1 Corinthians 10:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you see his great wisdom? Since one of them could say, “I am perfect, I have authority over myself, and I eat what is set before me without harm to myself,” he says: suppose you are perfect and have authority over yourself. Yet do not look at this, but at whether your conduct causes any harm or disorder. He expressed both by the words, “not all things are profitable” and “not all things edify.” He means the first about the man himself, and the second about the brother. “Not profitable” points to his own destruction, while “does not edify” points to the brother’s scandal.

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable.” Lest someone object, “I eat with a pure conscience, and therefore I have the right to do this,” he says: No. All things are lawful for you, since God created you free. But eating what has been sacrificed to idols is not altogether profitable for you. For by constantly taking part in idol tables, step by step you will acquire an inclination toward the idols themselves. “All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” Your conduct, as I said before, is not profitable either for you or for your brother. It does not edify him, but rather unsettles him and corrupts his faith. If there is no profit either for you or for your brother, why should you do this?

Although all things are possible because of freedom, not everything that is possible is profitable for our neighbors.

Let this be the rule, so that we do not wander between the notions of what is honorable and what is useful: a just man does not consider it possible to take anything from another, nor does he wish to increase his own goods at another’s expense. The Apostle also prescribes this rule for you: “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable; all things are permitted, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but what belongs to another” (1 Cor 10:23-24). That is, let no one seek his own advantage, but only another’s advantage. Let no one seek honors for himself, but for another. Therefore he also says elsewhere: “Esteeming each one above yourselves, and looking not to your own things, but to the things of others” (Phil 2:3-4). On what is profitable, see 1 Cor 6:12.

“All things are lawful for me” should be read first as a question, and then as an answer. “But not all things are profitable.” “All things are lawful for me” is also to be read in the same way. “But not all things edify.” According to the knowledge you ascribe to yourself, it is permissible for you to do everything. Yet it is not profitable for you to harm others. What you do does not edify them. Let us suppose that you are perfect, but one must also care for the weak. For the Apostle added this: “Let no one seek his own, but each one the good of another.”

By doing everything permitted, people often reach the point of beginning to do what is not permitted.

Finally, the Apostle resolves the question that inevitably follows from what has been said: how should one deal with food, so as not to sin by eating things sacrificed to idols? “Eat whatever is sold in the market, asking no question for conscience’ sake, for the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (1 Cor 10:25-26). By this rule the Apostle had to free the Corinthian Christians from difficulty. The priests, being unable to consume everything offered in sacrifice themselves, sent the surplus to the market. Or perhaps someone bought it from them and sold it. In this way things sacrificed to idols could also come to Christians (Bishop Theophan).

At that time it was impossible to avoid completely the use of what had been sacrificed to idols. Therefore the Apostle gives certain particular directions, first setting forth general rules. In all things one must seek what is profitable, and especially not one’s own personal profit, but the neighbor’s. According to Blessed Theophylact’s explanation, the Apostle is, as it were, saying to Christians: “Do not look only at the fact that you eat with a pure conscience. Look especially at whether this edifies your neighbor.” But such edification could not be expected from eating idol-sacrifices in public places. Therefore one may say that the Apostle positively forbids eating idol-sacrifices in temples.

How, then, should one deal with food so as not to sin by using what has been sacrificed to idols? Such a question could not be avoided. Nor, in reply to it, could rules be left unwritten, given the outward circumstances of that time. Idol-sacrifices were not eaten only at temples. They were also served at tables in homes and sold in the markets. Thus one might buy idol-sacrifice meat in the market and eat it. Or, coming to a pagan’s table, one might touch it there. What then should be done? The Apostle answers: eat everything until someone tells you, “This has been sacrificed to idols.” When you hear this, do not eat, so as not to scandalize anyone, whether Jew, Greek, or weak brother.

How much easier it is for a man to fear what is forbidden, if he treats what is permitted with reverence.