WEEKLY BIBLE COMMENTARY by Wes Woodard 6-4

“1 Corinthians 8 – “Being As Non-offensive as Possible”

The Apostle Paul says in verse 9 of this chapter:

“But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” The context of this chapter has to do with buying or eating meat which had been purchased at an idol’s temple or eating in the restaurant meat that had been previously offered to an idol. There were places to eat behind an idol’s temple where anyone could purchase a meal  of their left-over sacrificial meat for a reasonable price.  While the Apostle Paul says the Corinthian Christians had every right to do this, they should refrain if it bothered another Christian’s conscience.

I can remember a time when my wife and I were missionaries to American Indians and we were hosting a V.B.S. for their children in S.E. Oklahoma. (We were living in Dallas at the time.) Some of the Christian Indian ladies in Oklahoma felt the length of my wife’s skirt was too short. (This was not a problem in the Indian church in Dallas.) Therefore, my wife made her skirts longer to not be offensive to these believers.  My flesh would have loved a candy apple red Stingray Corvette when I was young, but for a man in the ministry with a low income and five kiddos, this would have been very offensive. So it was kept as a “dream”.  This is what Paul is teaching in I Corinthians chapter 8.  Our liberty in Christ should always be bridled by love for the consciences of other believers.