81 And concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that we all have knowledge: knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up; 2 and if any one doth think to know anything, he hath not yet known anything according as it behoveth 'him' to know; 3 and if any one doth love God, this one hath been known by Him.
4 Concerning the eating then of the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that an idol 'is' nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except one; 5 for even if there are those called gods, whether in heaven, whether upon earth—as there are gods many and lords many— 6 yet to us 'is' one God, the Father, of whom 'are' the all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom 'are' the all things, and we through Him;
7 but not in all men 'is' the knowledge, and certain with conscience of the idol, till now, as a thing sacrificed to an idol do eat 'it', and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But victuals do not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind; 9 but see, lest this privilege of yours may become a stumbling-block to the infirm, 10 for if any one may see thee that hast knowledge in an idol's temple reclining at meat—shall not his conscience—he being infirm—be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to idols, 11 and the brother who is infirm shall perish by thy knowledge, because of whom Christ died? 12 and thus sinning in regard to the brethren, and smiting their weak conscience—in regard to Christ ye sin;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8:1-12
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8:1-6
(Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-6)
There is no proof of ignorance more common than conceit of knowledge. Much may be known, when nothing is known to good purpose. And those who think they know any thing, and grow vain thereon, are the least likely to make good use of their knowledge. Satan hurts some as much by tempting them to be proud of mental powers, as others, by alluring to sensuality. Knowledge which puffs up the possessor, and renders him confident, is as dangerous as self-righteous pride, though what he knows may be right. Without holy affections all human knowledge is worthless. The heathens had gods of higher and lower degree; gods many, and lords many; so called, but not such in truth. Christians know better. One God made all, and has power over all. The one God, even the Father, signifies the Godhead as the sole object of all religious worship; and the Lord Jesus Christ denotes the person of Emmanuel, God manifest in the flesh, One with the Father, and with us; the appointed Mediator, and Lord of all; through whom we come to the Father, and through whom the Father sends all blessings to us, by the influence and working of the Holy Spirit. While we refuse all worship to the many who are called gods and lords, and to saints and angels, let us try whether we really come to God by faith in Christ.
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8:7-13
(Read 1 Corinthians 8:7-13)
Eating one kind of food, and abstaining from another, have nothing in them to recommend a person to God. But the apostle cautions against putting a stumbling-block in the way of the weak; lest they be made bold to eat what was offered to the idol, not as common food, but as a sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of idolatry. He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to Christians, are done to Christ; but most of all, the entangling them in guilt: wounding their consciences, is wounding him. We should be very tender of doing any thing that may occasion stumbling to others, though it may be innocent in itself. And if we must not endanger other men's souls, how much should we take care not to destroy our own! Let Christians beware of approaching the brink of evil, or the appearance of it, though many do this in public matters, for which perhaps they plead plausibly. Men cannot thus sin against their brethren, without offending Christ, and endangering their own souls.