Romans 14...The Weak?

[Valid Name]

Greetings,

I would like to examine the 14th Chapter of Romans. I believe that many misunderstand the writers intentions, and I do hope to change your mindset (if need be) of how this chapter is to be viewed.

This chapter deals with he who is weak in faith...yet don't forget, we are to recieve him:

KJV Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

But who is he who is weak in the Faith? Many feel that it is one who would like to hold onto the Law of Moses. I do not believe this to be the case.

1 Corinthians 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

Now he who is weak, may have his conscience defiled if they are aware they are eating meat that has been sacrificed to an idol. Why? Many in Corinth were probably thinking of their former god when doing so, and bearing conscience to it.

Image you were one weak in faith, who knows that it is a good possiblity that much of the meat you may eat was sacrificed to your former god. It's like hanging out at the bowling alley on league night after you had quit smoking. You wish to go bowling, yet you may be very tempted to smoke. Would it be a good idea not to go?

What was the writer's advice to the Weak one, who was doubtful whether the meat was offered or not?

Romans 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

So then he who has a weak conscience, should eat only vegtable because they are not things that are offered to idols. So is one who is weak lesser than he who is strong?

Romans 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

How can one be judged by a brother for doing their best at Honoring The Father? Shall I rag on my brother for not showing up at the bowling alley for fear he may smoke? Rather I should encourage him. So he which eateth not is one who doesn't eat meat for fear of having his conscience defiled.

This next set many feel is talking about the day that one worships, but I do not feel this to be the case:

Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

I believe vs 6 needs to be considered when dealing with this section. He that regardeth the day, he does unto The Father, and he who does not does not. He that eats and does not does. This entire section so far has been talking about food that is offered to idols. Why would the writer toss in something about the day of worship? I don't believe this to be the case. It is my feeling that the writer is talking about fasting.

Also consider the word 'days' in this section. If the writer were refering to he that regareth the day as to mean sabbath, he surely would have used a word besides 2250 hemera. One of the definitions of 'Hemera' is 1b) metaph., "the day" is regared as the time for abstaining from indulgence, vice, crime, because acts of the sort are perpetrated at night and in darkness.

Otherwise it means 'day'.

If he wished to convey the idea that he was talking about the sabbath, he surely would have used another word, such as 4521 sabbaton which in found in verse such as Collosion 2:16, Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2 and Acts 13:42.

Through this entire section meat offered to idols is the subject, and not judging one as 'lesser' if they struggle with turning towards The Father, and away from idols.

vs 21 is proof that the subject matter is that of idols:

Romans 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh(2907), nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

2907 Kreas {kreh'-as}
Meaning: 1) (the) flesh (of a sacrificed animal)
Origin: perhaps a primary word
Usage: - AV 2;2

Also found in 1 Corinthians 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh (2907) while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

I do hope this helps to see the proper context of this chapter.

Sincerely,
Valid Name

[simchat_torah]

Excellent points Valid,

I would just like to make a few more comments on the subject. First notice the author is specifically dealing with eating meat vs. eating ONLY vegtables. It has nothing to do with types of meat, ect... which would imply Kosher. Since there is no restriction in the Kashrut Mitzvot (kosher laws) to not eat meat, we can clearly see this has nothing to do with Torah restrictions.

Something else is being addressed here.

I'm glad you brought up the aspect of a person eating only vegtables on particular days being esteemed differently. Again you did an excellent job of pointing out that this isn't necessarily Shabbat references, nor holy day references, however we must go beyond that. We can not build an argument upon lack.

I Cor. 8 is a great place to start for context. Let's see some more of that chapter:

1Cr 8:1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
1Cr 8:2 But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn't yet know as he ought to know.
1Cr 8:3 But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.
1Cr 8:4 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.
1Cr 8:5 For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on eretz; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;"
1Cr 8:6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Yeshua the Messiah, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
1Cr 8:7 However, that knowledge isn't in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
1Cr 8:8 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.
1Cr 8:9 But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.
1Cr 8:10 For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol's temple, won't his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
1Cr 8:11 And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Messiah died.
1Cr 8:12 Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Messiah.
1Cr 8:13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forevermore, that I don't cause my brother to stumble.


Here Sha'ul specifically is addressing a crowd of people who are 'weak in the faith', or as a rather new translation puts it, 'new in the faith'. So, we have a group of people who out of their weakness (or newness of faith) do not eat meat because of fear of a particular idol.

We can try to then define this category of peole that Sha'ul was speaking of to more clearly understand what he is conveying. These people are new in the faith (or weak) so obviously they have either just turned from these idols g-ds or are still struggling with such things. These idol g-ds had certain days in which meat was placed before them in sacrafice, and later that day this very meat was sent to be sold in the marketplace.

The Torah commands us not to partake of that sacraficed to other g-ds. Sha'ul points out that these 'g-ds' are nothing more than wood and stone. They are not to be feared as g-ds as HaShem is our only G-d! Thus, if one's faith is strong enough they will come to the revelation that there is no such thing as other g-ds... that there is but one and only one Elohim!

Shma Yisrael, Adonai Eloheynu, Adonai Echad!
The L-rd is One!

Sha'ul then enforces us not to make these weaker (newer) brothers fall into sin by eating this meat. You see, these brothers still see these idols of wood and stone as g-ds. We must allow them to follow the Torah fully by obeying it's commands... do not eat meat sacraficed to other g-ds.

Again, later on in Corinthians Sha'ul makes this point very clear, tying the two ideas together more solidly (however, I'm quite tired and I'll have to find that passage later).

Shalom,
Yafet.

[Valid Name]

Romans 14

Greetings Yafet!

I found this thread in the bottom of the basket, and you know what? I don't think I ever remember you responding to it. However thank you for doing so!

I am curious if you remember or know of that Passage in Corinthians that you were talking about?

Peace,
Valid Name