Glorify God, Benefit Others-1 Cor 10:23-11:1

1 Corinthians, New Testament, Sermons

  • As a Christian, what should be your single motive and motivation for doing anything (1 Cor 10:31; 9:23; 2:2)?
  • What is always included and never included in glorify God (1 Cor 10:33, 23-24; 6:12)?
  • DO you do whatever you want (1 Cor 10:23; 6:12)?

A Christian’s motivation is always only 1 thing (1 Cor 10:31), which always includes 1 other thing (1 Cor 10:24, 33) and never 1 thing (1 Cor 10:23; 6:12).

 

  • What makes Paul tick (1 Cor 10:31, 33; 11:1; Phil 1:21)?
  • Whom do you imitate (1 Cor 11:1)? Who are you moved by?

To conclude his lengthy treatment of “food sacrificed to idols,” Paul makes 2 different points:

  1. All our actions should glorify God by seeking the benefit of others rather than ourselves (1 Cor 10:31-11:1).
  2. Within the framework of that principle, we are free to eat whatever we like with thankfulness.
  • 1st point is fundamental, the guiding principle on the whole discussion of idol food. Paul presses this new framework for their choices. It poses a fundamental challenge to those who are “strong and wise”: they should stop asserting their rights and start thinking of the interests of others in the church (1 Cor 10:33).
  • 2nd point: Paul agrees fundamentally about the moral neutrality of food per se, and he affirms—contrary to the scruples of the weak—that outside the temple setting Christians can eat meat without worrying about its source (1 Cor 10:30).

A delicate balancing act. Paul’s position doesn’t fit nicely into either opposing position in their debate. So, each side could accuse him of inconsistency or lack of moral courage. But his position is coherent, though difficult to put into practice. In 10:23–11:1 Paul nestles point 2 within his general statement of point 1, and that in the midst of discussing point 2 he inserts a qualification based on point 1. This produces the following structure (Fee, 478):

  • A. Seek the benefit of others (23–24)
  • B. Eat whatever you want (25–27)
  • A1. Exception: abstain for sake of the other’s conscience (28–29a)
  • B1. Defense of freedom to eat (29b-30)
  • A2. Do everything for the glory of God by seeking the benefit of others (10:31–11:1).

The practical difficulty in Paul’s advice is to know when you should place limits on your freedom for the sake of others.Paul begins the final section of his argument by quoting their gnosis slogan again: “All things are lawful” (1 Cor 10:23; 6:12): 6:12 quoted twice, followed by Paul’s rejoinders. But with 10:23, Paul breaks the pattern of repetition. Instead of “I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Cor 6:12), he writes, “not all things build up” (1 Cor 10:23). Thus, the conclusion of his treatment of idol food is where he began with the declaration that “love builds up” (1 Cor 8:1).“‘We are free to do anything,’ but does everything help the building of the community?” [NEB. Full sense is rightly conveyed.] Paul regularly uses the verb oikodomein [“to build up”] and the noun oikodom [“upbuilding, edification”] to refer to loving actions that benefit the whole church (1 Cor 10:24; 14:3–5, 12, 17, 26; Rom 14:19; 15:2; 2 Cor 12:19; 13:10; 1 Th 5:11). The principle he’s trying to impress upon the headstrong Corinthians is “Do not seek your own advantage but that of the other” (1 Cor 10:24). This principle–based on the example of Christ (1 Cor 11:1)—is fundamental to Paul’s moral vision (Phil 2:4; Rom 15:1–3). This principle was explained in 8:7–13: love should constrain the “knowing” Corinthians from eating in temples, because this action jeopardizes others in the church. 1 Cor 10:23–24 thus recapitulates the opening theme in ch. 8.Paul then addresses a new problem not identified previously: What about meat sold in the public market or served in private homes? Such meat often came from the temples or had been slaughtered by the pagan priests. Is such meat spiritually contaminated even if it is not eaten in a cultic context? [This is of concern to the wealthy; the poor can’t ordinarily afford meat, nor would they be invited to private dinners with such delicacies.] Presumably the weak were arguing for the position almost universally held elsewhere in orthodox early Christianity and in Judaism: such meat was still idol meat, and it must be forbidden. But Paul agrees with the strong: you can eat anything sold in the market (1 Cor 10:25), as he affirms that the whole creation belongs to “the Lord” (1 Cor 10:26; Ps 24:1). “…the Lord” means God. Paul often reads OT references to “the Lord” as pointing to Jesus. Thus, he claims that Christian freedom to eat all foods is a consequence of the sovereignty of Jesus Christ over all creation (Rom. 14:14).Eat as you please is Paul’s break with his past understanding of Judaism. He has become to the Gentiles “as one outside the Law” (1 Cor 9:21). As a zealous Jew, Paul would never eat marketplace meat unless it was ritually slaughtered according to kosher laws. Now as apostle to the Gentiles, Paul writes “I know and am persuaded in the Lord that nothing is unclean in itself” (Rom 14:14). Therefore, they’re free to eat market meat without asking questions about where it came from. To Jewish sensibilities and to the weak, this would’ve been shocking. But it’s completely consistent with Paul’s attitude towards other identity-marking features of the Law, such as circumcision: They no longer mean anything (1 Cor 7:19). Thus, eat as you please.This applies not only to private homes but to social occasions, as long as they’re not linked to pagan worship. They can eat whatever is served to them in the home of an unbeliever without conducting any inquiries about the source of the meat; it’s not an issue of “conscience” (syneidesis) at all (1 Cor 10:27). The church should be open to interaction with the surrounding world; not prohibiting social contacts and eating with unbelievers (5:9–13). This gratifies the higher-status members of the church, who desire to maintain their social networks and business contacts insofar as possible.Criticized for being open to social contact and eating with Gentiles (Ac 21:21; Gal 2:11–14). 1 Cor 10:29b-30 is his defensive reaction to such criticism. [Whether this came from the weak is unknown.] Someone is judging and denouncing Paul for this behavior. [He’s judged for his lack of freedom (1 Cor 9:3) rather than excessive freedom.] 1 Cor 10:29b-30 is connected with 1 Cor 10:27, providing warrants for the freedom claimed “[E]at whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience… . For why is my freedom judged by the conscience of another? If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?”Don‘t forget about the weak in the church is Paul’s concern. A hypothetical scenario in which a Christian dining in the house of an unbeliever is informed by someone else that the meat being served is hierothyton, “sacrificial meat.” [The word appears for the first time; it’s a neutral designation that pagans use to describe the meat taken from the altar, cf. the pejorative term eidlothyton [“idol meat”] that Paul used in ch. 8 and 1 Cor 10:19.] Then they shouldn’t eat the food for the sake of the other person’s conscience (1 Cor 10:28–29a). This is confusing because the description is sketchy. Who’s the informant? What motives are to be attributed to him or her? Is the informant a Christian? How is the other person’s conscience affected by someone else’s choice to eat or not to eat?The informant—either another dinner guest or a household slave of the host—is a Christian who is among the “weak” faction of the church. The strong Christian’s rejection of the food for the sake of the conscience of the weaker one would be an eg. of 8:7–13, except that here there’s no participation in temple worship. [Cf. ch. 8, Paul says nothing here about the destruction of the weak informant.] The strong Christian simply chooses not to create an embarrassing moral dilemma for a fellow member of the church, who might feel pressured to eat the meat if his fellow Christian does.The term syneidesis (“conscience”) is difficult to translate to English. In 1 Cor 8–10 it refers not to an inner moral sense of right and wrong but to self-awareness or moral confidence possessed. Probably to the “knowing,” the weak are weak due to syneidesis: lacking knowledge, they’re not free to eat without guilt. Paul agrees. So, his freedom to eat shouldn’t be hamstrung by someone else’s conscience (1 Cor 10:25–27, 29b-30). Yet, the loving thing to do is to forego that freedom to avoid causing problems for them (1 Cor 10:28–29a). So he becomes “all things to all people” (1 Cor 9:22) for the sake of the gospel. Paraphrasing 10:25–30: Eat everything sold in the meat market; you don’t need to engage in any scrutiny for the sake of “conscience.” For, as Scripture says, “The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord (Jesus).” If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat everything that is put in front of you; you don’t need to engage in any scrutiny for the sake of “conscience.”   (But if some weak brother or sister says to you, “This is sacrificial meat,” then don’t eat it, for the sake of the one who made an issue out of it and for the sake of conscience. I certainly don’t mean your own conscience—I’m talking about the conscience of the other person.)   As I say, you yourself don’t need to engage in any scrutiny for the sake of “conscience,” for why should my freedom be judged by the limited moral awareness of somebody else? If I partake with thanks, why am I denounced for the food over which I give thanks?

This is framed within Paul’s fundamental call for believers to exercise their freedom by surrendering their own prerogatives if necessary for the sake of their brothers and sisters in the faith (1 Cor 10:23–24; 10:31–11:1).

This idol food problem (10:23–11:1) closely parallels Rom 14:1–15:13. The differences are that Romans says nothing about idol meat, and—unlike 1 Cor—it calls the weak and the strong to practice mutual acceptance: “Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat” (Rom 14:3). In 1 Cor 8:1–11:1, by contrast, all the burden for accommodation falls on the strong.Conclusion. In place of the slogan “All things are lawful for me” (1 Cor 10:23), Paul coins a counter slogan: “All things for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). The movement of 10:23–11:1 runs closely parallel to the movement of 6:12–20, which began with “All things are lawful for me” and ended with “Glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:20). Paul again moves them from an anthropocentric view to a theocentric one, from an emphasis on rights to an emphasis on obedience and service. Eating, drinking, and all activities are embraced by this comprehensive mandate. In light of the entire passage, the glory of God is served when God’s people serve one another and live in loving unity.Paul again holds himself up as an example (1 Cor 10:32-33; 8:13; 9:19–23) of accommodating himself to others for their benefit (symphoron; cf. 1 Cor 10:23a: “not all things are beneficial [sympherei]”). His motive for seeking to “give no offense” is so that as many people as possible can hear the gospel without impediment and be saved. This recalls 1 Cor 9:22–23. Is it possible for him—or anyone—to “please everyone in everything”? Of course not. To please the Greeks Paul has to live in a way that displeases the Jews, and vice versa. Accommodating himself to the standards of various reference groups will work only so long as those groups are not trying to live together. Or this strategy might work if everyone in the church adopts Paul’s evangelical flexibility so that all willingly adapt themselves to one another and to the needs of the church’s mission. That’s a very big “if,” but it’s precisely the Paul’s goal. The climax is the invitation for them to become imitators of Paul, as he himself imitates Christ (1 Cor 11:1).This closing call for imitation (1 Cor 11:1) is how the entire treatment of idol food (8:1–11:1) should be read. [It’s regrettable that the ch. division (introduced centuries later) misses 11:1.] Paul presents himself as exhibit A of giving up prerogatives in order to reach out to others (1 Cor 8:13, ch. 9, 1 Cor 10:33). What was implicit is now made explicit: the fundamental pattern of self–emptying, on which Paul’s own actions are based, is Christ. Paul concludes with “Christ” hanging in the air, without explanation or elaboration, trusting that they’d heard him about Christ crucified (1:18–2:5), and work out the implications for their lives. If not, refer to Phil 2:1–3.Follow my example (1 Cor 11:1; 4:16; Phil 3:17; 4:9; Gal 4:12; 2 Th 3:7–9) is Paul’s summons to the church. This sounds immodest, but reflects simple wisdom: we learn who we are and how to act only by the example of others (1 Cor 4:16). Conforming his life to the self-sacrificial example of Christ, Paul offers himself as a role model. Are you willing to present your own lives for inspection as a model of Christ’s self-giving love?

REFLECTION. Paul answers a simple question about food offered to idols with remarkable theological complexity–a remarkable performance of pastoral theology.

  1. He rejects the original framework of the question and reframes the problem in terms of love rather than rights (8:1–13).
  2. He exemplifies renouncing personal rights for the sake of the gospel—and defends himself against criticisms of his refusal to accept patronage (9:1–27). He uses his rights to make it harder for himself and easier for others.
  3. He narrates the church into the world of the [OT] Scriptures to warn of the dangers of idolatry (10:1–22).
  4. Finally, he dialectically balances freedom and servanthood and relocates the whole problem, in a final deft move, in relation to the imitation of Christ (10:23–11:1).

2 elements in the conclusion merit careful attention.

  1. Christian freedom must not compromise the glory of God (10:25–27, 29b-30) concludes Paul’s argument [though less developed here than in Gal]. “Do not eat in pagan temples” is not another law to bind Christians. Rather, as long as idolatry is avoided, Christians are free to receive God’s created gifts with a relaxed openness. Recapture the exhilarating sense of thanksgiving for “the earth and its fullness” (1 Cor 10:26; Ps 24:1). Sadly, some churches emphasize freedom so one-sidedly that they’re in danger of sliding into hedonism. Conversely, others assume a cramped, fearful posture, distrusting the tastes and smells and sights of God’s world and drawing inward to avoid contamination. To such churches, Paul’s counsel is liberating: O, taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8).
  2. The imitation of Christ (1 Cor 11:1) means only 1 thing: shape your life according to the pattern of Jesus’ self–sacrificing love, which focuses on the cross. This is their failure in their quest for personal freedoms. Life in the church is in fellowship with the “weak” for whom Christ died (1 Cor 8:11). It’s to imitate Jesus’ example of costly service for others. This is always hard to hear—from Peter recoiling from Jesus’ prediction of his passion (Mk 8:31–38) to the present. Always seek to discern where you’re to lay down your life for others, as did Bonhoeffer, MLK, Jr., Archbishop Oscar Romero. Paul’s directives to the prosperous Corinthians is modest: merely surrender some privilege or mark of respectability for the sake of the church’s wholeness. Our identity must be in conformity to Christ’s example: “For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor 4:11). Paul’s brilliant theological insight is to apply this to a seemingly mundane quarrel about what kind of meat can be consumed. Discover how the same paradigm might reshape your thinking about the issues faced by your church today.

Reference:

  1. Richard B. Hays. First Corinthians. Interpretation. A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. 1997.
  2. Gordon D. Fee. First Corinthians. The New International Commentary on the NT. 1987, 2014.
  3. Richard B. Hays. The Moral Vision of the N.T. A Contemporary Introduction to N.T. Ethics. 1996.

Sermons:

  1. 7/12/20: Always Thank God (1:1-9) [1 Cor 1:4].  Cosmic Epic Calling [1 Cor 1:2].
  2. 7/19/20: The Devil Divides, God Unites (1:10-17) [1 Cor 1:10]. All Agree. No Divisions. Perfect Unity.
  3. 7/26/20: The Cross—God‘s Way—is Dumb (1:18-25) [1 Cor 1:18]. The Cross Stumbles. The Cross is like a Cop Out. Foolish Cross.
  4. 8/2/20: What You Were, Who Christ Is (1:26-31) [1 Cor 1:26, 30]. The Necessity of Lack. No Boasting  [1 Cor 1:31].
  5. 8/9/20: Nothing but Jesus (2:1-5) [1 Cor 2:2].
  6. 8/16/20: Wise vs. Stupid (2:6-16) [1 Cor 2:6]. True Wisdom is Only for the Mature. The Mind of Christ [1 Cor 2:16].
  7. 8/23/20: You‘re NOT Spiritual (3:1-4) [1 Cor 3:1].  Spiritual, Yet Not Spiritual.
  8. 8/30/20: Merely Servants (3:5-9) [1 Cor 3:5]. Field Laborers.
  9. 9/6/20: Build with Care or Be Destroyed (3:10-15, 16-17) [1 Cor 3:10-11]. God’s Temple.
  10. 9/13/20: Deceived by Wisdom (3:18-23). All Belongs to Christ and God. Wisdom doesn’t boast.
  11. 9/20/20: When You Are Judged (4:1-5) [1 Cor 4:4]. Go Ahead…Judge Me!  Judged Only by God; Accountable Only to God.  Judging Others Blinds You.
  12. 9/27/20: When You Are Scum (4:6-13) [1 Cor 4:13]. Become Scum. Puffed up Corinthians and Suffering Apostle amid Others’ Boasting.
  13. 10/4/20: Imitate Me (4:14-21) [1 Cor 4:19]. Fatherly Admonition. Final Warning to Boasters. Fatherly Admonition to Paul’s Corinthian Children.
  14. 10/11/20: Expel the Wicked Man (5:1-13) [1 Cor 5:13]. Drive out the wicked person from among you. [David, Daniel]
  15. 10/18/20: You Were Washed in the Name (6:1-11) [1 Cor 6:11]. You will Judge the World [1 Cor 6:2]. I Say this to shame you [1 Cor 6:5]. [Christy Peace]
  16. 10/25/20: Your Body is NOT Yours (6:12-20) [1 Cor 6:13]. Glorify God with Your Body. [Adrien]
  17. 11/1/20: Sex in Marriage is a Good Thing (7:1-7). [Yohan] [Women, Wives, Wise West Loop Elders and Singles]
  18. 11/8/20: No Divorce (7:8-16). [Angie]
  19. 11/15/20: Remain as You Are (7:17-24). [Taniesha]
  20. 11/22/20: An Eschatological Reason to Stay Single (7:25-31). [David, Daniel]
  21. 11/29/20: An Urgent Imperative for Singles (7:32-35). [Sarah, Josh]
  22. 12/6/20: Stay Single or Marry (7:36-40). [Noah, Jim]
  23. 12/13/20: You Love when You‘re Known by God (8:1-13). [Rhoel, Chris] Strong in Love or Knowledge.
  24. 1/3/2021: Don‘t use your rights (9:1-18).
  25. 1/10/21: Use your freedom to train yourself (9:19-17).
  26. 1/17/21: Misusing your freedom brings judgement and demons (10:1-22).
  27. 1/24/21: Glorify God, seek the good of others (10:23-11:1).
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