The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the First Epistle to the Corinthians
For conscience sake , as though you were bound to ask whether the meat which they wish to sell has been offered to idols, it being not lawful for you to buy and eat such. So Anselm, Ambrose, Theodoret. It is evident from this that Paul is not speaking of the fasts of the Church, or saying that on any day, even a fast day, it is lawful to eat meat which is exposed for sale in the shambles. For these fasts do not belong to the class of non-essentials, but are precepts of the Church. Therefore S. Paul, in Acts xv., xvi., ordered the decree concerning abstinence from things strangled and from blood to be observed, though it was a mere positive precept enjoined by the Apostles alone.
Ver. 26. — For the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. Every creature, because it is the Lord’s, is good and clean; so, too, things offered to idols are not unclean, as you suppose, because they have been offered to a devil, but are clean, because created by the Lord. So Chrysostom, Theophylact, Anselm. Theophylact gives another meaning as well : “ Abstain from all food sacrificed to idols, for the whole earth is the Lord’s, and you can be abundantly satisfied from other sources.” But this meaning is not suited to the context, especially , to the injunction, “ Eat whatever is sold in the shambles.”
Ver. 27. — If any of them believe not . . . for conscience sake. “ Do not seem ,” says Theophylact, “to be afraid of idols with too anxious scrupulousness , or excessive curiosity , but keep your conscience free and uninjured. For if you ask and are told that it has been offered to idols, your conscience will be bound, and will not allow you to eat of it.” Hence he goes on to say —
Ver. 28. — But if any man say unto you . . . for his sake that showed it. If any unbeliever who has invited you to dinner, or any other idolater tell you that the meat on the table has been offered to idols, and is therefore sacred and to be religiously eaten, you cannot then eat it, for he will think that you are a partaker of his idolatry. Or if a Christian whose conscience is scrupulous point it out, thinking it unlawful to eat it because polluted by idolatry, do not then eat it, lest you cause him to offend. But if no offence could be caused, either to the faithful or unbelievers, it is lawful to eat of things offered to idols, even if they are pointed out and known as such.
For conscience sake. Lest you wound the conscience of your brother that is weak in the faith, who is sitting at table with you, by inducing him to follow your example and eat meats offered to idols, when his conscience forbids it.
Ver. 29. — Why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience ? Why should I use my liberty in such a way as gives offence and incurs condemnation by another man’s conscience? For since he is weak and untaught, he thinks that I do a thing to be condemned if I eat of idol-meats. But this I ought not to do. S. Ambrose.
Ver. 30. — If I by grace be a partaker , why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks ? Although it is lawful for me to eat of things offered to idols, through the grace of Gospel liberty, and give thanks to God for them, yet why should I expose myself to the reproaches of others, that they should speak of me as an idolater or polluted by communion with idols ? From this verse it would seem to have been the custom of the ancients to ask a blessing before meals, and to give thanks afterwards. Cf. 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5.
Ver. 31. — Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1. This is a matter of counsel, not of precept , for we are not bound in every act nor in every virtue to seek the glory of God, though to do so is very meritorious. In the same way he says in chap. xvi. 14 : “ Let all your things be done with charity.” 2. If any one, with Anselm, Ambrose, and Cajetan, thinks that it is a precept, he must explain it to mean that all our works must be of such a character that they are likely to promote the glory of God, such that God may be glorified because of them, no one be offended, and the glory of God not injured, but all edified, and the glory of God therefore spread abroad. This second meaning is more suitable here, as appears from what has gone before, where S. Paul has been dealing with the duty of avoiding giving offence, and also from what follows in the next verse. For S. Paul is opposing the glory of God to the glory of devils, who are served by those who eat things offered to idols, in their honour, or when offence is caused to our neighbour; on the other hand, they serve the glory of God who abstain from idols, and eat of such things and do such things, as help to promote the honour and worship of God and the salvation of their neighbours.
S. Thomas (iii. qu. c. art. 10, ad 2) explains it differently; he says that it is a precept bidding us always refer ourselves and everything in general to the glory of God as their final cause. But the Apostle is speaking here, not of this or that act, but of that which we ought to do continuously.
3. The sense will be more comprehensive if the verse is explained in this way : Study to promote the glory of God (which is a matter of counsel) in all things so carefully that you keep strict watch against doing anything which may be against God's glory, against giving in anything cause of offence, as, e.g., in eating of things offered to idols, lest God be reproached : this last is a matter of precept. For although this saying and counsel of the Apostle's is positive, it nevertheless includes a negative precept. Hence it does not follow from this that all the works of unbelievers are sinful because they do not do them to the glory of God, of whom they know nothing ; for, as I have said, to do all our works, and to refer them in act to the glory of God, is a matter of counsel, not of precept.
Tertullian (de Corona) and S. Jerome (ad Eustochium) gather from this the explanation of the custom of the Christians of that time, to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross at the beginning of every work, which was as good as saying: “Let this work be done to the glory of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” S. Basil (in Regul. Brev. Reg. 196) asks, “How does a man eat and drink to the glory of God ?” and his answer is, that this is done when a man is mindful of the benefits bestowed on him by God, when he is so well-disposed as not to eat at all carelessly, but with the recollection that God searches him out ; when he makes it his purpose not to eat merely for the pleasure of satisfying his appetite, but as God's workman, that he may have strength to serve Him better, and to perform the commands of Christ. This surely would become not only religious, but all Christians and true worshippers of God. S. Basil again ( Horn . in Julittam Mart.), quoting this verse, says beautifully: “ When you sit at table, pray ; when you eat your bread, give thanks to the Giver ; when you drink wine , think of Him who gave it to you to gladden you, and to strengthen your weakness ; when you put on your coat , give thanks to the kindly Giver; when you look up at the heavens and see the beauty of the stars , fall down before God and worship Him , who by His wisdom made all these things . Similarly, when the sun rises and sets, whether in sleeping or waking, give thanks to God, who created and ordained all these things for your good, that you might know, love, and praise the Creator .”
Ver. 33. — Even as I please all men in all things . I do all I can to please them, that I may edify them and give no offence to any one, even though I may actually displease some who are ignorant, or jealous, or perverse. “I please” means here the desire of pleasing, the inchoate act ; and the Apostle therefore adds, “not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”