The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 8:2 Explained

1 Corinthians 8:2

KJV: And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

YLT: and if any one doth think to know anything, he hath not yet known anything according as it behoveth him to know;

Darby: If any one think he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know it.

ASV: If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know;

Discover 1 Corinthians 8:2

CONTEXT: What is the Context of 1 Corinthians 8:2?

MEANING: What does 1 Corinthians 8:2 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 8:2 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in 1 Corinthians 8:2?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  if any man  think  that he knoweth  any thing,  he knoweth  nothing  yet  as  he ought  to know. 

What does 1 Corinthians 8:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul warned that if anyone thinks he or she has fully mastered any subject he or she can count on the fact that he or she has not. The reason for this is that there is always more to any subject than any one person ever appreciates. There is always another facet to it, another point of view that one has not considered when examining it, or more information about it.
This person"s knowledge is deficient in another sense. His attitude toward his knowledge is wrong. He arrogantly and unrealistically claims to have exhausted his subject rather than humbly realizing that he has not done so. To think one has fully mastered any subject is the height of arrogance. Paul said what he did here to humble some of his readers. Some claimed that since there are no such things as idols it was perfectly obvious what the Christian"s relation to eating meat in an idol"s temple should be.
"True gnosis [1] consists not in the accumulation of so much data, nor even in the correctness of one"s theology, but in the fact that one has learned to live in love toward all." [2]
"The distinction which it seems that these rather cumbersome clauses seek to express is between, on the one hand, the collection of pieces of information (gnosis) about God, and, on the other, the state of being personally, and rightly, related to him." [3]
"A famous preacher used to say, "Some Christians grow; others just swell."" [4]

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 - Consideration For Others' Weakness
It was the heathen custom of the time to present for blessing in the idol temples the food that was sold and bought in public marketplaces. A grave question arose, therefore, as to whether the Christian convert might partake of such food without blame. Paul took a broad and common-sense view of the situation. He declared there is only one God and that an idol is an absolute nonentity. Therefore it was a matter of perfect indifference what the heathen butchers might have done before they exposed their meat for sale. At the same time if some weaker brother were really thrown back in his Christian life by seeing his fellow-believer eating in a heathen temple, that in itself would at once be a sufficient reason why the stronger should abstain for the weaker brother's sake. There are many things which, so far as we personally are concerned, we might feel free to do or permit, but which we must avoid if they threaten to hinder the practice or divert the course of some fellow-Christian. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 8

1  To abstain from food offered to idols
8  We must not abuse our Christian liberty, to the offense of our brothers;
11  but must bridle our knowledge with charity

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 8:2

Puffeth up [πυσιοι]
From πυσιοω — phusioō (present indicative active). See note on 1 Corinthians 4:6. Pride may be the result, not edification (οικοδομει — oikodomei) which comes from love. Note article (η — hē) with both γνωσις — gnōsis and αγαπη — agapē making the contrast sharper. See note on 1 Thessalonians 5:11 for the verb oikodomeō to build up. Love is the solution, not knowledge, in all social problems. [source]
That he knoweth anything [egnōkenai ti)]
Perfect active infinitive in indirect discourse after οικοδομεω — dokei (condition of first class with εγνωκεναι τι — ei). So “has acquired knowledge” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:18), has gone to the bottom of the subject. He knoweth not yet (δοκει — oupō egnō). Second aorist active indicative, timeless aorist, summary (punctiliar) statement of his ignorance. As he ought to know Second aorist active infinitive, ingressive aorist (come to know). Newton‘s remark that he was only gathering pebbles on the shore of the ocean of truth is pertinent. The really learned man knows his ignorance of what lies beyond. Shallow knowledge is like the depth of the mud hole, not of the crystal spring. [source]
He knoweth not yet [δοκει]
Second aorist active indicative, timeless aorist, summary (punctiliar) statement of his ignorance. [source]
As he ought to know [ει]
Second aorist active infinitive, ingressive aorist (come to know). Newton‘s remark that he was only gathering pebbles on the shore of the ocean of truth is pertinent. The really learned man knows his ignorance of what lies beyond. Shallow knowledge is like the depth of the mud hole, not of the crystal spring. [source]
That he knoweth anything [ἐγνωκέναι τι]
Or, literally, has come to know. See on John 2:24; see on John 3:10; see on John 17:3. Showing in what sense knowledge was used in the previous clause: fancied knowledge; knowledge of divine things without love. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 8:2

1 Corinthians 10:29 For why is my liberty judged by another conscience? [ινα τι γαρ η ελευτερια μου κρινεται υπο αλλης συνειδησεωσ]
Supply γενηται — genētai (deliberative subjunctive) after τι — ti Paul deftly puts himself in the place of the strong brother at such a banquet who is expected to conform his conscience to that of the weak brother who makes the point about a particular piece of meat. It is an abridgment of one‘s personal liberty in the interest of the weak brother. Two individualities clash. The only reason is love which builds up (1 Corinthians 8:2 and all of chapter 1 Corinthians 13:1-13). There is this eternal collision between the forces of progress and reaction. If they work together, they must consider the welfare of each other. [source]
1 Corinthians 8:13 Maketh my brother to stumble [σκανδαλιζει τον αδελπον μου]
Late verb (lxx and N.T.) to set a trap-stick (Matthew 5:29) or stumbling-block like προσκομμα — proskomma in 1 Corinthians 8:9 (cf. Romans 14:13, Romans 14:21). Small boys sometimes set snares for other boys, not merely for animals to see them caught. I will eat no flesh for evermore (ου μη παγω κρεα εις τον αιωνα — ou mē phagō krea eis ton aiōna). The strong double negative ου μη — ou mē with the second aorist subjunctive. Here Paul has flesh (κρεα — krea) with direct reference to the flesh offered to idols. Old word, but in N.T. only here and Romans 14:21. This is Paul‘s principle of love (1 Corinthians 8:2) applied to the matter of eating meats offered to idols. Paul had rather be a vegetarian than to lead his weak brother to do what he considered sin. There are many questions of casuistry today that can only be handled wisely by Paul‘s ideal of love. [source]
1 Corinthians 8:13 I will eat no flesh for evermore [ου μη παγω κρεα εις τον αιωνα]
The strong double negative ου μη — ou mē with the second aorist subjunctive. Here Paul has flesh (κρεα — krea) with direct reference to the flesh offered to idols. Old word, but in N.T. only here and Romans 14:21. This is Paul‘s principle of love (1 Corinthians 8:2) applied to the matter of eating meats offered to idols. Paul had rather be a vegetarian than to lead his weak brother to do what he considered sin. There are many questions of casuistry today that can only be handled wisely by Paul‘s ideal of love. [source]
1 John 3:2 It is not yet made manifest [ουπω επανερωτη]
First aorist passive indicative of πανεροω — phaneroō For the aorist indicative with ουπω — oupō with a future outlook Brooke notes Mark 11:2; 1 Corinthians 8:2; Hebrews 12:4; Revelation 17:10, Revelation 17:12.What we shall be (τι εσομετα — ti esometha). Not τινες — tines (who), but τι — ti (what) neuter singular predicate nominative. “This what suggests something unspeakable, contained in the likeness of God” (Bengel).If he shall be manifested As in 1 John 2:28, which see. The subject may be Christ as in 1 John 3:9, or the future manifestation just mentioned. Either makes sense, probably “it” here better than “he.”Like him (ομοιοι αυτωι — homoioi autōi). Αυτωι — Autōi is associative instrumental case after ομοιοι — homoioi This is our destiny and glory (Romans 8:29), to be like Jesus who is like God (2 Corinthians 4:6).We shall see him even as he is Future middle indicative of οραω — horaō The transforming power of this vision of Christ (1 Corinthians 13:12) is the consummation of the glorious process begun at the new birth (2 Corinthians 3:18). [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 8:2 mean?

If anyone thinks to have known anything not yet does he know as it is necessary to know
εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἐγνωκέναι τι οὔπω ἔγνω καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι

τις  anyone 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
δοκεῖ  thinks 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δοκέω  
Sense: to be of opinion, think, suppose.
ἐγνωκέναι  to  have  known 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Infinitive Active
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
τι  anything 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
οὔπω  not  yet 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὔπω  
Sense: not yet.
ἔγνω  does  he  know 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
δεῖ  it  is  necessary 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεῖ  
Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.
γνῶναι  to  know 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.

What are the major concepts related to 1 Corinthians 8:2?

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Similar Scriptures for 1 Corinthians 8:2

1 Corinthians 13:12 [11]
1 Corinthians 3:18 [8]
1 Timothy 6:3-4 [6]
Proverbs 26:12 [5]
Galatians 6:3 [5]
1 Corinthians 13:8-9 [5]
Romans 11:25 [4]
1 Timothy 1:5-7 [4]
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