But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat,.... The apostle proceeds to give reasons why, though he was so fully persuaded that nothing was unclean of itself, and so he, and any other of the same persuasion, might lawfully eat anything; yet they should forbear, and not make use of this liberty; because if a brother should be grieved by it, that is, either should be concerned and troubled at it inwardly, both because the person that eats is thought by him to have transgressed a command of God, and because he himself is not only despised as a weak brother, but as if he was a "judaizing" Christian, and walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel; or else should be emboldened thereby to eat, and so wound and defile his weak conscience; or be so galled and offended at it, as to stumble and fall off from his profession of Christianity, and withdraw his communion, as judging there is nothing in it, no regard being had to the law of God:now walkest thou not charitably; this is a breach of the rule of charity or brotherly love; such an one is a brother, and though a weak one, yet he is to be loved as a brother, and to be charitably walked with: true charity, or love, vaunts not itself over, nor is it puffed up against a weak brother; nor is it unconcerned for his peace, but bears with his weaknesses, and forbears the use of things grieving to him:destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Bible Commentary
Romans 14:15
Romans 14:15
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Romans 14 — OverviewRomans 14 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThe apostle having, in the former chapter, directed our conduct one
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Christian church. Our Master had foretold that offences would come;
and, it seems, so they did, for want of that wisdom…Romans 14:1-23Romans 14:1-23 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONRomans 14:1-23Romans 14:1-23 · The Pulpit CommentaryF. The duty of enlightened Christians towards weak brethren. From moral duties in general of Christians towards each other and towards all the apostle now passes to such as they owe peculiarly to each other as members…
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