Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.”  This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 8:1

Paul now turns his attention to another matter:  “food offered to idols” (8:1a).  The Holy Spirit had directed that Christians “abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality” (Acts 15:29; 21:25).  Paul had clearly taught these directives to the Corinthian brethren when he was with them in person (6:9-11; cf. Acts 18:1-11), because an apparent controversy over “the eating of food offered to idols” had risen within the church in the time since he had left them (8:4a).  Some of them could not in good conscience eat any meat that they knew had been sacrificed to idols (8:7), while others in the congregation looked at the meat as nothing more than sustenance and concluded that it would not be sinful for them to ingest it as such (8:8).  By doing so, they apparently were “a stumbling block” to their brethren whose consciences would not allow them to do the same (8:9-13).

The apostle begins to address the issue by saying, “…we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’  This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up” (8:1b).  The ESV puts “all of us possess knowledge” and “knowledge” in quotes because it is thought by some scholars that Paul might be quoting what the Corinthians had written him about this matter.  If so, his use of the Greek verb oida (“we know”) in the perfect tense is interesting because oida is defined as having all knowledge.  Additionally, he also uses the term ginosko (“possess knowledge”) which is defined as coming to acquire or learn knowledge.  He seems to be saying that the Corinthians had told him that they already had and would continue to have everything that they needed to learn about eating food offered to idols.  Perhaps they had not forgotten what he had taught them about idolatry.  Some of them also had the miraculous spiritual gift of knowledge (cf. 12:8; 13:2) and thus likely knew all they needed to know about food offered to idols because the Holy Spirit had directly imparted that knowledge to them.

However, the fact that he immediately says that their “‘knowledge’ puffs up” (phusioo, inflates, brings pride) indicates that they had allowed their complete knowledge of this matter to inflate their egos.  This pride held by both sides likely contributed to the division taking place within the church at Corinth over this matter.  One clique might have said, “Unlike you, we were actually listening to Paul when he taught us that we should not associate ourselves with anything having to do with idolatry, which makes us better than you!”  The other clique could have rebutted, “Well, unlike you we have the miraculous spiritual gift of knowledge and thus know from the Holy Spirit himself that we’re not practicing idolatry by eating this food for dinner!”

They had no “love” (agape, self-sacrificial love which puts others before oneself).  All they cared about was themselves, their own viewpoint, getting their own way.  As a result, no one was being spiritually “built up,” something which would be the natural result of having this kind of love for their brethren (8:1b).  This is why Paul then said concerning the knowledge they thought they had, “If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.  But if anyone loves God, he is known by God” (8:2-3).  In other words, “Whatever knowledge you have about this matter pales in comparison to all you still need to learn about the love God wants you to have for each other.  If you truly love God, you will keep his commandment to love each other and put others before yourselves.  That’s how God knows you are his.”

There is a needed lesson in this for us, Christians.  Oftentimes we put ourselves and our own wishes and rights first, and care little about whether what we have the freedom to do spiritually benefits others.  In chapters 8-11, God gives us some needed and relevant instruction on how to truly love each other and help each other grow closer to Christ by being less selfish.  I look forward to studying this with you.

— Jon