John Gill 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
the word (makellon), rendered "shambles", here used, is a Latin word, and is made use of by Latin writers in the same sense as here, for a place where food was sold^F9. The original of the name is said^F11 to be this: one Macellus, a very wicked and profane man, was condemned to die for his robberies and filthy life. A place for selling provisions was built in his house by Aemylius and Fulvius, censors, and this place was called "Macellum" from his name.

The Syriac version retains the word here, and so do the Talmudists, and Rabbins^F12 frequently; who say^F13 ,

``(Nylwqm), the "shambles", and the butchers of Israel, though flesh of them is found in the hand of a stranger, it is free:'' into these places the priests sent to be sold what was offered to their idols, which they could not dispense with themselves, or thought not lawful to make use of; for the Egyptians, as Herodotus says^F14, used to cut off the heads of their beasts that were sacrificed, and carry them into the market and sell them to the Greeks, and if there were no buyers you cast them into the river. Now the apostle allows, that such meat that was sold in the shambles might be bought and eat of, but not in an idol's temple; there was a difference between an idol's temple, and eating things sacrificed to idols there, and buying them in shambles or meat market, and eating them at home:

that eat ;
buy, carry home, dress and eat, in your own houses:

asking no question ;
whether it was sacrificed to idols, or not:

for conscience sake ;
either a man's own, which may be hurt, wounded, and defiled, by eating contrary to it, should he know that what he eats had been offered to an idol; whereas if he asks no questions, and knows nothing of the matter, his conscience will not be afflicted: or else another man's that may stand by whilst the meat is bought, and sold; and who hearing questions asked and answered, and yet observes the meat, though sacrificed to idols, dressed and ate by the buyer, his conscience being weak, may be offended and grieved.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F9: Vid. Suet. Vita Jul. Caesar, c. 43. & Tiber. Nero, c. 34.
• F11: Alex. ab Alex Genial Diet. l. 3. c. 23.
• F12: T. Hieros. Chagiga, fol. 76. 2. T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 29. 2. Bereshit Rabba, fol. 75. 3.
• F13: T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 95. 1.
• F14: L. 2. c. 39.