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Explore the intricate dynamics of early Christian teachings on consuming meats sacrificed to idols. Our in-depth analysis of Acts 15:20, 29, and 1 Corinthians 8:1-10 unveils the contextual harmony between these passages and the enduring principles they convey about Christian unity, conscience, and liberty.

At the council held in Jerusalem around 49 C.E., the apostles, and elders decided to send a letter to the Gentile Christians, recommending that they abstain from food offered to idols, among other things (Acts 15:20, 29). Why was this advice given? The immediate context of the council was a heated discussion about the Gentiles’ need to follow the Mosaic Law, particularly circumcision. The council’s decision was that Gentile Christians did not need to adhere to the Law in its entirety. Still, they agreed on certain key ethical requirements, including abstaining from meats sacrificed to idols, stemming from the Law and broader Jewish tradition. The motivation was likely to promote peace and unity between Jewish and Gentile Christians in a time of significant cultural and religious tension.

Paul’s Teachings in 1 Corinthians 8: Understanding the Context

Turning to 1 Corinthians 8, we must remember that the epistle is a letter written by the apostle Paul in response to particular issues that arose in the Corinthian congregation. Paul’s intention in writing this letter was not to countermand the Jerusalem council’s decision but to address a specific problem the Corinthian Christians were facing: the eating of food sacrificed to idols, a common practice in the Greco-Roman society in which they lived.

In Corinth, meat was often dedicated to pagan deities in temple rituals before being sold in the market or served at social gatherings. Paul acknowledges that idols, and therefore the dedications made to them, were meaningless. To him and the Corinthians who understood this, eating such food had no spiritual implications (1 Corinthians 8:4-6).

The Principle of Love and Christian Liberty

However, Paul goes further, explaining that not all in the congregation may have this understanding. Some, likely those who had recently converted from paganism, were troubled by eating food sacrificed to idols. They were perhaps unsure about the distinction between the pagan act of sacrifice and the act of eating the resulting food. For these individuals, eating the meat was a violation of their conscience.

Paul was concerned that those who did not feel troubled about eating food offered to idols could cause spiritual harm to those who did by emboldening them to act against their conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7-10).

Thus, the recommendation in 1 Corinthians 8:13 was not to eat such food if it risked causing a spiritual stumbling block for others. This was not a contradiction of the decree in Acts 15 but a practical application of the principle of love within the unique context of the Corinthian congregation.

Harmony between the Decrees

The Jerusalem council’s decree to abstain from food sacrificed to idols and Paul’s later counsel to the Corinthians are harmonious when understood within their respective contexts.

The Jerusalem decree was primarily to maintain peace and unity among Christians of Jewish and Gentile backgrounds in an ethnically and culturally diverse early Christian community. On the other hand, Paul’s counsel in 1 Corinthians 8 was a contextual application of the principle of Christian liberty moderated by love.

It’s important to note that neither the decree nor the counsel was intended to establish a universal, timeless dietary law for Christians. Both were contextually appropriate responses to specific situations in the first-century Christian community. The principle we can draw from both is the need to consider how our actions, even if they are not inherently wrong, may impact our fellow believers. Our Christian freedom should always be exercised in a way that promotes peace, unity, and love within the Christian community.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).