Weak Brothers XIX

In this chapter I want to begin by listing the questions Paul asks in Romans chapter fourteen. Following that we will begin a verse by verse analysis, a thing we have already done on several of the verses.

Questions

"Who are you to judge another’s servant?" (vs. 4)

"But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?" (vs. 10)

We need to discern who is designated by the pronouns "you" in these questions. Are they addressed to the strong ones or to the weak ones? Or to both? Next, we need to discern who is intended by "another's servant?" Finally, who is intended by "servant"? The first question may be addressed to either the strong or the weak, but probably is only to the weak. The second question is addressed to the strong. Let us notice the context.

"For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand." (vss. 2-4)

In this context we see two kinds of believers (religious folks). One believes he may eat all things (no religious diets). Another believes he can only eat vegetables religiously. Each of these believers are also called "servants" and have "masters," religiously speaking. The servant is the worshiper and the master is the god or lord of that servant (or slave). Thus, "another's servant" means another master's/god's servant. This shows that the master is not the same master of both weak believer and strong believer. This is very important to recognize. It is a case of one god's servants judging another god's servants.

Also the words "to his own master (god)" also says that the god of the weak is not the same god as the strong. It would not make sense to see both weak and strong having the same master. This annihilates the view that says the weak and the strong are both servants of Jesus or the same god. That is like saying to a father - "who are you to discipline another father's children? To his own father he gets praised or punished." In that case we have two fathers and children from two families.

Further, who is Paul speaking to when he says "for God has received him"? Who is the "him"? Is he saying that God has received (welcomed) the weak or the strong? Or does the language or syntax infer that both weak and strong are received by God (thus saved children of God)? 

It seems more likely that "him" refers to "him who eats" (Christians or the strong ones who observe no dietary laws) and not to "him who does not eat" (the non Christian religionist or Jew who observes dietary laws) for the words "for God has received him" immediately follows the words "him who eats"; And antecedents of pronouns are normally found near to the pronouns. So we read it this way: "let not the weak judge him who eats for God has received him who eats." If this is correct, and I firmly believe it is, then we have a case where Paul is speaking directly to pagans and addressing their denunciations and persecutions of Christians. Paul has things to say to both the weak and the strong, although his main audience is the strong ones (religiously healthy).

Commentaries disagree on who is the "him" in "God has received him," many saying that the pronoun refers to both the weak and the strong. But, that is wrong for the reasons already given. If that were true, Paul would have used the plural "them" rather than the singular "him." Or, he would have said "for God has received each."

Of course, God receives all who come to him. He invites all to come to him, both weak and strong, in the gospel. But, he actually receives into his fellowship those who have accepted his invitation and come to him through Christ. 

For these reasons I affirm that Paul places two injunctions on the weak ones (religiously sick and impotent), first in the question "who are you to judge another master's servants?"; And second in the exhortation "let not him who does not eat judge him who eats." One of these is an exhortation or command and the other is a rhetorical question which has the effect of an imperative and may be said to exhort the weak not to judge the strong. I believe, therefore, that the first question is directed to the weak ones, to the religiously sick, and is designed to ask them for justification for judging (condemning) the strong ones for their not keeping dietary laws and observing holy days as they do. 

Paul asks the pagans (religiously sick): "is not each religious servant judged by the master/god/lord he recognizes?" Here Paul presumes that the pagan he is addressing will agree with this, being a common principle among the various god cults of the Roman world, and which involves forbearance and tolerance and a sense of fraternity among the various cults. He says, for example: "you servants of the god Apollo are violating your own principle in condemning the servants of the god Jesus for not observing Apollo's dietary laws and holy days, for Christians do not serve Apollo and Jesus does not command such from his servants." Paul shows he is an excellent debater, apologist, and persuader. Paul is saying that it is the right of Jesus to judge his servants and Apollo's servants cannot judge them. "To his own master he stands or falls," means that the strong ones (Christians) are subject to the judgment of Christ and the Christian God they worship, and that the weak ones (false religionists) are subject to the judgment of the masters/gods they worship.

I would translate or paraphrase the text this way: "Polytheist, who are you to judge (condemn, curse, etc.) another's (another god's or lord's) servant?" 

The latter question I believe is directed to the strong ones, to the religiously fit ones. It asks Christians why they judge and condemn, show contempt towards, and despise the religiously sick pagans rather than showing them compassion and attempting to gently persuade them. "But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?"

The two questions that Paul asks at the head of this chapter deal with "who" and "why" (as I highlighted in the verses cited). The rhetorical "who are you" is a way of saying "who do you think you are?" And the intent of the rhetorical is to question the right, authority, or prerogative of the religious cults in Roman and Corinth to judge or condemn the Christian cult. 

"The strong despise the weak; the weak judge the strong. In the one case there is contempt for what is thought to be narrowness and pedantry. In the other case censorious judgments are passed on what is regarded as levity and irreligion." (Elliott's commentary)