Rom 14:14 | TNotes | STEP | 14:14 no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat (literally nothing is common in itself ): The word common signals that the root concern that Paul was addressing was Jewish purity regulations. Jews described food as common if it was not clean (i.e., not kosher), thereby causing a Jew to become ritually impure (see Lev 11 ; cp. Mark 7:2 , 5 ; Acts 10:14 ). Paul again follows the teaching of Jesus that “every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes” (Mark 7:19 ). • for that person it is wrong: The truth that no food is wrong to eat was not easy for pious Jews to accept because they had been raised to honor God by avoiding certain foods. Paul urges those who are strong in faith not to force others to violate their consciences (cp. 1 Cor 8:1-13 ).

bLev 11►

cMark 7:2►

eActs 10:14►

fMark 7:19►

g1 Cor 8:1-13►

‏ Romans 14:14

14:14 ^a no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat (literally nothing is common in itself): The word common signals that the root concern that Paul was addressing was Jewish purity regulations. Jews described food as common if it was not clean (i.e., not kosher), thereby causing a Jew to become ritually impure (see Lev 11 ^b; cp. Mark 7:2 ^c, 5 ^d; Acts 10:14 ^e). Paul again follows the teaching of Jesus that “every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes” (Mark 7:19 ^f).

• for that person it is wrong: The truth that no food is wrong to eat was not easy for pious Jews to accept because they had been raised to honor God by avoiding certain foods. Paul urges those who are strong in faith not to force others to violate their consciences (cp. 1 Cor 8:1-13 ^g).