Romans 14:10-23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:15

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat ,.... The apostle proceeds to give reasons why, though he was so fully persuaded that nothing was unclean of itself, and so he, and any other of the same persuasion, might lawfully eat anything; yet they should forbear, and not make use of this liberty; because if a brother should be grieved by it, that is, either should be concerned and troubled at it inwardly, both because the person that eats is thought by him to have transgressed a command of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:16

Let not then your good be evil spoken of. The Vulgate Latin reads it, "our good", and so the Syriac version; the sense is the same, and to be understood either of the Gospel in general, which is good in its author, matter, effects, and consequences; is good tidings of good things, and which might be blasphemed by the men of the world, on account of the divisions and contentions among the professors of it, about such little trivial things, as eating this or the other sort of food; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink ,.... Neither the kingdom of glory, nor the ultimate glory and happiness of the saints in the other world, is attained to by any such things; for neither eating and drinking, nor not eating and drinking, can recommend to the divine favour, or give a meetness for heaven, or a right unto it; see 1 Corinthians 8:8 , nor does the kingdom of grace, the principle of grace, lie in such things, nor in anything that is external; nor does the Gospel, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:18

For he that in these things serveth Christ ,.... That is, in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; he whose faith is an obedient one, and embraces these things, and from the heart obeys them; who seeks righteousness alone by Christ, and peace and pardon through his blood; who rejoices in Christ Jesus, and puts no trust in the flesh, in moral duties or ceremonial services; and who, from principles of grace, serves Christ in a way of righteousness, wherein he possesses true peace of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:19

Let us therefore follow after the things , Since the kingdom of God is in part peace, and the man that serves Christ in this, as in other things, is accepted with God, and grateful to men, the apostle very pertinently exhorts to seek after such things, which make for peace : not with God, for, for a sinful creature to make peace with God is impracticable and impossible, nor is there any exhortation to it in all the word of God; and if there was, it would be unnecessary here; since the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:20

For meat destroy not the work of God ,.... The Syriac reads it, "the works of God"; referring either to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, of which the kingdom of God consists; or to the weak brother, who both as a creature, and as a new creature, is the workmanship of God; and to the good work of grace, the work of faith upon his soul, which is the work of God; or rather to his peace, and the peace of the church of Christ, which is both the will and work of God; peace is what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:21

It is good neither to eat flesh ,.... Any sort of flesh, even that which is not forbidden in the law, rather than offend a weak brother; and the apostle determines for himself, that he would not, where there was any danger of doing this, 1 Corinthians 8:13 . Nor to drink wine ; not only the wine of libations to Heathen deities, but wine in common; which was not prohibited by the law of Moses, but in the case of a Nazarite, and of vows: nor anything , be it what it will, whereby... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:22

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God ,.... Which is to be understood, not of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the doctrines of the Gospel; for a man that has such faith given him, ought not to keep it in his own breast, but to declare it to others; he ought to make a public visible profession of it, before many witnesses; it becomes him to tell the church of God what great things the Lord has done for him; and as he believes with the heart, so he ought to make confession with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 14:23

And he that doubteth ,.... Or makes a difference between meats and meats, or is in suspense whether any difference should be observed or not, is damned ; not with everlasting damnation, which is not the consequent of, nor connected with such an action, as eating of a thing indifferent, with a scrupulous conscience; but such an one is condemned in his own conscience; he is self-condemned, his conscience condemns him for what he himself does; and he is self-condemned in judging and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 14:10

But why dost thou - Christian Jew, observing the rites of the Mosaic law, judge - condemn thy brother - the Christian Gentile, who does not think himself bound by this law? Or why dost thou - Christian Gentile, set at nought thy Christian Jewish brother, as if he were unworthy of thy regard, because he does not yet believe that the Gospel has set him free from the rites and ceremonies of the law? It is a true saying of Mr. Heylin, on this verse: The superstitious are prone to judge,... read more

Group of Brands