Romans 14:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Such zeal was unnecessary not because of the nature of the matter itself, but because of the timing. Those whom they reproached were still new in the faith. In the Epistle to the Colossians he forbids this very strictly, saying, 'Beware lest anyone deceive you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ' (Col 2:8). And again: 'Let no one therefore judge you in food or in drink,' and 'Let no one deceive you' (Col 2:16-18). In the Epistle to the Galatians he demands from them, with full strictness, a higher understanding and perfection in this matter. But here he does not resort to such insistence, since the faith had only recently been planted among the Romans. Therefore we too must not extend the Apostle's words, 'Let each be fully convinced in his own mind,' to all cases. When doctrine is in question, hear how he speaks: 'If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, even if he were an angel, let him be anathema' (Gal 1:8-9). Elsewhere he says, 'I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve, so your minds should be corrupted' (2 Cor 11:3). And in the Epistle to the Philippians he writes, 'Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation' (Phil 3:2). But it was still too early to correct this in the Romans. Therefore he said, 'Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.' Since the discussion also concerned fasting, he overthrows the pride of some and drives out the fear of others by adding what follows.

Meanwhile Christians converted from Judaism still could not free themselves from the conviction that certain days possessed a preferred holiness, and that certain Old Testament feasts were binding on all. They also firmly remembered the strict prohibition of the law against associating with Gentiles and being defiled with them by eating various foods declared unclean. When the holy Apostle Paul wrote his epistle to Rome, he found it necessary to offer several special instructions on the matter set forth above. He did this so that love and unity would not be shaken among the Christians there. Rom 14:1-5. The Apostle's general instruction is this: 'Receive the one who is weak in faith, without disputes over opinions,' concerning food and the distinction of days. 'For one believes he may eat everything,' since food, whatever it consists of, does not of itself bring us near to God (1 Cor 8:8). 'But the weak man eats vegetables.' This means a person who has not yet risen to the truly Christian understanding that food and drink in general have no essential relation to morality. So too concerning days: 'One esteems one day above another, while another judges every day alike.' The Apostle bases this general instruction on the following considerations. First, no one has the right to judge another (Rom 14:3-4). 'Let not the one who eats despise the one who does not eat; and let not the one who does not eat judge the one who eats, for God has received him.' That is, God received him into His Church without any prohibitions about food. 'Who are you to judge another's servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.' The intemperate, who deny the fasts, like to cite these words of the Apostle in their own defense, but in vain. The Apostle is not discussing fasts as a moral and educational measure, or as exercises in abstinence. He is resolving purely dietary questions for those who, out of Jewish superstition, connected a certain defilement with the very foods forbidden by the law, such as pork, hare, and the like.

As an example, the Apostle takes opinions about eating various kinds of food. In this the Roman Christians were probably especially divided among themselves. Those who had come from the Jews could keep the distinction between clean and unclean food, and between what was permitted or not permitted on certain days. Christians from the Gentiles could not keep these distinctions.

Seeing this as a matter in which differing opinions are possible, he first counsels tolerance toward others on this question. He finds that both those who eat and those who do not eat have equally been received by God. Some can eat only vegetables, and others also meat, according to the condition of their health. Therefore there is no ground for mutual condemnations.

Even if there were some ground for condemnation, still a Christian, not being authorized by God for this judgment, must not condemn. The chief point is that this was a matter in which the greatest freedom had then to be allowed. Therefore the Apostle concludes by advising each person to act in this matter according to the considerations of his own mind.

According to Saint John Chrysostom, "many of the Jews who had believed still had a conscience bound by the Law after accepting the faith. They observed strict discrimination in food, because they did not dare to depart from the Law.

"Moreover, lest by abstaining only from pork they fall under accusation, they began to abstain from all meat and to eat only vegetables. They did this under the appearance of observing a fast, not Jewish discrimination in food according to the Law.

"On the other hand, there were others more perfect in faith. They themselves observed no such discrimination in food, and they burdened and grieved those who did observe it by their reproaches and rebukes. They even cast them into despondency."

Concerning the words of verse 5 he later observes: "Here, as I think, the Apostle lightly hints also at fasting. Probably some of those who fasted continually condemned those who did not fast, and the reverse. Or perhaps among those who discriminated in food there were some who observed discrimination on certain days and not on others."

"But the force of the apostolic speech is not in this," writes Bishop Theophan. "It lies in the principle expressed here concerning indifferent matters and things: let each act according to his conscience.

"What has been determined by commandment and established by dogma, hold to and fulfill without delay. It is not so with indifferent matters and things. Here let your conviction and your conscience determine how to act and how to think.

"Only in everything have in view the glory of God, and not self-pleasing, neither pleasing your mind nor your heart."

This is why the Apostle says further: "He who regards the day, regards it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord." By this he teaches, on the one hand, that all things must be done to the glory of God. On the other hand, he teaches not to condemn because of difference in indifferent matters. This is all the more so because it is unknown with what thoughts and feelings some fast and others do not fast.

It is worth noting that the words of verse 3, "for God has received him," seem more closely to refer to the Christian received by God from the Gentiles. Yet they may also be referred to the Christian from the Jews.

It lies in the position expressed here concerning indifferent deeds and things: let each act according to his own conscience. What is determined by commandment and established by dogma, hold to that and fulfill it without delay. There is no need here to ask what your conviction or your conscience says. Even if everything within you and outside you went against it, do not depart from it. God has commanded it. Even if you die, remain faithful to what was commanded. It is not so with indifferent deeds and things. Here let your conviction and your conscience determine how to act and how to think. Only in everything keep the glory of God in view, not self-pleasing, neither pleasing your mind nor your heart. Much in thought is left to one's free choice. Only do not allow anything that is directly or indirectly contrary to the dogmas or inconsistent with them. Many deeds also are left to free choice. Only in nothing permit yourself merely to please yourself, or to admit feelings and dispositions that cannot be well pleasing before God. Blessed Theodoret writes: 'Let each be convinced in his own mind. The Apostle did not say this generally. Concerning divine dogmas, he does not command us to reason this way, but delivers to anathema those who dare to teach what is contrary to the truth. He says, "If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be anathema" (Gal 1:9). Therefore he grants the judgment of each person's understanding only concerning foods. For this custom remains in the Churches to this day: one loves abstinence, another partakes fearlessly of every food. The latter does not condemn the former, nor does the former reproach the latter. Both glory in the law of concord.'