires us to understand it.
Eat – This should be interpreted strictly. The apostle says eat, not drink; and the principle will not authorize us to drink whatever is set before us, asking no questions for conscience sake; for while it was matter of indifference in regard to eating, whether the meat had been sacrificed to idols or not, it is not a matter of indifference whether a man may drink intoxicating liquor. That is a point on which the conscience should have much to do; and on which its honest decisions, and the will of the Lord, should be faithfully and honestly regarded.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. If any – bid you to a feast] The apostle means any common meal, not an idol festival; for to such no Christian could lawfully go.
Whatsoever is set before you, eat] Do not act as the Jews generally do, torturing both themselves and others with questions, such as those mentioned in 1Co 10:26.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The apostle puts another case, in which they might lawfully enough eat of meat offered to an idol; that was in case any of their neighbours, that were heathens, invited them to dinner or supper in a private house (some add, or in the idols temple, if it were a feast of friendship, not a feast upon a sacrifice; but I doubt that, and also whether in the idol-temples there were any feasts but upon sacrifices): he determineth it lawful for them to go and eat whatsoever was set before them; but in this case he would also have them
ask no questions for conscience sake.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. ye be disposed to gotacitlyimplying, they would be as well not to go, but yet not forbiddingthem to go (1Co 10:9)[GROTIUS]. The feast isnot an idol feast, but a general entertainment, at which, however,there might be meat that had been offered to an idol.
for conscience’ sake(Seeon 1Co 10:25).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If any of them that believe not,…. In Christ, and make no profession of faith in him; but are infidels to his person, office, grace, righteousness, Gospel, and ordinances, as there were many such at Corinth: “bid you” to a feast; invite you to dine or sup with them in their own houses:
and ye be disposed to go; the apostle does not lay any commands upon them to go, or not go, but leaves them to their own will, inclination, and discretion; for as circumstances might be, it might be either proper or improper to listen to an invitation from such a quarter; but if they were inclined, and did think fit to go, which they might without sin; for as it is lawful to trade, so to eat and drink with unbelievers; then his advice is,
whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no questions for conscience sake; that is, as before, as whether it is offered to idols or not; lest either their own, or another’s conscience should be hurt thereby.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Biddeth you ( ). To a general banquet, but not to a temple feast (8:10) which is prohibited. If a pagan invites Christians to their homes to a banquet, one is to act like a gentleman.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast. (ei tis kalei humas ton apiston) “if anyone of the unbelievers invites you all (to a common meal).” Paul instructed the Corinth brethren concerning social conduct with their unsaved neighbors or friends of the world.
2) And ye be disposed to go. (Kai thetete poreuesthai) “And ye all have a strong will to go, of your own volition.” Remember our Lord ate socially with publicans and sinners. Note His answer when He was chided about it, Mat 9:23.
3) Whatsoever is set before you. (pan to paratithemeon humin) “Everything placed alongside you or set out for you to eat.” About such Paul became “all things to all men that he might by all means save some,” 1Co 9:22.
4) Eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (esthiete meden anakrinontes dia ten suneidesin) “Eat ye, about not one thing raising a question of judgement, because of conscience.” – Yours or theirs – It is not a feast of worship, but a social hour of communion. 1Co 9:23-26.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
27. If any one of them that believe not invites you. Here follows an exception, to this effect, that if a believer has been warned, that what is set before him has been offered to an idol, and sees that there is a danger of offense being given, he sins against the brethren if he does not abstain. He shows then, in short, that care must be taken not to hurt weak consciences.
When he says — and you are willing to go, he intimates indirectly, that he does not altogether approve of it, and that it would be better if they declined, but as it is a thing indifferent, he does not choose to forbid it absolutely. And, certainly, there could be nothing better than to keep at a distance from such snares — not that those are expressly to be condemned, who accommodate themselves to men only in so far as conscience permits, (601) but because it becomes us to proceed with caution, (602) where we see that we are in danger of falling.
(601) “ Seulement autant que faire se pent sans offenser Dieu;” — “Only so far as they can do so without offending God.”
(602) “ Auec grand auis et prudence;” — “With great care and prudence.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(27) If any of them that believe not. . . .How should a Christian act if a heathen friend invited him to a feast? Should he inquire whether there was any sacrificial meat at the feast, and so avoid eating it? No. The same principle applies hereno question need be asked.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. If St. Paul has thus far stated the rule for the market; now comes the rule for the table.
Bid feast A Christian is invited by a pagan friend, not to a temple banquet, but to a feast at the latter’s residence.
Disposed to go Though a pagan, he may still be a dear friend, and Christianity requires not that the innocent tie be broken.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘If one of those who do not believe bids you to a feast, and you are disposed to go. whatever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience’ sake.’
The same principle applies when they are invited to go to a pagan friend’s house or banquet. There is no reason not to go if they wish to. Nor do they have to start asking questions about the meat. If its source is unknown they do not have to ask about it. Their conscience need not be so bound. They can eat whatever is set before them, accepting it as from the Lord and His fullness, and giving thanks to Him.
So the principle that he is stressing is that it is not whether the meat has been sacrificed to idols that matters. That affects things neither one way or the other. What really matters is when it is publicly known that it is so. Then it does matter because of the testimony it gives, and the effect that it might have on those who are spiritually weak. It is all a matter of testimony and concern for the thoughts of the weaker brother, not of the meat itself.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Co 10:27 . ] of continuation. In the matter of invitations too the same principle holds good, only with the incidental limitation adduced in 1Co 10:28 . Note the emphasis conveyed by the unusual place of the , in contrast to the . which has been already spoken of. Attention is thus called to the fact that a second and a new situation is now to be discussed; before, the reader was in the fleshmarket ; now, he is a guest at a feast .
It is plain, at the same time, from 1Co 10:28 , that what is meant is not the invitation to festivals in express connection with sacrifice , but to other heathen feasts, at which, however, flesh offered to idols might occur; for in the case of a sacrificial feast the was a matter of course.
.] “Admonet tacite, melius forte facturos, si non eant, ire tamen non prohibet,” Grotius.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast , and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
Ver. 27. And ye be disposed to go ] Our Saviour, when he saw that John’s austerity was censured, took his liberty in the use of creatures, and convenient company keeping, Luk 7:33-34 . I do not find where ever he was bidden to any table and refused. Not for a pleasure of the dishes, but for the benefit of so winning a conversation.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
27. ] The same maxim applied to their conduct at a banquet given by a heathen . A miscellaneous banquet , and not a sacrificial feast, is meant. At such, there might be meat which had been offered to idols. Grot, says well on , “Admonet tacite, melius forte facturos, si non eant: ire tamen non prohibet: supra, cap. 1Co 5:10 .”
On ( . ., see above, 1Co 10:25 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
[1568] parallel.
[1569] classical.
[1570] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.
[1571] [1572] [1573]
[1574] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.
[1575]
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
If. App-118.
any. App-123.
them that believe not = the unbelievers. Greek. apistos, as in 1Co 7:12.
bid = call.
be disposed = wish. App-102.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
27.] The same maxim applied to their conduct at a banquet given by a heathen. A miscellaneous banquet, and not a sacrificial feast, is meant. At such, there might be meat which had been offered to idols. Grot, says well on , Admonet tacite, melius forte facturos, si non eant: ire tamen non prohibet: supra, cap. 1Co 5:10.
On ( . ., see above, 1Co 10:25.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 10:27. , you wish to go) Paul does not much approve of this, nor does he forbid it.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 10:27
1Co 10:27
If one of them that believe not biddeth you to a feast,- The Christian was not forbidden to retain his friendship among the heathen, nor was he forbidden association with them.
and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.-[If a heathen friend should ask him to a meal in a private house and not in a sacrificial feast in an idol temple, he was not to trouble himself to ask whether the meat that was served was a part of the idol sacrifice, for such a dining was in no sense an act of worship.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
bid: 1Co 5:9-11, Luk 5:29, Luk 5:30, Luk 15:23, Luk 19:7
whatsoever: Luk 10:7
for: 1Co 10:25, 2Co 1:13, 2Co 4:2, 2Co 5:11
Reciprocal: Exo 34:15 – call thee Num 25:2 – they called Psa 141:4 – and let me Luk 10:8 – eat 1Co 5:10 – altogether
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 10:27. Them that believe not mean one’s personal friends who are not members of the church. To a feast is not in the original but is implied by the rest of the verse. Asking no question means the same as the phrase in verse 25.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 10:27. If one of them that believe not biddeth you to a feastnot an idolatrous festival, but a social feast.
and ye are disposed to go. Strange to say, this is understood by some (as Grotius and Alford) as a tacit way of dissuading them from going. Clearly it is a tacit permission to go, and is merely expressed to pave the way for the direction following,
whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no questions for conscience sake.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our apostle here puts another case: “Suppose an unbeliever, an infidel or heathen, did invite a believer, a Christian, to a feast of civil friendship in his private house, (not to a feast upon a sacrifice in the idol-temple, which was absolutely unlawful,) what was to be done in this case?” He declares they may warrantably go and eat whatever is set before them without scruple, but would have them ask no questions about the lawfulness of it; nevertheless, if the master of the feast, or any present at the feast, shall suggest that some part of the meat has been offered to an idol, in that case he would have them forbear, lest they should encourage any man to idolatry; adding his reason as before, For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: that is, there is plenty and variety of other meat to be had, which God, the Creator of all things, the Lord of the whole earth, has allowed us the free use of; so that we may well let the idol sacrifices alone.
Here we see, that an action lawful in itself becomes sinful, and is condemned as such, when there is a breach of charity in the doing of it.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
1Co 10:27-30. If any of them that believe not Any heathen who lives in your neighbourhood; bid you to a feast Invite you to his house; and ye be disposed To accept the invitation; whatever is set before you At the entertainment; eat, asking no question About its having been sacrificed to idols; for conscience sake. See on 1Co 10:25. But receiving it, whatever it may be, as that supply which Divine Providence has then been pleased to send you. But if any man say, This food is part of what hath been offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not, for his sake that showed it Whether he be a heathen, who might thereby be confirmed in his idolatry, or a brother, who might otherwise be insnared by thy example, and tempted to violate the dictates of his own mind; and for conscience sake For the sake of his weak conscience, lest it should be wounded by seeing thee do what he judged to be unlawful. To explain this further, The heathen often, in their own houses, made an ordinary feast of a part of the sacrifice, see on chap. 1Co 8:1; to these entertainments, the apostle told the Corinthian brethren, they might lawfully go when invited. But on such occasions, if a Christian domestic or slave, by informing them that this or that dish consisted of things which had been sacrificed to an idol, signified that they considered their eating these things as sinful, they were to abstain from them, for the reasons mentioned in the text. For the earth is the Lords, &c. This clause, inserted in our copies, is omitted in the Alex. Clermont, and other manuscripts, and the Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate versions; and some other critics think it disturbs the sense. But, says Macknight, it renders the argument more complete; for the meaning is, The Lord, to whom the earth and all its fulness belong, having allowed men a sufficiency of other wholesome food, no one is under any necessity of offending those who are either ignorant or scrupulous, by eating a particular kind. Conscience, I say, not thine own I speak of his conscience, not thine, lest it be troubled, and his mind be disquieted; for why is my liberty judged by anothers conscience I ought not to use my liberty so as to do that which another man thinks in his conscience to be evil, and so judges me a transgressor for it. Or, as Dr. Doddridge paraphrases the verse, I mean not thine own conscience immediately, but that of another person; for how indifferent soever thou mayest esteem the matter, thou art obliged in duty to be very cautious that thou dost not wound and grieve that of thy brother: but you will observe, that I here speak only of acts obvious to human observation; for, as to what immediately lies between God and my own soul, why is my liberty to be judged, arraigned, and condemned at the bar of another mans conscience? I am not, in such cases, to govern myself by the judgment and apprehension of others; nor have they any authority to judge or censure me for not concurring with them in their own narrow notions and declarations. Others think it is an objection in the mouths of the Corinthians, and to be thus understood: But why should I suffer myself to be thus imposed on, and receive law from any, where Christ has left me free? But the above interpretation seems more probable, which supposes that this and the following verse come in as a kind of parenthesis, to prevent their extending the former caution beyond what he designed by it. For if I, by grace The divine favour; be a partaker Of the common gifts of Providence; why am I evil spoken of for my free and cheerful use of that for which I give thanks As tracing it up to the hand of the great Supreme Benefactor?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vv. 27. If any of them that believe not bid you, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. The reading , but, may be supported as contrasting this new case with the foregoing; but the two cases may also be simply put in juxtaposition without particle, according to the reading of the Alex.
There is much delicacy in the: and ye be disposed…Paul does not forbid acceptance of the invitation; for family bonds ought to be respected; they may even become, in the case of the believer, a means of advancing God’s kingdom. But, while speaking as he does, and expressly referring the decision to the Christian’s conscience, he yet makes him feel the need of reflection; for many dangers might accompany such invitations to heathen houses, even in a private dwelling, where the meal was always accompanied with certain religious ceremonies. The words , to a feast, in the Greco-Lat. reading, are certainly a gloss. For the , see on 1Co 10:25. Holsten gives to these words the meaning: The strong believer need not make inquiry, and that because of the conscience of the weak brother, present or not present, who might be offended if it turned out as the result of the inquiry that the meat had been offered to idols. The same reasons as we have given at 1Co 10:25 seem to us to exclude this meaning.
The second alternative, 1Co 10:28-30 : the case in which the question is raised as to the origin of the meats offered at a feast.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
If one of them that believe not biddeth you to a feast, and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience’ sake.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 27
To a feast; to a private entertainment.–Asking no question; that is, in respect to the origin of the food provided, with a view to ascertain whether any of it had been offered to idols.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
1Co 10:27-29 a. A second case. In 1Co 10:25 Paul gave advice to Christians when in the market: he now gives them the same advice when at the table of a heathen.
Invites: same word as call and bid in Mat 20:1-14. See under Rom 8:28. We cannot detect, in if you wish to go, a tacit dissuasion from going. This is left entirely to the reader’s own judgment.
But if any one say etc.: a further development of this second case.
Any one: a weak brother, (cp. 1Co 8:7-13,) probably a Gentile Christian. For, to eat an idol-sacrifice would not injure the conscience of a heathen: and a Jew, or a Jewish believer of weak faith would not be at a heathen’s table.
Sacred-sacrifice: more suitable at a heathen’s table than idol-sacrifice, which means meat offered to an image.
And conscience: added to remind us that while refusing to eat because of our brother we are really paying deference to the majesty of the abstract principle of Conscience, the judge divine who speaks in every heart.
Conscience, I say; tells us whom Paul has in view in this appeal to conscience in the abstract.
The motive here given is expounded in 1Co 8:9. If we eat, our example may lead him to do the same, though he believes it to be wrong. Conscience will then pronounce sentence against him. He will thus receive a wound in that inner chamber of his being in which he contemplates his own actions. See under 1Co 8:7; Rom 2:15. And this wound may be fatal. Therefore, a remembrance of our brother’s condition and of the judge which speaks in him, is a reason for not eating that which he has pointed out to us as sacrificial meat.
1Co 10:29-30. Questions supporting, by reference to the strong man’s freedom, the advice prompted by thought of the weak man’s conscience.
My: as in 1Co 6:15; Rom 3:7. To show the impropriety of that from which he dissuades, Paul supposes himself to be doing it. My knowledge that idols are nothing makes me free from all personal fear of eating meat offered to them. But if by eating it I injure another man, his conscience will declare that my freedom has been in its effect upon him a bad thing, that it would have been better for him if I had had less knowledge. And Paul sees no reason why such a verdict should be pronounced on his freedom, which he knows to be good, by a voice which he is compelled to respect, viz. another man’s conscience. Similar argument in Rom 14:16. The same argument, 1Co 10:30 repeats in a modified form, that we may feel its full force.
With thanks: (same word as grace; see under Rom 1:5 🙂 proof that his conscience approves his eating.
Evil-spoken-of: or, blasphemed: see Rom 2:24.
I for my part, give thanks: conspicuous incongruity. While eating this meat I thank God for freedom from scruples which cause such trouble to others. Yet, while I do this, my brother’s conscience declares that my liberty has done him harm, that it would have been better for him if I had not that for which I thank God. Such incongruity Paul will not tolerate. And, to avoid it, he advises his readers to abstain from food which is pointed out to them as being an idol-sacrifice.
Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament
The invitation in view must be to the home of an unbeliever for a meal rather than to a pagan temple for participation in a religious feast. This seems clear from the next verse. This freedom may have been hard for many Jewish Christians to accept (cf. Act 10:28; Act 11:2-3). Nevertheless it belonged to them. It was wise not to ask if someone had offered the meat to an idol. A Christian might pose this question in the home of a pagan host or in the marketplace (1Co 10:25). Not inquiring would obviate the possibility of unnecessary guilt arising in the mind of a scrupulous believer.