1 Now as touching things offered vnto idoles, wee know that wee all haue knowledge. Knowledge puffeth vp: but Charitie edifieth.
2 And if any man thinke that hee knoweth any thing, hee knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 But if any man loue God, the same is knowen of him.
4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice vnto idoles, wee know that an idole is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
5 For though there bee that are called gods, whether in heauen or in earth (as there be gods many, and lords many:)
6 But to vs there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Iesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
7 Howbeit there is not in euerie man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idole vnto this houre, eate it as a thing offred vnto an idole, and their conscience being weake, is defiled.
8 But meate commendeth vs not to God: for neither if we eate, are we the better: neither if wee eate not, are we the worse.
9 But take heed lest by any meanes, this libertie of yours become a stumbling blocke to them that are weake.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge, sit at meat in the idols temple: shall not the conscience of him which is weake, be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols?
11 And through thy knowledge shal the weake brother perish, for whome Christ died?
12 But when ye sinne so against the brethren, and wound their weake conscience, ye sinne against Christ.
13 Wherefore if meate make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
The danger of having a high conceit of knowledge. (1-6) The mischief of offending weak brethren. (7-13)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.
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.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.