He now passes on to another question, which he had merely touched upon in the sixth chapter, without fully discussing. For when he had spoken of the avarice of the Corinthians, and had drawn that discussion to a close with this statement – Neither covetous, nor extortioners, nor fornicators, etc.,…

2. And if any man thinketh That man thinketh that he knoweth something, who is delighted with the opinion that he entertains of his own knowledge, and despises others, as if he were far above them.

3. But if any man loves God Here we have the conclusion, in which he shows what is especially commendable in Christians, and even renders knowledge, and all other endowments worthy of commendation, if we love God; for if it is so, we will also love our neighbors in him.

4. Concerning, therefore, the eating of those things He now returns to the statement with which he had set out, and speaks more plainly in reference to the pretext made use of by the Corinthians.

5. For though there be that are called “They have,” says he, “the name, but the reality is wanting.” He uses the word called here, to mean – renowned in the estimation of men He has also made use of a general division, when he says in heaven or on earth The gods that are made mention of as being in…

6. But to us there is but one God, the Father Though Paul says these things by anticipation, he repeats the excuse made by the Corinthians, in such a way as at the same time to convey instruction.

7. But there is not in all that knowledge. He refutes, in a single word, all that he had previously brought forward in their name, showing that it is not enough that they know that what, they do is right, if they have not at the same time a regard to their brethren.

8. Meat recommendeth us not to God This was, or may have been, another pretext made use of by the Corinthians – that the worship of God does not consist in meats, as Paul himself teaches in his Epistle to the Romans, that the kingdom of God is not meat or drink Paul answers: “We must at the same…

9. Take heed that your liberty He leaves their liberty untouched, but moderates the use of it thus far – that it may not give occasion of stumbling to the weak.

10. If any one see thee. From this it appears more clearly, how much liberty the Corinthians allowed themselves; for when the wicked made a kind of sacred banquet for their idols, they did not hesitate to go to it, to eat of the sacrifice along with them.

11. And thy brother perish Mark how serious an evil it is, that mankind commonly think so little of – that of venturing upon anything with a doubtful or opposing conscience. For the object to which our whole life ought to be directed, is the will of the Lord.

12. When ye sin so against the brethren, etc. For if the soul of every one that is weak is the price of Christ’s blood, that man who, for the sake of a very small portion of meat, hurries back again to death the brother who has been redeemed by Christ, shows how contemptible the blood of Christ is…

13. Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend With the view of reproving more severely their disdainful liberty, he declares, that we ought not merely to refrain from a single banquet rather than injure a brother, but ought to give up the eating of meats during our whole life.