Commentary - 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

Bird's-eye view

In this section of 1 Corinthians, Paul is bringing his argument concerning meat sacrificed to idols to a fine point. He has already established that an idol is nothing (1 Cor. 8:4) and that Christians with a robust conscience understand this. However, he has also warned them against participating in pagan feasts in the temples themselves, which is actual fellowship with demons (1 Cor. 10:20). Now he must address the day-to-day questions that arise in a pagan city like Corinth. What about meat from the butcher shop? What about a dinner invitation from an unbelieving neighbor?

Paul's answer is a masterful application of Christian liberty, love for neighbor, and the ultimate purpose of all human action, which is the glory of God. He begins by re-stating a principle he introduced earlier (1 Cor. 6:12): just because something is permissible does not mean it is beneficial or constructive. Christian freedom is not a license for self-indulgence but an opportunity for edification. The governing principle is not "what can I get away with?" but rather "what builds up my brother?" and "what honors God?" This leads him to practical, on-the-ground instructions that are still profoundly relevant for Christians navigating a world that does not know God.

Outline

Context In 1 Corinthians

This passage is the culmination of a three-chapter argument (chapters 8-10). The Corinthian church was gifted but carnal, and one of their problems was a proud faction that flaunted its "knowledge" and "liberty." They understood that idols were nothing and therefore felt free to eat meat that had been offered to them. Paul agrees with their premise, an idol is a nullity, but he sharply corrects their application. In chapter 8, he argues that love, not knowledge, must guide their actions, lest they cause a weaker brother to stumble. In chapter 9, he uses himself as an example of one who foregoes his rights for the sake of the gospel. In chapter 10, he warns them sternly against idolatry by pointing to the example of Israel in the wilderness, and he forbids them from participating in pagan temple feasts. Now, in our text, he provides the practical conclusion, showing how a mature Christian navigates these gray areas with wisdom, love, and a God-centered focus.

Key Issues

Commentary

23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.

Paul begins by quoting a slogan that was likely popular among the "strong" in Corinth: "All things are lawful." He doesn't dispute the slogan in its proper context. In Christ, we are freed from the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic code and from superstitious fear of inanimate objects. An idol is nothing, and the meat is just meat. So, yes, in that sense, all things are lawful. But the Christian life is not lived on the basis of what is merely permissible. A mature believer asks better questions. The first question is, "Is it profitable?" Does this action advance my sanctification? Does it help me run the race? The second question is, "Does it build up?" This shifts the focus from myself to my brother. Christianity is a corporate affair. We are bricks in a building, and our actions should be like a mason setting a brick in place, not like a wrecking ball. Liberty exercised without love is destructive.

24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of the other person.

Here is the positive principle that governs the negative one above. The default setting of our fallen hearts is to seek our own good, our own rights, our own preferences. The gospel turns this completely upside down. We are to be a people who are constantly looking out for the interests of others (Phil. 2:4). This is not a suggestion for extra-credit spirituality; it is the very heart of what it means to follow Christ, who did not please Himself. In the context of meat, it means the strong believer's desire for a steak is a far lower priority than the spiritual well-being of his weaker brother.

25 Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake. 26 FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AS WELL AS ITS FULLNESS.

Now for the practicals. You're at the Corinthian equivalent of the grocery store. Do you need to interrogate the butcher about the religious history of every cut of meat? Paul says no. Buy it, take it home, cook it, and eat it. Don't get your conscience tangled up in knots over it. Why? Because of the grand, sweeping, glorious truth of verse 26, which he quotes from Psalm 24:1. The earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord. The cow belonged to the Lord, not to Zeus, even if some deluded pagan priest thought otherwise. The pagan's ritual did not change the ownership of the meat. It is God's good gift, and you can receive it with thanksgiving. This is a foundational principle for a robust Christian worldview. Creation is God's, and we are to enjoy it as His stewards.

27 If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake.

The principle extends from the marketplace to the dinner table. An unbelieving friend invites you over. You should go, assuming you want to. This is basic, neighborly evangelism. When you are there, you are not to be a food inspector. Eat what is served. Don't start a cross-examination about where the roast came from. To do so would be rude, and it would show that your conscience is troubled by superstitions that you, as a Christian, should be free from. You are free. Act like it. Eat the food, enjoy the fellowship, and look for opportunities to speak of Christ.

28 But if anyone says to you, “This is meat consecrated to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake. 29 I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?

Here the situation changes. The issue is no longer private. Someone, perhaps the host, perhaps another guest, perhaps a weak Christian who is also there, makes a point of identifying the meat's history. "This was offered to Hercules." Now what? The meat hasn't changed. It's still the Lord's. Your conscience, if it is strong, is still clear. But the situation is now public, and your action will be interpreted. Paul's instruction is clear: do not eat it. Why? Not for your own sake, but for the sake of the one who pointed it out, and for the sake of his conscience. He has attached a pagan meaning to the act of eating, and if you eat, you will be confirming his false belief in his mind. You will be communicating something you do not believe. Then Paul asks a rhetorical question that seems to push the other way: "For why is my freedom judged by another's conscience?" This is the objection of the strong man. "Why should his hang-ups limit my liberty?" Paul's answer is implicit: your freedom is not ultimately judged by him, but your love is. You are free to eat, but you are not free to disregard your brother.

30 If I partake with gratefulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?

This is another part of the strong man's objection. "I'm eating with thanks to God! How can something I'm thanking God for be a cause for slander?" The answer is that in this fallen world, good actions can be misunderstood and misrepresented. The problem is not with your thanksgiving, but with the context. In the scenario of verse 28, your action, however well-intentioned, will be interpreted as participating in idolatry. You are not being slandered for giving thanks; you are being slandered because your "free" action is causing a spiritual wreck. Love requires you to forego that action in that context.

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Here Paul lifts the entire discussion to its highest possible plane. He moves from the specific question of meat to the all-encompassing principle of life. Eating and drinking are the most basic, mundane activities of human existence. If even these are to be directed to God's glory, then everything is. This is the death of all secularism. There is no neutral corner of your life where God's glory is not the ultimate standard. How do you glorify God in eating? By eating with thankfulness (v. 30). By eating in freedom from superstition (v. 25). And by refraining from eating out of love for your neighbor (v. 28). Doing all to the glory of God means that every decision is filtered through this question: what will best display the greatness and goodness of God?

32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;

To do all to God's glory means we must be careful about how our actions affect others. Paul divides the world into three categories: Jews, Greeks (unbelievers), and the church. We are not to be a stumbling block to any of them. This does not mean we avoid offending people with the gospel. The cross is inherently offensive (1 Cor. 1:18). But we are not to add any unnecessary, personal, or cultural offenses. We shouldn't be needlessly weird. We shouldn't let our liberty in Christ become a reason for an unbeliever to reject Christ, or for a weaker brother to be spiritually damaged.

33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

Paul concludes by setting himself up as the model, which he will state explicitly in the next verse (11:1). His goal was to "please all men." This sounds shocking to our individualistic ears. But Paul is not talking about being a man-pleaser in the sense of compromising the truth. He means that he accommodates himself to different cultures and customs, becoming all things to all men (1 Cor. 9:22), for one great purpose: "so that they may be saved." He did not seek his own profit, his own rights, his own comforts, his own preferences. He sought the profit of the many, and the ultimate profit is salvation. This is the engine that drives Christian ethics. Our freedom is a tool, and it is to be used not for our own advancement, but for the great gospel work of saving souls, all to the glory of God.

Application

The principles Paul lays out here are timeless. We may not be dealing with meat from pagan temples, but we are constantly faced with decisions about how to exercise our Christian liberty in a watching world. What movies should we watch? What music should we listen to? What about alcohol? What about how we dress or spend our money? The questions are endless.

Paul's answer is that "Is it lawful?" is the wrong first question. We must go further. Is it profitable for my soul? Does it build up the church? Will it be a stumbling block to an unbeliever or a weaker brother? And above all, can I do it to the glory of God?

This passage calls us to a radical other-centeredness. Our rights and freedoms are always secondary to the spiritual good of our neighbor and the glory of God. This is not a call to legalism, where we are bound by the scrupulous consciences of others. Paul is clear that our freedom is real. But it is a call to love, which means we will often freely choose to limit our freedom for the sake of a greater good, the building of the church and the salvation of the lost.