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The Apologists Bible Commentary
1 Corinthians 8
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| 4 | "Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. |
| Commentary |
The problem of eating meats which had been sacrificed to idols has already been introduced in the preceding context. Paul was careful to warn those who have knowledge of such things that they should guard against the danger of becoming �puffed up�. Knowledge should be tempered with love, for it is not only one�s self that a Christian must be concerned with. In verse 4 he says that �we know there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.� By this he means that there is no such thing as an idol of objective existence, though he does not deny that in the minds of some there is a subjective existence of such gods or lords. Yet he emphatically denies that they have real existence as true Deity, whether in heaven or on earth. They are in reality false deities. (Ray Goldsmith) |
| Grammatical Analysis |
oidamen`oti ouden eidwlon en kosmw, kai`oti oudeiV
qeoV ei mh`eiV
OIDAMEN hOTI OUDEN EID�LON EN KOSM�, KAI HOTI OUDEIS THEOS EI M� HEIS We know there is no idol in the world, and there is no God but one OIDAMEN is the main verb which contains the subject, so it is rendered in the first person plural �we know�. The copulative is implied after hOTI meaning �there is no idol in the world (KOSM�). The expression EI M� is a Greek idiom that means �except or unless� (lit �if not�), in this context it is properly translated �but." Hence, �there is no God but one," objectively speaking. |
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Jehovah's Witnesses
Please see 1 Corinthians 8:6 |
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