Theophylact of Ohrid, on 1Tim 4:4

“For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving:”

“For "all things," it says, "were very good" (Gen. 1:31). By saying "creature of God," the apostle designated everything that can be used for food, and in this way already overthrew the error of those who introduce uncreated matter and say that everything came from it. If something is sanctified, does this not mean that it is unclean? No, the apostle makes a qualification. First he essentially says that nothing is unclean, then with a qualification: suppose, he says, that there is something unclean, but you have a remedy: make the sign of the cross over it, give thanks, render glory to God — and the uncleanness disappears. For thanksgiving purifies all things; but the ungrateful person is himself unclean and defiled. Can we then in this way also purify food offered to idols? Yes, if we do not know that it is food offered to idols. But if we know and partake of it, then we are unclean, because we have violated the law commanding us not to partake in the table of demons. Consequently, it is your free will that is defiled by disobedience, while food by its nature is never unclean.”

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