Apostle Paul addresses eating meat offered to pagan idols, first addressed in chapter 8. There, he gave directions on eating the meat at the idol’s temple (8:10). He said do not eat meat at the idol’s temple, even though you rightfully know that an idol is nothing but stone and wood, because a fellow believer in Jesus with a weak conscience may see you there and be destroyed. (8:110).
Here, Apostle Paul, using the same Greek logical argument in 6:12, addresses buying the meat offered to an idol, but sold at the public markets called the “makellon” (aka by the archaic translation “shambles”, an old English word for a slaughterhouse). (25) Though permissible, buying this meat there and eating it elsewhere may not be beneficial or constructive (23). The consideration remains: seek the good of others. Don’t burn the conscience of others if they are too young in Christ to know there is nothing to an idol and its sacrifice (24, 8:4-8).
A mature servant in Christ does not seek their own good. Their hearts are set on glorifying God, enjoying him forever, and serving his church in holy fear of their master, Jesus. Yes, love will sustain us in sacrificial service. Yet, holy fear has its place in keeping us from succumbing to the temptations of selfish pursuit at others’ expense.
The conclusion to eating meat offered to idols, any questionable actioins, or partaking of unworthy things is concluded in tomorrows BDBD.
