1 Corinthians 10

Chap. X. Ver. 1—33. The Jewish institutions being types of ours, the punishments inflicted on their abuse should operate as warnings to us Christians.—In the first place, their passing through the Red Sea initiated them into the religion of Moses in a manner similar to that in which Christians are introduced into the church by baptism. Thus the feeding of Israel by manna from heaven, our Lord himself represents as figurative of his doctrine and precepts, ((John 6:51), &c.;) while the water from the rock, which followed them to a considerable distance through the wilderness, typified also the grace which flows from Christ, who is the rock of our salvation. ((John 4:10), &c.) As these merciful supplies of temporal food represented the blessings of the new dispensation, so the impious and ungrateful behaviour of Israel but too justly represented the immoral and unbelieving conduct of many nominal Christians and hypocritical professors.

The history of Israel is, therefore, but too justly figurative or typical of the New Testament church, which consists not of true Israelites only, but also of many who have nothing but the name, and who, therefore, when tribulation or persecution ariseth, because of the word, are offended and apostatize, even because, as our Lord tells us, they have no root (of piety) in themselves, ((Matthew 13:20).) “Wherefore, (saith Paul,) let him that thinketh,” and is confident “that he standeth” firm, “take heed lest he fall.” The Scriptures, while they encourage believers with promises of persevering grace, no less earnestly caution us against presumption and neglect. The whole work of God is carried on by means of his own appointment.

St. Paul now returns to the subject of idolatry, and cautions his beloved Corinthians against being drawn into it, as was Israel in the instances he had recited; and we are much inclined to believe that the great temptation which drew Israel into idolatry was the same with which the people of Corinth were now tempted, viz. luxury and conviviality; they were invited to feast in the idol temples, the natural consequence of which would be uniting in the music and dancing which followed, and these would as naturally lead to that licentiousness, for which these heathen temples were so much frequented. The apostle now adverts to the solemnities of the Lord’s supper as a farther guard to them against partaking of the idol-feasts.

This was indeed the common temptation of the heathen world; but there was an easy and an obvious way of escape, i.e. keeping aloof from the heathen temples; and here is a strong argument to induce them so to do. In the Christian sacrament they held communion with the Saviour: they spiritually ate his flesh and drank his blood. But, “what communion hath Christ with Belial?” or with any of the idols of the heathen world? It is true, indeed, Christians consider their lifeless images as mere masses of wood or stone; but since the heathen themselves supposed them to be inhabited by demons or devils, (as our translators call them,) and therefore worshipped them, to unite with them in any part of their devotions was to hold communion with them and with their gods; but, says he, “I would not that ye should have fellowship with demons.”

That would be to provoke the Almighty to jealousy, as the idolatrous Jews did; and they might expect the like awful consequences as befell them.* To attempt this would be to “provoke the Lord to jealousy,” as they did, which would be as imprudent as it was criminal; for who can contend with him? Dr. Macknight here remarks—“With respect to the questions whether the meats sacrificed to idols, which were offered in the markets, might be eaten by Christians, and whether they might eat of those meats in the houses of the heathens, when set before them as a common, and not as a religious meal, the apostle observed, first, that although, under the gospel, all meats were lawful, all meats were not expedient for every person; and even where they are expedient, the eating of them may not extend to the edification of others, - (ver. 23.) Secondly, that in the use of meats, one ought to study not his own advantage only, but the advantage of his neighbour also, (ver. 24.) And having laid down these principles, he desired the Corinthians to eat whatever was sold in the shambles, without inquiring whether it had been sacrificed to idols or not; because they knew that idols have no dominion over the world, but that ‘the earth is the Lord’s,’ and all that it contains, (ver. 25, 26.) And if a heathen invited them to his house, and they inclined to go, they were to eat whatever was set before them, asking no questions for conscience sake; because, by no reasonable construction could that action be considered as a worshipping of idols, even though the meat they were going to eat had been sacrificed to an idol, (ver. 27.) But if on such an occasion, either a Heathen, or a Jew, or a weak Christian, should say to them, this is meat sacrificed to an idol, they were to abstain from it on account of the weak conscience of him who showed it; because, by showing it, he declared that he considered the eating of that meat as a partaking in the worship of the idol to whom it had been offered, (ver. 28.) If thou reply, ‘Seeing God has allowed me to eat all kinds of meat, why should I be blamed for eating any particular meat, for which I give God thanks’ (ver. 29, 30,) my answer is, for the very reason that, by the free gift of God all his good creatures are bestowed on thee, thou art bound in eating and drinking, as in all thy actions, to consult the glory of God, who has commanded thee, even in indifferent actions, to consult what may be good for the edification of others, (ver. 31.)” Upon these grounds St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians not ‘so to use their Christian liberty as to give occasion of stumbling to either Jews or Greeks. This was the apostle’s own method; and, in the first verse of the following chapter, he exhorts them in this instance to follow him, even as he had followed his divine Master.

Notes on the verses

Chap. X. Ver. 1. All our fathers, &c.—Paul speaks of himself and Jewish brethren.—Under the cloud, &c.—If water baptism is here alluded to, as many think, it does not seem to imply immersion, for it was the Egyptian army that was immersed; but it is not unlikely, that in the cloud passing over them to guard their rear, (which it did effectually, by involving their enemies in rain and darkness,) it might distil upon the Israelites a mist, or gentle rain, while at the same time their garments were sprinkled with the ocean’s spray. Ver. 2. Baptized unto Moses, &c.—By means of the cloud and the passage of the Red sea, an obligation similar to that arising from baptism was imposed on them to obey Moses; i.e. all those who passed with Moses through the Red sea, and followed with him the cloud which preceded their march, bound themselves by this act to honour, obey and follow him.—Rob. Wall. Ver. 4. That followed them.—Dr. Wall calculated that this water, which was a stream, or river, from the rock of Horeb, running in a descent, might attend upon Israel in their peregrinations for 37 years, till they came to Ezion Gaber, a sea-port, where it might run into the ocean. See (Numbers 33:36). Ver. 5. God was not well pleased—Because they murmured and repined through unbelief. Compare (Hebrews 3:16-17). Ver. 6. Our examples.—Margin and Doddridge, literally, “types.” Ver. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ.—This is said on the conviction that the Lord, who inhabited the Shechinah, or cloud of glory, was none other than the Messiah, (John 1:14).—Destroyed of (or by) serpents. Ver. 10. Destroyed of the plague. Ver. 11. Ensamples.—Old English for “examples.” Margin and Doddridge, “figures,” or more literally, types.—Ends of the world.—Gr. “of the ages;” elsewhere called the last times, the last days, &c. See (Hebrews 1:2). Ver. 12. Him that thinketh—or is confident—he standeth—“Firmly fixed in the divine favour,” says Macknight. See note on (1 Corinthians 7:40). Ver. 13. Such as is common to man.—According to Doddridge, such as is proportionable to human strength. Ver. 15. What I say—i.e. What I am about to say, as in next verse. Ver. 16. The bread—Macknight, “The loaf”—which we break.—So it (artos) is rendered, (Matthew 16:9).

Ver. 17. For we, &c.—(Or, “Because there is one bread, (or loaf,) we, who are many, are one body.” By this sacrament, and the faith professed in it, and the grace implied, Christians were united as the members in the human body; seeing they were one with Christ, and had fellowship with him, and one another, by partaking of the same bread, as a token of their feeding by faith on the same spiritual nourishment for their souls.—Bagster.) One body—i.e. mystically. “figures;” or, more Ver. 13. Behold.—Doddridge, “Consider,” &c.—Partakers of the altar—i.e. participators in the atonement, and in the worship. So by eating of these idolatrous sacrifices you participate in the idolatry. Ver.

20. Sacrifice to devils.—Gr. “to demons.” Elsner has proved at large,” says Doddridge, “from incontestable authorities, that the demons were considered as present at these sacrifices, and as taking part with the worshippers in the common feast; by which (as Maimonides expresses it) friendship, brotherhood and peace get established between them, because all ate at one table, and sat at one Lord.” Ver. 21. The cup—the table of devils.—Gr. “demons,” throughout this and the verse preceding. Our opinion of the existence of demons, or evil spirits, and their power over mankind, has been already given in various notes to the Gospels, and their connexion with the interests of idolatry will hardly be disputed. Ver. 23.

All things are lawful.—See (1 Corinthians 6:12).