Therefore, let us follow after the things that are of peace and keep the things that are of edification, one towards another.
αρα ουν τα της ειρηνης διωκωμεν και τα της οικοδομης της εις αλληλους
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The first, preserving peace, refers to the weak man. The latter refers to the one who scandalizes his brother, so that he may not shake him in the faith. Yet when the Apostle said, "for mutual edification," he applied these words generally to both. He showed that it is difficult to edify without peace.
He spoke of peace to the imperfect man, because that man did not have peace. He spoke of mutual edification to the perfect man, so that he would not shake his brother by scandalizing him. Yet by saying "mutual," he directed this word to both. By mentioning peace first and then edification, he showed that it is difficult to edify without peace.
Since dispute produces division, Paul teaches us to remain in peace and to avoid arguments about whether to eat or not to eat (cf. Eph 4:11-12).
Some, boasting of their freedom and making use of the absence of Church regulations concerning fasting, ate everything. They even ate what others considered forbidden and unclean, and by this they repelled them from themselves and even from the Church. The Apostle instructs such people not to grieve their brethren (v. 15), not to give occasion for their faith to be blasphemed (v. 16), not to destroy the work of God, that is, the unity of the Church (v. 20), not to eat to the scandal of others (ibid.), and not to scandalize the brethren (v. 21). In all this there is a direct rebuke of the Stundists. It is all the more severe because the fasts they reject and openly violate are now not a remnant of Judaism, but an age-old institution of the Church of God.
Third, in order to remove griefs and scandal for weak brethren, love requires that in matters morally indifferent one should rather adapt oneself to their views than proudly insist on one's own (Rom 14:13-21). "Let us no longer judge one another. Rather judge this, that no one put a stumbling block or cause of offense in his brother's way. If your brother is grieved because of food, you are no longer walking in love. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink," that is, it is acquired independently of what a man eats or drinks, "but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine, nor to do anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak."
Having said that food is not an essential matter, the Apostle indicates wherein the essential matters of Christian life consist: holiness, mutual concord, and spiritual joy. All the care of Christians must be directed toward these chief matters of Christian life, since in them the Kingdom of God is found. It gradually takes up its dwelling in the hearts of Christians as they advance in attaining the blessings indicated. Therefore, if anything at all, including difference over food, becomes a cause of violating someone's holiness or peace, and instead of joy implants division, grief, and the heaviness of enmity, it must in every way be set aside. By such difference the inward establishment of the Kingdom of God within us is destroyed.
In such a case, when others are scandalized by it, it is better for the man who eats meat or drinks wine not to do so. In himself, of course, he does not sin, since he does not regard this eating as sin. Yet he sins by scandal. But if someone is directly convinced that this or that eating is forbidden by God or by the Church, then he sins even in himself. He eats against conviction or against conscience. He also sins against others, leading them into scandal. Although this teaching of the Apostle about food referred most immediately to the first Roman Christians, who were in particular circumstances, in its essential point, that is, concerning non-condemnation, it concerns all Christians in general. We too must not be divided because of food, although the Church has now already clarified what may be eaten and what may not, when one must fast and when one may eat without prohibition. Likewise, as before, so now the man who eats and drinks contrary to the prohibition of the Church's law and conscience sins. Moreover, he sins both for himself and for others, leading them into scandal and giving occasion for condemnation. According to the word of Saint John Chrysostom, "It is not foods that make a man unclean, but the disposition with which he eats. Therefore, if you do not correct the disposition, all your labor is vain and harmful. It is one thing to consider something unclean, and another to eat what you consider unclean. In the latter case you sin doubly. By your dispute you strengthen the prejudice and compel him to eat what is unclean," that is, what is considered such against conscience. "Until you have persuaded him, do not compel him. On the contrary, abstain yourself for his sake, your brother's sake. Abstain not as from something unclean, but because he is scandalized, and he will love you more."
He points directly to the illnesses, namely, that by their unreasonable conduct in the use of food and drink they both violated mutual peace and scandalized one another. What was still more serious, when they noticed this, they did not wish to change their conduct. This applied more to those who did not observe distinctions among foods and appeared more perfect in faith. They violated peace by treating those who abstained from certain foods with contempt and reproach. Instead of edifying, they scandalized others by drawing some to eat things sacrificed to idols against their conscience. Yet the same also applied to those who abstained from certain foods.
They too violated peace by separating themselves from others, especially if they entered into dispute, which is generally unfavorable to peace. They answered reproach with reproach against those who reproached them, accusing them as omnivorous, incontinent, and gluttonous. They scandalized others by disposing some who did not observe distinctions among foods, but who were not firm in heart, to imitate them. These thought that in this way they would appear more perfect, whereas it signified not perfection, but weakness. From this we may borrow a rule for ourselves. In our outward conduct, especially concerning indifferent matters, we should have chiefly in view not how we ourselves have resolved to act, but only that we not violate mutual peace or scandalize anyone. On the contrary, we should conduct matters so that mutual peace is strengthened more and more, and everything serves mutual edification.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 13 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS