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First Corinthians 8:1-6

As we come to chapter 8 in Pauls letter to the Corinthians, we see that he begins with the words, Now
concerning. We have learned that this is Pauls way of indicating to the Corinthians that he is answering
one of the questions they have posed to him in their letter. Having answered their questions concerning
celibacy, Paul is now moving on to another question.
But what is their question? Paul says that it concerns what they asked him about things offered to idols;
and we see more specifically in verse 4, the eating of things offered to idols.
But further evidence in the letter tells us that their question was not so simple. Pauls answer occupies
three chapters of his letter, making various points.
Nor were the Corinthians respectfully seeking Pauls opinion, in the matter - whether they should or should
not eat things offered to idols. The tenor of Pauls answer tells us this.
Think back to chapter 7. The ascetic camp of the Corinthian church had made their case for celibacy. Paul
spoke with clarity and authority on the subject - but his response to them was measured; even.
The tone of his answer to this question is more like what we encountered earlier in the letter, especially
with Pauls sharp corrections in chapters 5 and 6. His tone is often emphatic. He presents a strong defense
of his position - and his authority over the church in Corinth. And he issues several warnings to the
Corinthians concerning their position in this matter.
What we understand from this is that the Corinthians have mounted a direct challenge to Pauls position
and authority with their question concerning eating things offered to idols. They are seeking to convince
him that they are right, and he is wrong. And in his answer, Paul is meeting their challenge head-on; for the
course that they have chosen for themselves is taking the church in Corinth further down the road to
destruction.
Before we begin, I want to point out a few things in the whole passage that will help us to understand a
little more of what the Corinthians were questioning Paul about. Now, if their question was just about
eating things offered to idols in general, we would have an apparent contradiction.
In chapter 8, Paul is saying not to do it, because it would cause the weaker brother to stumble (8:7-13). But
near the end of chapter 10, Paul says they are free to eat foods offered to idols (10:25-31).
Paul cannot intend to be contradictory. Therefore we understand that Paul must be addressing different
aspects of eating foods offered to idols, in the two passages; and thats exactly the case.
Paul begins in chapter 8 with a powerful argument against them eating foods offered to idols in the idols
temple. This culminates in his warning to them in the first part of chapter 10 that eating in the idols temple
could result in apostasy and the Lords judgment.
Then the last part of chapter 10 concerns, not food eaten in the idols temple, but food sold in the market
place, which may or may not have been offered to idols. Paul says, ask no questions, and just eat whatever
is sold there; youre free.

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Further, Paul says, if you go to an unbelievers house, eat whatever they serve you, unless they tell you it
was offered to an idol. Of course, well be looking at the details as we go along, but this shows you that
Paul was addressing different aspects of eating foods offered to idols.
But what about that in-between chapter - chapter 9? There we find Paul mounting a vigorous defense of his
authority in the Lord as an apostle - and in particular, as the apostle appointed by the Lord for the church in
Corinth. Why would Paul be defending his apostolic authority to the Corinthians? Because they have
challenged it.
Look at verse 3 of chapter 9; Paul says, My defense to those who examine me - that is, who judge me is this. We have seen back in chapter 4 that some of the Corinthians were critical of Paul; they sat in
judgment on him - particularly those who were promoting themselves as leaders of the new thinking, in
the church in Corinth (4:1-5). In this chapter, we learn that they had challenged Pauls conduct, in order to
make their case.
But Paul shows in chapter 9 how he set his rights as an apostle aside, for the sake of the gospel (9:12). This
is intended as an example to the Corinthians of being willing to limit their freedom, for loves sake.
And then Paul goes on to explain how he uses his freedom - to win others to Christ - becoming all things to
all men, that he might by all means save some (9:22). No doubt the Corinthians had cited the freedom they
saw in Pauls actions to try to rationalize their own freedom.
So although we cant know exactly what the Corinthians asked Paul, we can tell their question pertained to
their freedom in Christ; their freedom to eat whatever they pleased, wherever they pleased.
Now, who would have been asking this question in Corinth. Was it the entire church? Thats very unlikely.
Not everyone shared the same thinking; thats why there was all that division.
Could the question have come from the ascetic camp? No; the question an ascetic would ask about food
would be something like, If I deny myself food, will that make me more spiritual?
A different camp in the assembly would have asked this question - the camp that bought into another
variant of Greek philosophy. It is the same group that we encountered back in chapter 6, who were
thinking that perhaps sexual immorality was not really a big deal.
It was the group that also maintained degraded Greek thinking about the body, but concluded that since the
body would perish, you could do whatever you please in it; it doesnt matter, only the soul or spirit matters.
This was the thinking of the Epicurean philosophers, which some in Corinth had mixed into the gospel of
Christ - the libertine camp.
The confirmation of this is found in Paul quoting one of their sayings in this section of our letter, just as he
did in chapter 6: All things are lawful for me (6:12, 10:23) - all things are alright for me to do - Im free
to do whatever I please, in this body. Everythings permitted. Anything goes. The libertines mixed this
thinking with the gospel, seeing it as their freedom in Christ.
This resultant mixture was a lethal concoction. It skewed the vision of this camp in the assembly, so that
they began to see sin as their new freedom. Between the challenge to Pauls authority and the need for a
strong antidote to this poisonous thinking, we can now understand the tone of Pauls words, to them.

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As chapter 8 begins, Paul will begin to cite what it is that the Corinthians know; what they have written in
the argument they made to Paul, in their letter. And we will see that Paul does not refute what the
Corinthians know; in fact, Paul will agree with them, to the extent that he can, qualifying his answer as he
develops his argument.
But from the very beginning, Paul wants these Corinthians to see that what they know should never alone
make the determination of what they do, as Christ Ones. What they know must be tempered by love, in
order for them to do what is right. And that is their true freedom in Christ - not to do what they please, but
to do what is right - in accordance with Love.
Well read all of chapter 8, but well just be looking at the first six verses today.
[First Corinthians 8:1-13]
So we see in verse 10 that this camp of Corinthians was arguing that they were free - not just to eat things
offered to idols, but to do so in an idols temple. Their argument is made on the basis of what they know that an idol is nothing. Paul brings out that a believers freedom in Christ must be based on love, not
knowledge - and love would not cause a weaker brother to stumble.
So in verse 1, Paul no sooner cues the Corinthians as to the question he will now address, than he breaks off
to make a general statement about knowledge: We know that we all have knowledge.
When these Corinthians made their argument to Paul concerning eating things offered to idols, they
apparently used that wording; something like, We know that an idol is nothing; We know that there is
only one true God. They told Paul what they knew. Was their knowledge essentially correct or incorrect?
It was correct; it was essentially true.
It was because they knew these things that the Corinthians thought it gave them the freedom to act
according to what they knew; to conduct themselves solely on the basis of their knowledge.
Since there is only one true God, and idols are nothing, then animals offered in sacrifice to idols are being
offered - to nothing. So the slaying of the animal is just that - not a sacrifice, but a slaughter.
And so then, the meat of that sacrifice is just that - its just meat - not food for a god, because the god
doesnt exist - any more than the idol exists. Its just meat, so they should be free to eat it.
And not only that, they should be free to eat it wherever they wished, even in the idols temple, because if
the idol is nothing, then that temple is just a building, like any other building. So there, Paul. Were right,
arent we? Because, we know.
They know - but even what they know is not entirely true. They know - but their knowledge alone is not
enough, to inform their conduct. And they dont know that! So thats where Paul begins - with knowledge
- that with which the Corinthians were so enamored - wisdom, and knowledge.
First Paul says, We know - you and I agree - that we all have knowledge. Paul must have been smiling
as he wrote those words - intended to bring those all-knowing Corinthians down, just a notch.
Paul is saying to the Corinthians that all who have believed into the Lord Jesus Christ have knowledge meaning knowledge of the truth. Why is that so? Because all believers have the Holy Spirit; and the Holy
Spirit enlightens believers to the truth, so that they can know it.

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Earlier in this letter, Paul wrote that believers have all received the Spirit who is from God, that we might
know the things that have been freely given to us, by God (2:12). The Spirit shares with every believer all
the things that the Father has freely given to him, in Christ. He can know everything he needs to know
pertaining to life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).
Gee, that makes the Corinthians knowledge so unspecial! The Corinthians didnt know what they knew
intuitively; they didnt reason it out for themselves; they just received it - and so do all other believers,
when they are ready to have Gods mind, on anything.
The next statement Paul makes is often quoted, but frequently misunderstood. Paul says that Knowledge
puffs up, but love edifies.
Many believers have taken this out of context, and miss exactly what Paul means by this. Out of context, it
would seem that knowledge is being juxtaposed to love - almost as if they are opposites - and that
knowledge is detrimental - it puffs a person up with pride; but that love is beneficial - it edifies; it builds a
person up.
So theres some thinking out there in Christendom that we shouldnt be seeking knowledge; it will only
make us prideful. Instead, we should just love everyone. Forget knowledge. Look what happened in the
garden, when they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil - sin entered the world, and death
through sin (Rm 5:12). All because they were seeking knowledge. So knowledge is bad.
Is that true? Of course not. How can knowledge of the truth be bad? And Paul himself doesnt think that
knowledge is bad. Or even half-bad. Paul knows that knowledge of the truth is good.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul prays for the believers there that they will increase in the knowledge of
God (Col 1:10). In Ephesians, Paul prays for the churches in Asia that God will give them wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him, so that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened (Eph 1:1718a).
And the apostle Peter warned believers concerning error, exhorting them to continue to grow in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18) - the same word for knowledge as in our
text here. Both Old and New Testament bear witness to the goodness of knowledge (Prov 1:1-7).
Knowledge - of the truth - is good; but the problem comes with what a man does, with knowledge.
Knowledge can be likened to a tool. A tool is designed to be used - and used properly. It must be in the
proper hand - and we can liken that hand to Love.
Love takes the tool of knowledge and uses it in just the right way, to accomplish the goal of God - the
building up the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ edifies itself - it builds itself up - in love (Eph 4:16).
Speaking the truth to one another, in love (Eph 4:15). Serving one another - in love (Gal 5:13).
The word for love in verse one is agape - love that gives to a man what he needs, for his good. Love gives
whats best for him.
This love, agape, is an act of the will, meaning love is a choice. So while knowledge of the truth is to
occupy the mind of the believer, love for others is to consume his will.

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And when the believer makes the choice to love others, what he knows is directed by love so that he
conducts himself in righteousness toward his fellow man. In this way, the tool of knowledge is properly
used.
Now, it is entirely possible to misuse the tool of knowledge. You can take in knowledge, and just store it in
your tool chest; your mind. You can take out your tool of knowledge, and show it off to people.
You can bludgeon people with the truth, to make your point. And you can even use your tool like a
skeleton key, to unlock doors through which youre not supposed to go - but you got that door open, so hey,
you figure that youre free to go through it.
Its when the tool of knowledge is misused - for ones own selfish purposes - that it puffs people up. It
puffs them up them with self-conceit - Look what I know! It fills them with a false sense of superiority
over others. And their idea of freedom gets blown way out of proportion, through knowledge, misapplied.
This is what Paul was warning the Corinthians about, first and foremost. They had allowed what they knew
of the truth to fill them with pride, so that they could not see.
They were blind to the fact that their knowledge was not complete; for they lacked the humility to take that
in. They could not see that the liberty they were claiming through their knowledge was in reality license to
sin. And they were ignorant of the harmful effect of their conduct on others - because their gaze was
directed entirely inward - on themselves and their rights; their right to be free - as they saw it.
So Pauls point to the Corinthians is that their knowledge was not tempered by love, and so it had puffed
them up - at the cost of others not being built up, in the Lord. And as Paul continues, he brings out to the
Corinthians the kind of knowing they should have.
v. 2-3 These verses are difficult to understand until you learn that two different words are being used that
are translated into forms of the English word know. When Paul says, If anyone thinks he knows
anything, he is using the Greek word for intuitive knowledge; the idea here is to know something within
yourself; your original thoughts.
Paul says the reality is this one knows nothing yet as he ought to know. These two words for know are
the Greek word for knowing experientially; acquired knowledge.
So the one who thinks he knows has not acquired any true knowledge; true knowledge can only be
acquired through experience; through the relationship of man, with God. What Paul is saying to those in
Corinth who think they already know is that theyre not open to receiving true knowledge from God; the
kind of knowledge that really counts; the knowledge of Gods ways - the ways of Love.
If anyone thinks he knows - he doesnt. But if anyone loves - agapao - thats a different story. A man can
know, in himself, without knowing God - even a natural man can do that. But no natural man can love, in
himself - agapao - because thats Gods love. Man does not possess it, naturally.
So to possess agape, one must have received it from God, in the first place. And to then manifest agape loving God back, loving others with the love of God - thats the proof that this one is known by God; that
this one has a relationship with Him.

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In this way, Paul is putting knowledge in its proper perspective. Anyone can know; but only a true child of
God can love. The question is not what the Corinthians know; the question is, are they allowing the love of
God to temper it?
And while Paul lets them stew on that thought, he then goes back to their question.
v. 4 The eating of things offered to idols refers to pagan customs of both Greeks and Romans. Although
many Gentiles embraced Greek philosophy, most continued to worship the pagan pantheon.
These supposed gods, which were invisible, were represented by an idol - usually a statue made of wood or
stone. The idol was placed in a pagan temple, indicating a particular gods presence, and worshipers would
come to the temple with animals to be sacrificed to the god.
After the animal was sacrificed, a portion of the sacrifice was set on the altar and burned before the idol.
Another portion of the meat was then served in pagan feasts in the temples, and the remaining meat was
sold in the market place.
The eating of these cultic meals was a regular part of socializing for the pagan Gentiles. Both state
festivals and private celebrations involved these meals; the temple feasts functioned almost like the basic
restaurant, in their culture. And the Gentiles who became believers in Corinth had likely attended such
feasts all their lives.
These Corinthians in the assembly desired to go back to those feasts; no doubt they missed the camaraderie
at those feasts, and felt cut off from their social network. It might have affected not only their relations
with family and friends, but even with business associates.
Now there is no doubt that Paul would have taught them about this when he was in their midst; but
apparently the Corinthians continued to take issue with him in their letter about attending the temple feasts.
Their key point is since they know there is only one God, and that therefore the idols cannot represent real
gods, it shouldnt be any problem for them to participate in a temple feast; for them, its just a social
occasion; a night out.
Paul begins by agreeing with their basic premise. An idol is nothing in this world - meaning, an idol does
not really represent any god; its just a piece of wood or stone. Now, Paul will later go on to show that just
because an idol is nothing in this world, it doesnt mean that it is nothing at all. But for now, he will agree,
in the general sense.
He does so because Paul wants to make a particular point - a point of contrast, between idols and the one
true God.
v. 5-6 So Paul has no sooner agreed with the Corinthians - an idol is nothing in this world - than he begins
qualifying this. An idol represents a so-called god; that which is called god. Who calls these gods? Those
who believe in them - the pagan Gentiles.
And there were so very many of these gods. The pagan pantheon included gods that routinely occupied the
celestial sphere - the heavens - as well as those with jurisdiction over a particular aspect of the earth or sea.
Many, many pagan gods - so-called, by their adherents.

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And Paul says there are many lords. What does he mean by that? The title lord was often given to the
idol of a so-called god; the representation, of that god; the idols were called lords. So since there were
many gods, there were many lords - many idols that represented them. These idols created a visual image
of the so-called god for their worshipers - an image that they could always carry around with them, in their
minds.
But Paul indicates all of that is nothing to us - to those who have believed into the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul
says that for us - for himself, ourselves, for the believers in Corinth - there is one God.
Now in verse 6, Paul says some things that are very familiar to us about God, which causes us to gloss over
them, but notice how he is presenting it as the remarkable contrast to the pagan gods.
For us, there is one God - in contrast to the many so-called gods, of the pagan pantheon. And this one God
is not so-called; He is the one true God.
But more than that, this one true God is the Father. The idea of Father here is that the true God is the
fountain and source of all things - the origin of all things in heaven, and on earth; He is the Creator of the
entire universe. As the Father who created, God is seen in His purpose and power, by which all things were
formed, and by which all things are sustained.
Notice that Paul adds, and we for Him. Believers are children of God, created according to the plan of the
Father - we for Him. This makes Him our Father - He is personal, to us - and as His children we are to
fulfill the purposes He has, for us.
And Paul continues. There is one Lord, Jesus Christ - as opposed to the many lords, in paganism. The
idols were so-called lords, images of the so-called gods that they represented.
But Jesus is truly Lord. The author to the Hebrews says that the Son is the brightness of Gods glory, and
the express image of His person (Heb 1:3). Jesus exactly represents God, because He is God Himself, in
the flesh; He is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15), making the unseen God seen.
Paul indicates that all things are through Him - it was through the Son that the Father God created all
things; the plan of the Father, implemented by the Son; purpose, and execution. Both Father and Son are
outside of their creation, and therefore, one as Creator God; one spirit being of Deity.
Paul ends with a final statement about those who believe into Jesus. It is through the Lord Jesus Christ that
we live; in the KJV, we through Him.
It was the Fathers plan to have sons of His love - and for that purpose, God gave His one and only Son.
And it is through the Son - through Him giving His life for us - that we now live, having been born again, a
new creation.
Why did God give His Son? Love; because God so loved the world (Jn 3:16). Why did the Son give His
life? Love; greater love has no man than this (Jn 15:13). These are the workings of Love, by which God
has drawn us into His embrace, and dignified us as His sons.
This is the one true God, whom the Corinthians claim they know. Pauls contrast with the pagan gods is
designed to show them that our God is real; our God is personal, relational; our God is love.

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The conclusion is that since we are Gods children, we should bear that family trait - as seen by our love for
others. For if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 Jn 4:9-11). Paul is letting the
Corinthians know that their true freedom is to love.
Reading: 1 Cor 8-11:1, Rm 14-15:2.