Romans 14:6
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord…
The apostle strengthens the above advice with this reason, because
what is done both by one and the other, is done unto the Lord. The
weak brother that esteems one day above another, and regards the
passover, pentecost, and feast of tabernacles, a new moon, or a
seventh day sabbath, does it in obedience to the commands of the
Lord, which he thinks are still binding, not knowing that they are
disannulled by Christ; and the worship performed by him on any of
those days is done in the name and strength of the Lord, with a view
to his glory, and as believing it was pleasing in his sight; and
whether he is right or wrong, it is to the Lord he does it, and to
his own master he stands or falls. The following clause is omitted
in the Alexandrian copy and some others, and in the Vulgate Latin
and Ethiopic versions, but is in most Greek copies, and retained in
the Syriac and Arabic versions.
And he that regardeth not the day, the Lord he doth not regard it;
believing it is the will of the Lord, that all distinction of days
should cease; and that the law of commandments contained in
ordinances, respecting such Jewish days, is abolished by the Lord Jesus
Christ; and that it is to the honour the Lord not to observe them:
for to regard the days of the feast of tabernacles, is tacitly to
say, that the Word has not tabernacled among us; and to observe he
days of the passover, is virtually to deny that our passover is
sacrificed for us; and to keep the day of Pentecost, is all one as
to affirm, that the firstfruits of the Spirit have not been given;
and to regard a new moon, is in effect to say, that the church has
not received evangelical light from Christ, the sun of
righteousness; and to keep a seventh day sabbath, is a strong
insinuation, as if Christ the true sabbath, in whom we have our
spiritual and eternal rest, is not come; however, it is to the Lord
that the stronger brother and more confirmed believer disregards any
of those days; and it is to his own master he stands or falls, nor
is he to be judged of man's judgment: and the same is the case of
the eater, or non-eater of meats forbidden by the law:
he that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks.
The
man that is strong in faith, and is fully persuaded by the Lord
Jesus that all distinction of meats, as of days, is ceased, eats any
thing, and every sort of food, that comes in his way, without making
any difference; and when he eats or drinks at any time, it is all to
the glory of God; which is a clear case, by his giving God thanks,
as becomes him, for the food he eats: he acknowledges that these are
the creatures of God, and his gifts to him; he gives him thanks for
the right he has given him to eat of them, and for taking away the
distinction of meats, and giving him the free use of his creatures;
and the more thankful he is when he considers how unworthy he is of
the least of these mercies: and
he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth, or, and giveth God
thanks.
The man that is weak in faith, that eateth not food
forbidden by the law, abstains from such food, purely on account of
the Lord, in obedience to his will, and with a view to his glory,
supposing such a law to be in full force; and is thankful to God for
the herbs he allows him to eat, or for other food not forbidden by
the law: and therefore since each party shows such a religious
concern for the glory of the Lord, the apostle argues they ought to
be easy one with another. The Alexandrian copy reads, "and giveth
the Lord thanks".
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