3 But G1161 if any man G1536 love G25 God, G2316 the same G3778 is known G1097 of G5259 him. G846
I know G1492 thy G4675 works: G2041 behold, G2400 I have set G1325 before G1799 thee G4675 an open G455 door, G2374 and G2532 no man G3762 can G1410 shut G2808 it: G846 for G3754 thou hast G2192 a little G3398 strength, G1411 and G2532 hast kept G5083 my G3450 word, G3056 and G2532 hast G720 not G3756 denied G720 my G3450 name. G3686 Behold, G2400 I will make G1325 them of G1537 the synagogue G4864 of Satan, G4567 which G3588 say G3004 they G1438 are G1511 Jews, G2453 and G2532 are G1526 not, G3756 but G235 do lie; G5574 behold, G2400 I will make G4160 them G846 to G2443 come G2240 and G2532 worship G4352 before G1799 thy G4675 feet, G4228 and G2532 to know G1097 that G3754 I G1473 have loved G25 thee. G4571
But G1161 now, G3568 after that ye have known G1097 God, G2316 or G1161 rather G3123 are known G1097 of G5259 God, G2316 how G4459 turn ye G1994 again G3825 to G1909 the weak G772 and G2532 beggarly G4434 elements, G4747 whereunto G3739 ye desire G2309 again G3825 G509 to be in bondage? G1398
I know G1492 thy G4675 works, G2041 and G2532 charity, G26 and G2532 service, G1248 and G2532 faith, G4102 and G2532 thy G4675 patience, G5281 and G2532 thy G4675 works; G2041 and G2532 the last G2078 to be more than G4119 the first. G4413
The LORD H3068 is good, H2896 a strong hold H4581 in the day H3117 of trouble; H6869 and he knoweth H3045 them that trust H2620 in him.
But G235 as G2531 it is written, G1125 G3739 Eye G3788 hath G1492 not G3756 seen, G1492 nor G2532 G3756 ear G3775 heard, G191 neither G2532 G3756 have entered G305 into G1909 the heart G2588 of man, G444 the things which G3739 God G2316 hath prepared G2090 for them that love G25 him. G846
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 See, H7200 thou sayest H559 unto me, Bring up H5927 this people: H5971 and thou hast not let me know H3045 whom thou wilt send H7971 with me. Yet thou hast said, H559 I know H3045 thee by name, H8034 and thou hast also found H4672 grace H2580 in my sight. H5869
And G2532 then G5119 will I profess G3670 unto them, G846 G3754 I never G3763 knew G1097 you: G5209 depart G672 from G575 me, G1700 ye that work G2038 iniquity. G458
I G1473 am G1510 the good G2570 shepherd, G4166 and G2532 know G1097 my G1699 sheep, and G2532 am known G1097 of G5259 mine. G1699
Nevertheless G3305 the foundation G2310 of God G2316 standeth G2476 sure, G4731 having G2192 this G5026 seal, G4973 The Lord G2962 knoweth G1097 them that are G5607 his. G846 And, G2532 Let G868 every one G3956 that nameth G3687 the name G3686 of Christ G5547 depart G868 from G575 iniquity. G93
I know G1492 thy G4675 works, G2041 and G2532 tribulation, G2347 and G2532 poverty, G4432 (but G1161 thou art G1488 rich) G4145 and G2532 I know the blasphemy G988 of them which G3588 say G3004 they G1438 are G1511 Jews, G2453 and G2532 are G1526 not, G3756 but G235 are the synagogue G4864 of Satan. G4567
And G1161 we know G1492 that all things G3956 work together G4903 for G1519 good G18 to them that G3754 love G25 God, G2316 to them who are G5607 the called G2822 according G2596 to his purpose. G4286 For G3754 whom G3739 he did foreknow, G4267 he G4309 also G2532 did predestinate G4309 to be conformed G4832 to the image G1504 of his G846 Son, G5207 that G1519 he G846 might be G1511 the firstborn G4416 among G1722 many G4183 brethren. G80
I know G1492 thy G4675 works, G2041 that G3754 thou art G1488 neither G3777 cold G5593 nor G3777 hot: G2200 I would G3785 thou wert G1498 cold G5593 or G2228 hot. G2200 So G3779 then because G3754 thou art G1488 lukewarm, G5513 and G2532 neither G3777 cold G5593 nor G3777 hot, G2200 I will G3195 spue G1692 thee G4571 out of G1537 my G3450 mouth. G4750
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 O LORD, H3068 thou hast searched H2713 me, and known H3045 me. Thou knowest H3045 my downsitting H3427 and mine uprising, H6965 thou understandest H995 my thought H7454 afar off. H7350
God G2316 hath G683 not G3756 cast away G683 his G846 people G2992 which G3739 he foreknew. G4267 G2228 Wot ye G1492 not G3756 what G5101 the scripture G1124 saith G3004 of G1722 Elias? G2243 how G5613 he maketh intercession G1793 to God G2316 against G2596 Israel, G2474 saying, G3004
He saith G3004 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 Peter G4074 was grieved G3076 because G3754 he said G2036 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 And G2532 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Lord, G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 all things; G3956 thou G4771 knowest G1097 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G1006 my G3450 sheep. G4263
Whom G3739 having G1492 not G3756 seen, G1492 G1492 ye love; G25 in G1519 whom, G3739 though now G737 ye see G3708 him not, G3361 yet G1161 believing, G4100 ye rejoice G21 with joy G5479 unspeakable G412 and G2532 full of glory: G1392
I know G1492 thy G4675 works, G2041 and G2532 where G4226 thou dwellest, G2730 even where G3699 Satan's G4567 seat G2362 is: and G2532 thou holdest fast G2902 my G3450 name, G3686 and G2532 hast G720 not G3756 denied G720 my G3450 faith, G4102 even G2532 in G1722 those days G2250 wherein G1722 G3739 Antipas G493 was my G3450 faithful G4103 martyr, G3144 who G3739 was slain G615 among G3844 you, G5213 where G3699 Satan G4567 dwelleth. G2730
Thou hast proved H974 mine heart; H3820 thou hast visited H6485 me in the night; H3915 thou hast tried H6884 me, and shalt find H4672 nothing; I am purposed H2161 that my mouth H6310 shall not transgress. H5674
By G1722 this G5129 we know G1097 that G3754 we love G25 the children G5043 of God, G2316 when G3752 we love G25 God, G2316 and G2532 keep G5083 his G846 commandments. G1785 For G1063 this G3778 is G2076 the love G26 of God, G2316 that G2443 we keep G5083 his G846 commandments: G1785 and G2532 his G846 commandments G1785 are G1526 not G3756 grievous. G926
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
The apostle, in this chapter, answers another case proposed to him by some of the Corinthians, about eating those things that had been sacrificed to idols.
1Cr 8:1-3
The apostle comes here to the case of things that had been offered to idols, concerning which some of them sought satisfaction: a case that frequently occurred in that age of Christianity, when the church of Christ was among the heathen, and the Israel of God must live among the Canaanites. For the better understanding of it, it must be observed that it was a custom among the heathens to make feasts on their sacrifices, and not only to eat themselves, but invite their friends to partake with them. These were usually kept in the temple, where the sacrifice was offered (v. 10), and, if any thing was left when the feast ended, it was usual to carry away a portion to their friends; what remained, after all, belonged to the priests, who sometimes sold it in the markets. See ch. 10:25. Nay, feasts, as Athenaeus informs us, were always accounted, among the heathen, sacred and religious things, so that they were wont to sacrifice before all their feasts; and it was accounted a very profane thing among them, athyta esthiein, to eat at their private tables any meat whereof they had not first sacrificed on such occasions. In this circumstance of things, while Christians lived among idolaters, had many relations and friends that were such, with whom they must keep up acquaintance and maintain good neighbourhood, and therefore have occasion to eat at their tables, what should they do if any thing that had been sacrificed should be set before them? What, if they should be invited to feast with them in their temples? It seems as if some of the Corinthians had imbibed an opinion that even this might be done, because they knew an idol was nothing in the world, v. 4. The apostle seems to answer more directly to the case (ch. 10), and here to argue, upon supposition of their being right in this thought, against their abuse of their liberty to the prejudice of others; but he plainly condemns such liberty in ch. 10. The apostle introduces his discourse with some remarks about knowledge that seem to carry in them a censure of such pretences to knowledge as I have mentioned: We know, says the apostle, that we all have knowledge (v. 1); as if he had said, "You who take such liberty are not the only knowing persons; we who abstain know as much as you of the vanity of idols, and that they are nothing; but we know too that the liberty you take is very culpable, and that even lawful liberty must be used with charity and not to the prejudice of weaker brethren.' Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth, v. 1. Note,
1Cr 8:4-6
In this passage he shows the vanity of idols: As to the eating of things that have been sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world; or, there is no idol in the world; or, an idol can do nothing in the world: for the form of expression in the original is elliptical. The meaning in the general is, that heathen idols have no divinity in them; and therefore the Old Testament they are commonly called lies and vanities, or lying vanities. They are merely imaginary gods, and many of them no better than imaginary beings; they have no power to pollute the creatures of God, and thereby render them unfit to be eaten by a child or servant of God. Every creature of God is good, if it be received with thanksgiving, 1 Tim. 4:4. It is not in the power of the vanities of the heathens to change its nature.-And there is no other God but one. Heathen idols are not gods, nor to be owned and respected as gods, for there is no other God but one. Note, the unity of the Godhead is a fundamental principle in Christianity, and in all right religion. The gods of the heathens must be nothing in the world, must have no divinity in them, nothing of real godhead belonging to them; for there is no other God but one. Others may be called gods: There are that are called gods, in heaven and earth, gods many, and lords many; but they are falsely thus called. The heathens had many such, some in heaven and some on earth, celestial deities, that were of highest rank and repute among them, and terrestrial ones, men made into gods, that were to mediate for men with the former, and were deputed by them to preside over earthly affairs. These are in scripture commonly called Baalim. They had gods of higher and lower degree; nay, many in each order: gods many, and lords many; but all titular deities and mediators: so called, but not such in truth. All their divinity and mediation were imagery. For,
1Cr 8:7-13
The apostle, having granted, and indeed confirmed, the opinion of some among the Corinthians, that idols were nothing, proceeds now to show them that their inference from this assumption was not just, namely, that therefore they might go into the idol-temple, and eat of the sacrifices, and feast there with their heathen neighbours. He does not indeed here so much insist upon the unlawfulness of the thing in itself as the mischief such freedom might do to weaker Christians, persons that had not the same measure of knowledge with these pretenders. And here,