Despising and Judging

Paul gives two examples of “disputes over doubtful things” in the early verses of Romans 14. The first is in today’s passage. Some Christians, he writes, feel free to eat anything at all. Others, however, eat only vegetables.

The apostle may be thinking here of former Jews who are still keeping the Old Testament dietary laws. The Jews were not required to be total vegetarians, but Dr. James M. Boice points out that the word here translated “weak” is often used for the word kosher in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Paul also may be thinking of some gentiles’ practice of adopting an ascetic lifestyle and diet in response to the indulgent culture around them. Yet another possibility is that he is thinking of the problem that arose in Corinth, where some believers felt uncomfortable about purchasing and eating meat that had been put up for sale in the marketplace after it had been offered to pagan gods.

Paul refers to the vegetarians as “weak” because they have not grasped a great biblical truth—that Jesus has declared all foods acceptable. He taught that nothing that enters the body can defile it and that all foods are pure (Mark 7:18–19). Later, He taught Peter in a vision that the Jews were free to eat anything (Acts 10:9–16). But Paul is not trying in Romans 14 to convince “weak” believers that they are now free to eat whatever they like. His goal is to show both “strong” and “weak” believers how they should treat each other. Unfortunately, acceptance is not the general rule. The strong, Paul writes, tend to “despise” the weak. Those who understand their freedom can become impatient and scornful of those who have inhibitions and scruples. And those who are weak, who believe that the Christian faith requires that they refrain from eating or drinking certain things, tend to “judge” the strong as sinners.

The proper response is acceptance of one another. The strong must put aside their contempt and receive those who are weak in the faith without disputing with them. And the weak must refrain from passing judgment on the strong. All believers must strive together to teach and encourage one another, that they might “come to the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:13a).