What happened to meat that had been offered to a pagan idol in the ancient world?
Meat that had been offered to a pagan idol, if not used by the priest or the offerer for a banquet, was often taken to the open market and sold for cash. It was hung on meat hooks and purchased by ordinary shoppers, such as housewives.
Les explains that in the Middle Eastern open market, after a carcass had been offered to a pagan idol, the priest would keep what he could use for himself. If the individual who offered it was not going to throw a big banquet, he would rather have some cash, so he would take the meat down to the market and put it up for sale. There it would be hung on meat hooks as a raw carcass, with flies crawling around it. A housewife might come along, buy just a little ounce or two, put it in her grocery bag, and be on her way. This is the situation Paul addresses in verse 25.
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
More Questions
How did meat sacrificed to idols end up being sold in the marketplace?
Meat from a carcass offered to a pagan idol ended up in the open market because the priest kept what he could use, and an offerer who did not want to throw a big banquet would rather have cash and would take the meat down to the market to sell.
How was meat sold in the open markets of the Middle East in Bible times?
In the Middle Eastern open market the meat was hung on hooks as raw carcasses, and a housewife would come and buy just a small amount and carry it away in her grocery bag.