1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1 Moreover, G1161 brethren, G80 I would G2309 not G3756 that ye G5209 should be ignorant, G50 how that G3754 all G3956 our G2257 fathers G3962 were G2258 under G5259 the cloud, G3507 and G2532 all G3956 passed G1330 through G1223 the sea; G2281
2 And G2532 were G907 all G3956 baptized G907 unto G1519 Moses G3475 in G1722 the cloud G3507 and G2532 in G1722 the sea; G2281
3 And G2532 did G5315 all G3956 eat G5315 the same G846 spiritual G4152 meat; G1033
4 And G2532 did G4095 all G3956 drink G4095 the same G846 spiritual G4152 drink: G4188 for G1063 they drank G4095 of G1537 that spiritual G4152 Rock G4073 that followed them: G190 and G1161 that Rock G4073 was G2258 Christ. G5547
5 But G235 with G1722 many G4119 of them G846 God G2316 was G2106 not G3756 well pleased: G2106 for G1063 they were overthrown G2693 in G1722 the wilderness. G2048
6 Now G1161 these things G5023 were G1096 our G2257 examples, G5179 to the intent G1519 we G2248 should G1511 not G3361 lust after evil G2556 things, G1938 as G2531 they also G2548 lusted. G1937
7 Neither G3366 be ye G1096 idolaters, G1496 as G2531 were some G5100 of them; G846 as G5613 it is written, G1125 The people G2992 sat down G2523 to eat G5315 and G2532 drink, G4095 and G2532 rose up G450 to play. G3815
8 Neither G3366 let us commit fornication, G4203 as G2531 some G5100 of them G846 committed, G4203 and G2532 fell G4098 in G1722 one G3391 day G2250 three G5140 and twenty G1501 thousand. G5505
9 Neither G3366 let us tempt G1598 Christ, G5547 as G2531 some G5100 of them G846 also G2532 tempted, G3985 and G2532 were destroyed G622 of G5259 serpents. G3789
10 Neither G3366 murmur ye, G1111 as G2531 some G5100 of them G846 also G2532 murmured, G1111 and G2532 were destroyed G622 of G5259 the destroyer. G3644
11 Now G1161 all G3956 these things G5023 happened G4819 unto them G1565 for ensamples: G5179 and G1161 they are written G1125 for G4314 our G2257 admonition, G3559 upon G1519 whom G3739 the ends G5056 of the world G165 are come. G2658
12 Wherefore G5620 let G991 him that thinketh G1380 he standeth G2476 take heed G991 lest G3361 he fall. G4098
13 There hath G2983 no G3756 temptation G3986 taken G2983 you G5209 but G1508 such as is common to man: G442 but G1161 God G2316 is faithful, G4103 who G3739 will G1439 not G3756 suffer G1439 you G5209 to be tempted G3985 above G5228 that G3739 ye are able; G1410 but G235 will G4160 with G4862 the temptation G3986 also G2532 make G4160 a way to escape, G1545 that ye G5209 may be able G1410 to bear G5297 it.
14 Wherefore, G1355 my G3450 dearly beloved, G27 flee G5343 from G575 idolatry. G1495
15 I speak G3004 as G5613 to wise men; G5429 judge G2919 ye G5210 what G3739 I say. G5346
16 The cup G4221 of blessing G2129 which G3739 we bless, G2127 is it G2076 not G3780 the communion G2842 of the blood G129 of Christ? G5547 The bread G740 which G3739 we break, G2806 is it G2076 not G3780 the communion G2842 of the body G4983 of Christ? G5547
17 For G3754 we G2070 being many G4183 are G2070 one G1520 bread, G740 and one G1520 body: G4983 for G1063 we are G3348 all G3956 partakers G3348 of G1537 that one G1520 bread. G740
18 Behold G991 Israel G2474 after G2596 the flesh: G4561 are G1526 not G3780 they G1526 which eat G2068 of the sacrifices G2378 partakers G2844 of the altar? G2379
19 What G5101 say I G5346 then? G3767 that G3754 the idol G1497 is G2076 any thing, G5100 or G2228 that G3754 which is offered in sacrifice to idols G1494 is G2076 any thing? G5100
20 But G235 I say, that G3754 the things which G3739 the Gentiles G1484 sacrifice, G2380 they sacrifice G2380 to devils, G1140 and G2532 not G3756 to God: G2316 and G1161 I would G2309 not G3756 that ye G5209 should have G1096 fellowship G2844 with devils. G1140
21 Ye cannot G3756 G1410 drink G4095 the cup G4221 of the Lord, G2962 and G2532 the cup G4221 of devils: G1140 ye cannot G3756 G1410 be partakers G3348 of the Lord's G2962 table, G5132 and G2532 of the table G5132 of devils. G1140
22 Do we provoke G3863 G2228 the Lord G2962 to jealousy? G3863 are we G2070 stronger than G3361 G2478 he? G846
23 All things G3956 are lawful G1832 for me, G3427 but G235 all things G3956 are G4851 not G3756 expedient: G4851 all things G3956 are lawful G1832 for me, G3427 but G235 all things G3956 edify G3618 not. G3756
24 Let G2212 no man G3367 seek G2212 his own, G1438 but G235 every man G1538 another's G2087 wealth.
25 Whatsoever G3956 is sold G4453 in G1722 the shambles, G3111 that eat, G2068 asking G350 no G3367 question G350 for G1223 conscience G4893 sake: G1223
26 For G1063 the earth G1093 is the Lord's, G2962 and G2532 the fulness G4138 thereof. G846
27 G1161 If any G1536 of them that believe not G571 bid G2564 you G5209 to a feast, and G2532 ye be disposed G2309 to go; G4198 whatsoever G3956 is set before G3908 you, G5213 eat, G2068 asking G350 no G3367 question G350 for G1223 conscience G4893 sake. G1223
28 But G1161 if G1437 any man G5100 say G2036 unto you, G5213 This G5124 is G2076 offered in sacrifice unto idols, G1494 eat G2068 not G3361 for G1223 his sake G1565 that shewed it, G3377 and G2532 for conscience sake: G4893 for G1063 the earth G1093 is the Lord's, G2962 and G2532 the fulness G4138 thereof: G846
29 Conscience, G4893 G1161 I say, G3004 not G3780 thine own, G1438 but G235 of the other: G2087 for G1063 why G2444 is G2919 my G3450 liberty G1657 judged G2919 of G5259 another G243 man's conscience? G4893
30 For G1161 if G1487 I G1473 by grace G5485 be a partaker, G3348 why G5101 am I evil spoken of G987 for that G5228 for which G3739 I G1473 give thanks? G2168
31 Whether G1535 therefore G3767 ye eat, G2068 or G1535 drink, G4095 or G1535 whatsoever G5100 ye do, G4160 do G4160 all G3956 to G1519 the glory G1391 of God. G2316
32 Give G1096 none offence, G677 neither G2532 to the Jews, G2453 nor G2532 to the Gentiles, G1672 nor G2532 to the church G1577 of God: G2316
33 Even as G2531 I G2504 please G700 all G3956 men in all G3956 things, not G3361 seeking G2212 mine own G1683 profit, G4851 but G235 the profit G3588 of many, G4183 that G2443 they may be saved. G4982
1 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 and did all eat the same spiritual food;
4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.
5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
11 Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.
14 Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ?
17 seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we are all partake of the one bread.
18 Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?
19 What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 But `I say', that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.
22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify.
24 Let no man seek his own, but `each' his neighbor's `good'.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake,
26 for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If one of them that believe not biddeth you `to a feast', and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake:
29 conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no occasions of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God:
33 even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the `profit' of the many, that they may be saved.
1 And I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
2 and all to Moses were baptized in the cloud, and in the sea;
3 and all the same spiritual food did eat,
4 and all the same spiritual drink did drink, for they were drinking of a spiritual rock following them, and the rock was the Christ;
5 but in the most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn in the wilderness,
6 and those things became types of us, for our not passionately desiring evil things, as also these did desire.
7 Neither become ye idolaters, as certain of them, as it hath been written, `The people sat down to eat and to drink, and stood up to play;'
8 neither may we commit whoredom, as certain of them did commit whoredom, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand;
9 neither may we tempt the Christ, as also certain of them did tempt, and by the serpents did perish;
10 neither murmur ye, as also some of them did murmur, and did perish by the destroyer.
11 And all these things as types did happen to those persons, and they were written for our admonition, to whom the end of the ages did come,
12 so that he who is thinking to stand -- let him observe, lest he fall.
13 No temptation hath taken you -- except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear `it'.
14 Wherefore, my beloved, flee from the idolatry;
15 as to wise men I speak -- judge ye what I say:
16 The cup of the blessing that we bless -- is it not the fellowship of the blood of the Christ? the bread that we break -- is it not the fellowship of the body of the Christ?
17 because one bread, one body, are we the many -- for we all of the one bread do partake.
18 See Israel according to the flesh! are not those eating the sacrifices in the fellowship of the altar?
19 what then do I say? that an idol is anything? or that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything? --
20 `no,' but that the things that the nations sacrifice -- they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not wish you to come into the fellowship of the demons.
21 Ye are not able the cup of the Lord to drink, and the cup of demons; ye are not able of the table of the Lord to partake, and of the table of demons;
22 do we arouse the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He?
23 All things to me are lawful, but all things are not profitable; all things to me are lawful, but all things do not build up;
24 let no one seek his own -- but each another's.
25 Whatever in the meat-market is sold eat ye, not inquiring, because of the conscience,
26 for the Lord's `is' the earth, and its fulness;
27 and if any one of the unbelieving do call you, and ye wish to go, all that is set before you eat, nothing inquiring, because of the conscience;
28 and if any one may say to you, `This is a thing sacrificed to an idol,' -- do not eat, because of that one who shewed `it', and of the conscience, for the Lord's `is' the earth and its fulness:
29 and conscience, I say, not of thyself, but of the other, for why `is it' that my liberty is judged by another's conscience?
30 and if I thankfully do partake, why am I evil spoken of, for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether, then, ye eat, or drink, or do anything, do all to the glory of God;
32 become offenceless, both to Jews and Greeks, and to the assembly of God;
33 as I also in all things do please all, not seeking my own profit, but that of many -- that they may be saved.
1 For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 and all were baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 and all ate the same spiritual food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed [them]: (now the rock was the Christ;)
5 yet God was not pleased with the most of them, for they were strewed in the desert.
6 But these things happened [as] types of us, that we should not be lusters after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt the Christ, as some of them tempted, and perished by serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them [as] types, and have been written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
12 So that let him that thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
13 No temptation has taken you but such as is according to man's nature; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able [to bear], but will with the temptation make the issue also, so that [ye] should be able to bear [it].
14 Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to intelligent [persons]: do *ye* judge what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not [the] communion of the blood of the Christ? The bread which we break, is it not [the] communion of the body of the Christ?
17 Because we, [being] many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf.
18 See Israel according to flesh: are not they who eat the sacrifices in communion with the altar?
19 What then do I say? that what is sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 But that what [the nations] sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. Now I do not wish you to be in communion with demons.
21 Ye cannot drink [the] Lord's cup, and [the] cup of demons: ye cannot partake of [the] Lord's table, and of [the] table of demons.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful, but all are not profitable; all things are lawful, but all do not edify.
24 Let no one seek his own [advantage], but that of the other.
25 Everything sold in the shambles eat, making no inquiry for conscience sake.
26 For the earth [is] the Lord's and its fulness.
27 But if any one of the unbelievers invite you, and ye are minded to go, all that is set before you eat, making no inquiry for conscience sake.
28 But if any one say to you, This is offered to holy purposes, do not eat, for his sake that pointed it out, and conscience sake;
29 but conscience, I mean, not thine own, but that of the other: for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
30 If *I* partake with thanksgiving, why am I spoken evil of for what *I* give thanks for?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all things to God's glory.
32 Give no occasion to stumbling, whether to Jews, or Greeks, or the assembly of God.
33 Even as *I* also please all in all things; not seeking my own profit, but that of the many, that they may be saved.
1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 and all ate the same spiritual food;
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
5 However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."
8 Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
9 Neither let us test the Lord, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.
10 Neither grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn't fall.
13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, isn't it a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn't it a communion of the body of Christ?
17 Because we, who are many, are one bread, one body; for we all partake of the one bread.
18 Consider Israel after the flesh. Don't those who eat the sacrifices have communion with the altar?
19 What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don't desire that you would have communion with demons.
21 You can't both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can't both partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.
22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
23 "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are profitable. "All things are lawful for me," but not all things build up.
24 Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor's good.
25 Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat, asking no question for the sake of conscience,
26 for "the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness."
27 But if one of those who don't believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience.
28 But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," don't eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness."
29 Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other's conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no occasions for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;
33 even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.
1 For it is my desire, my brothers, that you may keep in mind how all our fathers were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea;
2 And they all had baptism from Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And they all took the same holy food;
4 And the same holy drink: for they all took of the water from the holy rock which came after them: and the rock was Christ.
5 But with most of them God was not pleased: for they came to their end in the waste land.
6 Now these things were for an example to us, so that our hearts might not go after evil things, as they did.
7 Then do not go after false gods, as some of them did; as it is said in the holy Writings, After resting and feasting, the people got up to take their pleasure.
8 Again, let us not give way to the desires of the flesh, as some of them did, of whom twenty-three thousand came to their end in one day.
9 And let us not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and came to their death by snakes.
10 And do not say evil things against the Lord, as some of them did, and destruction overtook them.
11 Now these things were done as an example; and were put down in writing for our teaching, on whom the last days have come.
12 So let him who seems to himself to be safe go in fear of a fall.
13 You have been put to no test but such as is common to man: and God is true, who will not let any test come on you which you are not able to undergo; but he will make with the test a way out of it, so that you may be able to go through it.
14 For this cause, my dear brothers, give no worship to false gods.
15 What I am saying is for wise men, do you be the judges of it.
16 The cup of blessing which we take, does it not give us a part in the blood of Christ? and is not the broken bread a taking part in the body of Christ?
17 Because we, being a number of persons, are one bread, we are one body: for we all take part in the one bread.
18 See Israel after the flesh: do not those who take as food the offerings of the altar take a part in the altar?
19 Do I say, then, that what is offered to images is anything, or that the image is anything?
20 What I say is that the things offered by the Gentiles are offered to evil spirits and not to God; and it is not my desire for you to have any part with evil spirits.
21 It is not possible for you, at the same time, to take the cup of the Lord and the cup of evil spirits; you may not take part in the table of the Lord and the table of evil spirits.
22 Or may we be the cause of envy to the Lord? are we stronger than he?
23 We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good.
24 Let a man give attention not only to what is good for himself, but equally to his neighbour's good.
25 Whatever meat may be had at the public market, take as food without question of right or wrong;
26 For the earth is the Lord's and all things in it.
27 If a Gentile makes a feast for you, and you are pleased to go as a guest, take whatever is put before you, without question of right or wrong.
28 But if anyone says to you, This food has been used as an offering, do not take it, on account of him who said it, and on account of his sense of right and wrong:
29 Right and wrong, I say, not for you, but for the other man; for the fact that I am free is not dependent on another man's sense of right or wrong.
30 But if I give praise to God for the food which I take, let no man say evil of me for that reason.
31 So then, if it is a question of food or drink, or any other thing, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no cause of trouble to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God.
33 Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
1Co 10:1-33. Danger of Fellowship with Idolatry Illustrated in the History of Israel: Such Fellowship Incompatible with Fellowship in the Lord's Supper. Even Lawful Things Are to Be Forborne, so as Not to Hurt Weak Brethren.
1. Moreover—The oldest manuscripts read "for." Thus the connection with the foregoing chapter is expressed. Ye need to exercise self-denying watchfulness notwithstanding all your privileges, lest ye be castaways. For the Israelites with all their privileges were most of them castaways through want of it.
ignorant—with all your boasted "knowledge."
our fathers—The Jewish Church stands in the relation of parent to the Christian Church.
all—Arrange as the Greek, "Our fathers were all under the cloud"; giving the "all" its proper emphasis. Not so much as one of so great a multitude was detained by force or disease (Ps 105:37) [Bengel]. Five times the "all" is repeated, in the enumeration of the five favors which God bestowed on Israel (1Co 10:1-4). Five times, correspondingly, they sinned (1Co 10:6-10). In contrast to the "all" stands "many (rather, 'the most') of them" (1Co 10:5). All of them had great privileges, yet most of them were castaways through lust. Beware you, having greater privileges, of sharing the same doom through a similar sin. Continuing the reasoning (1Co 9:24), "They which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize."
under the cloud—were continually under the defense of the pillar of cloud, the symbol of the divine presence (Ex 13:21, 22; Ps 105:39; compare Isa 4:5).
passed through the sea—by God's miraculous interposition for them (Ex 14:29).
2. And—"And so" [Bengel].
baptized unto Moses—the servant of God and representative of the Old Testament covenant of the law: as Jesus, the Son of God, is of the Gospel covenant (Joh 1:17; Heb 3:5, 6). The people were led to believe in Moses as God's servant by the miracle of the cloud protecting them, and by their being conducted under him safely through the Red Sea; therefore they are said to be "baptized unto" him (Ex 14:31). "Baptized" is here equivalent to "initiated": it is used in accommodation to Paul's argument to the Corinthians; they, it is true, have been "baptized," but so also virtually were the Israelites of old; if the virtual baptism of the latter availed not to save them from the doom of lust, neither will the actual baptism of the former save them. There is a resemblance between the symbols also: for the cloud and sea consist of water, and as these took the Israelites out of sight, and then restored them again to view, so the water does to the baptized [Bengel]. Olshausen understands "the cloud" and "the sea" as symbolizing the Spirit and water respectively (Joh 3:5; Ac 10:44-47). Christ is the pillar cloud that screens us from the heat of God's wrath. Christ as "the light of the world" is our "pillar of fire" to guide us in the darkness of the world. As the rock when smitten sent forth the waters, so Christ, having been once for all smitten, sends forth the waters of the Spirit. As the manna bruised in mills fed Israel, so Christ, when "it pleased the Lord to bruise Him," has become our spiritual food. A strong proof of inspiration is given in this fact, that the historical parts of Scripture, without the consciousness even of the authors, are covert prophecies of the future.
3. same spiritual meat—As the Israelites had the water from the rock, which answered to baptism, so they had the manna which corresponded to the other of the two Christian sacraments, the Lord's Supper. Paul plainly implies the importance which was attached to these two sacraments by all Christians in those days: "an inspired protest against those who lower their dignity, or deny their necessity" [Alford]. Still he guards against the other extreme of thinking the mere external possession of such privileges will ensure salvation. Moreover, had there been seven sacraments, as Rome teaches, Paul would have alluded to them, whereas he refers to only the two. He does not mean by "the same" that the Israelites and we Christians have the "same" sacrament; but that believing and unbelieving Israelites alike had "the same" spiritual privilege of the manna (compare 1Co 10:17). It was "spiritual meat" or food; because given by the power of God's spirit, not by human labor [Grotius and Alford] Ga 4:29, "born after the Spirit," that is, supernaturally. Ps 78:24, "corn of heaven" (Ps 105:40). Rather, "spiritual" in its typical signification, Christ, the true Bread of heaven, being signified (Joh 6:32). Not that the Israelites clearly understood the signification; but believers among them would feel that in the type something more was meant; and their implicit and reverent, though indistinct, faith was counted to them for justification, of which the manna was a kind of sacramental seal. "They are not to be heard which feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises" [Article VII, Church of England], as appears from this passage (compare Heb 4:2).
4. drink—(Ex 17:6). In Nu 20:8, "the beasts" also are mentioned as having drunk. The literal water typified "spiritual drink," and is therefore so called.
spiritual Rock that followed them—rather, "accompanied them." Not the literal rock (or its water) "followed" them, as Alford explains, as if Paul sanctioned the Jews' tradition (Rabbi Solomon on Nu 20:2) that the rock itself, or at least the stream from it, followed the Israelites from place to place (compare De 9:21). But Christ, the "Spiritual Rock" (Ps 78:20, 35; De 32:4, 15, 18, 30, 31, 37; Isa 28:16; 1Pe 2:6), accompanied them (Ex 33:15). "Followed" implies His attending on them to minister to them; thus, though mostly going before them, He, when occasion required it, followed "behind" (Ex 14:19). He satisfied all alike as to their bodily thirst whenever they needed it; as on three occasions is expressly recorded (Ex 15:24, 25; 17:6; Nu 20:8); and this drink for the body symbolized the spiritual drink from the Spiritual Rock (compare Joh 4:13, 14; see on 1Co 10:3).
5. But—though they had so many tokens of God's presence.
many of them—rather, "the majority of them"; "the whole part." All except Joshua and Caleb of the first generation.
not—in the Greek emphatically standing in the beginning of the sentence: "Not," as one might have naturally expected, "with the more part of them was," &c.
God—whose judgment alone is valid.
for—the event showed, they had not pleased God.
overthrown—literally, "strewn in heaps."
in the wilderness—far from the land of promise.
6. were—Greek, "came to pass as."
our examples—samples to us of what will befall us, if we also with all our privileges walk carelessly.
lust—the fountain of all the four other offenses enumerated, and therefore put first (Jas 1:14, 15; compare Ps 106:14). A particular case of lust was that after flesh, when they pined for the fish, leeks, &c., of Egypt, which they had left (Nu 11:4, 33, 34). These are included in the "evil things," not that they are so in themselves, but they became so to the Israelites when they lusted after what God withheld, and were discontented with what God provided.
7. idolaters—A case in point. As the Israelites sat down (a deliberate act), ate, and drank at the idol feast to the calves in Horeb, so the Corinthians were in danger of idolatry by a like act, though not professedly worshipping an idol as the Israelites (1Co 8:10, 11; 10:14, 20, 21; Ex 32:6). He passes here from the first to the second person, as they alone (not he also) were in danger of idolatry, &c. He resumes the first person appropriately at 1Co 10:16.
some—The multitude follow the lead of some bad men.
play—with lascivious dancing, singing, and drumming round the calf (compare "rejoiced," Ac 7:41).
8. fornication—literally, Fornication was generally, as in this case (Nu 25:1-18), associated at the idol feasts with spiritual fornication, that is, idolatry. This all applied to the Corinthians (1Co 5:1, 9; 6:9, 15, 18; 1Co 8:10). Balaam tempted Israel to both sins with Midian (Re 2:14). Compare 1Co 8:7, 9, "stumbling-block," "eat … thing offered unto … idol."
three and twenty thousand—in Nu 25:9 "twenty and four thousand." If this were a real discrepancy, it would militate rather against inspiration of the subject matter and thought, than against verbal inspiration. The solution is: Moses in Numbers includes all who died "in the plague"; Paul, all who died "in one day"; one thousand more may have fallen the next day [Kitto, Biblical Cyclopædia]. Or, the real number may have been between twenty-three thousand and twenty-four thousand, say twenty-three thousand five hundred, or twenty-three thousand six hundred; when writing generally where the exact figures were not needed, one writer might quite veraciously give one of the two round numbers near the exact one, and the other writer the other [Bengel]. Whichever be the true way of reconciling the seeming discrepant statements, at least the ways given above prove they are not really irreconcilable.
9. tempt Christ—So the oldest versions, Irenæus (264), and good manuscripts read. Some of the oldest manuscripts read "Lord"; and one manuscript only "God." If "Lord" be read, it will mean Christ. As "Christ" was referred to in one of the five privileges of Israel (1Co 10:4), so it is natural that He should be mentioned here in one of the five corresponding sins of that people. In Nu 21:5 it is "spake against God" (whence probably arose the alteration in the one manuscript, 1Co 10:9, "God," to harmonize it with Nu 21:5). As either "Christ" or "Lord" is the genuine reading, "Christ" must be "God." Compare "Why do ye tempt the Lord?" (Ex 17:2, 7. Compare Ro 14:11, with Isa 45:22, 23). Israel's discontented complainings were temptings of Christ especially, the "Angel" of the covenant (Ex 23:20, 21; 32:34; Isa 63:9). Though they drank of "that Rock … Christ" (1Co 10:4), they yet complained for want of water (Ex 17:2, 7). Though also eating the same spiritual meat (Christ, "the true manna," "the bread of life"), they yet murmured, "Our soul loatheth this light bread." In this case, being punished by the fiery serpents, they were saved by the brazen serpent, the emblem of Christ (compare Joh 8:56; Heb 11:26). The Greek for "tempt" means, tempt or try, so as to wear out the long-suffering of Christ (compare Ps 95:8, 9; Nu 14:22). The Corinthians were in danger of provoking God's long-suffering by walking on the verge of idolatry, through overweening confidence in their knowledge.
10. some of them … murmured—upon the death of Korah and his company, who themselves were murmurers (Nu 16:41, 49). Their murmurs against Moses and Aaron were virtually murmurs against God (compare Ex 16:8, 10). Paul herein glances at the Corinthian murmurs against himself, the apostle of Christ.
destroyed—fourteen thousand seven hundred perished.
the destroyer—THE same destroying angel sent by God as in Ex 12:23, and 2Sa 24:16.
11. Now … these things … ensamples—resuming the thread of 1Co 10:6. The oldest manuscripts read, "by way of example."
the ends of the world—literally, "of the ages"; the New Testament dispensation in its successive phases (plural, "ends") being the winding up of all former "ages." No new dispensation shall appear till Christ comes as Avenger and Judge; till then the "ends," being many, include various successive periods (compare Heb 9:26). As we live in the last dispensation, which is the consummation of all that went before, our responsibilities are the greater; and the greater is the guilt, Paul implies, to the Corinthians, which they incur if they fall short of their privileges.
12. thinketh he standeth—stands and thinks that he stands [Bengel]; that is, stands "by faith … well pleasing" to God; in contrast to 1Co 10:5, "with many of them God was not well pleased" (Ro 11:20).
fall—from his place in the Church of God (compare 1Co 10:8, "fell"). Both temporally and spiritually (Ro 14:4). Our security, so far as relates to God, consists in faith; so far as relates to ourselves, it consists in fear.
13. Consolation to them, under their temptation; it is none but such as is "common to man," or "such as man can bear," "adapted to man's powers of endurance" [Wahl].
faithful—(Ps 125:3; Isa 27:3, 8; Re 3:10). "God is faithful" to the covenant which He made with you in calling you (1Th 5:24). To be led into temptation is distinct from running into it, which would be "tempting God" (1Co 10:9; Mt 4:7).
way to escape—(Jer 29:11; 2Pe 2:9). The Greek is, "the way of escape"; the appropriate way of escape in each particular temptation; not an immediate escape, but one in due time, after patience has had her perfect work (Jas 1:2-4, 12). He "makes" the way of escape simultaneously with the temptation which His providence permissively arranges for His people.
to bear it—Greek, "to bear up under it," or "against it." Not, He will take it away (2Co 12:7-9).
14. Resuming the argument, 1Co 10:7; 1Co 8:9, 10.
flee—Do not tamper with it by doubtful acts, such as eating idol meats on the plea of Christian liberty. The only safety is in wholly shunning whatever borders on idolatry (2Co 6:16, 17). The Holy Spirit herein also presciently warned the Church against the idolatry, subsequently transferred from the idol feast to the Lord's Supper itself, in the figment of transubstantiation.
15. Appeal to their own powers of judgment to weigh the force of the argument that follows: namely, that as the partaking of the Lord's Supper involves a partaking of the Lord Himself, and the partaking of the Jewish sacrificial meats involved a partaking of the altar of God, and, as the heathens sacrifice to devils, to partake of an idol feast is to have fellowship with devils. We cannot divest ourselves of the responsibility of "judging" for ourselves. The weakness of private judgment is not an argument against its use, but its abuse. We should the more take pains in searching the infallible word, with every aid within our reach, and above all with humble prayer for the Spirit's teaching (Ac 17:11). If Paul, an inspired apostle, not only permits, but urges, men to judge his sayings by Scripture, much more should the fallible ministers of the present visible Church do so.
To wise men—refers with a mixture of irony to the Corinthian boast of "wisdom" (1Co 4:10; 2Co 11:19). Here you have an opportunity of exercising your "wisdom" in judging "what I say."
16. The cup of blessing—answering to the Jewish "cup of blessing," over which thanks were offered in the Passover. It was in doing so that Christ instituted this part of the Lord's Supper (Mt 26:27; Lu 22:17, 20).
we bless—"we," not merely ministers, but also the congregation. The minister "blesses" (that is, consecrates with blessing) the cup, not by any priestly transmitted authority of his own, but as representative of the congregation, who virtually through him bless the cup. The consecration is the corporate act of the whole Church. The act of joint blessing by him and them (not "the cup" itself, which, as also "the bread," in the Greek is in the accusative), and the consequent drinking of it together, constitute the communion, that is, the joint participation "of the blood of Christ." Compare 1Co 10:18, "They who eat … are partakers" (joint communicants). "Is" in both cases in this verse is literal, not represents. He who with faith partakes of the cup and the bread, partakes really but spiritually of the blood and body of Christ (Eph 5:30, 32), and of the benefits of His sacrifice on the cross (compare 1Co 10:18). In contrast to this is to have "fellowship with devils" (1Co 10:20). Alford explains, "The cup … is the [joint] participation (that is, that whereby the act of participation takes place) of the blood," &c. It is the seal of our living union with, and a means of our partaking of, Christ as our Saviour (Joh 6:53-57). It is not said, "The cup … is the blood," or "the bread … is the body," but "is the communion [joint-participation] of the blood … body." If the bread be changed into the literal body of Christ, where is the sign of the sacrament? Romanists eat Christ "in remembrance of Himself." To drink literal blood would have been an abomination to Jews, which the first Christians were (Le 17:11, 12). Breaking the bread was part of the act of consecrating it, for thus was represented the crucifixion of Christ's body (1Co 11:24). The distinct specification of the bread and the wine disproves the Romish doctrine of concomitancy, and exclusion of the laity from the cup.
17. one bread—rather, "loaf." One loaf alone seems to have been used in each celebration.
and one body—Omit "and"; "one loaf [that is], one body." "We, the many (namely, believers assembled; so the Greek), are one bread (by our partaking of the same loaf, which becomes assimilated to the substance of all our bodies; and so we become), one body" (with Christ, and so with one another).
we … all—Greek, "the whole of us."
18. Israel after the flesh—the literal, as distinguished from the spiritual, Israel (Ro 2:29; 4:1; 9:3; Ga 4:29).
partakers of the altar—and so of God, whose is the altar; they have fellowship in God and His worship, of which the altar is the symbol.
19, 20. What say I then?—The inference might be drawn from the analogies of the Lord's Supper and Jewish sacrifices, that an idol is really what the heathen thought it to be, a god, and that in eating idol-meats they had fellowship with the god. This verse guards against such an inference: "What would I say then? that a thing sacrificed to an idol is any real thing (in the sense that the heathen regard it), or that an idol is any real thing?" (The oldest manuscripts read the words in this order. Supply "Nay") "But [I say] that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils (demons)." Paul here introduces a new fact. It is true that, as I said, an idol has no reality in the sense that the heathen regard it, but it has a reality in another sense; heathendom being under Satan's dominion as "prince of this world," he and his demons are in fact the powers worshipped by the heathen, whether they are or are not conscious of it (De 32:17; Le 17:7; 2Ch 11:15; Ps 106:37; Re 9:20). "Devil" is in the Greek restricted to Satan; "demons" is the term applied to his subordinate evil spirits. Fear, rather than love, is the motive of heathen worship (compare the English word "panic," from Pan, whose human form with horns and cloven hoofs gave rise to the vulgar representations of Satan which prevail now); just as fear is the spirit of Satan and his demons (Jas 2:19).
20. I would not that ye … have fellowship with devils—by partaking of idol feasts (1Co 8:10).
21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord—really and spiritually; though ye may outwardly (1Ki 18:21).
cup of devils—in contrast to the cup of the Lord. At idol feasts libations were usually made from the cup to the idol first, and then the guests drank; so that in drinking they had fellowship with the idol.
the Lord's table—The Lord's Supper is a feast on a table, not a sacrifice on an altar. Our only altar is the cross, our only sacrifice that of Christ once for all. The Lord's Supper stands, however, in the same relation, analogically, to Christ's sacrifice, as the Jews' sacrificial feasts did to their sacrifices (compare Mal 1:7, "altar … table of the Lord"), and the heathen idol feasts to their idolatrous sacrifices (Isa 65:11). The heathen sacrifices were offered to idol nonentities, behind which Satan lurked. The Jews' sacrifice was but a shadow of the substance which was to come. Our one sacrifice of Christ is the only substantial reality; therefore, while the partaker of the Jew's sacrificial feast partook rather "of the altar" (1Co 10:18) than of God manifested fully, and the heathen idol-feaster had fellowship really with demons, the communicant in the Lord's Supper has in it a real communion of, or fellowship in, the body of Christ once sacrificed, and now exalted as the Head of redeemed humanity.
22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?—by dividing our fellowship between Him and idols (Eze 20:39). Is it our wish to provoke Him to assert His power? De 32:21 is before the apostle's mind [Alford], (Ex 20:5).
are we stronger?—that we can risk a contest with Him.
23. All things are lawful for me, &c.—Recurring to the Corinthian plea (1Co 6:12), he repeats his qualification of it. The oldest manuscripts omit both times "for me."
edify not—tend not to build up the spiritual temple, the Church, in faith and love. Paul does not appeal to the apostolic decision (Ac 15:1-29), which seems to have been not so much regarded outside of Palestine, but rather to the broad principle of true Christian freedom, which does not allow us to be governed by external things, as though, because we can use them, we must use them (1Co 6:12). Their use or non-use is to be regulated by regard to edification.
24. (1Co 10:33; 1Co 13:5; Ro 15:1, 2).
25. shambles—butchers' stalls; the flesh market.
asking no question—whether it has been offered to an idol or not.
for conscience' sake—If on asking you should hear it had been offered to idols, a scruple would arise in your conscience which was needless, and never would have arisen had you asked no questions.
26. The ground on which such eating without questioning is justified is, the earth and all its contents ("the fulness thereof," Ps 20:1; 50:12), including all meats, belong to the Lord, and are appointed for our use; and where conscience suggests no scruple, all are to be eaten (Ro 14:14, 20; 1Ti 4:4, 5; compare Ac 10:15).
27. ye be disposed to go—tacitly implying, they would be as well not to go, but yet not forbidding them to go (1Co 10:9) [Grotius]. The feast is not an idol feast, but a general entertainment, at which, however, there might be meat that had been offered to an idol.
for conscience' sake—(See on 1Co 10:25).
28. if any man—a weak Christian at table, wishing to warn his brother.
offered in sacrifice unto idols—The oldest manuscripts omit "unto idols." At a heathen's table the expression, offensive to him, would naturally be avoided.
for conscience' sake—not to cause a stumbling-block to the conscience of thy weak brother (1Co 8:10-12).
for the earth is the Lord's, &c.—not in the oldest manuscripts.
29. Conscience … of the other—the weak brother introduced in 1Co 10:28.
for why is my liberty judged off another man's conscience?—Paul passes to the first person, to teach his converts by putting himself as it were in their position. The Greek terms for "the other" and "another" are distinct. "The other" is the one with whom Paul's and his Corinthian converts' concern is; "another" is any other with whom he and they have no concern. If a guest know the meat to be idol meat while I know it not, I have "liberty" to eat without being condemned by his "conscience" [Grotius]. Thus the "for," &c., is an argument for 1Co 10:27, "Eat, asking no questions." Or, Why should I give occasion by the rash use of my liberty that another should condemn it [Estius], or that my liberty should cause the destruction of my weak brother?" [Menochius]. Or, the words are those of the Corinthian objector (perhaps used in their letter, and so quoted by Paul), "Why is my liberty judged by another's conscience?" Why should not I be judged only by my own, and have liberty to do whatever it sanctions? Paul replies in 1Co 10:31, Your doing so ought always to be limited by regard to what most tends "to the glory of God" [Vatablus, Conybeare and Howson]. The first explanation is simplest; the "for," &c., in it refers to "not thine own" (that is, "not my own," in Paul's change to the first person); I am to abstain only in the case of liability to offend another's conscience; in cases where my own has no scruple, I am not bound, in God's judgment, by any other conscience than my own.
30. For—The oldest manuscripts omit "For."
by grace—rather, "thankfully" [Alford].
I … be partaker—I partake of the food set before me.
evil spoken of—by him who does not use his liberty, but will eat nothing without scrupulosity and questioning whence the meat comes.
give thanks—which consecrates all the Christian's acts (Ro 14:6; 1Ti 4:3, 4).
31. Contrast Zec 7:6; the picture of worldly men. The godly may "eat and drink," and it shall be well with him (Jer 22:15, 16).
to the glory of God—(Col 3:17; 1Pe 4:11)—which involves our having regard to the edification of our neighbor.
32. Give none offence—in things indifferent (1Co 8:13; Ro 14:13; 2Co 6:3); for in all essential things affecting Christian doctrine and practice, even in the smallest detail, we must not swerve from principle, whatever offense may be the result (1Co 1:23). Giving offense is unnecessary, if our own spirit cause it; necessary, if it be caused by the truth.
33. I please—I try to please (1Co 9:19, 22; Ro 15:2).
not seeking mine own—(1Co 10:24).
many—rather as Greek, "THE many."