THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
What is expressed in the words, “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat” (1 Cor 8:13), the Apostle had not yet done. He had only declared his readiness to do it if necessity required. Someone might say, “You are merely boasting. You display philosophy in words and make promises. That is easy for me and for anyone else. If you speak from the heart, show in deed what you have renounced so as not to scandalize your brother.” Therefore he finds it necessary to explain this and show how he abstained even from what was permitted, so as not to scandalize anyone, though no law compelled him to do so. The wonder is not only that he abstained from what was permitted, merely to avoid scandal. Even this is wondrous in itself.
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The wonder is also that he abstained with great labor and amid dangers. Why speak, he says, about things sacrificed to idols? Christ commanded the preachers of the gospel to receive support from those whom they instruct. Yet I did not even do this. In case of need, I resolved to suffer hunger and undergo the most grievous death, rather than take anything from those instructed. I did this not because they would be scandalized if I took something, but so that they might be edified, which is far greater. He presents them themselves as witnesses of this. Among them he worked, endured hunger, received food from others, and was in straits, so as not to scandalize them. Yet they would have been scandalized in vain, because this was lawful. So greatly did he spare them. If he himself acted above the law so as not to give occasion for scandal, and abstained from what was permitted for the edification of others, what do they deserve? They do not abstain from things sacrificed to idols, though many perish from this. Even apart from scandal they ought to abstain, because it is a demonic table. This is the chief content of many of the following verses. But we must return to what was set forth earlier. As I said, he did not state this altogether plainly or all at once, but began from afar. “Am I not an apostle?” he says. In addition to what has been said, it is no small matter that Paul did this. The Corinthians might have said that one may eat what is sacrificed to idols after protecting oneself with the sign of the Cross. At first he does not refute this. He says that even if it were possible, one ought not to do it, in order to avoid scandalizing the brethren. Then he shows that it is not possible. He proves the first point by his own example. Intending to speak about how he took nothing from them, he does not state this at once. First he speaks of his dignity: “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free?” They might say, “If you did not take, it was because you could not take.” Therefore he first sets forth the reasons why he could rightly have taken, if he had wished. Then, lest they think he says this as a reproach against Peter’s companions, who did take, he first proves that they were permitted to take. Again, lest they say, “Peter was permitted to take, but you were not,” he anticipates this by praising himself. Seeing that he had to praise himself, since in this way the Corinthians could be corrected, he still does not wish to speak much about himself. See how wisely he accomplishes both things. He praises himself not as much as he knew was true of himself, but as much as the present matter required. He could have said, “I, more than all, should take, and more than the others, because I labored more than they.” But he does not point to such superiority. He speaks only of that in which the others also were distinguished, and for which they had the right to take. “Am I not an apostle?” he says. “Am I not free?” That is, do I not have authority over myself? Does anyone have authority to stop me or forbid me to take? It is true that the others had the advantage of having been with Christ. But, he says, I also am not deprived of this: “Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” (1 Cor 9:1). “Last of all,” he says elsewhere, “He appeared also to me, as to one untimely born” (1 Cor 15:8). This too is no small matter. For the Lord said, “Many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it” (Mt 13:17). And again, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of these days” (Lk 17:22). Let us grant that you are an apostle, are free, and have seen Christ. But what if you have not accomplished an apostolic work, for which you would have the right to take? In answer to this he adds, “Are you not my work in the Lord?” This is very important. Without it, the other advantages would have brought no benefit. Judas also was an apostle, was free, and saw Christ. But because he did not accomplish an apostolic work, he gained no benefit from all this. Therefore Paul speaks of this too, and presents them themselves as witnesses. Since he has said something great here, see how he defines it by the words “in the Lord.” That is, you are God’s work, not mine. “If to others I am not an apostle, yet surely I am to you” (1 Cor 9:2).