After
much writing about “marriage, being
single, remarriage and widows”,
Paul the apostle shared how the woman who was widowed among church
members in Corinth would be “happier
if she so abide” in
her state of widowhood rather than remarrying. Paul moves on to a new
subject in chapter eight and verse one of
First Corinthians as he shared concerning, “knowledge”
of “things offered to idols”
where we read:
Now as
touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have
knowledge.
Knowledge
puffs up, but charity edifies.
The verse begins, “Now
as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have
knowledge.” Paul
began with the word, “Now”
or “moreover and” “as touching”
which means
“about, concerning, on account of, because of and near to”
“things offered unto idols” which
refers to “sacrifices to idols which were eaten at the feasts or
sold by the poor and miserly in the market”, “we
know”
which means “Paul and the church members perceive, notice, discern,
observe, pay attention to and discover” “that
we all” or
“because and since Paul and the church members each and everyone”
“have knowledge”
which means “hold, possess and own general intelligence and
understanding, moral wisdom and such as is seen in right living”.
Paul began to address the idea of “sacrifices” to “idols”
about which both he and the Corinthians “had
knowledge”.
The
verse goes on to say, “Knowledge
puffs up, but charity edifies.”
Paul
continued with the word, “knowledge”
or “general
intelligence and understanding, moral wisdom and such as is seen in
right living” “puffs up”
which means “inflates, causes to swell up, bears one's self loftily
and makes proud”, “but” which
is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be
written takes precedence over what was just stated “charity”
which is the Greek word “agapē”
that
refers to “affection, good will, benevolence and unconditional
brotherly love” “edifies”
which means “builds up, erects, restores and repairs”. Paul
declared how “having knowledge of and understanding” something
makes a person “prideful and inflated”, however, “unconditional
love” “builds up” in nature.
When
we consider these words from Paul, we understand how he and the
church members had some “knowledge”
concerning “sacrifices” to “idols”,
however, Paul did not want them to rely upon their “knowledge”
about this topic because it tended to make them
“prideful”.
“Pride”
is among the “six sins, yes seven
things”
that “God hates”
- “These
six things
doth the LORD hate: yes, seven are
an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that
shed innocent blood, an heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet
that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that
speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.”
(Proverbs 6:16-19) Paul in no way desired for the Corinthian church
members to rely upon what they “knew”
because Jesus Christ wants His church to exist without pride and to
reflect Him at all times. As we learn what Paul has to say about
“sacrifices” to “idols”,
let us remember that “knowing” tends to lead us to “pride”,
and “agape” love builds up others in the faith.
Next
time Paul tells the Corinthians, “if
any man think that he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet as he
ought to know”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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