1 Corinthians 8:4

Contextual Overview

⁴ Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one." ⁴ Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed vnto idoles, we knowe that an idole is nothing in the worlde, and that there is none other God but one. ⁴About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” ⁴ Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. ⁴ —concerning then the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in [the] world, and that there [is] no other God save one. ⁴ So this is what I say about eating meat: We know that an idol is really nothing in the world, and we know that there is only one God. ⁴In this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world [it has no real existence], and that there is no God but one. ⁴ Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one. ⁴So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.⁴ Even though food is offered to idols, we know that none of the idols in this world are alive. After all, there is only one God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we know: 1 Corinthians 10:19, 1 Corinthians 10:20, Psalms 115:4-8, Isaiah 41:24, Isaiah 44:8, Isaiah 44:9, Jeremiah 10:14, Jeremiah 51:17, Jeremiah 51:18, Habakkuk 2:19, Habakkuk 2:20, Acts 19:26

there is: 1 Corinthians 8:6, Deuteronomy 3:24, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 6:4, Deuteronomy 32:39, Isaiah 37:16, Isaiah 37:20, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 44:8, Isaiah 44:24, Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 45:14, Jeremiah 10:10, Mark 12:29, Ephesians 4:6, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 2:5, Jude 1:25

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:3 - General Exodus 34:15 - eat Numbers 21:29 - General Deuteronomy 32:17 - not to God Judges 6:31 - if he be Judges 16:23 - Dagon 1 Samuel 12:21 - vain things 1 Kings 16:13 - vanities 1 Kings 18:26 - no voice 2 Kings 17:15 - became vain 1 Chronicles 16:26 - all the gods 2 Chronicles 25:15 - which could 2 Chronicles 32:13 - were the gods Psalms 31:6 - lying Psalms 86:10 - God Psalms 96:5 - For Isaiah 34:12 - nothing Isaiah 44:10 - General Jeremiah 2:11 - no gods Jeremiah 5:7 - no gods Jeremiah 10:5 - do evil Daniel 5:23 - which Zechariah 11:17 - idol John 17:3 - the only Acts 14:15 - from Acts 15:20 - from pollutions Acts 28:11 - whose 1 Corinthians 6:12 - are not 1 Corinthians 8:1 - touching 1 Corinthians 13:2 - I am Galatians 4:8 - ye did Ephesians 2:12 - without James 2:19 - General Revelation 2:14 - eat

Cross-References

Genesis 8:17
Bring forth with thee euery beast that is with thee, of all flesh, both foule and cattell, and euery thing that creepeth and moueth vpon the earth, yt they may breede abundantly in ye earth, and bring forth fruite & increase vpon ye earth.

Genesis 8:17
Bring forth with you every beast of every kind that is with you, both fowl and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth; that they may breed abundantly on the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon the face of the earth.

Genesis 8:17
Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, cattle, and every creeping thing that creeps on the eretz; that they may breed abundantly in the eretz, and be fruitful, and multiply on the eretz."

Genesis 8:17
Bring every living animal out of the boat with you—all the birds, animals, and everything that crawls on the earth. These animals will make many more animals, and they will fill the earth again."

Genesis 8:17
Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth."

Genesis 8:17
Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee of all flesh, both birds, and cattle, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

Genesis 8:17
Take out with you every living thing which is with you, birds and cattle and everything which goes on the earth, so that they may have offspring and be fertile and be increased on the earth.

Genesis 8:17
Let out the birds, animals, and reptiles, so they can mate and live all over the earth."

Genesis 8:17
Bring out with you every living thing you have with you — birds, livestock and every animal that creeps on the earth — so that they can swarm on the earth, be fruitful and multiply on the earth."

Genesis 8:17
Bring forth with thee every animal which is with thee, of all flesh, fowl as well as cattle, and all the creeping things which creep on the earth, that they may swarm on the earth, and may be fruitful and multiply on the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

As concerning therefore the eating of those things,.... The apostle having enlarged on the head of knowledge, which those who made an ill use of their Christian liberty urged in favour of their conduct; he returns to the subject in question, in relation to meats,

that are offered in sacrifice unto idols. The determinations of the Jewish schools concerning this affair are as follow, which admit of no manner of profit by them in any shape:

"a beast, the whole of which they offer to idols, is forbidden of profit, even its dung, and its bones, and its horns, and its hoofs, and its skin, all is forbid to be of any profit'' y.

Again z,

"flesh or wine, or fruits, which are brought in to be offered up to idols, are not forbidden to profit with, although they are brought into the idol's temple, until they offer them up before it; הקריבום לפניה "but when offered up before it"; they become an offering; and though they may return them, and bring them out, lo, these are forbidden for ever; and all that is found in an idol's temple, even water and salt, are forbidden of profit by the law, ואוכל ממנו כל, "and he that eats anything thereof" is to be beaten.''

Once more a,

"an Israelite that lifts up a cheese to worship it, but does not worship it, but a Gentile worships it, it is forbidden of profit, became the lifting of it up is an action; and so if he lifts up an egg, and a Gentile comes and worships it, it is forbidden; he that cuts a gourd, or any such thing, and worships it, it is forbidden, c.''

But by these decrees we Christians are not bound

we know that an idol is nothing in the world; among the things created by God in the world; for though the matter of it may be of God, the form is of men; nor has it any share in the government of the world: and though that of which it may be made, as gold, silver, brass, c. is something yet as it is a form and representation of God, it is nothing, because there can be no representation of the invisible God; it is nothing, that is, it has no divinity in it, it is no God. Though it may have an existence, as the sun, moon, and stars, yet not divinity; and in that sense nothing. The apostle here speaks the language of the Jewish doctors, who say b,

"why dost thou envy an idol? שאין בה ממש, "since it is nothing, or there is nothing it."''

And again c,

"the Rabbins say, since ואין בע"ז ממש, "there is nothing in an idol", why do they call them deities;''

Very likely the apostle may have reference to אלילים, the Hebrew word for idols, which signifies things of nought, that are good for nothing, are of no value, and are as nothing, Isaiah 2:20.

And that there is none other God but one. This clause may be considered either as a reason of the former, why an idol is nothing, is no deity, is no God, "for there is none other God but one", as it may be rendered; or as a part of what believers know; for as they know an idol is nothing, so they know, both from reason and revelation, from the books of the Old and New Testament, that there is but one God, and consequently that idols are nothing, and that they cannot defile them, nor anything that is offered to them.

y Maimon. Hilch. Obede Cochabim, &c. c. 7. sect. 3. z Ib. sect. 15. a Ib. c. 8. sect. 3. b Prefat. ad Echa Rabbati, fol. 40. 3. c Debarim Rabba, fol. 236. 2. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 135. 2. & 138. 2. & 141. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As concerning therefore ... - The parenthesis closes with 1 Corinthians 8:3. The apostle now proceeds to the real question in debate, and repeats in this verse the question, and the admission that all had knowledge. The admission that all had knowledge proceeds through 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; and in 1 Corinthians 8:7 he gives the answer to it. In 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 everything is admitted by Paul which they asked in regard to the real extent of their knowledge on this subject; and in 1 Corinthians 8:7 he shows that even on the ground of this admission, the conclusion would not follow that it was right to partake of the food offered in sacrifice in the temple of an idol.

The eating of those things ... - Whether it is right to eat them. Here the question is varied somewhat from what it was in 1 Corinthians 8:1, but substantially the same inquiry is stated. The question was, whether it was right for Christians to eat the meat of animals that had been slain in sacrifice to idols.

We know - 1 Corinthians 8:1. We Corinthians know; and Paul seems fully to admit that they had all the knowledge which they claimed, 1 Corinthians 8:7. But his object was to show that even admitting that, it would not follow that it would be right to partake of that meat. It is well to bear in mind that the object of their statement in regard to knowledge was, to show that there could be no impropriety in partaking of the food. This argument the apostle answers in 1 Corinthians 8:7.

That an idol is nothing - Is not the true God; is not a proper object of worship. We are not so stupid as to suppose that the block of wood, or the carved image, or the chiseled marble is a real intelligence and is conscious and capable of receiving worship, or benefiting its volaries. We fully admit, and know, that the whole thing is delusive; and there can be no danger that, by partaking of the food offered in sacrifice to them, we should ever be brought to a belief of the stupendous falsehood that they are true objects of worship, or to deny the true God. There is no doubt that the more intelligent pagan had this knowledge; and doubtless nearly all Christians possessed it, though a few who had been educated in the grosser views of paganism might still have regarded the idol with a superstitious reverence, For whatever might have been the knowledge of statesmen and philosophers on the subject, it was still doubtless true that the great mass of the pagan world did regard the dumb idols as the proper objects of worship, and supposed that they were inhabited by invisible spirits - the gods. For purposes of state, and policy, and imposition, the lawgivers and priests of the pagan world were careful to cherish this delusion; see 1 Corinthians 8:7.

Is nothing - Is delusive; is imaginary. There may have been a reference here to the name of an idol among the Hebrews. They called idols אלילים 'ĕlı̂yliym (Elilim), or in the singular אליל 'ĕlı̂yl (Elil}, vain, null, nothingworth, nothingness, vanity, weakness, etc.; indicating their vanity and powerlessness; Leviticus 26:1; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Isaiah 2:8; Isaiah 10:10; Isaiah 19:11, Isaiah 19:13, Isaiah 19:20; Isaiah 31:7; Psalms 90:5; Ezekiel 30:13; Habakkuk 2:18; Zechariah 11:17, etc.

In the world - It is nothing at all; it has no power over the world; no real existence anywhere. There are no such gods as the pagans pretend to worship. There is but one God; and that fact is known to us all. The phrase “in the world” seems to be added by way of emphasis, to show the utter nothingness of idols; to explain in the most emphatic manner the belief that they had no real existence.

And that there is none other God but one - This was a great cardinal truth of religion; see the note at Mark 12:29; compare Deuteronomy 6:4-5. To keep this great truth in mind was the grand object of the Jewish economy; and this was so plain, and important, that the Corinthians supposed that it must be admitted by all. Even though they should partake of the meat that was offered in sacrifice to idols, yet they supposed it was not possible that any of them could forget the great cardinal truth that there was but one God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 8:4. Things that are offered in sacrifice — See on the first verse. See on the first verse, 1 Corinthians 8:1

An idol is nothing in the world — Dr. Lightfoot translates this, We know that there is no idol in the world; which he explains thus: ειδωλον, idol, is ὁμοιωμα, εικων, σημειον, χαρακτηριον, σκιοειδες, a likeness, an image, a sign, a character, a shadow: now ουδεν ειδωλον signifies there is no idol, no representation of GOD, in the world. Images there are of stone, wood and metal; but none of these is any representation of the infinite Spirit. But I prefer the meaning given in the note on verse 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 8:1 as the expression, an idol is nothing in the world, was common in the Old Testament, and among the Jews; and was understood by them in this way: they are not אלהים Elohim, the true GOD; but they are אלילים, nothings, and הבלים habalim, VANITY.