Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 14:21

21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak .

The Apostle proceedeth to enlarge his Doctrine touching this particular, beyond the controversy that occ[illegible: 1 letter]sioned this his discourse; for he sheweth, that to avoid the scandal or offence of our Brethren, we are to abstain, not only from things prohibited by the Law, but also from things that are not prohibited thereby; as from Flesh or Wine, or any indifferent thing whatsoever. These words (any thing) are not in the Original, but they are understood, and well supplyed in our Translation. Thus to do, he sayes is good, as the contrary in the forgoing verse was said to be evil; It is good in regard of God, to whom it is acceptable and pleasing; and in regard of our Brethren, to whom it is profitable and advantageous, the positive (it may be) is put for the comparative; it is good, for it is better: so Mat. 18.8, 9.

Some distinguish these three words, Stumbled, Offended, made weak; making the first to be the greater, and the last the lesser injury: Others will have the first to be the lesser, and the last the greater injury. But there are those that think, they all three do signify the same thing; and the Syriack Interpreter doth render them all by one word, viz. is offended: and the same thing may be exprest by divers words, to in[illegible: 1 letter]inuate the great care we should take, that we do not put a Sumbling block (as 'tis ver. 13.) or an occasion of falling into our Broth[illegible: 1 letter]rs way. The Apostle seems to practise, what he here prescribeth in 1 Cor. 8.13.