How would we respond to the following at the bottom of Sunday's?

Add me to the boat!

While I tend to believe that it is a parallel passage, I'm not convinced that this position is incontrovertible. Do we have any objective proof that Paul was talking about food sacrificed to idols in Rom 14?

But in any case, I believe 1Cor 8 gives us how "strong" people should react under all circumstances: I will never again _______, lest I make my brother stumble. The overriding concern, IMO, is not whether we eat or drink, but whether or not we have internalized Christ's attitude of sacrificING anything and everything for others.

We are not called to judge motives. However, we have the responsibility to be our brothers' keeper and keep them from harm as much as possible. So, if person A is doing something that hurts person B, I must not judge person A's motives, but I should tell him to stop hurting person B.

Welcome to the boat!

Don't you think that the repeated mention of the "weak brother" in both passages and Paul's statement in both passages that we shouldn’t eat meat if this makes our brother stumble/fall are strong evidences that these are parallel passages?

They certainly could be parallel, but I want something more than similarity in verbiage. I want something stronger to "prove" that Rom 14 is talking about food offered to idols, as opposed to food in general.

Beyond that, I don't think the two passages (Rom 14, 1Cor 8) are emphasizing the same point. The "bring it home" verse in both chapters is 13.


In both, the goal is to avoid causing a brother to stumble. But the contrast is that the problem in Rom 14 is a judgmental spirit, while the problem in 1Cor 8 is indiscretion and perhaps apathy regarding others' eternal welfare.

Even so, they could still be both talking about idol food. I just want stronger evidence specifically linking Rom 14 with idol food.

Is there not a point where adjusting society and ones personal life after the dictates of the ones who are most easily offended turns life sour?
Many in Israel were offended by Jesus performing healings on the Sabbath(Pharisees), or by Jesus attending parties with outcasts(Pharisees, Johns disciples), or by Jesus preaching that salvation would come through Him(most of the people who had been following Him in huge crowds). This did not stop Jesus from healing the sick even on Sabbath, reaching out to the outcasts of society or telling the truth about Himself.

The "bring home" point as posted by Arnold from Romans 14, "therefore let us not judge one another anymore..". If you who are weak in your faith and therefore eat only vegetables would stop judging the one who eats meat, and if you who are strong in your faith would stop judging the one who eats only vegetables..

Further, if you bring the principle that seem to be the one espoused above, that because some will fall if others eat meat, therefore no one must eat meat, to the other example given by Paul; that if some will fall because others keep the Sabbath, therefore no one must keep the Sabbath..

What about the reference to "wine"?

Although Paul's comment is not clear in Rom. 14:5, 6, the translation of the NKJV, of the RSV and others is completely misleading. Paul is not here speaking of the observance (keeping) of a day. The KJV is correct in translating the verb as "regard" and not "keep." The verb here is phroneo, whose meaning is

1) to have understanding, be wise
2) to feel, to think
2a) to have an opinion of one’s self, think of one’s self, to be modest, not let one’s opinion (though just) of himself exceed the bounds of modesty
2b) to think or judge what one’s opinion is
2c) to be of the same mind i.e. agreed together, cherish the same views, be harmonious
3) to direct one’s mind to a thing, to seek, to strive for
3a) to seek one’s interest or advantage
3b) to be of one’s party, side with him (in public affairs)

The verb used in the NT to "keep" (the law, the commandments, the Sabbath) is tereo:

1) to attend to carefully, take care of
1a) to guard
1b) metaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is
1c) to observe
1d) to reserve: to undergo something

This is the verb used in Matt. 19:17, John 9:16, John 14:21, 24; 1 John 2:4, 5; 1 John 3:24, etc.

Not once in the whole NT is the verb phroneo used for the religious observance of commandments or days. So, Paul is not speaking here of the observance of days at all, but, very probably, of fast days.