Paul’s Penetration Into Gentile Culture
Our text is found in the larger context of Paul addressing concerns about eating meats sacrificed to idols (chpts 8-10). Such dietary regulations are in view as Paul describes the next cultural category: those who are without Law (v21). These are Gentiles by race, but they are here defined in terms of their relationship to Old Covenant dietary law. Their diet immediately identified them as coming from cultures other than the Old Covenant theocratic rule of YHWH.
When Paul ministered among such Gentiles, he gladly relinquished his Kosher diet and would eat anything that [was] set before [him], without asking questions for conscience’ sake (1 Cor 10:27).
When Paul was in Galatia he evidently ignored Jewish food laws (Gal 2:11-14) and later told the Galatians that in the New Covenant, circumcision is irrelevant. What is relevant is being a new creation with faith working through love (Gal 5:6; 6:15). He likewise released the Colossians from any responsibility to Old Covenant ceremonial diet and Sabbath holidays (Col 2:16-17). Paul, the New Covenant Christian, was under no obligation to the Old Covenant ceremonial cuisine or calendar. He is as without law – in context, he is alluding to the Old Covenant ceremonial law.
The church in Rome was also unsettled about the propriety of eating food that had been prepared in a pagan temple and then purchased in the market (Rom 14). There we learn that Paul, as one of the strong, would voluntarily abstain from eating what was otherwise permissible if the eating caused a weaker brother to stumble.
Paul had the same concern to avoid unnecessary offense when he wrote to Corinth. But some of the Corinthians were pushing the envelope of their “liberties” and going into the pagan temples to eat ritually prepared food in the presence of idols! Paul later tells them that they must not drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons (1 Cor 10:21).
Relinquished liberty is one thing, but idolatry is another. Paul accommodated himself to cultural customs, only if they did not violate God’s moral Law.