1 Corinthians 8:13

13. Offend Note on Matthew 18:7.

I will eat no flesh Mark how delicately the apostle passes now from the second person plural, ye, to the first person singular, I. He enjoins upon them a somewhat burdensome take heed; but when it comes to the intensity of perfect self-denial he takes it upon himself. It is a sublime, nay, a daring height of self-consecration, rising to the level of an a p ostle, and that apostle, Paul. And, as in other high things, there is some danger in it. Note Romans 14:16; Romans 14:21. We may by obeying another man’s false conscience confirm his self-conceit, encourage his tyranny, or establish a false morality, and make it a part of the present Christianity. Against this last danger Paul specially here provides. While he complies with the weak brother’s error he openly proclaims that it is an error, and that he complies, not for truth, but from tenderness. He yields to the unsound conscience; but nothing would induce him to admit that the conscience was sound. While temporizing with the weakness, he takes all care for the abolishment of the error.

At this point St. Paul suspends, not terminates, his discussion of the idol sacrifices, and resumes it at 1 Corinthians 10:14 to 1 Corinthians 11:1. He suspends it in order, through an extended and interesting digression, (1 Corinthians 9:1 to 1 Corinthians 10:18,) at once to illustrate this principle of resigning one’s rights for others’ good, and to defend himself from the charge of depreciating his own apostleship in making such surrender. Though a digression, and a long one, it is so full of the noblest sentiments and loftiest piety that none should wish it shorter.