He calls the salvation of a brother the work of God. Therefore, do not destroy that which was acquired for him by God, and moreover for the sake of food, that is, by an unwillingness to abstain from pork, in order to gain benefit for yourself.
Rom. 14:20. Everything is clean, but it is bad for the man who eats so as to cause stumbling.
Having made a strict prohibition to the perfect one, he feared lest the weak one be confirmed in evil thoughts. Therefore he again turns to the doctrine and says that all things are clean, but it is bad for the one who eats with a bad conscience and after having been scandalized. For the imperfect one, who considers pork unclean, if he eats it under compulsion, suffers greater harm. Therefore you must first teach him that all things are clean.
Rom. 14:21. It is better not to eat meat, not to drink wine, and not to do anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak.
You, he says, compel your brother to eat what he does not dare to eat, but I say that you must abstain from everything that causes your brother to stumble, not because it is evil (for all things are clean), but because it causes stumbling. By the word "stumbles" he showed that he is blinded, for the blind stumble. And he "is offended" as one who is fickle, and "is made weak" as one of little faith. By all this he draws the stronger one to help his brother, as one who is utterly infirm.
Rom. 14:22. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself, before God.
Here he secretly hints that the mature one was displaying his maturity out of vainglory. He says: you want to show me that you are mature in faith regarding food, believing that everything is good and clean? Do not show me, but be content with the testimony of conscience before God, to Whom you show this.
Rom. 14:22. Blessed is he who does not condemn himself in what he chooses.
Even if no one else sees your blessedness, be content with yourself, if you yourself do not condemn yourself and your conscience does not condemn you in a matter that you have approved or chosen. Understand this only concerning the present subject, that is, concerning food.
Rom. 14:23. But he who doubts, if he eats, is condemned, because it is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.
He who doubts, he says, and eats without being convinced, is condemned. Why? Not because the food was unclean, but because he was not sure that it was clean, and thought that he was touching it as something unclean. He who is not convinced and does not believe that the food is clean, but eats it with a guilty conscience, certainly sins.
Rom. 14:24. Now to Him who is able to strengthen you, according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept silent from eternal times,
Rom. 14:25. but which has now been revealed, and through the prophetic Scriptures, by the command of the eternal God, has been made known to all nations for the obedience of faith,
Rom. 14:26. To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever. Amen.
To conclude exhortations with prayer is the constant custom of the Apostle Paul. So he does now as well: he prays for the imperfect, and not only teaches by word, but also entreats help from God through prayers. The connection of the discourse is as follows: "To Him who is able to establish you through Jesus Christ be glory forever. Amen." "To Him who is able to establish you," the imperfect, the wavering. In what manner? "According to my gospel," that is, so that you may hold fast to what I teach. And my gospel and the preaching of Christ are one and the same, for this is not our teaching, but His laws. "According to the revelation of the mystery." This is a sign of the greatest honor, that we have become partakers of the mysteries, that is, of a subject which, although foreordained from of old, has now been made manifest through the prophetic scriptures. Therefore, what do you fear, O weak one? That by eating swine's flesh you might depart from the law? But behold, all the Scriptures proclaim that mystery which introduces indifference in food. This is accomplished even "by the command of the eternal God." Therefore your duty is not to contradict, but to believe and obey God; for faith demands obedience, not inquisitiveness. Moreover, all the nations believe in this way, for that mystery has become known to all. How then do you continue to serve the law in slavish fashion? He said "to the only wise God" in order to distinguish God from the angels and from us, and by no means from the Son — God forbid; for the wisdom of the Father is the Son. Therefore, glory be to Him who revealed the mystery, and not to the law, to which you continue to resort by observing distinctions in food. The words "through Jesus Christ," as stated above, can be connected thus: "To Him who is able to establish you through Jesus Christ." But they can also be understood thus: revealed to all nations through Jesus Christ; for the mystery was revealed to the nations by the very One who sent the disciples to teach all nations.