Can of Worms

Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. 1 Corinthians 10:24 NASB

His own good – Tomorrow will mark the end of the Julian calendar year. The world at large will celebrate, honoring a Roman alteration to previous tribal and ethnic ways of counting dates. One tradition of renewal is the annual cycle of vows. As a kind of goal-setting behavior, many people will adjust (or make attempts to adjust) their lifestyle choices, and, of course, common knowledge recognizes that nearly all of these vows will subsequently be discarded. Most people will simply continue to do what they have always done. Change is very difficult.

Given the propensity to abandon real change, it seems appropriate to reflect on Paul’s exhortation. In this section of his letter, he discusses the role of kosher food in mixed communities. The question seems to be, “What should I do about eating according to the Torah when I live in an environment that does not pay any attention to these instructions?” Of course, eating is only one of the many lifestyle choices that could cause disagreement, so Paul’s instructions could be expanded. But for the moment, let’s just talk about food. It is unfortunate that common exegesis surrounding this topic begins with the assumption that Paul is writing to Christians who have already abandoned Torah. Nothing could be further from the truth, but with that assumption the text is often read upside-down, as if Paul is telling those who no longer follow Torah practices that they have the upper hand, the correct spiritual approach, to this subject. This anachronistic interpretation fosters enormous exegetical mistakes, particularly with regard to the relationship between Jew and Messianic believer in the first century. The idea that “Christians” in Corinth are instructed to disregard Torah because they have been redeemed from the “Law” subverts all the context and culture of Paul’s approach. This should be obvious given what Paul says in this particular verse.

The NASB adds “good” to the translation. The Greek is actually heautou (“his own”). The word is simply the reflexive personal pronoun. Context adds the noun. We could just as easily translate this as “Let no one seek his own agenda,” or “his own benefit,” or “his own rights.” The emphasis is not on me. It is on the impact my decisions have on my neighbor. A few verses later Paul adds, “Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the ekklesia of God.” But that would be impossible if Paul were instructing congregants to ignore Torah. Every Jew would be offended, as, in fact, they are today by Christian claims. Clearly, if I am to give no offense and think of my neighbor’s well-being before my own, then I will not assert that I no longer need to live according to the instructions given to Moses. To put it bluntly, I can’t follow Paul’s exhortation and at the same time insist that I am free to live according to my own interpretation of Scripture. If I am to give no offense, I will follow a kosher diet no matter what I think is permissible. If I am to consider my neighbor’s welfare before my own, I will have to live a Torah observant life regardless of what the “Church” teaches me.

So that brings us to the New Year’s vow. Forget the argument about the place of Torah. Forget about the “New Testament” replacement theology. Just ask yourself this: “Am I going to follow Paul’s advice?” You simply cannot pretend that you give no offense, that you put the well-being of your Jewish neighbor first, if you continue to act as though your view of life choices overrides his understanding of Scripture. You can dismiss Paul if you wish, but then can’t claim that your “New Testament” Christianity has anything to do with what Paul actually says.

Here’s a vow for the next Roman calendar year: “I will not offend my Jewish brothers by eating what they would not.” Try that on for size.

Topical Index: kosher, offense, his own good, heautou, 1 Corinthians 10:24