1 Corinthians 8:9

King James Version (KJV)

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

But take heed - Lest by frequenting such feasts and eating things offered to idols, under the conviction that an idol is nothing, and that you may eat those things innocently, this liberty of yours should become a means of grievously offending a weak brother who has not your knowledge, or inducing one who respects you for your superior knowledge to partake of these things with the conscience, the persuasion and belief, that an idol is something, and to conclude, that as you partake of such things, so he may also, and with safety. He is not possessed of your superior information on this point, and he eats to the idol what you take as a common meal.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

But take heed - This is the reply of Paul to the argument of the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 8:8. “Though all that you say should be admitted to be true, as it must be; though a man is neither morally better nor worse for partaking of meat or abstaining from it; yet the grand principle to be observed is, so to act as not to injure your brethren. Though you may be no better or worse for eating or not eating, yet if your conduct shall injure others, and lead them into sin, that is a sufficient guide to determine you what to do in the case. You should abstain entirely. It is of far more importance that your brother should not be led into sin, than it is that you should partake of meat which you acknowledge 1 Corinthians 8:8 is in itself of no importance.”

Lest by any means - μή πως mē pōsYou should be careful that by no conduct of yours your brother be led into sin. This is a general principle that is to regulate Christian conduct in all matters that are in themselves indifferent.

This liberty of yours - This which you claim as a right; this power which you have, and the exercise of which is in itself lawful. The “liberty” or power ἐξουσία exousiahere referred to was that of partaking of the meat that was offered in sacrifice to idols; 1 Corinthians 8:8. A man may have a right abstractly to do a thing, but it may not be prudent or wise to exercise it.

Become a stumbling-block - An occasion of sin; see the note at Matthew 5:29; also see the note at Romans 14:13. See that it be not the occasion of leading others to sin, and to abandon their Christian profession; 1 Corinthians 8:10.

To them that are weak - To those professing Christians who are not fully informed or instructed in regard to the true nature of idolatry, and who still may have a superstitious regard for the gods whom their fathers worshipped.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Eating one kind of food, and abstaining from another, have nothing in them to recommend a person to God. But the apostle cautions against putting a stumbling-block in the way of the weak; lest they be made bold to eat what was offered to the idol, not as common food, but as a sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of idolatry. He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to Christians, are done to Christ; but most of all, the entangling them in guilt: wounding their consciences, is wounding him. We should be very tender of doing any thing that may occasion stumbling to others, though it may be innocent in itself. And if we must not endanger other men's souls, how much should we take care not to destroy our own! Let Christians beware of approaching the brink of evil, or the appearance of it, though many do this in public matters, for which perhaps they plead plausibly. Men cannot thus sin against their brethren, without offending Christ, and endangering their own souls.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

9. Take heed. Knowledge of the truth regarding the nothingness of the idol does not of itself constitute an unlimited excuse for the exercise of the privilege of pleasing oneself without regard for the influence of one’s acts upon others.

By the woman. The first man, Adam, came into being by a direct act of creation on the part of God, in which woman played no part, but every subsequent male human being has been dependent upon a woman for his entrance into the world. God has chosen to use this method for the reproduction of the race. That fact ought to cause men to regard with awe and reverence the process of human reproduction, in which both man and woman are used by God to bring into existence another being upon whom the Lord may lavish His affection, and who may have the opportunity to qualify to be numbered among those who receive the gift of eternal life (see Gen. 1:28; 9:1, 7; John 3:16; 1 John 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:8).

Lest. Care is to be taken that the conduct of some, who fully understand the subject, does not lead others, less intelligent in the matter, into a wrong course of action. This is a general principle of Christian behavior, the practical outworking of the golden rule in things that are of minor importance.

Of God. Everything in the universe was created and planned by God and exists for His pleasure (see Isa. 43:7; Rev. 4:11). Sin has interfered with God’s original plan, and man has lost the beauty and perfection of form and character that he received at his creation (see Gen. 1:26, 27; PP 64, 65). The plan of salvation seeks to restore man to his original perfection (Micah 4:8; PP 68). Knowing that God’s hand is over all, and that He is working out His purpose in the world, both men and women should repress any tendency to give way to an expression of complaint or dissatisfaction with the way God has arranged matters. Woman, recognizing the guiding hand of God, and acknowledging His wisdom and love, will be content with the position assigned her by God. In return, man will humbly confess that the present imperfect condition of things on earth is the result of sin, and will not assume any pose of false superiority. Both will understand that God is the source of all things, of the existence of woman from man, and man through woman. Such intelligent and willing acceptance of God’s ordained plan will help husband and wife to attain to that ideal of an indissoluble union that is illustrated by the union of Christ and the church (see Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22, 33).

Liberty. Gr. exousia, “right,” or “authority,” that is, to eat the meat offered to idols. It is often true that a Christian has the right or authority to do a certain thing, but that it is not wise, or considerate of others, to exercise that right (see on ch. 6:12; cf. ch. 10:23).

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Ellen G. White
This Day With God, 147.4

Some, because they do not receive and impart light, have no genuine spiritual experience. They are often surprised by temptations that come in such fascinating forms that they do not recognize them as deceptions of the wily foe. How important that they obtain the experience necessary for them to have. The members of the Lord's family are to be wise and watchful, doing all in their power to save their weaker brethren from Satan's concealed nets. TDG 147.4

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