ACC ~ 1 Corinthians 10 v30 - 33

OVERVIEW:

In giving thanks to the Creator (AMBROSIASTER), do everything with care so that others may glorify God (CHRYSOSTOM, JEROME) through you so as not to be scandalized (SEVERIAN OF GABALA). One who is light and leaven and salt ought to enlighten others and draw unbelievers to him or her and not drive them away (CHRYSOSTOM, CASSIODORUS). One who is aware of Christ’s companionship is ashamed to do evil (MAXIMUS OF TURIN). Be content; avoid suspicion (BASIL).

10:30 | Why Be Denounced?

THE IDOLATER TRIES TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. AMBROSIASTER: Paul is saying that an idolater can have it both ways. On the one hand, he can glory in his idols, and on the other hand he can attack the apostle for eating what has been sacrificed to them, even if the latter does so after giving thanks to God. Such a person has an excuse for remaining in his error and sets a bad example to the brethren. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

10:31 | To God’s Glory

GIVING THANKS. AMBROSIASTER: To eat and drink to God’s glory is to eat and drink after giving thanks to the Creator. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

WHATEVER YOU DO. CHRYSOSTOM: Let all the things which you undertake and accomplish have this root and foundation, namely, that they tend to the glory of God. … When Paul said “If you do anything” [“whatever you do”], he has enclosed our whole existence in a single word, desiring that we never perform any act of virtue with an eye to human glory. BAPTISMAL INSTRUCTIONS 6.10.

EMBODYING GOD’S GLORY. JEROME: Even if I merely stretch forth my hand in almsgiving, I am meditating on the law of God. If I visit the sick, my feet are meditating on the law of God. If I do what is prescribed, I am praying with my whole body what others are praying with their lips. HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS, HOMILY 1.

WITH CHRIST OUR COMPANION. MAXIMUS OF TURIN: He wishes, then, for all our actions to be accomplished with Christ as companion and witness, that we may do good things for him as the author and avoid what is evil for the sake of his fellowship. One who knows that Christ is his companion is ashamed to do evil. In good things, however, Christ is our helper, and in the face of evil things he is our defender. SERMON 73.1.

THAT OTHERS MAY GLORIFY GOD. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: Do everything with care so that others may glorify God through you and not be scandalized. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

10:32 | Offending No One

GIVE NO UNNECESSARY OFFENSE. AMBROSIASTER: 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.

AVOID SUSPICION. BASIL: 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. THE LONG RULES 33.

BE CONTENT. BASIL: 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. LETTER 42.

10:33 | Seeking the Advantage of Others

TRY TO PLEASE ALL. CHRYSOSTOM: Not only should the brethren receive no hurt from us, but neither should those who are outside the church. If we are light and leaven and luminaries and salt, we ought to enlighten, not to darken, to bind, not to loose, to draw unbelievers to us and not drive them away. The Gentiles are hurt when they see us doing such things, because they do not understand that we have been set free from them. Likewise, Jews and the weaker brethren will also suffer, for the same reason. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 25.3.

BEING EDIFIED IN CHRIST. AUGUSTINE: The apostle wanted believers to please all men, and he took pleasure in pleasing them, not because he swelled up inside at their praise but because by being pleasing all might be edified in Christ. LETTER 231.

THE PEACE TO COME. CASSIODORUS: It was not for his own temporal advantage that he has spoken of the peace of the era to come but for his fellow believers and neighbors, so that they should long for it to gain salvation and chain themselves with the bonds of unanimity. EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 121.9.

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1-3

OVERVIEW: Everything in the Christian life hinges on following Christ in love (CHRYSOSTOM), as Paul did (CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA). As the Father sent the Son as the teacher and author of life, so Christ sent the apostles to be our teachers (AMBROSIASTER, BASIL). In the natural order the man is head of the woman, but in Christ there is neither male nor female (PELAGIUS). The Father is the head of the Son because he is eternally begotten of the Father. Christ is the head of the man because he created him, and the man is the head of the woman because she was taken from him (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, AMBROSIASTER). Christ and God are equal in substance but different in relationship, and the same applies to man and woman, equal in dignity but different in relationship (TERTULLIAN, NOVATIAN, CHRYSOSTOM, AMBROSE). The nature of man and woman is the same (SEVERIAN OF GABALA). Paul admonished those who held to the local tradition that women would prophesy with bared heads and men with long hair would pray with heads covered (CHRYSOSTOM).