The Strong and the Weak

MEMORY VERSE: “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” —Romans 15:1, RSV

ROMANS 14:1-4

THE lesson begins with Paul’s admonition, “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputation.” The Revised Standard Version reads, “But not for disputes over opinions.” This admonition is appropriate with respect to any and all matters of opinion which cannot be definitely established by clear statements of truth from the Bible.

But in our lesson Paul has in mind the differences of opinion which evidently existed among the brethren in Rome with respect to food—what kind of food to eat, and what kind not to eat. Paul writes, “For one believeth that he can eat all things: another, who is weak, eat herbs [Revised Standard Version reads, ‘vegetables’].”—vs. 2

These viewpoints concerning food exist today, and among some groups there is a religious significance attached; in other cases the controlling viewpoints are merely concerned with health. The chief concern that these have for Christians is that they should be sure to grant their brethren in Christ the right to their own opinions as to what is best for them to eat, and that this should not be made a matter of controversy in the church.

But in the Early Church the issue was a religious one, for the “meat” here referred to by Paul is evidently meat that had been offered to idols. He indicates that certain weak brethren who ate this meat would have their conscience defiled. This might well be based upon a decision taken by the disciples at a conference, which was communicated to the various churches—“That ye abstain from meat offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.”—Acts 15:29

Gentile converts were beginning to come into the Early Church, and their background of belief and practice was somewhat different from that of the Jewish Christians. Many of these Gentiles had been worshipers in heathen temples where animal sacrifices were offered to idols. Of course the idols could do nothing to these dead animals, and in due course the meat appeared in the market places. It was probably less expensive than other meat, and many of the Gentiles were glad to get it.

But when those who were joining with the Christian groups learned of the instructions sent out by the apostles it would naturally change their viewpoints. It was forbidden by apostolic authority, and to eat it would be against their conscience. The same would be true with the Jewish converts—although most of these would have avoided this meat in any case, as well as the drinking of blood, and things strangled, and fornication because of their Jewish background under the Law.

The basic reason for sending out the letter of instructions on these points was to help avoid too much friction as the Gentile converts came into the church and sought fellowship—not (with the exception of fornication) that the things mentioned were basically immoral, and therefore wrong.

I CORINTHIANS 8:7-13

Verse 13 of this section of the lesson is an important key to its understanding, for in it Paul indicates that when the circumstances were right he ate meat which had been offered to idols, although he had participated in sending out the instructions to abstain from this practice. But to this Paul adds that if in doing this he would stumble his brother he would eat “no flesh while the world standeth.”

“Meat commendeth us not to God,” Paul explains, “for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak.” (vss. 8,9) It would seem, from Paul’s lesson, that it was a lack of knowledge which made some brethren weak.

How wholesome is the admonition of our memory verse: “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” Are we bearing with the failings of the weak, regardless of how they may be adversely affecting us?

QUESTIONS

What is one of the causes of Christians being weak in the faith?

What should we do about the weaknesses of the brethren?

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