First Corinthians Chapter 8
This chapter begins a whole section (8:1-11:1) dealing with Christian liberty and especially in the realm of meats sacrificed to idols. “This whole discussion on Christian liberty (its reality, its dangers, its perversion and its limits) centers around meats sacrificed to idols. Paul will illustrate the right use of this liberty with reference to himself in chapter 9” (McGuiggan p. 122). For first century Christians, especially those living in a Greek city, this was a big issue. “Idolatrous practices were related to almost every family and social and political custom of the times. Meats which had been sacrificed in the temple were used at all social festivities; they were exposed for sale in the regular markets and were placed upon the table before invited guests and might appear in one's own home” (Erdman p. 87). “The pagan temple rituals, many state occasions, festivals of various kinds of societies, the lives of families and of individuals, all involved sacrifices to the gods and the participation of larger or smaller circles in the feasts connected with these rituals. The desire to participate in such feasts as well as the obligation of family connections or of friendship raised the question as to how far a Christian might go in this regard” (Lenski p. 333). Sacrifice to the gods was an integral part of ancient life. It might be of two kinds, private or public. In neither case was the whole animal consumed upon the altar In private sacrifice the animal, so to speak, was divided into three parts. First, a token part was burned on the altar. Second, the priests received their portion, and third, the worshipper himself received the rest of the meat. With the meat he gave a banquet. This was specially the case at times like weddings. Sometimes these feasts were in the house of the host; sometimes they were 1