The Weaker Brother Part 1:
Eating Meat and Other Vices
Maybe it is just me, but I sometimes find myself arguing with people about how I must cease for an activity because of a comparison between this activity and the eating meat sacrificed to idols.
This is especially brought up concerning the fact that I not only drink beer, but brew it. At other times it comes up when talking about the music I listen to and the films I watch. It even has come up concerning the fact that I have a tattoo.
This has been something I have been thinking about for a while, and after recently reading 1st Corinthians again, I decided that I need to practice those exegetical skills that I have received at seminary and try to examine the issue at a deeper level.
A number of questions are guiding my study, some easy to answer and others much more difficult.
Q1: Why does Paul address this topic so many times? (It is found in Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8,10 and is spoken of in Acts 15)
A: It would follow that, in a culture where the church was the extreme minority, cultural practices contrary to the principles of Christianity would been seen at every turn. Therefore Paul’s cautiousness concerning meat sacrificed to idols holds an invaluable place in our modern theology, especially if we are in fact moving into a “post-christian” period of history, where the church will not be the one in the driver’s seat when it comes to culture(if we ever were).
These next questions will be addressed in later posts.
Q2: Whats the deal with Paul saying its ok to eat meat and the Jerusalem council forbidding it? I am not saying there is a contradiction, but I am saying there is an apparent one at the least. Just look at Acts 15:28-29; 1 Corinthians 10:25-27; and Romans 14:2-4 to see what I mean about the seemingly different attitudes taken. I have a feeling that Roland Allen might be referenced a few times, when dealing with this question.
Q3: Did Paul see meat sacrificed to idols in a typological sense, or is it a specific activity that is in its own category?
Q4: How do the answers to question 1-3 effect the way in which we do ministry? Can a Christian brew beer? Should Christians go out to dinner at an establishment that is not kosher? (don’t forget our messianic brothers) What are idol-meats are Christians eating today?
Sometimes I try to post articles that I hope will entice someone to read them. Well this is not one of them. Additionally, I’m notdoing this to take a jabs at any Christian tradition. Like I said before my lack of understanding on this issue has been bothering me recently and I felt that is was time to deal with it.