Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
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Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Offense is given to the Jews when they see that a Christian, who claims the inheritance of the law and the prophets, is not afraid of idols, which they detest. Offense is given to the Greeks, that is, to the Gentiles, if their sin of idolatry is not only not contested but actually encouraged by people in the church who fail to reject things sacrificed to idols. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Do not be a stumbling block in any way to those you meet. Be cheerful, a lover of the brethren, gentle, humble. Do not demean the aim of hospitality by seeking extravagant foods. Be content with what is at hand.
Do all things decently and according to order for the purpose of edification. The person, the time, the need and the place all should be properly chosen and determined upon. By consideration of all these details every shadow of evil suspicion will be avoided.
Desire to get a pretext against us and to speak evil of us, and that we may not be a stumbling-block to any one, on this account we cut off the pretext of those who desire to get a pretext against us; on this account we must be "on our guard that we be to no one a stumbling-block, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor yet to the Church of God; and we must not seek that which is profitable to ourselves only, but that which is for the profit of many, so that they may be saved."
Give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the Church of God: i.e., give no handle to anyone: since in the case supposed, both your brother is offended, and the Jew will the more hate and condemn you, and the Gentile in like manner deride you even as a gluttonous man and a hypocrite.
Not only, however, should the brethren receive no hurt from us, but to the utmost of our power not even those that are without. For if we are light, and leaven, and luminaries, and salt, we ought to enlighten, not to darken; to bind, not to loosen; to draw to ourselves the unbelievers, not to drive them away. Why then do you put to flight those whom you ought to draw to you? Since even Gentiles are hurt, when they see us reverting to such things: for they know not our mind nor that our soul has come to be above all pollution of sense. And the Jews too, and the weaker brethren, will suffer the same.
Do you see how many reasons he has assigned for which we ought to abstain from ...
