Reverend Ref +

SERMON
EPIPHANY 4B
1 CORINTHIANS 8:1b-13

"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up," says Paul in the first sentence of today's epistle. Paul is not talking about general, worldly knowledge; Paul is talking specifically about religious knowledge that is arrogantly flaunted in front of others.

This flaunting of knowledge and arrogance was a problem in the Corinthian church. And it was one of those underlying problems hidden by something else. The Corinthians didn't exactly come right out and say that some of their numbers were being mean, or that some of them were being stupid. Instead, the dispute manifested itself as a debate over whether or not it was okay to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols.

The answer to that particular question was, "It depends."

It depends on whether or not a person thinks that by doing so he or she is renouncing their claim to Christianity. It depends on whether or not a person understands that idols are meaningless. And it depends on how those two understandings intersect.

The real problem in Corinth, however, was that of arrogant religious knowledge. And it is something that Paul picked up on and addressed. The problem was, and is, a little knowledge masquerading as a lot of knowledge. It is taking what you know and ridiculing another person's perceived lack of knowledge. It is prooftexting six bible verses to support your position and condemning those who disagree with you based on "biblical" knowledge.

This limited knowledge can puff us up, causing us to look down on other people.

And this was the real problem in Corinth. The issue of food sacrificed to idols and whether or not Christians could eat it was just a smokescreen for arrogant attitudes. According to Mark, Jesus did away with Jewish food laws and declared all foods clean; this is also alluded to over in Matthew. The Corinthians didn't have either of these gospels yet, but they had the memory of Jesus and the other apostles directing them.

Some who were "knowledgeable" claimed that idols were worthless pieces of art that had no power, as well as understanding that eating and drinking are not, by themselves, determinative of a person's relationship with God. This position supports the belief that there is only one true living God. Idols are meaningless, and it's not what you eat, but how you behave that counts.

This view, however, was in direct contrast to those people who held that eating food sacrificed to idols meant condoning belief in those idols, which was contrary to their understanding of Christianity. It also meant that, for them, such acts were morally wrong. You can't claim allegiance to God and Jesus while participating in meals dedicated to idols. It would be like me dedicating the Eucharist to Bacchus.

The group who saw idols as worthless looked down on the second group as being closed-minded, weak in faith, and intellectually inferior. This meant, of course, that they viewed themselves as open-minded and progressive, strong in faith, and intellectually superior. And this, as you can imagine, caused problems for the socially and racially mixed congregation of Corinth.

Paul basically agrees with the position of the first group - idols are meaningless - but he doesn't agree with their attitude. He says to take care that your liberty does not become a stumbling block to the weak. In other words, pay attention to your actions. If eating food dedicated to idols makes another person doubt their faith, maybe you should think about not eating it.

Granted, this could devolve into a fear of doing anything controversial. You could always wonder what other people will think. Or you could live in fear about potential rumors. But you can't always know what people will think (which is usually the worst).

I used to wonder what people would think of me if they saw me going in and out of the Mill Creek, Stockman & Pioneer bars; and every once in awhile someone will ask if it's allowed for me to be there. But I follow Paul's advice to take care that I'm not a stumbling block. I talk with people about stuff, usually starting with why I can be there, and easing into the religious if the person is open to it. I meet them where they are. And I don't get drunk.

Paul is saying, "You are right, it doesn't matter what you eat; but it's important to some people and it's your job to honor that if it helps them grow in their faith." He is telling them not to use puffed up, arrogant religious knowledge to the detriment of the others in the congregation, but to lovingly and willingly give up their freedom and position of strength and submit to a position of weakness in order to help the others become strong. Sort of like ..... Jesus giving up his freedom and position of strength to accept a position of weakness in the form of a man in order that we might become strong.

This is how a community survives and grows. People should understand that knowledge is not a weapon, but a means of humbly growing. People should share ideas across social, political and theological lines, always with an effort to take care and with love as the anchor. And people should always have a willingness to walk with the other, rather than a desire to walk apart.

As we move forward this year and look to new growth, let us be willing to meet those new people where they are, walking with them and not apart from them; not allowing our knowledge to become a stumbling block, but allowing our love to make them strong.