The Apologists Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians 8 4"Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. CommentaryThe problem of eating meats which had been sacrificed to idols has already been introduced in the preceding context. Paul was careful to warn those who have knowledge of such things that they should guard against the danger of becoming “ puffed up” . Knowledge should be tempered with love, for it is not only one's self that a Christian must be concerned with. In verse 4 he says that “ we know there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.” By this he means that there is no such thing as an idol of objective existence, though he does not deny that in the minds of some there is a subjective existence of such gods or lords. Yet he emphatically denies that they have real existence as true Deity, whether in heaven or on earth. They are in reality false deities. (Ray Goldsmith <>) Grammatical Analysisoidamen`oti ouden eidwlon en kosmw, kai`oti oudeiV qeoV ei mh`eiV OIDAMEN hOTI OUDEN EIDÔLON EN KOSMÔ, KAI HOTI OUDEIS THEOS EI MÊ HEIS We know there is no idol in the world, and there is no God but one OIDAMEN is the main verb which contains the subject, so it is rendered in the first person plural “ we know” . The copulative is implied after hOTI meaning “there is no idol in the world (KOSMÔ). The expression EI MÊ is a Greek idiom that means “ except or unless” , in this context it is properly translated “ but." Hence, “ there is no God but one," objectively speaking. Other Views ConsideredJehovah's Witnesses Please see 1 Corinthians 8:6 <>