1 Corinthians 8

— are not ye my work in the Lord?] I converted you to the faith, and planted the Gospel at Corinth. Dr. Hammond.

be ignorant, &c.] To make the Corinthians more diligent in running their Christian race, and in avoiding the sins which would cause them to fail of the prize, the Apostle here lays before them the case of the Israelites, their forerunners, shewing what privileges and what advantages they had, and by what means most of them so unhappily miscarried. Dr. Whitby.

This chapter is closely connected with the preceding: for St. Paul here gives the Jews an instance of what he had hinted in the last verse of the former chapter; namely, that a man, who is in covenant with God, may yet fall into sin, and provoke God to punish him, unless he uses diligence to persevere faithfully in his duty. Bp. Pearce.

— our fathers] The Israelites are so called as ancestors, from whom Christians are descended; of the same race and stock in a spiritual sense, and differing in point of priority in time. Dean Stanhope.

— were under the cloud, — passed through the sea;] They were conducted out of Egypt under the protection of a bright cloud, denoting God’s presence and favour with them. And they passed through the Red sea, miraculously dried up to give them way. Dean Stanhope.

—upon whom the ends of the world are come.] Literally, ’the ends of the ages,’ that is, the last age. The Jews counted three ages of the world; the first was before the law was given to Moses; the second was under the law; and the third was under the Messiah. St. Paul speaks here of the last of these ages, without undertaking to teach how long it was to continue. Phrases to the same sense occur in Heb. i. 2; ix. 26. Bp. Pearce.

1 Corinthians 8:2

2. [If I be not an apostle unto others,] So visibly and demonstratively. Dr. Whitby.

— for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.] As being converted by me, exercising “the signs of an Apostle among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,” 2 Cor. xii. 12. Dr. Whitby. See the note on Rom. iv. 11.

2. And were all baptized unto Moses &c.] This covering of the cloud and safe conduct through the sea, as they resembled the ceremonies of the Christian baptism, the being put under and rising out of the water, so did they answer the same end too. For upon this miraculous deliverance they entered into covenant with, and professed their faith in, God. Dean Stanhope. The being “baptized unto Moses” signifies their being baptized into the doctrine taught by Moses. They believed him, and followed his conduct through the sea, and were confirmed in their belief of him, the typical mediator, as a person employed by God; and were obliged under his ministry and guidance to follow God whithersoever he led them. Burkitt.

The Jews did not in fact call themselves by the name of Moses, as the several sects of philosophers did by the names of their several leaders. For the doctrine, which Moses taught, was not his own: and the obedience, which he required, was not to himself; but to God, the Maker of heaven and earth. And therefore, when the Jews were thus baptized into Moses, they were at the same time, in a much higher sense, baptized into the name of God: taking that upon them, as an acknowledgment of their being His; for servants are known by the name of their lord. See 2 Chron. vii. 14; Jer. xiv. 9. Abp. Secker.

1 Corinthians 8:3

3, 4. And did all eat the same spiritual meat; &c.] They also were fed with manna, and drank of water out of the rock, which were not a bodily sustenance only, but of a sacramental nature, and types of Christ. The manna, by which the Israelites were sustained in the wilderness, we have our blessed Lord’s authority for applying to Himself, “the true bread which came down

The Jews’ punishments examples for us. Anno DOMINI 39. with them. figures. a Exod. 22. 6. Ps. 106. 14. b Numb. 23. 9.

from heaven,” John vi. And the rock, pierced to furnish water for their thirst, St. Paul expressly calls a representation of Christ. Dean Stanhope. The argument of the Apostle is, that they had the like spiritual advantages and privileges with us, so that their spiritual meat and drink must have signified or typified to them Christ, as ours doth to us. Dr. Whitby.

1 Corinthians 8:4

4. Have we not power to eat and to drink?] That is, I claim the same right to be maintained by the people, to whom I preach, as the other Apostles do. It was agreeable to the Eastern style to assert things for truths, by way of interrogation of their contraries. Pyle.

4.—Rock that followed them.] That is, the water that came out of the rock. Dr. Wells.

—and that Rock was Christ.] That is, the water was a type of Christ. See the notes on ver. 3, 4.

1 Corinthians 8:5

5. — a sister, a wife,] That is, a Christian wife. Bp. Pearce, Dr. Macknight. Have we not power to lead about with us our wives at the charge of the church, as well as other Apostles? Bp. Hall.

— as the brethren of the Lord,] Or the Lord’s kinsmen. So St. James is called, Gal. i. 19; and he is here pointed at. Pyle.

— and Cephas?] From this we learn, that St. Peter, here called Cephas, continued to live with his wife after he became an Apostle: also, that St. Peter as an Apostle possessed no rights which were not common to St. Paul and to all the rest. These facts, being traced to their obvious consequences, utterly subvert the main pillars of popery. Dr. Macknight.

1 Corinthians 8:6

6. — Barnabas,] He is named here, because he was St. Paul’s companion, separated for the Apostleship of the Gentiles, Acts xiii. 2; who was one of them, among the Apostles’ first converts, that having land in Cyprus sold it, and laid the money at their feet, called by them “the Son of Consolation;” and it seems here, in his travels with St. Paul, worked together with him for their living, that they might not be burdensome to their new converts. Bp. Fell.

— to forbear working?] That is, for our maintenance. Dr. Wells. From this it appears, that St. Barnabas as well as St. Paul preached the Gospel without demanding maintenance from his disciples, and that he also was hated for his doctrine by the Judaizers. The honourable mention here made of him by St. Paul

The minister ought to live by the gospel. CHAP. IX. Paul’s selfishness for the gospel’s sake.

Anno DOMINI 59.

at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

6.—were our examples.] Were examples to us who succeed them in the like privileges and favours. Dr. Whitby. That we avoid their crimes, lest we resemble them in their punishments. Dean Stanhope.

Concerning these crimes and punishments, alluded to in this and the four following verses, see the passages referred to in the margin, and the notes upon them.

1 Corinthians 8:7

7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge:] But howsoever ye have knowledge to understand this, yet every man hath not: for some ignorant Christians, out of a misled conscience, thinking hereupon that there is some virtue conceived to be in the idol, eat the meat sacrificed thereunto, with some kind of good respect to the idol; and so their conscience being weak is by your example defiled and drawn into sin. Bp. Hall.

8. Who goeth a warfare &c.] And shall we soldiers of Jesus Christ, the planters of His spiritual vineyard, the pastors of His flock, be debarred of this privilege? Dr. Whitby.

1 Corinthians 8:8

8, 9. But meat commendeth us not to God: &c.] As if the Apostle had said, It is not the eating or the not eating, simply considered, that makes a man either better or worse, more or less acceptable in the sight of God; but we must take great heed, lest by one example others take occasion to worship the idol; you therefore ought not so to eat as to give occasion to the fall of your weak brother. Burkitt.

8. Say I these things as a man? &c.] What I say is agreeable, not only to human reason, but also to revelation. Dr. Wells.

1 Corinthians 8:10

10.—sit at meat in the idol’s temple.] ‘The Gentiles,’ saith Josephus, ‘offer hecatombs to their gods, and use their temples for their banqueting houses;’ so we read, Judg. ix. 27; Amos ii. 8; and in profane authors very frequently. When therefore, saith the Apostie, the weak Jews who abborred idols, or the Gentiles newly converted from the worship of them, shall see thee doing the same thing, which heathens do in honour of their idols, and that in places appropriated to their worship; will they not be tempted by the example of such a strong and knowing Christian to conclude, either that idolatry is by Christians accounted no sin, or that the idol deserves some honour; and so comply with heathens from these erroneous principles in eating things offered to idols? Dr. Whitby.

10. — For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: &c.] The precept concerning oxen, being introduced in the law immediately after precepts enjoining justice and mercy in punishments, was certainly intended to impress the Israelites with a sense of the obligations of justice and humanity towards rational creatures, as the Apostle here affirms. Dr. Macknight. God thereby shews in general, what equity should be used in the just rewarding of all men that labour for us; and particularly that the spiritual labourers, such as plow, and sow, and thresh in the spiritual husbandry, should labour in hope of a livelihood and subsistence, and eat their bread when they have earned it. Burkitt.

10.—were destroyed of the destroyer.] That is, of the destroying angel, executing the just wrath of God. Bp. Hall.

1 Corinthians 8:11

11.—for whom Christ died?] From this and the like passage, Rom. xiv. 15, it is strongly argued, that Christ intentionally died for those that may for ever perish. Dr. Whitby. That Jesus is the Saviour of all men, is expressed in numerous passages of the Scriptures in the most general and comprehensive terms. But farther, to exclude any limitation or diminution of these so general terms, at least to exclude any limitation in regard to all the members of the visible church, which are or have been incorporated thereinto, it is expressed, that our Saviour’s undertakings did respect even those, who by their own default might lose the benefit of them, and who in effect should not be saved. For of those false teachers, who introduced “pernicious heresies,” it is said that “they denied the Lord who bought them,” 2 Pet. ii. 1. And St. Paul implies, that by a scandalous example “a weak brother, for whom Christ died,” being induced to sin, The minister ought to live by the gospel. Amo DOMINI 39.

11. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: &c.] The mention of these provocations, and of the dreadful judgments consequent upon them, were in a particular manner seasonable to the church of Corinth; among whom St. Paul’s two epistles sufficiently discover several abuses and errors, of great affinity with the crimes of those Israelites. Such was their profane contempt and publick dishonour of the body and blood of Christ, in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, (chap. xi.) of which true bread from heaven, thus disdainfully used, the manna, treated of old with so much contumely, was in that respect also a type. The scandalous liberties of partaking in idol-feasts and temples (chap. viii. 10.) were an approach to the Israelites eating and drinking before their molten calf. The indulgence given to lust and sensuality appears, not only from the care taken to insist on these vices, and the danger of them, at large, chap. v, vi, vii; but especially from their conniving at a crime so flagitious and unnatural, as open incest with a father’s wife, chap. v. 2. And lastly the murmurers, who despaired of Canaan and discontentedly wished to return to Egypt, had but too near a parallel at Corinth in many, whom dread of persecution and trials affrighted from their duty; but in none so much as in them, whose staggering in the faith rendered necessary the discourse in the 15th

some of them also tempted, and c were destroyed of serpents.

1 Corinthians 8:12

12. — are not we rather?] Who laid the foundation of a Christian church among you, chap. iii. 10; and have begotten you through the Gospel, chap. iv. 15. Dr. Whitby.

— lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.] From the conduct of the other Apostles, and from that of St. Paul at other places, particularly among the Macedonian churches, we may conclude, that he might see some circumstances at Corinth which determined him to decline accepting of any subsistence from them whilst he resided there. Dr. Dodderidge.

12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth &c.] This is the Apostle’s inference from the foregoing discourse. Seeing that so many, who enjoyed great privileges among the Jews, were yet punished greatly for their sins; seeing that sacraments are no privilege for sin, no exemption from punishment, therefore “let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” How many thousands have fallen by a presumptuous confidence of their own strength in standing! The only security of a Christian under the Divine grace is to be wary and watchful. Burkitt.

There is no man so perfect, but that he ought to carry this fear about him; and where his fear points, there must his care and diligence be applied, that is, to himself still: he must watch his passions and affections, lest any of them break out into open enmity against God: his rebel heart must be guarded, lest it quench the holy flame which God has kindled in it; lest it do despite to the Spirit of God, which comes to dwell and inhabit in it. Bp. Sherlock.

1 Corinthians 8:13

13. — I will eat no flesh] In heathen countries a great part of the meat sold in the publick markets had been sacrificed to their idols. And therefore as the Jews were extremely scrupulous in every thing that had any relation to idolatry, it might on some occasions be necessary for the Christians to abstain from every kind of flesh, to avoid giving offence to such converted Jews as still retained their old prejudices. The Apostle here engages rather to submit to this, than to be the occasion of another’s ruin. Drs. Whitby and Macknight.

We learn from this chapter, that it is the duty of Christians, in matters wherein they are left at liberty by the law of God, to take that part which they see will give least occasion of sin to their brethren, and to avoid that part which, if taken, will certainly give others occasion to sin. Although we be ourselves well satisfied of the lawfulness of an action, we ought to deny ourselves in some things, rather than occasion our brethren to fall into sin. He deserves not the name of a Christian, who will not abridge himself of his Christian liberty to preserve his brother from sin and temptation. Burkitt.

Chap. IX. St. Paul, upon several prudential considerations, would not receive maintenance from the Corinthian Christians, but lived either upon his own labour, or contributions from other churches. The heads of the faction raised reflections upon this, to the disparagement of the Apostle; nay, insinuated it to be a tacit confession, he was indeed no true Apostle at all. The well affected part of the church seem plainly to have desired some account of his conduct in this matter. The Apostle’s answer. He claims a right to a maintenance from them as much as any other Apostle could do; and proves it. Gives his reason why he did not make use of that right in the Corinthian church. His great confescension to the weaknesses and prejudices of all sorts of Christian people; illustrated by a familiar comparison, and recommended to their imitation. Pyle.

Ver. 1. — am I not free?] That is, to maintain myself, or to be maintained by others. Pyle.

— have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?] The Apostles being chosen to be witnesses of the resurrection, it was requisite that St. Paul should also see Him

13. Do ye not know &c.] The former argument was drawn from the application of a precept, literally spoken

of oxen, to a spiritual sense. This is a plainer argument from the law, taken from the example of the Levites, to whom a considerable part of the sacrifices in the temple and at the altar was allowed by God Himself for their ministration. Dr. Wells, Burkitt.

13. There hath no temptation taken you &c.] The Apostle here cautions the Corinthians against being tempted by

1 Corinthians 8:15

15. — than that any man should make my glorying void.] Than that I should lose this glory of my free and unrecompensed preaching of the Gospel amongst you; wherein I have both prevented scandal, and excelled and shamed the false apostles. Bp. Hall.

1 Corinthians 8:16

16. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: &c.] That in which the Apostle glories is not his bare preaching of the Gospel, but his preaching of it freely and without maintenance. The strength of his argument lies in this; that no man can reasonably boast of, glory in, or expect an extraordinary reward, for the doing of that which he is under a command from his superior to do, and that under a penalty for disobedience. This was his case: necessity was laid upon him to preach the Gospel, but no necessity to preach it freely: therefore for him so to preach it, without demanding any reward, was matter of glorying, which he declares he had rather die than any should take from him. Burkitt.

1 Corinthians 8:18

18. What is my reward then?] What is it then which shall bring me in a reward? Dr. Hammond. Or, what is matter of special reward and glory to me? Dr. Whitby. As if he had said, The only thing that I can holly glory in, is this, That I have preached the Gospel cost free; and have not so abused my power and liberty as to be a scandal unto any whatsoever. Bp. Hall.

It may be hence observed, that there is matter of glorying in things done by the assistance of the grace of God, and it is for the glory of a man to do them, ver. 15: see also 2 Cor. xi. 10; i. 12; Gal. vi. 4. The glorying, which the Apostle elsewhere rejects and excludes, is only that of the merit of our works, or their sufficiency to procure the justification of a sinner,

Paul’s self-denial for the gospel’s sake. I. CORINTHIANS. Our life is like

Anno DOMINI 20. men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

1 Corinthians 8:19

19.—yet have I made myself servant unto all,] “Servants,” or rather slaves, were wholly in the power of their masters, who had power of life and death over them, much more of their bodies for labour, without giving them any wages or reward. St. Paul being a free man, no slave to the Corinthians, that is, under no obligation to preach without maintenance, might in reason have expected from them a reward for all his services, his preaching, and the like: but he did all this for nothing, and so he “made himself a servant unto all.” Dr. Hammond.

1 Corinthians 8:20

20. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew,] In like manner I have denied myself the use of my Christian liberty in many other things also. Dr. Hammond. To the unconverted Jews I became as a Jew, circumcising Timothy for their sakes, Acts xvi. 3. Dr. Whitby.

—to them that are under the law,] That is, in their own opinion still subject to the obligation of it, I became “as under the law,” purifying myself in the temple, because they were zealous of the law, Acts xxi. 21—26. Dr. Whitby.

1 Corinthians 8:21

21. To them that are without law, &c.] On the other side, with the unbelieving Gentiles, I argue in their own way from principles of reason owned by them; and for the converted Gentiles, who were never under any obligation to the Messized ceremonies, I strenuously maintain that they are under nose still. Pyle.

—(being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) Obedient to the law of Christ, and taking care to do nothing contrary to the moral law of God, and to the rules of Christianity. Dr. Whitby.

1 Corinthians 8:22

22. To the weak] Whether Jewish or Gentile converts, “became I as weak,” by abstaining from what might hurt their weak consciences. Burkitt. In descending to their capacities, tolerating their infirmities; forbearing lawful things, offensive to them, &c. Bp. Fell.

—I am made all things to all men,] By a compliance with them in all lawful matters. Dr. Whitby.

Into what a variety of shapes did the Apostle turn himself, to gain upon the affections of men, that he might more easily gain admission for the Gospel of Christ! Had he fallen directly on their infirmities and mistakes, he might have fired their minds, and stopped their ears to his instructions. He knew that patience and gentle teaching would by degrees get the mastery of their errors, and lead them without tumult and opposition to the acknowledgment of the truth; and their prejudices would wear out; and as the light of the Gospel began to dawn in their hearts, their affections would take a new turn of themselves, which were at present not to be stemmed. Bp. Sherlock.

I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

1 Corinthians 8:23

23.—that I might be partaker thereof with you.] That is, that I may have a share myself in the promised rewards of the Gospel, which I have preached to you. Burkitt.

1 Corinthians 8:24

24. Know ye not &c.] The whole passage from hence to the end of the chapter is only to be explained by an observation of the customs in the Grecian games. Of these some were celebrated on the isthmus on which Corinth was situated, and thence denominated Isthmian. With the greatest propriety therefore the subject is introduced by the question, “Know ye not:” &c. For every citizen in Corinth was perfectly acquainted with each minute circumstance of this solemnity; a solemnity, every way so splendid and pompous, that there was no danger lest the allusions made to it in this and other parts of the apostolical writings should appear low and degrading. Dr. Hammond, Bp. Horne.

—run all, but one receiveth the prize? &c.] As if he had said, In one of your celebrated games, namely that of running, all the racers observe the rules prescribed them, and exert their utmost vigour, though of these but one gains what all aim at. Let these men be your pattern; and do you run your Christian race with an eagerness that strives to be foremost, and would not be condone by any engaged in the same course; and at the same time with an attention to the rules prescribed to you, which is as necessary as swiftness towards obtaining the prize. Dean Stanhope, Dr. Hammond.

—So run, that ye may obtain.] It appears to be the Apostle’s intention to encourage Christians to run, because as many as run may obtain. In the Isthmian races indeed only one carried away the prize; and the rest received no reward: but in the Christian race all may run, and all may win too. The preceding verse implies, that many may be partakers of the heavenly prize at the same time. Bp. Pearce.

1 Corinthians 8:25

25. And every man that striveth for the mastery &c.] Again, they who contend in those games at wrestling and boxing, submit to discipline, debar themselves many liberties, and undergo great and long hardships to prepare them for the combat. Dean Stanhope. The allusion here is to a game, called the pancratium, consisting of wrestling and boxing united, and therefore requiring every kind of strength and agility. Dr. Hammond.

—is temperate in all things.] It was indispensably necessary that the candidates in these games should previously submit to a severe regimen and preparatory exercises, regulated and directed by a number of persons, appointed daily to superintend them. The body was to be purified and lightened by strict temperance, braced by exercise, and hardened by being inured to the changes of the atmosphere. Bp. Horne.

—Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; &c.] A most striking circumstance in the comparison

unto a race. CHAP. IX, X. The Jewish sacraments types of our’s. Anno DOMINI 55.

1 Corinthians 8:26

26. I therefore so run, &c.] The Apostle here strengthens his precept by proposing his own example. “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly;” not as one unprepared to distinguish himself in publick, as one exercising himself only in private, not yet trained and fitted for the conflict; (or, not as one ignorant of my course, and uncertain of my reward, provided I regularly perform the race and overcome; Dr. Hammond:) “so fight I, not as one that beateth the air,” in a previous fictitious combat with mine own shadow: “but I keep under my body,” I deal blows in earnest, that do execution; “and bring it into subjection,” lead it captive with all its appetites, obedient to my better part, my mind: and all this I do, “lest that by any means, when I have preached to others,” proclaimed to others the laws and the rewards, like the herald at the Olympick or Isthmian games, “I myself should be a castaway,” disapproved; he rejected as unworthy; come off without honour and approbation. Bp. Horne.

Excellent upon this passage is the note of the ancient commentators: If St. Paul, so great a man, one who had preached and toiled so much, dreaded this termination of his labour, what cause have not we to fear, lest the like event should befall us? Dr. Whitby. And what care and diligence can be too great in endeavouring to make good our progress in the race that is set before us, to secure our success in the warfare of the spirit against the flesh? Dean Stanhope. See the notes from Bp. Bull and Abp. Cranmer, on 2 Tim. iv. 6.

Chap. X. The Apostle’s scope in this chapter is the same as in the two last; namely, to dissuade Christians from eating things offered unto idols, either publickly, in the idol’s temple, which was absolutely sinful; or privately, in the houses of any, to the offence and scandal of their weak brethren; which, had there been no scandal in the case, would have been lawful, but otherwise ought to be forborne. He treats the first subject, ver. 1—23; and the other, to the end of the chapter. Burkitt.

Ver. 1. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should

We must not make the Lord’s table the table of devils: 24 and in things indifferent we must have regard of our brethren.

Anno DOMINI 55.

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;