Should the Weak Perish by Knowledge 1 Corinthians 8:11

Paul the apostle warned the church members how “the weak” among them might “be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols” when “any man” would “see” them “which had knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple”. In chapter eight and verse eleven of First Corinthians, he shared how the church members could make, “the weak brother perish” where we read:

And through your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

The verse begins, “And through your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, ...” Paul began with the words, “And through” which means “and upon” “your knowledge” or “the free church members' understanding in general intelligence and the deeper more perfect and enlarged knowledge of this religion such as belongs to them more advanced” “shall the weak” which means “will the feeble and infirmed” “brother” which means “fellow believers who are united to another by the bond of affection” “perish” or “destroy, entirely abolish, put to a ruin and render useless”. Paul noted how the person who had “liberty” to “eat meats offered to idols” could “destroy” the “weaker” brothers because they “knew” the “gods and lords” were as “nothing”.

The verse continued, “ … for whom Christ died?” Paul added the words, “for whom” or “since these weaker ones” “Christ” which refers to “the anointed one, the Messiah and the Son of God” “died” or “was slain and perished”. Jesus Christ died for the “weaker” and the “stronger” brothers, and those who had “liberty” to “eat meats” were to realize they both were of great value to Him.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we understand that Jesus “died” for those who are “weak” in their understanding about the “gods and lords” which were made up by people. Since these “gods and lords” had no true value, those who were “free” to “eat meats sacrificed to idols” were not to make the “weaker” ones “perish” through their “freedom”. Jesus desires that people within the church care for one another, and rather than having anyone “perish”, we should love one another as Jesus gave command.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “when you sin so against the brethren...you sin against Christ”, 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.