1 Cor 8:1-11:34

1 Cor 8:1-6 (NIV) Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But the man who loves God is known by God.

4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

• This is a fascinating discourse which really needs to be understood in the entire context, but let's start with the first paragraph to understand the particulars
  
• The "now about" or "now concerning" refers to what?
  
  • Goes back to the letter the Corinthians wrote to him
    
• The topic is "food sacrificed to idols," but the discussion seems unrelated. What is going on?
  
  • The have made an argument about why eating meat sacrificed to idols should not be an issue
    
  • Their reasoning and argument is good but it ignores other factors
    
    • Reasoning doesn't solve all issues
      
  • In fact, reasoning can lead to two faults
    
    • Thinking you know it all
      
    • Becoming puff up or prideful. Wiersbe writes "Some Christians grow, others just swell"
      
  • What is missing from their "reasoning" is the aspect of love and building others up (which actually good reasoning can also lead you to, but only if your are seeking to love others)
    
• And one last point in the first few verses is that God can not be found in knowledge (a collection of information), but rather through a relationship (knowing versus knowledge of)
  
• So Paul goes back in verses 4-6 to the letter, which suggests that he is in part agreeing with their letter. The gist of their point and Paul's agreement is what?
  
  • One can eat meat sacrificed to an idol or false god, since the false god does not exist. If the meat is sacrificed to something that is meaning less or non-existent, how can that be bad (besides it was probably cheaper meat)
    
  • There is only one God
    

  1 Cor 8:7-13 (NIV) But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
  

  9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
  

• Verse 7 starts out with a critical "but" or "however" suggesting what? There is more to the argument than what has been discussed
  
• What is wrong with the previous reasoning?
  
  • One, not everyone knows these facts
    
  • Two, some have come out of heavy idol worship, and it affects their conscience to go back
    
  • Three, since food is not essential to our relationship with God, being denied meat sacrificed to idols does not change the status of our relationship
    
  • But, four, eating meat could change the status of someone else's relationship
    
  • Five, the consequence then of eating meat sacrificed to idols is? We sin against our brothers, and we sin against Christ
    
• What started out as a very simple thing with no implications of sin, on the basis of logic, reasoning, and love, has turned into sinning against others and against God
  
• Paul's logical conclusion: I will never eat meat (sacrificed to idols) again
  
• APPLICATION: What is it that we know is technically not a sin but if someone else saw us doing it might casus them to doubt? And what are we going to do about it?
  
  • We live in a culture that exalts personal rights
    
  • Our willingness to follow this example reveals our true love for God and for people (Constable, 2009, p. 91)
    

  1 Cor 9:1-12 (NIV) Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
  

  3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?
  

  7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8 Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?
  

• This section is missing what? The "now concerning"
  
  • Therefore, it would seem to be a continuation of the previous thought applied in a new context
    
  • The previous discussion opens up a discussion on Paul's authority
    
• Paul starts out by making a claim, what is it and why can he make the claim?
  
  • He is an apostle (claim). And he is an apostle to them at a minimum
    
  • He has seen Jesus (criteria for an apostle, also why some do not think the gift or position is valid today)
    
• Paul says he has rights. What are they?
  
  • Food and drink (free board)
    
  • Take a wife along (free room?)
    
    • We learn that Peter, James, and at least one other of Jesus' brothers has a wife
      
    • Also, reiterates that Jesus had brothers (in contrast to Catholic doctrine), otherwise Paul is saying he doesn't consider Cephas a brother
      
  • Salary, in addition to room and board
    
  • Paul makes six different arguments in this passage (v7, it was customary; v8-9 OT support; v11, principle of community reciprocity; v12 precedent of other leaders; v13 practice of the priesthood; v14 Jesus teaching)
    
• But Paul makes the point, that while he has those rights, he hasn't chosen to take advantage of those rights
  

  1 Cor 9:12-18 (NIV) But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
  

  15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. 16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
  

• What is the application here?
  
  • Just because you have a right to something doesn't mean you should take advantage of it
    
  • We can sacrifice our rights for others, especially if the goal is higher
    
  • Paul sacrificed his personal rights so that he would not hinder the advance of the gospel by charges of getting rich or whatever people might say
    
• APPLICATION: So Paul gives up the right to money, out of love for God and people. That really makes our complaints seem petty
  

  1 Cor 9:19-27 (NIV) Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
  

  24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
  

• What is Paul saying in verses 19-23?
  
  • I will do whatever it takes and sacrifice whatever is important to my personal comfort to win others for Christ
    
  • This reminds me of the missionary Hudson Taylor, who gave up western clothes to wear the clothes of the Chinese because he saw his clothing as a hindrance to the gospel. The other missionaries were aghast
    
    • Tell story of the button in the back
      
• Paul follows with a slightly different argument, what is it?
  
  • There are eternal rewards for living for people
    
  • It is not aimless and it is not just sacrificial, it is purposeful. And the purpose must be God's glory and a love for people
    
  • If those aren't the reasons, you are wasting your time …
    

  1 Cor 10:1-10 (NIV) For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
  

  6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did — and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did — and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did — and were killed by the destroying angel.
  

• What is Paul's point in verses 1-5?
  
  • You can do all the right things, at least on the surface, and still displease God
    
• The Israelites were believers, but they were idolaters, sexually immoral, testing God, and grumbling. And what does verse 6 say?
  
  • They serve as examples to us to be careful on setting our hearts on evil things
    

  1 Cor 10:23-24 (NIV) "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
  

• We are skipping over a discussion on why participating in a idol feast would not be appropriate
  
• But this seems to summarize much of the discussion
  
  • Yes, everything is permissible
    
  • But not everything is beneficial
    
  • And not everything is constructive
    
  • So, seek the good of others in determining your actions
    

 

• Notes on head coverings
  
  • In Greek and Roman culture, men and women covered their heads in worship
    
  • Christian men did not cover their heads
    
  • Prostitutes wore their hair very short and did not wear a head-covering in public
    
  • Short hair was considered a shame (Jewish law required adulterers to cut their hair)
    
  • Paul uses five arguments for women wearing head coverings in that culture
    
    • Divine order: God, Christ, man, and woman (3-6)
      
    • Creation (7-9)
      
    • Angels (10)
      
    • Nature (13-15)
      
    • Universal church practice (16)
      
  • In light of 10:23-24, it would seem that this is a cultural norm, and Paul is expecting them to follow some cultural norms
    
    • Today, items of clothing do not identify a woman's acceptance or rejection or her role in God's administrative order (at least in western culture) (Constable, 2009, p. 120)
      
    • The important thing is her attitude and how she expresses it, not the clothes she wears
      
• Notes on the Lord's supper
  
  • They did not write about it, verse 18 says he heard about it
    
  • Verse 17-22 suggest an abuse of the poor
    
    • One commentator thought each was bringing his own food and eating it there rather than sharing with each other
      
    • Or, certain people were eating without considering others behind them
      
  • Verses 23-26 describe the Lord's supper
    
    • A remembrance
      
    • A time to give thanks
      
    • A time to proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again
      
  • Verses 27-32 warn about partaking in an unworthy manner
    
    • Not recognizing sin
      
    • Not judging self
      
  • Verses 33-34
    
    • Suggest letting the poor go first
      
    • Thinking of others ahead of self