Romans – Chapter 14

1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs (*).

(*) Note: in the time of Paul, many cattles and wine sold in the marketplaces of pagan cities were things slaughtered or offered before idols like Zeus, Apollo… before being brought out to sell in stores. The Jewish Christians had all long known that all other gods are but inanimated stones and woods, so whenever the seller doesn’t say “this was offered to idols”, they would just buy those things from the stores and eat. With strong faith, clean conscience and the mindset that doesn’t regard Zeus or any of those gods to be anything more than a steaming pile of crap, they did not sin against God even when they accidentally swallowed something that was offered to idols. But the gentile Christians, because their entire lives were so used to idols, regard all those meat sold in the markets as already defiled by idols, thus with weaker faith and conscience, they dared not eat any meat, only vegetables. That’s why there was a risk that those who ate despised those who dared not (for their weak faith), and those who did not eat judged those who ate (for eating things offered to idols), and Paul had to tell both parties: don’t do it. Contrary to many supposed, this passage had nothing to do with the dietary laws of God which forbade the eating of blood, of fat, and of unclean animals that in most cases were outright garbage-eating scavengers in [03] Leviticus 11. Compare with [07] I Corinthians 8:9-13 and [07] I Corinthians 10:25-33.

3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike (*). Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

(*) Like in verse 3, here another conflict happened in the church during the first century. The Jewish Christians, besides the weekly Sabbath of the Ten Commandments, would also keep all their feasts and annual sabbaths in the ceremonial law of Moses (see [03] Leviticus 23). But the gentile Christians would keep only the weekly Sabbath of the Ten Commandments, while skipping the feasts and the annual sabbaths. These feasts and annual sabbaths basically were only shadows of types of Jesus, which means, prophecies about Him that were built up into religious ceremonies, to serve the purpose of proving Jesus to be the Christ. For example, the Passover provided the information regarding the exact time that the Lamb will be slain: the afternoon of the 14th day of the first month, or the law forbidding the breaking of any bone of the Passover Lamb ([02] Exodus 12:46), was to convince people that Jesus is that Lamb: He died on the cross, none of his bones were broken, while both of the thieves that were crucified with Him had their legs broken ([04] John 20:31-36). That’s why when Jesus had come, type had met anti-type, and the keeping of these shadow ceremonies pointing towards Him is no longer required, but up to each person’s choice.

6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure (*); but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

(*) See note in [06] Romans 14:2 above. Therefore the “all things” in this verse, from the start, were only talking about the things that the Word of God does permit us to eat, even when it was offered before idols but the sellers didn’t tell us.

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak (*).

(*) Because when gentile Christians saw the Jewish Christians blatantly eat things that very well might have been offered to idols, which people sold in markets, they might misunderstand that the eating of things offered to idols was permitted by God, and buy them, and eat them, and sin against Him. Thus Paul was advising the Jewish brethren don’t even eat meat or drink wine, just go for vegetables only, if by doing that they can prevent the gentile Christians from misunderstanding things and lose their souls.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.