From: 	 heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: 	 Friday, September 19, 1997 12:05 AM
To: 	 Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Meat offered to idols

To:            heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
From:          James Trimm 
Subject:       Meat offered to idols

All,

     I has been sugested that Paul's statments in 1Cor. 8:1-13; 10:7,
14-28 conflict the ruling against eating meat offered up to idols (Acts
15:10, 29; 21:25; Rev. 2:14, 20).  However there is in reality no conflict.

    Let me explain:

    Acts chapter 15 does not give an exhaustive enumeration of all of
the laws which apply to gentiles, but rather the "greater burden" or
outerlying limits of the Noachdic or Gentile Law (Acts 15:28).  This is
based on a Jewish principle called "KAL V'KHOMER" (light and heavy) which
recognizes that certain commandments are of greater weight than others (see
Mt. 23:23; the principle is used in Mt. 12:11-12 & Jn. 7:22-23).  There was
never any question as to whether Gentiles could forsake justice, blaspheme,
murder or steal; so there was no need to list these with the greatest
burden of Gentile Law.

      The Noachdic Law against idolatry is given very strict borders.
idolatry is to include eating meat offered to idols.

      Now in 1Cor. 8:1-13; 10:7, 14-28 Paul agrees that one may not
knowingly eat meat offered up to idols.  The halachic issue Paul questions,
is whether or not one must ask when purchasing meat whether or not it has
been offered to idols.  Paul argues (based on Ps. 24:1=1Cor. 10:26, 28)
that meat is not actually altered by the idol but that eating such meat
appears to others to endorse the idol to which it was offered.  If meat is
advertised as having been offered to idols, then believers may not eat it,
since this would appear to endorse the idol.  However, since the idol has
no real power over the meat, belivers are not required to ask, since this
would imply that the beliver believed that the idol had power over the
meat, thus ascribing power to the idol and endorcing idolatry by
acknowledging the idols alleged power.

         A basis for Paul's argument can be found by comparing Paul's
summation of his argument in 1Cor. 10:28 to the story of the martyr Eleazar
in 2Maccabbes 6:1-29.  Eleazer was a prominant Jew under the Helene rule.
A day came when all of the Jews were to show their loyalty by eating meat
offered to idols at a public feast.  Eleazar was not willing to do so, but
because of his prominance, the authorities offered to allow him to sneak
kosher meat into the feast and eat it instead, thus only appearing to eat
meat offered up to idols.  Eleazer refused, knowing that this would appear
to endorse idolatry, despite the fact that the meat would be kosher.  As a
result Eleazar was executed.  This story demonstrates that eating meat
offered to idols is wrong, not because of the meat itself, but because of
the impiled edndorcement of the idolatry.  Thus Paul's interpretation does
not conflict with Acts 15 but actually implies a very strict
interpretation, by which eating kosher meat would also be forbidden, if the
meat were falsely advertised as having been offered to an idol.

James Trimm

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