Homilies on First Corinthians — Homily 25

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

Having said that they could not drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the devils, and having once for all led them away from those tables, by Jewish examples, by human reasonings, by the tremendous Mysteries, by the rites solemnized among the idols; and having filled them with great fear; that he might not by this fear drive again to another extreme, and they be forced, exercising a greater scrupulosity than was necessary, to feel alarm, lest possibly even without their knowledge there might come in some such thing either from the market or from some other quarter; to release them from this strait, he says, Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question. For, says he, if you eat in ignorance and not knowingly, you are not subject to the punishment: it being thenceforth a matter not of greediness, but of ignorance.

Nor does he free the man only from this anxiety, but also from another, establishing them in thorough security and liberty. For he does not even suffer them to question; i.e., to search and enquire, whether it be an idol- sacrifice or no such thing; but simply to eat every thing which comes from the market, not even acquainting one's self with so much as this, what it is that is set before us. So that even he that eats, if in ignorance, may be rid of anxiety. For such is the nature of those things which are not in their essence evil, but through the man's intention make him unclean. Wherefore he says, asking no question.

For to the Lord belongs the earth and the fullness thereof. Not to the devils. Now if the earth and the fruits and the beasts be all His, nothing is unclean: but it becomes unclean otherwise, from our intention and our disobedience. Wherefore he not only gave permission, but also,

If one of them that believe not bids you, says he, to a feast, and you are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

See again his moderation. For he did not command and make a law that they should withdraw themselves, yet neither did he forbid it. And again, should they depart, he frees them from all suspicion. Now what may be the account of this? That so great curiousness might not seem to arise from any fear and cowardice. For he who makes scrupulous enquiry does so as being in dread: but he who, on hearing the fact, abstains, abstains as out of contempt and hatred and aversion. Wherefore Paul, purposing to establish both points, says, Whatsoever is set before you, eat.

But if any man say unto you, This has been offered in sacrifice unto idols; eat not, for his sake that showed it.

Thus it is not at all for any power that they have but as accursed, that he bids abstain from them. Neither then, as though they could injure you, fly from them, (for they have no strength;) nor yet, because they have no strength, indifferently partake: for it is the table of beings hostile and degraded. Wherefor