Theophylact of Ohrid, on 1Tim 4:3

“Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that have known the truth.”

“That is, since they knew much that was impure about themselves, their conscience bore the branded marks of their impure life, and therefore condemned marriage. For if their life had truly been pure, their conscience too would have been pure and would not have condemned what God had blessed. Just as an ailing stomach condemns food, while it itself has bad digestive juices within. So then what? Do we forbid entering into marriage? By no means. But those who do not wish to enter into marriage we direct toward the keeping of virginity, teaching that it is more honorable; but from this it does not follow that marriage is already dishonorable, just as from the fact that gold is more honorable, it does not follow that it is more honorable than something honorable, and the better is better than the good, not the bad. Therefore, let the one who is able take up the gold of virginity; and the one who cannot, let him accept the silver of marriage. What then? Did not God create foods even for unbelievers? Yes, but they abstain from them. So what then? Is indulgence not forbidden? Very much so, but not the eating of food. For eating observes moderation, while indulgence knows no measure. However, even the indulgence in food is not unclean in itself, but because it weakens the soul of those who give themselves over to it. "And those who have known the truth." Everything pertaining to the Jews was a type, but now truth reigns. Many things were forbidden to the Jews (Lev. 11 ff.), not as unclean, but in order to root out indulgence—so that they, being placed in a constrained position by the many prohibitions, would slaughter bulls and sheep and in this way come to know what kind of gods the Egyptians had invented for themselves. So by "truth" understand either faith in Christ, or simply that truth of which he will presently speak.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.