1 Corinthians 8 · Grade 5
Knowledge Puffs Up
Read and Think
The question of food sacrificed to idols touched daily life in Corinth. Meat sold in the market and served at social meals often came from pagan sacrifices. Some Corinthians, confident in their theology, claimed that since an idol is nothing, they were free to eat anything, even at temple banquets.
Paul grants their premise. There is no God but one: one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things. Yet he challenges their attitude. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Real knowledge is not mastery of ideas but being known by God and loving Him.
The decisive issue is the weaker brother. Some believers, used to idol worship, could not eat such food without feeling they were worshiping again. If they saw a stronger believer eating in a temple, they might be emboldened to act against their conscience and be spiritually harmed. To wound the conscience of a brother for whom Christ died is to sin against Christ. Paul concludes that he would rather never eat meat than cause his brother to stumble.
Show What You Know
What claim did some confident Corinthians make?
How does Paul describe real knowledge?
Why could the strong believer's example harm a weaker brother?
How does Paul describe wounding a weaker brother's conscience?
Crossword
Across
- And wounding their conscience when it is ____
- With consciousness of an ____ until now
- If food causes my ____ to stumble
Down
- But if anyone thinks that he knows ____
- We know that we all have ____
Think About It
Paul limits his own freedom out of love for others. Are there freedoms you might set aside so that your example helps rather than harms someone else?
Paul says knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. How can a person grow in understanding of God without becoming proud?
Memory Verse
“Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.”
1 Corinthians 8:13 (WEB)
Copy It
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for love that builds others up. Help me . Amen.
Take It Home
For families: talk about these together.
- Who around you might be helped by your patience?
- How can you grow in knowledge without pride?
- What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?
Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.