The weaker brother needs to remember to whom the stronger brother is responsible and leave his judgment to God. Paul assured the weaker brother that the stronger brother would stand approved by God because God approves his liberty. God’s grace provides both the possibility and the power for standing. The first part of this verse sounds very much like Romans 2:1; Romans 2:3, where Paul rebuked the self-satisfied Jew. read more
Here is a second illustration. In this case the weaker brother does something and the stronger does not (Romans 14:6). This is the opposite of the situation that Paul pictured in the previous illustration. Again the reason the weaker brother observes the day is immaterial. The point is that he observes the day. When Paul wrote, Sabbath and Jewish feast day observances were matters of disagreement among Christians. The Jewish believers tended to observe these because they were part of their... read more
The most important thing is to seek to please the Lord in all that we do. Christians will come to differing conclusions about what this means in practice, but their submission to Jesus Christ’s lordship is primary. Paul meant that one person does not eat meat and another does eat meat, but both give God thanks for what they do eat (Romans 14:2; cf. 1 Timothy 4:4-5). read more
14:1 of (d-16) Or 'disputes in.' read more
14:4 servant (e-7) Oiketes , as in 1 Peter 2:18 , 'household servants,' not necessarily slaves. read more
The Duty of Sympathy and TolerationIn chapter Romans 13:12 St. Paul urged his readers, by their expectation of Christ’s coming, to avoid the licence and immorality of the heathen. Now he turns to the opposite extreme, and deals with the ascetic scrupulousness of certain Christians.Under the Jewish Law there was a distinction between clean and unclean meats. This distinction, which perpetuated the separation between Jew and Gentile, Christ abolished (Mark 7:19 RV), as was afterwards revealed to... read more
(1) Weak in the faith . . .—The presence of a single strong master-motive is apt to silence petty scruples. Where the “eye is single”—where all the powers and faculties of the man are concentrated upon one object, and that object the highest that can engage human thought or affection—there will naturally be a certain largeness of view. The opposite of this is to be “weak in the faith.” There may be a sincere desire to lead a religious life, and yet the mind is taken up with petty details, each... read more
(2) Believeth that he may . . .—Rather, perhaps, hath confidence to eat all things. His faith is strong enough to prevent his conscience from becoming uneasy. read more
(3) Let not him that eateth.—The two classes of men are exposed to two opposite faults. The strong despise the weak; the weak judge the strong. In the one case there is contempt for what is thought to be narrowness and pedantry. In the other case censorious judgments are passed on what is regarded as levity and irreligion. Human nature alters very little.God hath received him.—Strictly, received him, admitted him into His Church when he was baptised, and so took him for His own. read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 14:3
The person who eats should not view himself as superior, even though he is right, or look down on his extremely sensitive brother with a condescending attitude. The weaker brother should not judge the more liberal Christian as unacceptable to God either, because God has accepted him. read more