Be without offence to the Jews, and to the Gentiles, and to the church of God:

“But the same apostle elsewhere bids us take care to please all: "As I," he says, "please all by all means." No doubt he used to please them by celebrating the Saturnalia and New-year's day! [Was it so] or was it by moderation and patience? by gravity, by kindness, by integrity? In like manner, when he is saying, "I have become all things to all, that I may gain all," does he mean "to idolaters an idolater? ""to heathens a heathen? ""to the worldly worldly? "But albeit he does not prohibit us from having our conversation with idolaters and adulterers, and the other criminals, saying, "Otherwise ye would go out from the world," of course he does not so slacken those reins of conversation that, since it is necessary for us both to live and to mingle with sinners, we may be able to sin with them too.”

“For the hearts of men are firmly set on evil. And, that we may not give a pretext to those who desire to get a pretext against us and to speak evil of us, and that we may not be a stumbling-block to any one, on this account we cut off the pretext of those who desire to get a pretext against us; on this account we must be "on our guard that we be to no one a stumbling-block, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor yet to the Church of God; and we must not seek that which is profitable to ourselves only, but that which is for the profit of many, so that they may be saved." [1 Corinthians 10:32-33] For this does not profit us, that another stumble because of us. Let us, therefore, be studiously on our guard at all times, that we do not smite our brethren and give them to drink of a disquieting conscience through our being to them a stumbling-block. For "if for the sake of meat our brother be made sad, or shocked, or made weak, or caused to stumble, we are not walking in the love of God. For the sake of meat thou causest him to perish for whose sake Christ died." [Romans 14:15] For, in "thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their sickly consciences, ye sin against Christ Himself. For, if for the sake of meat my brother is made to stumble," let us who are believers say, "Never will we eat flesh, that we may not make our brother to stumble." [1 Corinthians 8:12-13]”

“"Give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the Church of God:" i.e., give no handle to anyone: since in the case supposed, both thy brother is offended, and the Jew will the more hate and condemn thee, and the Gentile in like manner deride thee even as a gluttonous man and a hypocrite. Not only, however, should the brethren receive no hurt from us, but to the utmost of our power not even those that are without. For if we are "light," and "leaven," and "luminaries," and "salt," we ought to enlighten, not to darken; to bind, not to loosen; to draw to ourselves the unbelievers, not to drive them away. Why then puttest thou to flight those whom thou oughtest to draw to thee? Since even Gentiles are hurt, when they see us reverting to such things: for they know not our mind nor that our Soul hath come to be above all pollution of sense. And the Jews too, and the weaker brethren, will suffer the same. Seest thou how many reasons he hath assigned for which we ought to abstain from the idol-sacrifices? Because of their unprofitableness, because of their needlessness, because of the injury to our brother, because of the evil-speaking of the Jew, because of the reviling of the Gentile, because we ought not to be partakers with demons, because the thing is a kind of idolatry.”

“Having dealt with when it is lawful to eat of things sacrificed to idols and when not, here he shows what, in both cases, they ought to intend: first with respect to God, because they ought to seek his glory; second with respect to the neighbor, because they ought to guard against his offense, at "be without offense," etc. In the first part, he first introduces a manifold act; second, he urges the due intention of the acts, at "all things in the glory of God," etc. He says therefore "whether... therefore," etc., as if to say: because these evils occur, therefore whether you eat, or drink, which are works of necessity, or do anything else, do all things to the glory of God, and with invocation of the Creator, with that intention, that God may be praised and glorified. Matthew 5:16: "thus let your light shine before men," etc. Colossians 3:17: "whatever you do, in word or deed, do all things to the glory of God." Augustine, on Psalm 34, sermon 2, at the end: "If these things are done rightly, they are praises of God. Let not therefore only your voice sound the praises of God, but let your works also agree with your voice. For when God is praised for a good work, you praise God, and when God is blasphemed for your evil work, you blaspheme God." Then when he says "be without offense," etc., he warns them to guard against the offense of others, and he urges this first by word, second by example, at "as I also in all things," etc. Where he sets himself as an example: first, of peaceable conduct; second, of fruitful action, at "not seeking what is profitable to me," etc.; third, of right intention, at "that they may be saved." Happy is he whose conduct is lovable, whose action is useful, whose intention is wholesome. He says therefore "without offense," etc., as if to say: that all things may be done to the glory of God, be without offense to the Jews, who do not worship idols, and are therefore scandalized by such eating; and to the Gentiles, who worship idols, and are therefore confirmed in error by such eating; and to the Church of God, as regards those weak in faith, who are offended by it. The Jews are under the law, but are not under faith; the Gentiles are neither under the law, nor in faith; the Church of God is both under the law and in faith. Romans 12:18: "if it be possible, as much as is in you, having peace with all men." "As I also in all things please all men," as one who conducts himself without scandal. "I," he says, "not seeking what is profitable to me only, but what is profitable to many." Behold the best way of pleasing all: if the benefit of all, not private advantage, is sought. "Charity," I say, "does not seek the things that are her own." What is profitable, I say, to many, and this not for some temporal advantage, but to this end, that they may be saved. Philippians, last chapter: "I seek not the gift, but the fruit." It should be noted that there are many things which deservedly make men pleasing. First, prudence in counsels, as an advocate pleases his client, a steward pleases his prince. Genesis 41:37: "the counsel pleased Pharaoh, and all his servants." Ecclesiasticus 20:29: "a prudent man will please the great." Second, cleanness in deeds, as a spouse pleases a spouse, an instrument pleases its user. 1 Kings 2:26: "but the child Samuel grew and advanced, pleasing both God and men." Not so the sons of Heli. Third, piety in intercessions, as a physician pleases the sick, a staff pleases the old man. Whence concerning the burial of Abner it is said, 2 Kings 3:36: "all things that David did pleased them," etc. Fourth, wisdom in words, as light pleases the traveler, greenness pleases the sight. Joshua 22:33: "the word pleased all who heard it." Ecclesiasticus 20:29: "a wise man in words will advance himself, and a prudent man will please the great." Fifth, clemency in answers, as flavor pleases the taste, melody pleases the ear. 2 Chronicles 10:7: "if you will please this people, and soothe them with clement words, they will serve you at all times." Sixth, fortitude in wars, as a boxer pleases the one who hires him, a soldier pleases his prince. 1 Kings 18:22: "the servants of Saul said to David: behold, you please the king, and all his servants love you." Seventh, generosity in benefits, as rain pleases the parched earth, as a spring pleases the thirsty. 1 Maccabees 14:4, concerning Simon: "he sought the good of his nation, and his power pleased them." Here a question is raised concerning that saying, "I would not have you be partners of demons." The Gloss: to this kind belong the things that are done by hanging or binding certain things. On the contrary: therefore the hanging of herbs around the neck, or of little papers, which is customarily done, pertains to idolatry. Response. Either the herbs have from nature a natural power toward that effect, or they do not. In the first case it does not pertain to idolatry, but in the second it does. Similarly with little scrolls: either they contain only sacred words, and are believed on this account to have power, or not. In the first case it does not pertain to idolatry, but in the second it does. Again, concerning that saying, "all things are lawful to me," the Gloss: by the power of free will, and the teaching of the natural law. On the contrary, according to the natural law many things are unlawful. I respond. Here he speaks specifically about foods. Again, in the same place, the Gloss: those things are forbidden by the precept of the Lord. I respond. Those precepts were for a time, and have been revoked. Again, "asking nothing." On the contrary, Tobit 2:21: "see lest perhaps it be stolen." I respond. It is not similar, because it is not lawful to eat stolen food in itself, but it is lawful to eat what has been sacrificed to an idol, unless on account of another's scandal. Again, "do all things to the glory of God." On the contrary: therefore no act is indifferent. I respond. This reference to the glory of God is understood either in act, or in the aptitude for being so referred, which is found not only in good things, but also in indifferent things. Again, "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness." On the contrary, the same reasoning held under the law. Therefore if all things are now clean, because they are the Lord's, they were so then too. I respond. They were called unclean by the reckoning of the law, but not by their own nature. Again, "as I in all things please all men." On the contrary, Galatians 1:10: "if I pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Again, how did he please his persecutors? I respond to the first: he wished to please men for God's sake, not for his own. To the second argument, this is understood not of all generally, but of churchmen, according to the Gloss.”

“Even as I please all men in all things,.... The apostle sets himself as an example, though he was far from being a man pleaser, in the bad sense of that phrase; nor must these all things, in which he is said to please all men, be taken in the largest sense; but are to be understood of things indifferent, which might be done or avoided, without breaking the law of or contradicting the Gospel of Christ, or any of its rules and ordinances, to all which the apostle was inviolably attached; nor did he in these things seek to please men, but in all to act the part of a faithful servant of Christ, and steward of the mysteries of grace; see Co1 9:19. Moreover, it is not to bc thought that in fact he pleased all men; it is certain he did not; but he studied to please them; he did all that in him lay; he took the most proper methods to do it, though they were sometimes ineffectual. Not seeking my own profit; worldly profit and advantage, riches, wealth, the emoluments of life, ease, rest, and pleasure; and chiefly he means the use of liberty in things indifferent; he was willing to forego all for the good of others: but the profit of many, that they may be saved; he neglected his own private advantage, and the gratifying of himself in anything which was otherwise lawful, when he saw that would be an offence to others, be an hinderance of the Gospel, and deter any from embracing the Christian doctrine; that so he might be the, means of promoting the spiritual profit and edification of many souls, that they might be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; He does not say all, but many, knowing that all will not be saved, only the elect of God; and whereas he knew not who these were, nor where they lay, he behaved in this manner to all men, that he might be the instrument of the spiritual good and salvation of the chosen ones among them, by preaching the Gospel to them without offence. Next: 1 Corinthians Chapter 11”

“Give none offence--in things indifferent (Co1 8:13; Rom 14:13; Co2 6:3); for in all essential things affecting Christian doctrine and practice, even in the smallest detail, we must not swerve from principle, whatever offense may be the result (Co1 1:23). Giving offense is unnecessary, if our own spirit cause it; necessary, if it be caused by the truth.”