1 Corinthians 10:29 Commentary and Bible Study

Paul has been urging that the guest abstains from eating for conscience’ sake, but whose conscience is he talking about. Has he suddenly reversed his previous argument and started saying that the guest should make conscience of his own eating, once he discovers that the meat has been offered to idols? Certainly not. It remains the case that an idol is nothing, and just as the guest may have innocently eaten the meat before he was told that it came from the idol temple, so he may do so afterwards. That knowledge changes nothing as far as his own conscience is concerned. The issue is not his own conscience but the conscience of the one who thinks it is sin to eat, or who expects him to regard it as sin. This is about one conscience judging another conscience. This type of judgment is going on all the time in human society. You are free, says Paul, but it would be a matter of great regret if something as precious as your freedom should cause others to judge you. Even though there is no actual sin involved, their uninstructed consciences judge that there is, because they lack knowledge. The freedom you have is wonderful; it releases you from the ceremonial law, from superstition and ignorance, from man-made rules which should not bind you. In this case it sets you free from the mistaken belief that an idol has any true existence. But your freedom is being misinterpreted and that is something you should avoid, so in these circumstances do not eat; do not exercise your freedom.