Reflections on Romans 14
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By A. J. Fecko

This is not so much a commentary as it is an exploration of another way of considering the situation that is being addressed in Romans 14.

The issue of Romans 14 is usually considered to be dealing with the situation between the Jewish and Gentile Christians over non-kosher eating, and in particular from those animals who were sacrificed to idols as in 1 Corinthians 8-10. If this is correct, it's clear that the vegetarians Paul appears to address as "weak" are not vegetarians for ethical or health reasons, nor are they voluntarily abandoning flesh eating as a form of discipline to grow closer to the Lord.

While the eating of idol victims or some kashrut issue is possibly the issue that is here being dealt with, there are a number of problems with this view. It was very common in ancient Italy for people to raise animals for food. There would be no problem for Jewish Christians to raise chickens, kill, eat them, and give or sell them to their neighbors.

Jewish Christians, though they would keep kosher, would not need Rabbinic approval. Certainly, church leaders would for Jewish Christians have more authority to pronounce on which food can and cannot be eaten than Non-Christian Rabbis. Even if every single piece of flesh owned by pagan Italians was offered to an idol (which I don't believe is the case) it's hard to see how Christians would be without flesh to eat simply in an attempt to avoid eating idol victims.

There is no reference to idol sacrifices anywhere in Romans. Yes, some of the language is similar to 1 Corinthians 8-10. However, in Corinthians the weak eat because they are gentiles accustomed to the idol; and Bible commentators usually assume the weak in Romans are Jewish Christians who keep the Sabbath and holy days. However, my view on this is that, in Romans, the believers Paul is addressing abstained from flesh sometimes; but the strong abstained from flesh everyday. Either way there's some difference between the two situations in Rome and Corinth.

Nor is there any suggestion that the abstainers need the Gospel of grace, or Christian liberty, explained to them, but instead he writes: "Happy is he who is not judging himself in that which he is trying." Much evidence points to the early Jerusalem church extolling vegetarianism. Therefore, it is likely his opponents from the pro-circumcision party did as well. But many in his own congregations are vegetarian; how else could he address them with authority. It's also a practice he approves, Rom. 14:21; and likely was vegetarian himself, 1 Cor. 8:13. But as the apostle of the nations he cannot afford to seem to encourage the adoption of Mosaic clean/unclean distinctions, nor does he want stumbling blocks thrown in the way of new converts. So Paul must treat this issue carefully. Here I give what I believe is a probable way Romans 14 was meant by Paul to be read:

13:11 This, also, do, being aware of the era, that it is already the hour for us to be awakened from sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believe.

12. The night progresses, and the day is near. We, then, should be putting off the deeds of darkness, and should be putting on the armor of light.

13. As in the day, properly, should we be walking, not in excess indulgence and drunkenness, not in bed-hopping and unrestraint, not in quarreling and jealousy,

14 but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be making no provision for the cravings of the flesh.

14:1. Yet the weak in the faith admit, but not in discriminations of reckonings.

2. "This one, indeed, is believing to eat everything, yet the one who is weak herbs is eating". [One should not only ask what a verse could mean, but what it is likely to mean. This verse is usually read as being an "ὁ μὲν..ὁ δὲ" construction, which is usually "this one vs. the other one". But there must be a reason he has "ὃς μὲν" unusually paired with "ὁ δὲ" (so making the verse ambiguous). In fact, Paul uses "ὃς μὲν" correctly with "ὃς δὲ" just a few verses later in verse 5. So it's unlikely this is an ordinary one vs. the other contrast. "ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα"; that is "believes to eat everything", is also unusual. If Paul had meant "believes he may eat everything" or "has faith to eat everything", as most translations have, there doesn't seem to be any reason for him not to have written that instead. Rather than call his omnivorous converts (the majority) "weak", he only indicates who Church leaders might view as weak indirectly. He describes "the weak in the faith" as doing the opposite of what the proverbial weak man does. A weak man eats herbs to get well. Some early manuscripts have a variant, the imperative "ἐσθιέτω", "should eat". "ἐσθιέτω" is the reading in the earliest manuscript we have of Romans 14, p46 or "Chester Beatty", dated to the 3rd century. Either way, the second clause is seen to be a proverb, rather than a description of "the weak in the faith". In fact, the second clause was sometimes quoted as proverb by first millennium Church writers.

A different possibility is that verse 2 gives an example of the disrespectful reckonings mentioned in verse 1, that the "strong" need not let into their partnership; the type of attitude that holds vegetarian practice as having little value. This might be read as: "but not (admit) in discriminations (or contentions) of reckonings; that the believing is to eat everything, while the one who is weak herbs eats." Here "φαγεῖν πάντα" is understood as a noun clause depending on the verbal idea contained in "διαλογισμῶν". It's easy to see how such an attitude could pervade among converts. But the freedom of the Gospel isn't about how many Mosaic regulations one can break, but living in accordance with the Spirit 2 Cor. 3:6.]

3. Let not him who is eating ["ὁ ἐσθίων" (him who is eating), possibly a pun, sounds almost identical to "ἀσθενῶν" (weak)] make light of him [ἐξουθενείτω" like Paul wrote should not be done to Timothy, 1 Cor. 16:11] who is not eating. But let not him who is not eating be judging him who is eating, for God has admitted him.

4. What are you, the judge for another's servant? It is with his own Lord he stands or falls. Yet he shall be established; for the Lord has the power to establish him.

5. This one, indeed, is judging for one day rather than another day, yet that other is judging for every day. [To me this suggests that all the Christians of Paul's community abstained from flesh sometimes. But the strong abstained from flesh everyday] Let each in his own mind fully satisfy.

6. He who is minding the day, minds it to the Lord; and he who is eating, is eating to the Lord, for he is thanking God. And he who is not eating, to the Lord is not eating, and is thanking God.

7. For not one of us is living to himself, and not one is dying to himself.

8. For both, if we should be living, to the Lord are we living, and if we should be dying, to the Lord are we dying. Then, both if we should be living and if we should be dying, we are the Lord's.

9. For this Christ died and lives, that He should be Lord of the dead as well as of the living.

10. Now why are you judging your brother? Or why are you also making light of your brother? For all of us shall be presented at the dais of God,

11. for it is written: Living am I, the Lord is saying, For to Me shall bow every knee, And every tongue shall be acclaiming God!

12. Consequently, then, each of us shall be giving account concerning himself to God.

13. By no means, then, should we still be judging one another, but rather judge this, not to place a stumbling block against [dative of disadvantage] a brother, or a snare. [To me it seems that with this verse Paul switches his emphasis in address from the "strong" to the "weak."

14. I have perceived and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing common is through him, [Here I'm using the variant "αυτοῦ". Though the "Textus Receptus" has "ἑαυτοῦ", most Byzantine (Majority) Text manuscripts, as well as many other texts, have "αυτοῦ". "αυτοῦ" was likely changed to "ἑαυτοῦ" because "ἑαυτοῦ" is less ambiguous than "αυτοῦ", and "ἑαυτοῦ" is used at other points in Romans 14.] If not toward him accounting something to be common, it is common for that one. [the offending brother]

[The true definition of a "common" or profane action is to act toward others in a way harmful for them. So, in regards the Christian fraternal relationship, it is "common" to offend or "snare" those who follow the committed practice of a vegetarian diet, or to stumble those who follow a more elementary practice. The Greek variant "ἑαυτοῦ" of Rom. 14:14 is also in harmony with my overall interpretation. In that case the point of the passage is possibly that what is "common" is dependent on context. Differences in situations, capabilities, and degrees of understanding are unique for every Christian. In Paul's day some would honestly see their situation as ruling out for them a year round vegetarian diet. It's also grammatically possible that "τῷ λογιζομένῳ" is neuter. This would make the last phrase "if not with that accounting to be somewhat common for that one is common."]

15. For if, because of food, your brother is grieving, you are no longer walking according to love. Not to your food that (one) lose over which Christ died. [Greater love than this has no one, that anyone may be laying down his soul over his friends. John 15:13. I left the second sentence very literal as it could refer to either brother. Many commentaries assume this is identical to 1 Cor. 8:11. But while similar, they're not synonymous. There's no reference to idol victims here, or anywhere else in this chapter. Also, the previous sentence speaks of a grieving brother, which is different from being built up to eat idol victims. If addressing the brother that eats flesh, it might mean "Do not lose to your food that one over which Christ died." That is, don't make your vegetarian brother fail in his practice. It could also be something like "Do not lose or ruin that one with your food over which Christ died." That is, if to the non-vegetarian, if you encourage your fellow omnivores to place their meat above spiritual goals (verse 17) they may lose their relationship with God. Or to the vegetarian, don't misuse your diet by driving others away. Finally, it might possibly refer to "that thing" for which Christ died Rom. 14:9. That is, ones account (λόγον) before God Rom. 14:12, that could be ruined by a carnal mindset.]

16. Let not, then, your good be blasphemed, [By emphasizing their right to eat whatever they want, they leave any real good of theirs (explained in verse 17) open to ridicule.]

17. for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18. For he who in these things serves Christ is well pleasing to God and certified by men.

19. Consequently, then, we are pursuing that which makes for peace and that which is for edification of one another.

20. Not because of food tear down the work of God. Everything, indeed, is pure, but it is evil against the man who eats by stumbling. [ "Everything is pure" like "Everything is lawful" 1 Cor. 612, is a Pauline maxim, that can be understood accurately or inaccurately. Paul must make clear that what he has written up to this point does not reassert Mosaic clean/unclean distinctions. No being and no object is "unclean" in itself, but our actions regarding them certainly can be depending on circumstances. One example of flesh eating Christians stumbling would be for them to be inconsiderate to the efforts of those members of Paul's community that have adopted the natural diet intended by God (Gen. 1:29). A diet not only healthy, but also if adopted by the majority of the population worldwide would help ease some of the travail Paul writes of earlier in this epistle. "For the longing focus of creation is awaiting the unveiling of the sons of God. For to vanity was creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of the One subjecting it, in hope that creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we are aware that the entire creation is groaning and travailing together until now. Yet not only so, but we ourselves also, who have the first fruit of the Spirit, we ourselves also, are groaning in ourselves, awaiting the sonship, the deliverance of our body." Rom. 8:19-23]

21. It is beautiful not to be eating flesh, nor yet to be drinking wine, nor yet to do that by which your brother is stumbling, or is being snared, or weakened. [Here Paul begins to summarize his main points. Naziritism, or wine abstinence, was apparently also practiced by some in the Pauline churches. Acts 18:18 1 Tim. 5:23. But as this, and other passages show, this was clearly a secondary practice in importance to flesh abstinence.]

22. The faith that you keep, keep for yourself before God. Happy is he who is not judging himself in what he is trying.

23. But he who discriminates where if he eats is condemned, because this is not from a faith; [Those who abandon a more venerable lifestyle that is well established, or possibly have vowed to keep, experience a spiritual demerit. It is not that they fall out of grace, or are no longer Christians. But their actions are not indifferent either. Or, it could mean that omnivorous behavior is always sinful if coupled with discrimination or contempt for Christians that don't eat flesh. It might also mean that those who discriminate by standing in judgment of Christians with less firm eating habits become hypocrites if they eat flesh. Or, perhaps a better translation is "he who contends", that is someone that contends against there being any value in not eating flesh, v21; or faith practices, vs 22.]

even everything not from a faith is a sin (literally, a failing). [Perhaps meant as a counterbalance to "Everything is pure", vs. 20. Though no material is impure, not even dead flesh; when we act against our best understanding of the good we could do, we fail ourselves and our Heavenly Father.]

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13:11 Καὶ τοῦτο εἰδότες τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι ὥρα ἤδη ὑμᾶς ἐξ ὕπνου ἐγερθῆναι, νῦν γὰρ ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν. 12 ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν. ἀποβαλώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, ἐνδυσώμεθα δὲ τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. 13 ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ, 14 ἀλλὰ ἐνδύσασθε τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε εἰς ἐπιθυμίας.

14:1 Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε, μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν. 2 ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. 3 ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, ὁ δὲ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω, ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. 4 σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει· σταθήσεται δέ, δυνατεῖ γὰρ ὁ κύριος στῆσαι αὐτόν. 5 Ὃς μὲν κρίνει ἡμέραν παρ’ ἡμέραν, ὃς δὲ κρίνει πᾶσαν ἡμέραν· ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ νοῒ πληροφορείσθω· 6 ὁ φρονῶν τὴν ἡμέραν κυρίῳ φρονεῖ. καὶ ὁ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ ἐσθίει, εὐχαριστεῖ γὰρ τῷ θεῷ· καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ οὐκ ἐσθίει, καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ θεῷ. 7 Οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἡμῶν ἑαυτῷ ζῇ, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἑαυτῷ ἀποθνῄσκει· 8 ἐάν τε γὰρ ζῶμεν, τῷ κυρίῳ ζῶμεν, ἐάν τε ἀποθνῄσκωμεν, τῷ κυρίῳ ἀποθνῄσκομεν. ἐάν τε οὖν ζῶμεν ἐάν τε ἀποθνῄσκωμεν, τοῦ κυρίου ἐσμέν. 9 εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἔζησεν ἵνα καὶ νεκρῶν καὶ ζώντων κυριεύσῃ. 10 Σὺ δὲ τί κρίνεις τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; ἢ καὶ σὺ τί ἐξουθενεῖς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; πάντες γὰρ παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ θεοῦ, 11 γέγραπται γάρ· Ζῶ ἐγώ, λέγει κύριος, ὅτι ἐμοὶ κάμψει πᾶν γόνυ, καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσεται τῷ θεῷ. 12 ἄρα ἕκαστος ἡμῶν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δώσει. 13 Μηκέτι οὖν ἀλλήλους κρίνωμεν· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο κρίνατε μᾶλλον, τὸ μὴ τιθέναι πρόσκομμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἢ σκάνδαλον. 14 οἶδα καὶ πέπεισμαι ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ ὅτι οὐδὲν κοινὸν δι’ αυτοῦ· εἰ μὴ τῷ λογιζομένῳ τι κοινὸν εἶναι, ἐκείνῳ κοινόν. 15 εἰ γὰρ διὰ βρῶμα ὁ ἀδελφός σου λυπεῖται, οὐκέτι κατὰ ἀγάπην περιπατεῖς. μὴ τῷ βρώματί σου ἐκεῖνον ἀπόλλυε ὑπὲρ οὗ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν. 16 μὴ βλασφημείσθω οὖν ὑμῶν τὸ ἀγαθόν. 17 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις, ἀλλὰ δικαιοσύνη καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ χαρὰ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ· 18 ὁ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ δουλεύων τῷ Χριστῷ εὐάρεστος τῷ θεῷ καὶ δόκιμος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. 19 ἄρα οὖν τὰ τῆς εἰρήνης διώκωμεν καὶ τὰ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τῆς εἰς ἀλλήλους. 20 μὴ ἕνεκεν βρώματος κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ. πάντα μὲν καθαρά, ἀλλὰ κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι. 21 καλὸν τὸ μὴ φαγεῖν κρέα μηδὲ πιεῖν οἶνον μηδὲ ἐν ᾧ ὁ ἀδελφός σου προσκόπτει ἢ σκανδαλίζεται ἢ ἀσθενεῖ· 22 σὺ πίστιν ἣν ἔχεις κατὰ σεαυτὸν ἔχε ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ. μακάριος ὁ μὴ κρίνων ἑαυτὸν ἐν ᾧ δοκιμάζει· 23 ὁ δὲ διακρινόμενος ἐὰν φάγῃ κατακέκριται, ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως· πᾶν δὲ ὃ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως ἁμαρτία ἐστίν.

See the following related articles and commentaries:
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8
A Commentary on the Second Chapter of Colossians
When Did Animal Sacrifices Begin?
When did the Church abandon animal sacrifice?

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