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The Letters · New Testament

Romans 14

Romans 14: the weak in faith, meat and days, and not judging a brother

General context

The instruction opens with reception: "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations." The disagreement is described plainly: "one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs." Neither despising nor judging is allowed, "for God hath received him", and the question follows, "Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth." Days are treated the same way: one esteems a day above another, another "esteemeth every day alike", and "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Both practices are done "unto the Lord" and both include thanks to God. The ground is stated: "none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself", and living or dying "we are the Lord’s", because Christ died and rose "that he might be Lord both of the dead and living". Judging is then measured against judgment: "we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ", with a written line that every knee shall bow, so "every one of us shall give account of himself to God". The command becomes positive, "judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way". The writer states his own view as a persuasion, "there is nothing unclean of itself", with the qualification that it is unclean to whoever thinks it so. Grieving a brother over food is not walking charitably: "Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died." The kingdom of God is "not meat and drink", and the chapter ends "whatsoever is not of faith is sin".

Cited passages: Romans 14:1, Romans 14:2, Romans 14:3, Romans 14:4, Romans 14:5, Romans 14:6, Romans 14:7, Romans 14:8, Romans 14:9, Romans 14:10, Romans 14:11, Romans 14:12, Romans 14:13, Romans 14:14, Romans 14:15, Romans 14:17, Romans 14:19, Romans 14:20, Romans 14:21, Romans 14:22, Romans 14:23

Romans 14 (KJV)

1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

3Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

4Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

7For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

9For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

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Historical context

The dispute is described only by practice. Eating all things is set against eating herbs, and esteeming one day above another against treating every day alike. No festival, food law, group or person is named, and nothing is said about who in Rome held which view or how the disagreement started. The chapter calls one side "weak in the faith" and gives the other side no matching label; the word strong appears only at the start of chapter 15. The single quotation, introduced "For it is written", reads "As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God", where Isaiah 45:23 has "I have sworn by myself" and "every tongue shall swear". The writer marks his own position as personal, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus", rather than imposing it as a ruling.

Cited passages: Romans 14:1, Romans 14:2, Romans 14:5, Romans 14:11, Romans 14:14, Romans 15:1, Isaiah 45:23

Literary context

Balanced pairs run through the chapter and are never resolved in favour of one side: eats and eats not, regards the day and regards it not, lives and dies. Each pair is given the same ending, "to the Lord", so the difference is kept while the direction is made identical. Judging is the repeated verb, put twice as a question, "Who art thou that judgest", "why dost thou judge thy brother", then turned into a command with the same word, "judge this rather". The judgment seat is placed immediately after the statement that Christ is Lord of dead and living, which moves the addressee from the bench to the dock. The closing verses narrow steadily, from the kingdom of God down to meat, wine, and one brother who stumbles.

Cited passages: Romans 14:2, Romans 14:3, Romans 14:5, Romans 14:6, Romans 14:8, Romans 14:9, Romans 14:10, Romans 14:13, Romans 14:17, Romans 14:21

Key moments

  1. Receive the weak (Romans 14:1). The opening instruction is to receive without entering disputes.
  2. God hath received him (Romans 14:3). Despising and judging are both refused on the same ground.
  3. Fully persuaded (Romans 14:5). Each person is told to settle the matter of days for himself.
  4. The judgment seat (Romans 14:10). Judging a brother is set against standing before Christ.
  5. No stumblingblock (Romans 14:13). Judgment is redirected toward not tripping a brother.
  6. Not meat and drink (Romans 14:17). The kingdom of God is defined by other terms.
  7. Not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). The chapter closes on acting against one's own conviction.

For reflection

The chapter asks each person to be fully persuaded in his own mind and also to give up a freedom for someone else's sake. Which of those two is harder where you are, and what would the chapter say about that?

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