In this fascinating letter to a multiethnic church, we see some of the everyday problems the early Christians were dealing with. In Paul’s advice on how to handle these problems, we find deep principles that shape his thinking about practical Christian living. These enduring principles—so different from the popular trends of Paul’s time or ours—provide rich guidance for us as we deal with simil…
1En cuanto a lo sacrificado a los ídolos, sabemos que todos tenemos conocimiento. El conocimiento envanece, pero el amor edifica.
2Y si alguno se imagina que sabe algo, aún no sabe nada como debe saberlo.
3Pero si alguno ama a Dios, es conocido por él.
4Acerca, pues, de las viandas que se sacrifican a los ídolos, sabemos que un ídolo nada es en el mundo, y que no hay más que un Dios.
5Pues aunque haya algunos que se llamen dioses, sea en el cielo, o en la tierra (como hay muchos dioses y muchos señores),
6para nosotros, sin embargo, solo hay un Dios, el Padre, del cual proceden todas las cosas, y nosotros somos para él; y un Señor, Jesucristo, por medio del cual son todas las cosas, y nosotros por medio de él.
7Pero no en todos hay este conocimiento; porque algunos, habituados hasta aquí a los ídolos, comen como sacrificado a ídolos, y su conciencia, siendo débil, se contamina.
8Si bien la vianda no nos hace más aceptos ante Dios; pues ni porque comamos, seremos más, ni porque no comamos, seremos menos.
9Pero mirad que esta libertad vuestra no venga a ser tropezadero para los débiles.
10Porque si alguno te ve a ti, que tienes conocimiento, sentado a la mesa en un lugar de ídolos, la conciencia de aquel que es débil, ¿no será estimulada a comer de lo sacrificado a los ídolos?
11Y por el conocimiento tuyo, se perderá el hermano débil por quien Cristo murió.
12De esta manera, pues, pecando contra los hermanos e hiriendo su débil conciencia, contra Cristo pecáis.
13Por lo cual, si la comida le es a mi hermano ocasión de caer, no comeré carne jamás, para no poner tropiezo a mi hermano.
TYNDALE OPEN STUDY NOTES
I
Versículo 1
I. 8:1–11:1 Paul now addresses the Corinthians’ question about food that has been offered to idols: …
8:1–11:1 Paul now addresses the Corinthians’ question about food that has been offered to idols: Throughout the Greco-Roman world, there were temples and shrines dedicated to pagan gods. It was common for worshipers of those gods to offer animal sacrifices, and the excess meat was then sold in the market by pagan priests. The question inevitably arose as to whether Christians were free to eat such meat. Is meat taken from an animal that has been sacrificed to a pagan god inherently defiled? Paul makes no mention here of the prohibition made by the Jewish Christian leaders in Acts 15:20, 29 but emphasizes that one’s actions must be governed, above all, by loving consideration of others. After introducing the topic (1 Cor 8:1-13), he provides several illustrations of the principle of giving up one’s rights for the sake of others (9:1-27) and then gives his advice on three specific situations in which believers faced this issue.
8:1 “We all have knowledge” was apparently a common saying of the Corinthian Christians. The knowledge in question is religious knowledge, paraded by certain Christians who might have felt their superior understanding made them unaccountable to the opinions of others.
II
Versículo 2
II. 8:2-3 It is those who truly love God—not just those who know all the answers—who are acknowledged…
8:2-3 It is those who truly love God—not just those who know all the answers—who are acknowledged by God as his own (see 13:12; Gal 4:9).
III
Versículo 4
III. 8:4-6 In reality, the idols to which such meat is sacrificed are not gods, for there is only one …
8:4-6 In reality, the idols to which such meat is sacrificed are not gods, for there is only one God (Deut 6:4; cp. Deut 4:35, 39; 10:19-20). He is the Creator of everything, including the meat in question. The only ultimate reality is God, the Father, and the one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created (cp. John 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2).
IV
Versículo 7
IV. 8:7 Many of the Corinthian believers, having grown up in the pagan world, viewed eating such meat…
8:7 Many of the Corinthian believers, having grown up in the pagan world, viewed eating such meat as an expression of devotion to the god to whom the meat had been sacrificed. For such Christians, to eat meat presented to an idol would violate their weak consciences (see 8:10-12; 10:28-29; Rom 14:13-23).
V
Versículo 8
V. 8:8 The Corinthians’ relationship with the living God was not affected by eating or not eating, w…
8:8 The Corinthians’ relationship with the living God was not affected by eating or not eating, whatever the source of the food (cp. Rom 14:17).
VI
Versículo 9
VI. 8:9-10 Believers must be careful that what they do (such as eating sacrificial meat) does not cau…
8:9-10 Believers must be careful that what they do (such as eating sacrificial meat) does not cause others . . . to stumble (cp. Rom 14:13, 20-21; Gal 5:13).
VII
Versículo 11
VII. 8:11 For believers to insist on eating food offered to idols—because their superior knowledge ass…
8:11 For believers to insist on eating food offered to idols—because their superior knowledge assured them that they are free to eat such food—could destroy less mature Christians (who understood eating this meat as an expression of worship of pagan gods). • for whom Christ died: Cp. Rom 14:15.
VIII
Versículo 12
VIII. 8:12 To make immature believers sin by violating their conscience is the same as sinning against …
8:12 To make immature believers sin by violating their conscience is the same as sinning against Christ, who has claimed them for himself (cp. Matt 25:40, 45).
IX
Versículo 13
IX. 8:13 Personal rights must be subordinated to the larger commitment not to cause another believer …
8:13 Personal rights must be subordinated to the larger commitment not to cause another believer to stumble.
Nuevo Testamento
1 Corinthians — Capítulo 8
In this fascinating letter to a multiethnic church, we see some of the everyday problems the early Christians were dealing with. In Paul’s advice on how to handle these problems, we find deep principles that shape his thinking about practical Christian living. These enduring principles—so different from the popular trends of Paul’s time or ours—provide rich guidance for us as we deal with simil…
Texto — Reina-Valera 1960
1En cuanto a lo sacrificado a los ídolos, sabemos que todos tenemos conocimiento. El conocimiento envanece, pero el amor edifica.
2Y si alguno se imagina que sabe algo, aún no sabe nada como debe saberlo.
3Pero si alguno ama a Dios, es conocido por él.
4Acerca, pues, de las viandas que se sacrifican a los ídolos, sabemos que un ídolo nada es en el mundo, y que no hay más que un Dios.
5Pues aunque haya algunos que se llamen dioses, sea en el cielo, o en la tierra (como hay muchos dioses y muchos señores),
6para nosotros, sin embargo, solo hay un Dios, el Padre, del cual proceden todas las cosas, y nosotros somos para él; y un Señor, Jesucristo, por medio del cual son todas las cosas, y nosotros por medio de él.
7Pero no en todos hay este conocimiento; porque algunos, habituados hasta aquí a los ídolos, comen como sacrificado a ídolos, y su conciencia, siendo débil, se contamina.
8Si bien la vianda no nos hace más aceptos ante Dios; pues ni porque comamos, seremos más, ni porque no comamos, seremos menos.
9Pero mirad que esta libertad vuestra no venga a ser tropezadero para los débiles.
10Porque si alguno te ve a ti, que tienes conocimiento, sentado a la mesa en un lugar de ídolos, la conciencia de aquel que es débil, ¿no será estimulada a comer de lo sacrificado a los ídolos?
11Y por el conocimiento tuyo, se perderá el hermano débil por quien Cristo murió.
12De esta manera, pues, pecando contra los hermanos e hiriendo su débil conciencia, contra Cristo pecáis.
13Por lo cual, si la comida le es a mi hermano ocasión de caer, no comeré carne jamás, para no poner tropiezo a mi hermano.
TYNDALE OPEN STUDY NOTES
Versículo 1
I. 8:1–11:1 Paul now addresses the Corinthians’ question about food that has been offered to idols: …
Versículo 2
II. 8:2-3 It is those who truly love God—not just those who know all the answers—who are acknowledged…
Versículo 4
III. 8:4-6 In reality, the idols to which such meat is sacrificed are not gods, for there is only one …
Versículo 7
IV. 8:7 Many of the Corinthian believers, having grown up in the pagan world, viewed eating such meat…
Versículo 8
V. 8:8 The Corinthians’ relationship with the living God was not affected by eating or not eating, w…
Versículo 9
VI. 8:9-10 Believers must be careful that what they do (such as eating sacrificial meat) does not cau…
Versículo 11
VII. 8:11 For believers to insist on eating food offered to idols—because their superior knowledge ass…
Versículo 12
VIII. 8:12 To make immature believers sin by violating their conscience is the same as sinning against …
Versículo 13
IX. 8:13 Personal rights must be subordinated to the larger commitment not to cause another believer …