1 Corinthians 10:31

31 So eat and drink and do everything else for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 10:31

Whether therefore ye eat or drink
Which may principally refer to eating things sacrificed to idols, and drinking the libations of wine offered to them, since this is the subject of the apostle's discourse; in doing of which he directs them to have the glory of God in view, and so to conduct, that that end may be answered: and it may also be applied to common eating and drinking, or to ordinary meals upon food, about which there is no dispute; and which common actions of life are done to the glory of God, when every mercy is considered and owned as coming from him; and when we confess ourselves unworthy of any; and when we ascribe all we have to the free and unmerited goodness of God; and enjoy every mercy of this kind, as a fruit of our Father's love to us, as a blessing of the covenant, and as coming to us through the blood of Christ; when we are contented and satisfied with what we have, and act faith continually on God for future fresh supplies, and give thanks for all we receive: and if this, then much more eating and drinking in an ordinance way should be directed to the glory of God and Christ, as eating the bread, and drinking the wine in the Lord's supper; and which is so done, when it is done in a decent and reverend manner, in the exercise of faith, discerning the Lord's body, eating his flesh, and drinking his blood in a spiritual manner, without dependence on the actions done, and in remembrance of the love of God and Christ.

Or whatsoever ye do;
in a natural, civil, or religious respect, in preaching, hearing, praying, fasting, giving of alms whatever in the closet, in the family, in the church, or in the world, in private, or in public:

do all to the glory of God;
God's glory is the end of all his works and actions; in creation, providence, and grace; in election, in the covenant, in the blessings and promises of it, in redemption, in the effectual calling, and in bringing many sons to glory. The same is the end of all Christ's actions, as man and Mediator, of his doctrines and miracles, of his obedience, sufferings, and death in this world, and of his interceding life in the other; who, as he lives to make intercession for us, lives unto God, to the glory of God; and therefore the glory of God should be the end of all our actions: besides, without this no action can be truly called a good one; if a man seeks himself, his own glory, and popular applause, or has any sinister and selfish end in view in what he does, it cannot be said, nor will it be accounted by God to be a good action. The Jews have a saying much like this, (Mymv Mvl wyhy Kyvem lk) "let all thy works be done to the glory of God" ^F16; which one of their commentators ^F17 explains thus:

``even when thou art employed in eating and drinking, and in the business of life, thou shalt not design thy bodily profit, but that thou mayest be strong to do the will of thy Creator.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Pirke Abot, c. 2, sect. 12.
F17 Bartenora in ib.

1 Corinthians 10:31 In-Context

29 I'm talking about the other person's sense of what is right and wrong, not yours. Why should my freedom be judged by what someone else thinks?

30 Suppose I give thanks when I eat. Then why should I be blamed for eating food I thank God for?

31 So eat and drink and do everything else for the glory of God.

32 Don't do anything that causes another person to trip and fall. It doesn't matter if that person is a Jew or a Greek or a member of God's church.

33 Follow my example. I try to please everyone in every way. I'm not looking out for what is good for me. I'm looking out for the interests of others. I do it so that they might be saved.