Weak Brothers XXVI

The word "weak" in the above text is from the Greek word "asthenōn" a word which we have had much to say. Obviously "the weak" are they who need help, whether physical or spiritual or religious. The Apostle Paul's instructions to the strong ones (healthy, able) in Romans chapter fourteen and fifteen and in First Corinthians chapters eight through ten are designed to help the weak, to gain the weak, to save the weak, and not from a mere temporal destruction or perishing, but an eternal, as we have seen. With that foreword let us return to our commentary on these verses from Romans chapter fourteen:

"14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense."  (Rom. 14: 14-20 nkjv)

This is the fourth chapter of my analysis of the above verses. We have already had much to say about them and yet there is still much left to be said. It is like so many other texts in the bible that say so much in so little, or to use some metaphors, are pregnant with meaning, or have much in them to unpack. They are important in understanding what Paul's theology is relative to those who are weak brothers and those who are strong brothers. Let us begin by analyzing what Paul gives of the solution to the problems existing between each class of "brothers" or "neighbors." Let us also understand that when we say problems arise between the weak and the strong we are not to believe that there are always problems between these two classes of brothers. In many cases the problems Paul gives as examples do not come into play when both kinds of brothers interact with each other.

If a religious brother, neighbor, or friend is grieved to see you eat meat or some other food forbidden by his religious views and is offended, so that he will be less likely to dialog with or be discipled by you, and thus come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved, then you have "sinned against Christ." You have put a stumbling block in the path of the sick religious brother coming to faith in Christ and to an assured knowledge that there is "one God the Father, by whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things, and we by him," and coming to the knowledge that observing religious diets and holy days and abstaining from alcoholic beverages does not commend them to God since he does not require these things. In fact, it is his desire that believers have the privilege to eat all things (except for drinking blood), so long as the food is sanctified by the word of God and prayer and is received with thanksgiving to God, and are not obligated to observe holy days or religious festivals as means of obtaining God's special approval, nor commanded to abstain from alcoholic beverages, so long as one does not drink immoderately nor in the face of a weak brother who might be offended by it. 

Should Christians seek not to unduly offend those of other religions? How did Jesus deal with the polytheistic Gentiles (Greeks and Romans for instance)? How did the apostles deal with them? Did they offend them? Insult them? Castigate them? Abhor them? Show them no pity? Answering these questions might require far more elaboration. But, our subject has sort of brought us to this point. Just how do we confront those of other religions, or Christian cults? How Paul the apostle confronted them is best studied by examining his presence and apologetic sermon on the famed Acropolis in Athens, Greece in Acts chapter seventeen.

In essence, Paul challenged polytheists by: 

1. Building on common ground: He acknowledged their religious devotion and used their own cultural references.

2. Contrasting man-made idols with the true God: He explained that humans cannot create God, but rather God created humans and the world.

3. Proclaiming the reality of a single, powerful Creator: He presented a monotheistic view of God's power and sovereignty.

4. Calling for a personal relationship with this God through Jesus Christ: He emphasized the importance of repentance and introduced the concept of judgment through Jesus' resurrection.

5. Sharing his testimony and personal experience. (AI generated)

We see this in Acts chapter seventeen when Paul preaches in Athens, a city full of polytheists. In "Paul and the Classical World of His Time" Dr. Craig A. Evans (See here) writes:

"That Paul, the “apostle to the Gentiles,” frequently engaged the classical world of his time should come as no surprise at all. The Christian Church of the early centuries simply could not avoid the culture of the Greeks and Romans; it was everywhere around them...Paul collided with classical culture several times. Most of the problems for Paul lay in Greco-Roman morality and polytheism. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in his correspondence with the new Christians in the city of Corinth. Had the newly minted Gentile Christians in Paul’s churches held firmly to Jewish ideas of God and morality, Paul would have little to talk about in his letters!" (all emphasis mine)

Paul speaks to the Athenian idolaters fraternally, saying to them "we are all God's offspring." He did not speak condescendingly to them, did not chide them as Elijah did the prophets of Baal. (See I Kings 18: 25-40) Paul said to them "I see you are all very religious." He is not patronizing them as many of the Sophist lecturers did in that day. He conducts himself in the manner Paul spoke about to Timothy.

"But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." (II Tim. 2: 23-26 nkjv)

"Ignorant disputes" seems to me to connect with Romans 14: 1 where Paul said "welcome the one who is sick and without strength in religious belief but not to doubtful disputations." Avoiding "ignorant disputes" is advice not only to erring brothers in Christ but also to those who are of other religions. Also, his saying that soul winners "must not quarrel" is also apropos in how to deal with those who are impaired in their religious beliefs. Paul exemplified these qualities when he confronted the Athenian idolaters, who we must say were "weak brothers." 

Also, why does Paul speak of offending, grieving, hindering, etc., the weak brethren but does not speak of the weak offending the strong ones? Perhaps we will address that later.

On Offending Others

Paul wrote to the Corinthians in his second epistle:

"We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed." (II Cor. 6: 3 nkjv)

It is sad that many Christians, including those who are in leadership and teaching positions, do not take heed to this exhortation of the great Apostle to the weak. The Greek word for "offense" (or offence) is not from skandalon as usual, but from "proskopē," though it means about the same thing, i.e. a trap or stumbling stone, an impediment or hindrance. As Christians who are not weak in faith but strong, we should be clearing obstacles, or removing stumbling blocks, from the way of sinners rather than laying them in the way! Said the same apostle:

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." (I Cor. 10: 31-33 nkjv)

Notice that this exhortation is addressed to three distinct peoples, i.e., Jews, Greeks, and the church. Notice too that it concerns "whether you eat or drink," which are two things mentioned as examples in Romans chapter fourteen that divide religious people. Paul does not want to offend the lost, whether they be Jews or Pagans, or sick brothers. Why does he want to be inoffensive to all? So that he may "profit" all or "that they may be saved." Here is another verse that shows that salvation is what is at stake. By "offending" these people Paul means not merely to upset them mentally or emotionally, but to lead them into sin. Every believer should be concerned about doing or saying anything that will prejudice the minds of the lost against Christian truth, or would cause "the way of truth" to be "evilly spoken of" (II Peter 2: 2). In speaking of his arrival in the idolatrous city of Thessalonica Paul said that he "was gentle among you" (I Thess. 2: 7). He spoke about Christians "speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4: 15).

Fear of offending others should not be the sole criteria for what we say and do. Some truths must be told in every situation no matter who it offends. Jesus said: 

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" (Matt. 18: 6-7 kjv)

Though we try as much as possible not to offend others, yet we know that preaching Christ and the Gospel will offend many. Yet, such must be preached. In this sense Christ himself is a stumbling block and gives offence to some. But, this cannot be avoided nor should it. (See I Cor. 1: 23) However, we must work hard to ensure that we do not offend others needlessly. For instance, how should Christians deal with homosexuals? Some however, in violation of the principles laid down by the apostle about offending weak brothers, may begin to point out such people and angrily say nasty things in public about them or to them.

Holier Than Thou?

It seems to me that the difficulty involved one group of religious brothers thinking that they were superior in ethics and holiness with the attitude expressed in Isaiah 65:5 where some say "stand by yourself, come not near to me for I am holier than thou." Such an attitude is an irritant to God. The weak brothers thought that they were superior to the strong brothers because they thought there were more favored by God because they kept religious diets and holy days and abstained from certain things, like wine, certain foods, and even in abstaining from marriage and sex. The truth is, of course, that the strong were superior to the weak. But, that does not mean that the strong have a license to speak condescendingly to the religiously weak. 

Holiness or nearness to the heart of God is not measured by what we eat or drink or don't eat or drink, nor whether we keep holy days, or observe man made traditions, rites, and ceremonies, nor because we have superior knowledge in some tertiary matters. A Catholic who prays while giving the sign of the cross is no more holier than a Protestant who prays without it. We must remember that "God looks upon the heart":

"For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (I Sam. 16: 7 nkjv)

God is highly interested in the attitudes of our hearts and minds. Both the weak and the strong should remember the words of the apostle who said:

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." (Phil. 2: 3 nkjv)

The Love Principle

"Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love."

Not only is salvation at stake in how the strong interact with the weak, but so too is love. How do the strong ones keep from offending the weak, from leading them into sin? How do they recover them from being weak and sickly? How do they help the weak to "close the deal" with Christ and to embrace Christianity (or the gospel)?

The Bible speaks of "sound doctrine" (I Tim. 1: 10; see also I Tim. 6: 3; II Tim. 1: 13; etc.). "Sound" is from the Greek word "hygiainō" and means to be sound, to be well, to be in good health. So we read:

"And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick." (Luke 5: 31 kjv)

The word "whole" is from the same Greek word and is set in opposition to "sick." To be "sound" is to be healthy and may be used in a physical sense or a spiritual, mental, or religious sense. "Sound doctrine" is healthy doctrine. The weak are sick in their religious views and practices. When we read that they are "weak in the faith" we see "unsound, or sick in the Christian faith." Of some people who Paul described as being unsaved, he wrote: "This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith." (Tit. 1: 13; See also 2: 2 kjv) So we teach and admonish the religiously weak in order that they may become sound in faith, which occurs when they accept the Christian faith.

If you eat what your weak brother thinks is taboo, and you eat it knowing that it will provoke a negative response in him, offending him, then you show you do not care about winning or gaining the weak brother, and that all you want to do is to insult or ridicule him, and which only produces a stronger bias in him against the truth and keeps him in his sin. When the strong ignores the scruples of the weak and eats forbidden food in the presence of the weak who thinks it is an insult to the deity he recognizes, then it becomes a case where "it is evil for the man who eats with offense" (Rom. 14: 20). To offend such sick souls is evil and not an act of love. It shows that the strong are really not interested in the salvation or religious health of the weak. Therefore Paul concludes: "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." Condemning the religiously weak and ignorant by the Christian is not going to help bring the weak to salvation. For the healthy and strong to view the false religionists as irredeemable reprobates is not to walk in love towards them. It will not edify them nor make them more amenable to the Christian message. 

This makes us think of a first principle in medical care and ethics which says that all who seek to doctor the sick should "first, do no harm." If we are going to be used by God to heal the spiritually sick and weak, then we must not do any harm. So Paul wrote:

"Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." (Heb. 12: 12-14 nkjv)

I think this text is applicable to both physical as well as spiritual infirmities. It also has two categories of patients, one is your own self, and the other stands for sick people. "Pursue peace" with the weak, sick, and strengthless, which means to be gentle with them in bringing them to spiritual and religious health. Another text bearing on this comes from the Apostle Peter who said:

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." (I Peter 3: 8-9 nkjv)

To "love as brothers" is certainly applicable to how Christians are to treat fellow believers, but it must not be limited to that, no more than "having compassion for one another" or being "tenderhearted" and "courteous," for the Christian ought to show these qualities and attitude even towards those who are his neighbors, to those of other religions, yea, to all men. If those of other religions, the religiously sick, "revile" you as a Christian, do not revile in return. Denigration is out of place when the strong ones work with improving the state of the weak ones. Recall these words of the apostle Paul:

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Phil. 2: 3-4 nkjv)

This is the attitude and perspective that the religiously and spiritually strong and healthy ones should have towards the religiously sick.