ates Paul's constant habit of solving
questions as to conduct by the largest principles. He did not keep
his 'theology' and his ethics in separate water-tight compartments,
having no communication with each other. The greatest truths were
used to regulate the smallest duties. Like the star that guided the
Magi, they burned high in the heavens, but yet directed to the house
in Bethlehem.

The question here in hand was one that pressed on the Corinthian
Christians, and is very far away from our experience. Idolatry had so
inextricably intertwined itself with daily life that it was hard to
keep up any intercourse with non-Christians without falling into
constructive idolatry; and one very constantly obtruding difficulty
was that much of the animal food served on private tables had been
slaughtered as sacrifices or with certain sacrificial rites. What was
a Christian to do in such a case? To eat or not to eat? Both views
had their vehement supporters in the Corinthian church, and the
importance of the question is manifest from the large space devoted
to it in this letter.

In chapter viii. we have a weighty paragraph, in which one phase of
the difficulty is dealt with--the question whether a Christian ought
to attend a feast in an idol temple, where, of course, the viands had
been offered as sacrifices. But in chapter x. Paul deals with the
case in which the meat had been bought in the flesh-market, and so
was not necessarily sacrificial. Paul's manner of handling the point
is very instructive. He envelops, as it were, the practical solution
in a wrapping of large principles; verses 23, 24 precede the specific
answer, and are general principles; verses 25-30 contain the
practical answer; verses 31-33 and verse 1 of the next chapter are
again general principles, wide and imperative enough to mould all
conduct, as well as to settle the matter immediately in hand, which,
important as it was at Corinth, has become entirely uninteresting to
us.

We need not spend time in elucidating the specific directions given
as to the particular question in hand further than to note the
immense gift of saving common-sense which Paul had, and how sanely
and moderately he dealt with his problem. His advice was--'Don't ask
where the joint set before you came from. If you do not know that it
was offered, your eating of it does not commit you to idol worship.'
No doubt there were Corinthian Christians with inflamed consciences
who did ask su