John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 10:25

"Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience` sake," — 1 Corinthians 10:25 (ASV)

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles. He has spoken previously about pretense in connection with idolatry, or at least, concerning those actions the Corinthians could not engage in without professing themselves to be associates of the wicked in their superstitions. He now requires them not only to abstain from all professions of idolatry but also to carefully avoid all occasions of offense, which tend to arise from the indiscriminate use of indifferent matters.

For, although there was only one kind of offense on the part of the Corinthians, there were, at the same time, different degrees of it. Now, concerning the eating of food, he makes, in the first place, this general statement — that it is lawful to eat any kind of food with a safe conscience, because the Lord permits it.

In the second place, he restricts this liberty in its use — so that weak consciences are not injured. Thus, this conclusion is divided into two parts: the first relates to liberty and power concerning indifferent matters, and the second to a limitation of it, so that its use may be regulated in accordance with the rule of love.

Debating nothing. ᾿Ανακρίνεσθαι, the word that Paul uses, means to reason on both sides in such a way that the person’s mind vacillates, inclining now to this side and then to that. Accordingly, regarding a distinction of meats, he frees our consciences from all scruple and hesitation, because it is right that when we are certain from the word of the Lord that He approves of what we do, we should have peace and tranquility in our minds.

For conscience sake — that is, before the judgment seat of God — “As far as your relationship with God is concerned, there is no need for you to debate with yourself whether it is lawful or not. For I allow you to eat freely of all kinds of meat, because the Lord allows you everything without exception.”