Commentary on 1 Corinthians
435. Next, when he says if a man should see, here he shows how it can offend by eating the food of idols in the presence of the weak: and four concurrent things are involved in scandal. The first is the knowledge of the greater ones; the second is the public eating of the food sacrificed to idols, at sit at meat in the idol’s temple; the third is the occasion of scandal taken up, at shall not his conscience?
Therefore he says, for if man, as if to say: and indeed it can be a stumbling block, for if a man, being weak, sees him that has knowledge sit at meat in the temple of an idol, that is, in the presence of an idol, shall not his conscience, being weak, be emboldened by you, that is, by your deed, to eat those things that are sacrificed to idols, that is, sacrificed to honor idols? As if to say, for thus seeing his more experienced brother eating food sacrificed to idols, he too will begin to eat, not with that consciousness that the experienced man has, namely by reason of his expertise, but he thinks it happens in honor of a deity.
436. Next, when he says, and through your knowledge, he shows the evil that can arise from this, and here two things must be distinguished:
first, the scandal of the neighbor;
second, the offense of the neighbor, at now when you sin thus.
437. In the first, three things are implied: the condition of the one sinning, because it is weak; the occasion of sin, because it is in your conscience; and the exacerbation of the sin, since Christ died on account of him.
Therefore he says, and thus shall the weak perish, in faith, that is, through your knowledge, brother, that is, having taken the occasion from your knowledge, for he sees you, the wise man, eat, and he thinks that you eat out of veneration of an idol—him for whom, that is, for whose salvation, Christ has died, and so you sin gravely: do not destroy with your meat him for whom Christ died (Rom 14:15).
438. Now when you sin thus against the brethren, in the sin of scandal, and wound their weak conscience, with the sword of bad example: strike the hinges, that is, the conscience, and let the lintels be shook (Amos 9:1), that is, the intellect and the affections; you sin against Christ, whose members they are.
According to a Gloss, he does not say unto Christ, because to sin unto Christ is to deny Christ, that is, to sin against faith. To sin against Christ is to sin against those who are of Christ, namely in morals; just as the man who is under the law is said to sin against the law; but who is not under the law is said to sin unto the law.
439. Then when he says wherefore if meat, here he finally sets himself forth as an example of abstinence, where he first gives the implications of scandal; second, he explains from that the reason for abstinence, at I will never eat; and third, he anticipates questions, at lest I should scandalize.
Therefore he says, wherefore, lest namely I should sin against Christ, if meat scandalizes my brother, I will never eat any flesh, not only food sacrificed to idols: if therefore something like a necessity of life is to be abstained from on account of scandal of the brethren, how much more from unnecessary things. And this, not because meat is bad in itself, but lest I should scandalize my brother. For whoever scandalizes one of these little ones, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck (Matt 18:6). All things are clean to the clean, but it is evil for that man who eats to offend (Rom 14:20).
440. Here it is asked concerning the fact that knowledge puffs up (1 Cor 8:1), where the Gloss has: knowledge is useless by itself.
Against this: knowledge is good in itself; therefore it is also useful.
Response: it is useless for salvation, but useful for many other things.
441. Likewise, charity edifies (1 Cor 8:1). Against this: just as knowledge puffs up, not as a cause, but as an occasion, so also does charity.
Response: it is not similar, for knowledge manifests itself to someone who has it, but not so charity, for no one is certain of charity.
442. Likewise, concerning an idol is nothing (1 Cor 8:4), the Gloss says: God formed nature, but the stupidity of man gave it form.
Against this: every being is from God, and therefore, every form.
Response: the Gloss speaks of the putative form in nature, not of the true one.
443. Likewise, the Gloss says in the same place: the form of man in an idol was not made by the Word.
Against this: all things were made by him (John 1:3).
Answer: although man’s form was made in him by the Word, it was not made in an idol, that is, for worshiping.
444. Likewise, the Gloss says in the same place: an idol is nothing, for it has the likeness of no thing that is in the world.
Against this: a craftsman cannot think or form except such as he sees.
Response: it does not have a likeness in everything, but only in part.
445. Likewise regarding there is no God but one, the Gloss says: he says this lest it be believed that God is in an idol.
Against this: God, although he is one, nevertheless is everywhere.
Response: he is in an idol by power, not by presence or union, as the gentiles believe.
446. Likewise, the Gloss says in the same place: a part of the Trinity cannot be every one in three whatsoever.
Against this: unity is a part of any number.
Response: Trinity is not simply a number, but a number of persons.
447. Likewise, regarding although there are those that are called gods (1 Cor 8:5), the Gloss says: by participation of the divinity.
Against this: divinity is not participable.
Response: this participation is by its cause, not by its essence.
448. Likewise, the Gloss says in the same place that it is asked whether the angels should be called gods.
Response: although they participate in divinity, nevertheless, according to the Gloss, they are not to be called gods because of the danger of adoration.
449. Likewise, concerning yet to us there is but one. . . Father (1 Cor 8:6), the Gloss says: the Trinity is to us one Father, yet not he who is a third distinct person in the Trinity.
Against this: same and different divide being.
I respond that although same and different divide created being, they do not divide uncreated being, since there is there identity in essence together with diversity in persons.
450. Likewise, there is not knowledge in everyone (1 Cor 8:7). Against this, in the preceding passage: we all have knowledge.
Response: that is not understood universally, but about the greater men.
451. Likewise, on the saying that meat does not commend us to God (1 Cor 8:8), the Gloss says taken or not taken. Against this: therefore abstinence is of no merit.
Response: not the virtue of meat, but the virtue of abstinence is profitable.
452. Likewise if meat scandalizes my brother, I will never eat flesh.
Against this: therefore on account of scandal to a brother one should abstain from bread and wine forever.
Response: the case of necessary things is not the same as the case of superfluous things; or he speaks here about active, not passive scandal; or this abstinence is a matter of perfection, not of necessity.
453. It should be noted on the passage, one God, that God can be taken in many ways, namely: by false naming, and in this way idols are called gods: all the gods of the nations are demons (Ps 96:5); the gods that did not make heaven and earth, let them perish from the earth (Jer 10:11).
Or by true adoption, and in this way the saints are called gods: I said: you are gods, and sons of the Most High (Ps 82:6).
Or by ruling in this world, and in this way rulers are called gods: you shall not speak ill of the gods (Exod 22:28); if he called them gods (John 10:35).
Or by property of essence, and in this way the Trinity is called God: hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one (Deut 6:4).
454. Likewise it should be noted that Christ being one without equal is said in many ways. First, one God on account of the nature of divinity; hence in this way there is no God but one.
Second, one Creator on account of infinity of power: there is one most high Creator of all things (Sir 1:8).
Third, one man on account of the singular eminence of holiness: there is no one who does good (Ps 14:1); it is expedient that one man die (John 11:50).
Fourth, one Lord on account of governance as a superior: one Lord, one faith (Eph 4:5). And in this way there is one Lord Jesus Christ.
Fifth, one teacher on account of infusion of knowledge: do not be called teachers, for one is your teacher, Christ (Matt 23:10).
Sixth, one Father on account of producing the universe: one is your Father, who is in heaven (Matt 23:9).
Seventh, one shepherd on account of his universal refreshment of the people of faith: there shall be one flock and one shepherd (John 10:16).
Eighth, one victim on account of the singular price of our redemption: for by one oblation he has perfected forever those who are sanctified (Heb 10:14).