Week 45 Corinthians
Yesterday Paul made it clear that eating meat that had at first been presented to an idol really made no difference since a) idols were lifeless entities & b) there was only one God. You could eat meat that had – in a technical-formal-religious act of devotion – been submitted to an idol since the meat – in reality – had been devoted to nothing.
Today there’s extra input and even though what Paul says sounds different I don’t think he’s changing his tune. I think he’s finessing yesterday’s cut-and-dried rule because today’s not-so-cut-and-dried complication needs finer tuning.
Today Paul asks: what am I trying to say?…That the idols to whom the pagans bring sacrifices are real gods and that these sacrifices are of some value? No, not at all… (Okay…so far so good. Yesterday Paul said pretty much the same: we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.) But today he goes on to add: what I am saying is that these sacrifices are offered to demons. And I don’t want any of you to be partners with demons.
Yesterday Paul broke it down in two parts: Lifeless Idols & the Lord God.
Today he adds a third component: Lifeless Idols & Malevolent Demons & the Lord God.
Yesterday it looked like the Non-Meat-Eaters were completely wrong for being concerned about dead statues.
Today it looks like maybe they might have been onto something.
Note: quotes from 1 Corinthians 10:19-20; 8:4 (NLT)