Quotes & Notes on:
Romans 14:13
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John Wesley's Notes:
But judge this rather-Concerning ourselves.
Not to lay a stumblingblock-By moving him to do as thou doest, though
against his conscience.
Or a scandal-Moving him to hate or judge thee.
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
* judge one. Ro 14:4,10; Jas 2:4; 4:11
* but. Lu 12:57; 1Co 11:13; 2Co 5:14
* put. Ro 9:32; 11:9; 16:17; Le 19:14; Isa 57:14; Eze 14:3; Mt 16:23;
18:7 Lu 17:2; 1Co 8:9-13; 10:32; 2Co 6:3; Php 1:10; Re 2:14
* or. 2Sa 12:14; 1Ti 5:14; 1Jo 2:10
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Adam Clarke's Commentary:
Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more] Let us abandon
such rash conduct; it is dangerous, it is uncharitable: judgment belongs
to the Lord, and he will condemn those only who should not be acquitted.
That no man put a stumbling block] Let both the converted Jew and
Gentile consider that they should labour to promote each other's
spiritual interests, and not be a means of hindering each other in their
Christian course; or of causing them to abandon the Gospel, on which,
and not on questions of rites and ceremonies, the salvation of their
soul depends.
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Family Bible Notes:
Not therefore judge; not assume the place of Christ in judging
his servants, but leave that to him to whom it belongs, and who will
judge according to truth. Judge this rather; decide this rather in your
minds. The apostle intentionally uses the word judge in a double sense;
as much as to say, Instead of deciding on your brethren's conduct,
decide this rather, to lay no stumbling-block before them.
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1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
After he has concluded what is not to be done, he shows what is to
be done: that is, we must take heed that we do not utterly abuse our
liberty and cast down our brother who is not yet strong. (m) He rebukes
along the way these malicious judgers of others who occupy their heads
about nothing, but to find fault with their brethren's life, whereas
they should rather focus their minds upon this, that they do not with
disdainfulness either cast their brethren completely down, or give them
any offence.
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People's New Testament Commentary:
Let us not therefore judge one another. Since God is to judge us all,
brethren should not condemn each other for differences of opinion over
some untaught question.
But judge this rather. Rather condemn severely throwing a
stumbling-block in a brother's way. A stumbling-block is anything which
might cause a brother to fall.
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Robertson's Word Pictures:
Let us not therefore judge one another any more (mêketi oun
allêlous krinômen). Present active subjunctive (volitive). "Let us no
longer have the habit of criticizing one another." A wonderfully fine
text for modern Christians and in harmony with what the Master said (Mt
7:1). That no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way or an
occasion of falling (to mê tithenai proskomma tôi adelphôi ê skandalon).
Articular present active infinitive of tithêmi in apposition with touto,
accusative case after krinate: "Judge this rather, the not putting a
stumbling block (see Ro 9:32 for proskomma) or a trap (skandalon, Ro
9:33) for his brother" (adelphôi, dative of disadvantage).
Albert Barnes' Commentary:
Let us not therefore judge, etc. Since we are to give account of
ourselves at the same tribunal; since we must be there on the same
level, let us not suppose that we have a right here to sit in judgment
on our fellow-Christians.
But judge this rather. If disposed to judge, let us be employed in a
better kind of judging; let us come to a determination not to injure the
cause of Christ. This is an instance of the happy turn which the apostle
would give to a discussion. Some men have an irresistible propensity to
sit in judgment, to pronounce opinions. Let them make good use of that.
It will be well to exercise it on that which can do no injury, and which
may turn to good account. Instead of forming a judgment about others,
let the man form a determination about his own conduct.
That no man, etc. A stumbling-block literally means anything laid in a
man's path, over which he may fail. In the Scriptures, however, the word
is used commonly in a figurative sense, to denote anything which shall
cause him to sin, as sin is often represented by falling. See Barnes for
Mt 5:29. And the passage means, that we should resolve to act so as not
by any means to be the occasion of leading our brethren into sin, either
by our example, or by a severe and harsh judgment, provoking them to
anger, or exciting jealousies, and envyings, and suspicions. No better
rule than this could be given to promote peace. If every Christian,
instead of judging his brethren severely, would resolve that he would so
live as to promote peace, and so as not to lead others into sin, it
would tend more, perhaps, than any other thing to advance the harmony
and purity of the church of Christ.
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Jamieson-Faussett Brown:
Let us not therefore judge--"assume the office of judge over"
one another; but judge this rather, &c.--a beautiful sort of play upon
the word "judge," meaning, "But let this be your judgment, not to put a
stumbling-block," &c..
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Spurgeon Commentary:
(No comment on this verse).
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William Burkitt's Notes:
Observe here, 1. How the apostle advises persons to be very cautious in
the use of their Christian liberty: Put not a stumbling-block, or an
occasion of falling, into your brother's way.
Learn thence, That to use our Christian liberty when it may be an
occasion of sin, by laying a stumbling-block before others, although we
do not use it with an intent or purpose to make them stumble, is very
sinful.
Observe, 2. The apostle's final determination concerning those meats
which some of the Jews scrupled as unclean, was taken away by our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Observe, 3. That although the apostle pronounces that there is no meat
unclean in itself, yet notwithstanding this, to him that esteemeth any
thing unclean, to him , as to the use of it, it is unclean.
Observe, 4. With what tenderness the apostle directs all Christians to
carry themselves towards their weaker brethren, even to the abridging
themselves of their lawful liberty in the use of indifferent things,
rather than give the weak an occasion of offence. If thy brother be
grieved with thy meat, (though no meat be unclean of itself,) yet in
eating thou doest amiss, for three reasons:
(1.) Because it is against the laws of charity so to act in things
indifferent: If thy brother be grieved, now walkest thou uncharitably.
(2.) Because it is the way to occasion him to sin, and consequently to
do what in us lies to bring destruction upon him, for whom Christ died:
Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
(3.) Because eating thus with offence to the weak, causeth Christian
liberty, purchased by Christ, to be evil spoken of before the world: Let
not then your good be evil spoken of.
The sum of the whole is this, To show how uncharitable, unsafe, and
unchristian a thing it is, to make such an undue use of our Christian
liberty, as may occasion our weak brother to fall or stumble.
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Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
(No comment on this verse).
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Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole
Bible:
(No comment on this verse).
- The Fourfold Gospel:
(No comment on this verse).
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