Therefore, if food makes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat while the world stands, lest I make my brother to stumble.
All Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 8:13 Go To 1 Corinthians 8
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth. S. Chrysostom says: "It is the mark of a good teacher to teach by example as well as precept. The Apostle does not qualify what he says by adding "justly" of "unjustly," but he says absolutely, "If meat make my brother to offend." He does not speak of idol-offerings as being prohibited for other reasons, but he says that if what is lawful causes his brother to offend, he will abstain from it, not for one or two days, but for his whole life. Nor does he say, "Lest I destroy my brother," but "Lest I make my brother to offend." It would be he height of folly in us to regard those things, which are so dear to Christ that He refused not to die for them, as so worthless that we will not for their sake abstain from certain food."
On the subject of offence, see S. Basil (Reg. Brevior64), where, towards the end, he says that the offence is greater in proportion to the knowledge or rank of him who gives it; and he adds that at his hand God will require the blood of those sinners who follow his bad example.
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