in 1st Corinthians, Paul is all across the board on whether it’s okay for a Christian to eat food offered to Pagan god

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Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 8 - New Living Translation

Food Sacrificed to Idols - Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t...

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1st Corinthians, chapter 8 —

1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes [Some manuscripts say, ”the person who loves has full knowledge”]

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9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

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Paul argues with himself. That’s a big part of how he figures things out.

And note the extremist statement in verse 13. Hey, Brother Paul, it’s too much. And please understand, you yourself will later argue against it.

 

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Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 9 - New Living Translation

Paul Gives Up His Rights - Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s...

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chapter 9 —

7 What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? 8 Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 9 For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” [Deuteronomy 25:4] Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? 10 Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.

11 Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? 12 If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.

13 Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. 14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. 15 Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge.

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20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.

22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

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Paul is happy to conform on lesser law. But he follows the law of God and the law of Christ. That is what’s important.

Toward the top of this chapter, Paul is almost taking the attitude, After all I do for you people! And you can’t even provide me with a little food, and I shouldn’t even have to ask!

Meaning, that the Apostle Paul is as capable of being “hangry” as any the rest of us.

And then toward the end, Paul talks himself into a more servant-leadership approach and attitude [which in the real world only sometimes works, I’m sorry but that’s the truth of the matter!]

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 10 - New Living Translation

Lessons from Israel’s Idolatry - I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were...

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chapter 10 —

27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. 28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles [or, “Greek”] or the church of God. 33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

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The part I put in large print contradicts both the part both before and after it!

I think we all argue with ourselves some of the time. That’s one way we figure things out and/or make decisions. And Paul really adopts this as a writing style.

I like verse 27 — “If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.”

To me, it’s basically saying, if someone offers you a kindness, be open to accepting it on those terms. Of course, it may be someone you don’t care to get to know better. Or, sure, people sometimes use kindness as a way to try to trick you.

Verse 27 can also be read as saying, stick up for a member of your family or a friend who has an issue of conscience. Especially, don’t try to pressure them into doing something which they believe to be wrong.

 

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Bible Gateway passage: Romans 16 - New Living Translation

Paul Greets His Friends - I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me. Give my greetings to...

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Romans, chapter 16: verse 22 —

“I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.”

 

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Google AI —

When did the Apostle Paul probably use a secretary?

“The Apostle Paul used a secretary, or amanuensis, for most of his letters because it was a common practice in the Greco-Roman world. Evidence from biblical texts indicates he probably used them throughout his missionary journeys, particularly for longer, more complex letters like Romans. For other epistles, he sometimes wrote the closing himself to add a personal and authenticating touch.“
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“Some scholars suggest Paul had a physical condition, possibly related to his eyesight, that made writing difficult. His reference to "large letters" in Galatians 6:11 is often cited as a possible consequence of poor vision.”
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Okay, so common practice, and poor eyesight.

Then we can ask, what degree of writing freedom did Paul grant to his secretary in order to achieve the goal of a good, literate letter?

And “amanuensis” is a synonym for secretary, and what a wonderfully fancy word!

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Bible Gateway passage: Galatians 6 - New Living Translation

We Harvest What We Plant - Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey...

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Galatians, chapter 6 —

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10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

11 NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING.

12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.

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So, verse 11 in all caps looks like the only verse Paul wrote himself.

This was his dictated Letter to the Galatians, which the scribe has cleaned up [maybe!] and made literary [to a greater or lesser degree]. I guess a lot depends on how much of a micro-manager Paul is, and that can change over time as a person gains experience.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

and the Bible is written by people, no more, no less