25. shambles--butchers' stalls; the flesh market.
asking no question--whether it has been offered to an idol or not.
for conscience' sake--If on asking you should hear it had been offered to idols, a scruple would arise in your conscience which was needless, and never would have arisen had you asked no questions.
26. The ground on which such eating without questioning is justified is, the earth and all its contents ("the fulness thereof," [Psa 20:1]; ), including all meats, belong to the Lord, and are appointed for our use; and where conscience suggests no scruple, all are to be eaten ([Ro 14:14], ; [1Ti 4:4], ; compare [Ac 10:15]).
27. ye be disposed to go--tacitly implying, they would be as well not to go, but yet not forbidding them to go ([1Co 10:9]) [Grotius]. The feast is not an idol feast, but a general entertainment, at which, however, there might be meat that had been offered to an idol.
for conscience' sake--(See on [1Co 10:25]).
28. if any man--a weak Christian at table, wishing to warn his brother.
offered in sacrifice unto idols--The oldest manuscripts omit "unto idols." At a heathen's table the expression, offensive to him, would naturally be avoided.
for conscience' sake--not to cause a stumbling-block to the conscience of thy weak brother ([1Co 8:10-12]).
for the earth is the Lord's, &c.--not in the oldest manuscripts.
29. Conscience ... of the other--the weak brother introduced in [1Co 10:28].
for why is my liberty judged off another man's conscience?--Paul passes to the first person, to teach his converts by putting himself as it were in their position. The Greek terms for "the other" and "another" are distinct. "The other" is the one with whom Paul's and his Corinthian converts' concern is; "another" is any other with whom he and they have no concern. If a guest know the meat to be idol meat while I know it not, I have "liberty" to eat without being condemned by his "conscience" [Grotius]. Thus the "for," &c., is an argument for [1Co 10:27], "Eat, asking no questions." Or, Why should I give occasion by the rash use of my liberty that another should condemn it [Estius], or that my liberty should cause the destruction of my weak brother?" [Menochius]. Or, the words are those of the Corinthian objector (perhaps used in their letter, and so quoted by Paul), "Why is my liberty judged by another's conscience?" Why should not I be judged only by my own, and have liberty to do whatever it sanctions? Paul replies in [1Co 10:31], Your doing so ought always to be limited by regard to what most tends "to the glory of God" [Vatablus, Conybeare and Howson]. The first explanation is simplest; the "for," &c., in it refers to "not thine own" (that is, "not my own," in Paul's change to the first person); I am to abstain only in the case of liability to offend another's conscience; in cases where my own has no scruple, I am not bound, in God's judgment, by any other conscience than my own.
30. For--The oldest manuscripts omit "For."
by grace--rather, "thankfully" [Alford].
I ... be partaker--I partake of the food set before me.
evil spoken of--by him who does not use his liberty, but will eat nothing without scrupulosity and questioning whence the meat comes.
give thanks--which consecrates all the Christian's acts ([Ro 14:6]; [1Ti 4:3], ).
31. Contrast [Zec 7:6]; the picture of worldly men. The godly may "eat and drink," and it shall be well with him ([Jr 22:15], ).
to the glory of God--([Col 3:17]; [1Pe 4:11])--which involves our having regard to the edification of our neighbor.
32. Give none offence--in things indifferent ([1Co 8:13]; [Ro 14:13]; [2Co 6:3]); for in all essential things affecting Christian doctrine and practice, even in the smallest detail, we must not swerve from principle, whatever offense may be the result ([1Co 1:23]). Giving offense is unnecessary, if our own spirit cause it; necessary, if it be caused by the truth.
33. I please--I try to please ([1Co 9:19], ; [Ro 15:2]).
not seeking mine own--([1Co 10:24]).
many--rather as Greek, "THE many."
Chapter 11
[1Co 11:1-34]. Censure on Disorders in Their Assemblies: Their Women Not Being Veiled, and Abuses at the Love-Feasts.
1. Rather belonging to the end of the tenth chapter, than to this chapter.
followers--Greek, "imitators."
of Christ--who did not please Himself ([Ro 15:3]); but gave Himself, at the cost of laying aside His divine glory, and dying as man, for us ([Ep 5:2]; [Php 2:4], ). We are to follow Christ first, and earthly teachers only so far as they follow Christ.
2. Here the chapter ought to begin.
ye remember me in all things--in your general practice, though in the particular instances which follow ye fail.
ordinances--Greek, "traditions," that is, apostolic directions given by word of mouth or in writing ([1Co 11:23]; ; [2Th 2:15]). The reference here is mainly to ceremonies: for in [1Co 11:23], as to the Lord's Supper, which is not a mere ceremony, he says, not merely, "I delivered unto you," but also, "I received of the Lord"; here he says only, "I delivered to you." Romanists argue hence for oral traditions. But the difficulty is to know what is a genuine apostolic tradition intended for all ages. Any that can be proved to be such ought to be observed; any that cannot, ought to be rejected ([Re 22:18]). Those preserved in the written word alone can be proved to be such.
3. The Corinthian women, on the ground of the abolition of distinction of sexes in Christ, claimed equality with the male sex, and, overstepping the bounds of propriety, came forward to pray and prophesy without the customary head-covering of females. The Gospel, doubtless, did raise women from the degradation in which they had been sunk, especially in the East. Yet, while on a level with males as to the offer of, and standing in grace ([Ga 3:28]), their subjection in point of order, modesty, and seemliness, is to be maintained. Paul reproves here their unseemliness as to dress: in [1Co 14:34], as to the retiring modesty in public which becomes them. He grounds his reproof here on the subjection of woman to man in the order of creation.
the head--an appropriate expression, when he is about to treat of woman's appropriate headdress in public.
of every man ... Christ--([Ep 5:23]).
of ... woman ... man--([1Co 11:8]; [Ge 3:16]; [1Ti 2:11], ; [1Pe 3:1], [5, 6]).
head of Christ is God--([1Co 3:23]; , ; [Lu 3:22], ; [Joh 14:28]; ; [Ep 3:9]). "Jesus, therefore, must be of the same essence as God: for, since the man is the head of the woman, and since the head is of the same essence as the body, and God is the head of the Son, it follows the Son is of the same essence as the Father" [Chrysostom]. "The woman is of the essence of the man, and not made by the man; so, too, the Son is not made by the Father, but of the essence of the Father" [Theodoret, t. 3, p. 171].
4. praying--in public ([1Co 11:17]).
prophesying--preaching in the Spirit ([1Co 12:10]).
having--that is, if he were to have: a supposed case to illustrate the impropriety in the woman's case. It was the Greek custom (and so that at Corinth) for men in worship to be uncovered; whereas the Jews wore the Talith, or veil, to show reverence before God, and their unworthiness to look on Him ([Is 6:2]); however, Maimonides [Mishna] excepts cases where (as in Greece) the custom of the place was different.
dishonoureth his head--not as Alford, "Christ" ([1Co 11:3]); but literally, as "his head" is used in the beginning of the verse. He dishonoreth his head (the principal part of the body) by wearing a covering or veil, which is a mark of subjection, and which makes him look downwards instead of upwards to his Spiritual Head, Christ, to whom alone he owes subjection. Why, then, ought not man to wear the covering in token of his subjection to Christ, as the woman wears it in token of her subjection to man? "Because Christ is not seen: the man is seen; so the covering of him who is under Christ is not seen; of her who is under the man, is seen" [Bengel]. (Compare [1Co 11:7]).
5. woman ... prayeth ... prophesieth--This instance of women speaking in public worship is an extraordinary case, and justified only by the miraculous gifts which such women possessed as their credentials; for instance, Anna the prophetess and Priscilla (so [Ac 2:18]). The ordinary rule to them is: silence in public ([1Co 14:34], ; [1Ti 2:11], ). Mental receptivity and activity in family life are recognized in Christianity, as most accordant with the destiny of woman. This passage does not necessarily sanction women speaking in public, even though possessing miraculous gifts; but simply records what took place at Corinth, without expressing an opinion on it, reserving the censure of it till [1Co 14:34], . Even those women endowed with prophecy were designed to exercise their gift, rather in other times and places, than the public congregation.
dishonoureth ... head--in that she acts against the divine ordinance and the modest propriety that becomes her: in putting away the veil, she puts away the badge of her subjection to man, which is her true "honor"; for through him it connects her with Christ, the head of the man. Moreover, as the head-covering was the emblem of maiden modesty before man ([Ge 24:65]), and conjugal chastity ([Ge 20:16]); so, to uncover the head indicated withdrawal from the power of the husband, whence a suspected wife had her head uncovered by the priest ([Nu 5:18]). Alford takes "her head" to be man, her symbolical, not her literal head; but as it is literal in the former clause, it must be so in the latter one.
all one as if ... shaven--As woman's hair is given her by nature, as her covering ([1Co 11:15]), to cut it off like a man, all admit, would be indecorous: therefore, to put away the head-covering, too, like a man, would be similarly indecorous. It is natural to her to have long hair for her covering: she ought, therefore, to add the other (the wearing of a head-covering) to show that she does of her own will that which nature itself teaches she ought to do, in token of her subjection to man.
6. A woman would not like to be "shorn" or (what is worse) "shaven"; but if she chooses to be uncovered (unveiled) in front, let her be so also behind, that is, "shorn."
a shame--an unbecoming thing (compare [1Co 11:13-15]). Thus the shaving of nuns is "a shame."