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Subject: Corpus-Paul
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- From: "Jon Peter" <jnp AT home.com>
- To: corpus-paul
- Subject: Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols
- Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 0:26:36
On 10/02/99, "Nathan McGovern <NM_McGovern AT ACAD.FANDM.EDU>" wrote:
> I posted the following to the XTalk list earlier today:
>
> > I'm a bit confused as to what Paul is saying in 1 Cor. 10:14-32. Is he
> > saying, "Eat meat sacrificed to idols," or "Don't eat meat sacrificed to
> > idols"?
> >
> > Reading just up to verse 22, it seems clear that he is saying the latter.
> > But in verses 23-29a, he seems to reverse course and say, "You can eat
> > meat
> > sacrificed to idols, but if someone (presumably a Jewish Christian who
> > might complain to James) says something to you about it, don't eat it.
> > But
> > verse 29b doesn't make any sense at all: He seems to be saying, "Don't
> > eat
> > meat sacrificed to idols if someone says something to you about it, not on
> > account of your own conscience but on account of the other person's,
> > BECAUSE you shouldn't be ruled by another person's conscience," which is
> > self-contradictory. Maybe my translation is just confusing. In any case,
> > Paul returns again in verse 32 to his policy of "When in Rome, do as the
> > Romans do," which again suggests that he is telling people to eat meat
> > sacrificed to idols if they can get away with it.
> >
> > To wit, I am thoroughly confused.
> >
>
There doesn't seem to be a contradiction in my NIV. The following
summarizes Paul's line of reasoning, showing his consistency:
(1)
[Absolute rule] Dont eat meat that you know is sacrificed to idols!
10.14-22
[Explanation for why]: Everything is permissible, but not everything is
good to do. The rule is, look out for other peoples welfare first. (Thats
why youre not eating.) v.23-24
(2)
In cases where you dont know if meat was sacrificed, dont worry about
it. (v 25-27)
(3)
But if a man serves meat to you and says this was idol-sacrificed, dont
eat it -- for his sake. (v.28-29, cf v 24)
(4)
[Poses rhetorical objection to this:] Why, you ask, is my freedom
restricted by another mans conscience? Why if Im thanking God etc, am I
still considered in violation of good practice? (v29b-30)
(5)
[Answers own objection:] If, then -- these things being so [Gr oun ] --
you eat, drink or whatever you do, glorify God and dont cause anyone else
to stumble whether Jew, Pagan or Christian. Because I (a shining example)
am not acting for myself but always for the greater good (v31-33)
The syntax is clumsy shifting from (4) to (5) but the larger logical
thought is consistent. The word OUN = "these things being so" refers to the
principle that freedom is not to be exercised if doing so will harm
others.
Hope this helps!
Best regards,
Jon
-
Paul and meat sacrificed to idols,
Nathan McGovern, 10/02/1999
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols, David C. Hindley, 10/02/1999
- Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols, Jon Peter, 10/10/1999
- Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols, John C. Hurd, 10/10/1999
- Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols, Anders Eriksson, 10/12/1999
- Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols, Joe A. Friberg, 10/12/1999
- Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols, John C. Hurd, 10/14/1999
- Re: Paul and meat sacrificed to idols, JERRY SUMNEY, 10/14/1999
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