The Eating of Things Sacrificed to Idols 1 Corinthians 8:4

According to Paul the apostle, “if any man love God, the same is known of him”. Paul continued to share about this in chapter eight and verse four of First Corinthians as he told the church members about, “the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice to idols” where we read:

As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

The verse begins, “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, ...” Paul began with the words, “As concerning” or “about, on account of, because and near” “therefore” or “then, accordingly, consequently and these things being so” “the eating” which means “the consuming of food and ailment” “of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols” which is all one Greek word “eidōlothytos” and refers to “things eaten at feasts or sold by the poor in the market which had been dedicated to idols”. Paul addressed the idea of “eating” things which had previously been “sacrifice” to “idols”.

The verse continues, “we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.” Paul added the words, “we know that” or “Paul and the church members perceived, noticed, discerned, discovered, ascertained and observed because and since” “an idol” which refers to “an image that represents the form of an object either real or unreal; a false god” “is nothing” which means “is nought and has no value” “in the world” or “the circle of the earth and the aggregate of it's goods, endowments, riches, advantages and pleasures”, “and that there is none” which means “and nothing or no one” “other” or “in the same nature, form, class and kind as” “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “but one” or “except, save and more than the only and sole one”. Paul declared “idols” to be as “nothing in the world” because there is truly only “one God”.

When we consider these words from Paul, we see how he begins to explain the “sacrifice to idols” by sharing the worthlessness of the “idols” themselves. “Idols”have very little monetary value and no value at all as far as being a god is concerned. As the Psalmist wrote in chapter one hundred fifteen and verses four through eight, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.” Jesus Christ came as the true God in the world, and He alone holds that position. All other things are as “nothing”, and when a person believes in, trusts in, relies upon and clings to Jesus Christ, they have the only true God they need.

Next time Paul tells the Corinthian church members, “there be gods many, and lords many”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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