But meat commends us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
But meat commends us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.
But God's approval of us is not based on the food we take: if we do not take it we are no worse for it; and if we take it we are no better.
But food commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse.
But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don't eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.
But meat will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.
Meat commendeth us not to God - No such feasts as these can be a recommendation of our souls or persons to the Supreme Being. As to the thing, considered in itself, the eating gives us no spiritual advantage; and the eating not is no spiritual loss.
But meat commendeth us not to God - This is to be regarded as the view presented by the Corinthian Christians, or by the advocates for partaking of the meat offered in sacrifice to idols. The sense is, "Religion is of a deeper and more spiritual nature than a mere regard to circumstances like these. God looks at the heart. He regards the motives, the thoughts, the moral actions of people. The mere circumstance of eating 'meat,' or abstaining from it, cannot make a man better or worse in the sight of a holy God. The acceptable worship of God is not placed in such things. It is more spiritual; more deep; more important. And therefore, the inference is, "it cannot be a matter of much importance whether a man eats the meat offered in sacrifice to idols, or abstains." To this argument the apostle replies 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, that, although this might be true in itself, yet it might be the occasion of leading others into sin, and it would then become a matter of great importance in the sight of God, and should be in the sight of all true Christians. The word "commendeth" παράστησι parastēsi means properly to introduce to the favor of anyone, as a king or ruler; and here means to recommend to the favor of God. God does not regard this as a matter of importance. He does not make his favor depend on unimportant circumstances like this.
Neither if we eat - If we partake of the meat offered to idols.
Are we the better - Margin, "Have we the more." Greek Do we abound περισσεύομεν perisseuomen; that is, in moral worth or excellence of character; see the note at Revelation 14:17.
Are we the worse - Margin, "Have we the less." Greek, Do we lack or want (ὑστερούμεθα husteroumetha); that is, in moral worth or excellence.
8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God - Neither by eating, nor by refraining from it. Eating and not eating are in themselves things merely indifferent.