Chapter 8
The
danger of having a high conceit of knowledge
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1–6
|
The
mischief of offending weak brethren
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7–13
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Verses 1–6
There is
no proof of ignorance more common than conceit of knowledge. Much may be known,
when nothing is known to good purpose. And those who think they know any thing,
and grow vain thereon, are the least likely to make good use of their
knowledge. Satan hurts some as much by tempting them to be proud of mental
powers, as others, by alluring to sensuality. Knowledge which puffs up the
possessor, and renders him confident, is as dangerous as self-righteous pride,
though what he knows may be right. Without holy affections all human knowledge
is worthless. The heathens had gods of higher and lower degree; gods many, and
lords many; so called, but not such in truth. Christians know better. One God
made all, and has power over all. The one God, even the Father, signifies the
Godhead as the sole object of all religious worship; and the Lord Jesus Christ
denotes the person of Emmanuel, God manifest in the flesh, One with the Father,
and with us; the appointed Mediator, and Lord of all; through whom we come to
the Father, and through whom the Father sends all blessings to us, by the
influence and working of the Holy Spirit. While we refuse all worship to the
many who are called gods and lords, and to saints and angels, let us try
whether we really come to God by faith in Christ.
Verses 7–13
Eating one
kind of food, and abstaining from another, have nothing in them to recommend a
person to God. But the apostle cautions against putting a stumbling-block in
the way of the weak; lest they be made bold to eat what was offered to the
idol, not as common food, but as a sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of
idolatry. He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ
loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to Christians, are done to Christ;
but most of all, the entangling them in guilt: wounding their consciences, is
wounding him. We should be very tender of doing any thing that may occasion
stumbling to others, though it may be innocent in itself. And if we must not
endanger other men’s souls, how much should we take care not to destroy our
own! Let Christians beware of approaching the brink of evil, or the appearance
of it, though many do this in public matters, for which perhaps they plead
plausibly. Men cannot thus sin against their brethren, without offending
Christ, and endangering their own souls.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
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