Conscience, I say, not your own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?
Read Chapter 10
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
For why is my liberty? The meaning of this passage is, that though we ought, on some occasions, to abstain from things in themselves lawful, yet, that on other occasions we are by no means obliged to it, particularly when our brother is not thoroughly instructed on that head. (Theophylactus)
What Paul means is this. God has made him free and put him beyond harm’s reach, but the Gentile does not understand his rule of life. He cannot see the nature of Christian freedom and will say to himself that Christianity is a lie, because although Christians shun demons, they are prepared to eat things which have been offered to them, so great is their gluttony. Such a judgment may be unfair, but it is better not to give the Gentile any room for judging at all.
