Teks -- 1 Corinthians 10:8-33 (NET)

10:8 And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. 10:9 And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 10:10 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. 10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 10:12 So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. 10:13 No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Avoid Idol Feasts

10:14 So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 10:15 I am speaking to thoughtful people. Consider what I say. 10:16 Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ? 10:17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread. 10:18 Look at the people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 10:19 Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything? 10:20 No, I mean that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 10:21 You cannot cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot cannot take part in the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 10:22 Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we really stronger than he is?

Live to Glorify God

10:23 “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds others up. 10:24 Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person. 10:25 Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience, 10:26 for the earth and its abundance are the Lord’s. 10:27 If an unbeliever invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat whatever is served without asking questions of conscience. 10:28 But if someone says to you, “This is from a sacrifice,” do not eat, because of the one who told you and because of conscience– 10:29 I do not mean mean yours but the other person’s. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 10:30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for the food that I give thanks for? 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 10:32 Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God, 10:33 just as I also try to please everyone in all things. I do not seek my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: 1Co 10:8 - Neither let us commit fornication

Neither let us commit fornication ( mēde porneuōmen ).

More exactly, And let us cease practicing fornication as some were already doing (1Co 6:11; 1Co 7:2). The connection between idolatry and fornication was very close (see Jowett, Epistles of Paul , II, p. 70) and see about Baal-Peor (Num 25:1-9). It was terribly true of Corinth where prostitution was part of the worship of Aphrodite.

Robertson: 1Co 10:8 - In one day

In one day ( miāi hēmerāi ).

An item that adds to horror of the plague in Num 25:9 where the total number is 24,000 instead of 23,000 as here for one day.

Robertson: 1Co 10:9 - Neither let us tempt the Lord

Neither let us tempt the Lord ( mēde ekpeirazōmen ton Kurion ).

So the best MSS. instead of Christ. This compound occurs in lxx and in N.T. always about Christ (here and Mat 4:7; Luk 4:12; Luk 10:25). Let us cease sorely (ek̇ ) tempting the Lord by such conduct.

Robertson: 1Co 10:9 - And perished by the serpents

And perished by the serpents ( kai hupo tōn opheōn apōllunto ).

Vivid imperfect middle (cf. aorist middle apōlonto in 1Co 10:10), were perishing day by day. The story is told in Num 21:6. The use of hupo for agent with the intransitive middle of apollumi is regular. Note the Ionic uncontracted genitive plural opheōn rather than ophōn .

Robertson: 1Co 10:10 - Neither murmur ye

Neither murmur ye ( mēde gogguzete ).

Implying that some of them were murmuring. For this late picturesque onomatopoetic verb see note on Mat 20:11. The reference seems to be to Num 16:41. after the punishment of Korah.

Robertson: 1Co 10:10 - By the destroyer

By the destroyer ( hupo tou olothreutou ).

This word, from olothreuō (late verb from olethros , destruction) occurs only here, so far as known. The reference is to the destroying angel of Exo 12:23 (ho olothreuōn ).

Robertson: 1Co 10:11 - Now these things happened unto them

Now these things happened unto them ( tauta de sunebainon ekeinois ).

Imperfect tense because they happened from time to time.

Robertson: 1Co 10:11 - By way of example

By way of example ( tupikōs ).

Adverb in sense of tupoi in 1Co 10:6. Only instance of the adverb except in ecclesiastical writers after this time, but adjective tupikos occurs in a late papyrus.

Robertson: 1Co 10:11 - For our admonition

For our admonition ( pros nouthesian hēmōn ).

Objective genitive (hēmōn ) again. Nouthesia is late word from noutheteō (see note on Act 20:31; note on 1Th 5:12 and note on 1Th 5:14) for earlier nouthetēsis and nouthetia .

Robertson: 1Co 10:11 - The ends of the ages have come

The ends of the ages have come ( ta telē tōn aiōnōn katēntēken ).

Cf. Heb 9:26 hē sunteleia tōn aiōnōn , the consummation of the ages (also Mat 13:40). The plural seems to point out how one stage succeeds another in the drama of human history. Katēntēken is perfect active indicative of katantaō , late verb, to come down to (see note on Act 16:1). Does Paul refer to the second coming of Christ as in 1Co 7:26? In a sense the ends of the ages like a curtain have come down to all of us.

Robertson: 1Co 10:12 - Lest he fall

Lest he fall ( mē pesēi ).

Negative purpose with mē and second aorist active subjunctive of piptō .

Robertson: 1Co 10:13 - Hath taken

Hath taken ( eilēphen ).

Perfect active indicative of lambanō .

Robertson: 1Co 10:13 - But such as man can bear

But such as man can bear ( ei mē anthrōpinos ).

Except a human one. Old adjective meaning falling to the lot of man.

Robertson: 1Co 10:13 - Above that ye are able

Above that ye are able ( huper ho dunasthe ).

Ellipsis, but plain. There is comfort in that God is faithful, trustworthy (pistos ).

Robertson: 1Co 10:13 - The way of escape

The way of escape ( tēn ekbasin ).

"The way out"is always there right along with (sun ) the temptation. This old word only here in N.T. and Heb 13:7 about death. It is cowardly to yield to temptation and distrustful of God.

Robertson: 1Co 10:14 - Wherefore

Wherefore ( dioper ).

Powerfully Paul applies the example of the Israelites to the perilous state of the Corinthians about idolatry. See note on 1Co 10:7 for word eidōlolatreia .

Robertson: 1Co 10:15 - As to wise men

As to wise men ( hōs phronimois ).

No sarcasm as in 2Co 11:19, but plea that they make proper use of the mind (phren ) given them.

Robertson: 1Co 10:16 - The cup of blessing

The cup of blessing ( to potērion tēs eulogias ).

The cup over which we pronounce a blessing as by Christ at the institution of the ordinance.

Robertson: 1Co 10:16 - A communion of the blood of Christ

A communion of the blood of Christ ( Koinéōnia tou haimatos tou Christou ).

Literally, a participation in (objective genitive) the blood of Christ. The word Koinéōnia is an old one from Koinéōnos , partner, and so here and Phi 2:1; Phi 3:10. It can mean also fellowship (Gal 2:9) or contribution (2Co 8:4; Phi 1:5). It is, of course, a spiritual participation in the blood of Christ which is symbolized by the cup. Same meaning for Koinéōnia in reference to "the body of Christ."

Robertson: 1Co 10:16 - The bread which we break

The bread which we break ( ton arton hon klōmen ).

The loaf. Inverse attraction of the antecedent (arton ) to the case (accusative) of the relative (hon ) according to classic idiom (Robertson, Grammar , p. 488). Artos probably from arō , to join or fit (flour mixed with water and baked). The mention of the cup here before the bread does not mean that this order was observed for see the regular order of bread and then cup in 1Co 11:24-27.

Robertson: 1Co 10:17 - One bread

One bread ( heis artos ).

One loaf.

Robertson: 1Co 10:17 - Who are many

Who are many ( hoi polloi ).

The many.

Robertson: 1Co 10:17 - We all

We all ( hoi pantes ).

We the all, the whole number, hoi pantes being in apposition with the subject we (hēmeis unexpressed).

Robertson: 1Co 10:17 - Partake

Partake ( metechomen ).

Have a part with or in, share in. See 1Co 9:12; Heb 2:14; Heb 5:13 (partaking of milk).

Robertson: 1Co 10:17 - Of the one bread

Of the one bread ( tou henos artou ).

Of the one loaf, the article tou referring to one loaf already mentioned.

Robertson: 1Co 10:17 - One body

One body ( hen sōma ).

Here the mystical spiritual body of Christ as in 1Co 12:12., the spiritual kingdom or church of which Christ is head (Col 1:18; Eph 5:23).

Robertson: 1Co 10:18 - After the flesh

After the flesh ( kata sarka ).

The literal Israel, the Jewish people, not the spiritual Israel (Israēl kata pneuma ) composed of both Jews and Gentiles, the true children of faith (Rom 2:28; Rom 9:8; Gal 3:7).

Robertson: 1Co 10:18 - Communion with the altar

Communion with the altar ( Koinéōnoi tou thusiastēriou ).

Same idea in Koinéōnoi participators in, partners in, sharers in (with objective genitive). The word thusiastērion is from late verb thusiazō , to offer sacrifice, and that from thusia , sacrifice, and that from thuō , common verb to slay, to sacrifice (1Co 10:20). The Israelites who offer sacrifices have a spiritual participation in the altar.

Robertson: 1Co 10:19 - A thing sacrificed to idols

A thing sacrificed to idols ( eidōlothuton ).

See Act 15:29; note on 1Co 8:1, note on 1Co 8:4

Robertson: 1Co 10:19 - Idol

Idol ( eidōlon ).

Image of a god. See note on Act 7:41; note on Act 15:20; note on 1Co 8:4; and note on 1Co 8:7.

Robertson: 1Co 10:20 - But I say that

But I say that ( all' hoti ).

The verb phēmi (I say) must be repeated from 1Co 10:19 before hoti .

Robertson: 1Co 10:20 - To demons, and not to God

To demons, and not to God ( daimoniois kai ou theōi ).

Referring to lxx text of Deuteronomy 32:17. It is probable that by ou theōi Paul means "to a no-god"as also in Deu 32:21 ep' ouk ethnei (by a no-people). This is Paul’ s reply to the heathen who claimed that they worshipped the gods represented by the images and not the mere wood or stone or metal idols. The word daimonia is an adjective daimonios from daimōn , an inferior deity, and with same idea originally, once in this sense in N.T. (Act 17:18). Elsewhere in N.T. it has the notion of evil spirits as here, those spiritual forces of wickedness (Eph 6:12) that are under the control of Satan. The word daimonia , so common in the Gospels, occurs in Paul’ s writings only here and 1Ti 4:1. Demonology is a deep and dark subject here pictured by Paul as the explanation of heathenism which is a departure from God (Rom 1:19-23) and a substitute for the worship of God. It is a terrible indictment which is justified by the licentious worship associated with paganism then and now.

Robertson: 1Co 10:21 - Ye cannot

Ye cannot ( ou dunasthe ).

Morally impossible to drink the Lord’ s cup and the cup of demons, to partake of the Lord’ s table and the table of demons.

Robertson: 1Co 10:21 - Of the table of the Lord

Of the table of the Lord ( trapezēs Kuriou ).

No articles, but definite idea. Trapeza is from tetra (four) and peza (a foot), four-footed. Here table means, as often, what is on the table. See Luk 22:30 where Jesus says "at my table"(epi tēs trapezēs mou ), referring to the spiritual feast hereafter. Here the reference is plainly to the Lord’ s Supper (Kuriakon deipnon , 1Co 11:20). See allusions in O.T. to use of the table in heathen idol feasts (Isa 65:11; Jer 7:18; Eze 16:18.; Eze 23:41). The altar of burnt-offering is called the table of the Lord in Mal 1:7 (Vincent).

Robertson: 1Co 10:22 - Provoke to jealousy

Provoke to jealousy ( parazēloumen ).

The very word used in Deu 32:21 of the insolence of the old Israelites. Quoted in Rom 10:19. Such double-dealing now will do this very thing.

Robertson: 1Co 10:22 - Stronger than he

Stronger than he ( ischuroteroi autou ).

Comparative adjective followed by the ablative.

Robertson: 1Co 10:23 - See note on 1Co 6:12 for lawful (exestin ) and expedient (sumpherei ). @@Edify not

See note on 1Co 6:12 for lawful (exestin ) and expedient (sumpherei ). @@Edify not ( ouk oikodomei ).

Build up. Explanation of expedient (sumpherei ).

Robertson: 1Co 10:24 - Let no man seek his own

Let no man seek his own ( mēdeis to heautou zēteitō ).

This is Paul’ s rule for social relations (1Co 13:5; Gal 6:2; Rom 14:7; Rom 15:2; Phi 2:1.) and is the way to do what is expedient and what builds up.

Robertson: 1Co 10:24 - His neighbour’ s good

His neighbour’ s good ( to tou heterou ).

Literally, "the affair of the other man."Cf. ton heteron in Rom 13:8 for this idea of heteros like ho plēsion (the nigh man, the neighbour) in Rom 15:2. This is loving your neighbour as yourself by preferring your neighbour’ s welfare to your own (Phi 2:4).

Robertson: 1Co 10:25 - In the shambles

In the shambles ( en makellōi ).

Only here in N.T. A transliterated Latin word macellum , possibly akin to maceria and the Hebrew word for enclosure, though occurring in Ionic and Laconian and more frequent in the Latin. It occurs in Dio Cassius and Plutarch and in the papyri and inscriptions for "the provision market."Deissmann ( Light from the Ancient East , p. 276) says: "In the Macellum at Pompeii we can imagine to ourselves the poor Christians buying their modest pound of meat in the Corinthian Macellum (1Co 10:25), with the same life-like reality with which the Diocletian maximum tariff called up the picture of the Galilean woman purchasing her five sparrows."

Robertson: 1Co 10:25 - Asking no questions for conscience sake

Asking no questions for conscience sake ( mēden anakrinontes dia tēn suneidēsin ).

As to whether a particular piece of meat had been offered to idols before put in the market. Only a part was consumed in the sacrifices to heathen gods. The rest was sold in the market. Do not be over-scrupulous. Paul here champions liberty in the matter as he had done in 1Co 8:4.

Robertson: 1Co 10:26 - This verse gives the reason for Paul’ s advice. It is a quotation from Psa 24:1 and was a common form of grace before meals. @@Fulness

This verse gives the reason for Paul’ s advice. It is a quotation from Psa 24:1 and was a common form of grace before meals. @@Fulness ( plērōma ).

Old word from plēroō , to fill, here that with which a thing is filled, whatever fills the earth.

Robertson: 1Co 10:27 - Biddeth you

Biddeth you ( kalei humas ).

To a general banquet, but not to a temple feast (1Co 8:10) which is prohibited. If a pagan invites Christians to their homes to a banquet, one is to act like a gentleman.

Robertson: 1Co 10:28 - But if any man say unto you

But if any man say unto you ( ean de tis humin eipēi ).

Condition of third class. Suppose at such a banquet a "weak"brother makes the point to you: "This hath been offered in sacrifice"(touto hierothuton estin ). Hierothuton , late word in Plutarch, rare in inscriptions and papyri, only here in N.T.

Robertson: 1Co 10:28 - Eat not

Eat not ( mē esthiete ).

Present imperative with mē prohibiting the habit of eating then. Pertinent illustration to the point of doing what is expedient and edifying.

Robertson: 1Co 10:28 - That shewed it

That shewed it ( ton mēnusanta ).

First aorist active articular participle (accusative case because of dia ) from mēnuō , old verb, to point out, to disclose. See Luk 20:37.

Robertson: 1Co 10:29 - For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

For why is my liberty judged by another conscience? ( hina ti gar hē eleutheria mou krinetai hupo allēs suneidēseōs̱ ).

Supply genētai (deliberative subjunctive) after ti . Paul deftly puts himself in the place of the strong brother at such a banquet who is expected to conform his conscience to that of the weak brother who makes the point about a particular piece of meat. It is an abridgment of one’ s personal liberty in the interest of the weak brother. Two individualities clash. The only reason is love which builds up (1Co 8:2 and all of chapter 1Co 13:1-13). There is this eternal collision between the forces of progress and reaction. If they work together, they must consider the welfare of each other.

Robertson: 1Co 10:30

@@Paul carries on the supposed objective to his principle of love. Why incur the risk of being evil spoken of (blasphēmoumai ) for the sake of maintaining one’ s liberty? Is it worth it? See note on Rom 14:6 where Paul justifies the conscience of one who eats the meat and of one who does not. Saying grace over food that one should not eat seems inconsistent. We have this very word blaspheme in English.

Robertson: 1Co 10:31 - To the glory of God

To the glory of God ( eis doxan theou ).

This is the ruling motive in the Christian’ s life, not just having his own way about whims and preferences.||

Robertson: 1Co 10:32 - Give no occasion of stumbling

Give no occasion of stumbling ( aproskopoi ).

Late word and in papyri, only three times in N.T. (here; Phi 1:10; Act 24:16). See note on Act 24:16. Here in active sense, not tripping others by being a stumbling-block, as in Sirach 32:21, but passive in Act 24:16.

Robertson: 1Co 10:33 - Mine own profit

Mine own profit ( to emoutou sumpheron ).

Old word from sumpherō , to bear together, and explains use of verb in 1Co 10:23.

Robertson: 1Co 10:33 - That they may be saved

That they may be saved ( hina sōthōsin ).

First aorist passive subjunctive of sōzō , to save, with hina purpose clause with same high motive as in 1Co 9:22. This is the ruling passion of Paul in his dealings with men.

Vincent: 1Co 10:9 - Let us tempt Christ

Let us tempt Christ ( ἐκπειράζωμεν τὸν Χριστόν )

The compound word is very significant, " to tempt out " (ἐκ ); tempt thoroughly ; try to the utmost . It occurs in three other places: Mat 4:7; Luk 4:12; Luk 10:25; and, in every case, is used of tempting or testing Christ. Compare Psa 77:18 (Sept.). For Christ read Κύριον the Lord .

Vincent: 1Co 10:10 - Murmur

Murmur ( γογγύζετε )

See on Joh 6:41.

Vincent: 1Co 10:10 - The destroyer

The destroyer ( τοῦ ὀλοθρευτοῦ )

The destroying angel, who is called ὁ ὀλοθρεύων , Exo 12:23.

Vincent: 1Co 10:11 - Happened

Happened ( συνέβαινον )

The imperfect tense marks the successive unfolding of the events.

Vincent: 1Co 10:11 - For ensamples

For ensamples ( τύποι )

The best texts read τυπικῶς by way of figure .

Vincent: 1Co 10:11 - Admonition

Admonition ( νουθεσίαν )

See on the kindred verb to warn , Act 20:31.

Vincent: 1Co 10:11 - Ends of the world

Ends of the world ( τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων )

Lit., ends of the ages . So Rev. Synonymous with ἡ συντέλεια τῶν αἰώνων the consummation of the ages , Heb 9:26. The phrase assumes that Christ's second coming is close at hand, and therefore the end of the world. Ellicott acutely remarks that the plural, ends , marks a little more distinctly the idea of each age of preparation having passed into the age that succeeded it, so that now all the ends of the ages have come down to them.

Vincent: 1Co 10:11 - Are come

Are come ( κατήντηκεν )

See on Act 26:7. Compare Eph 4:13; Phi 3:11.

Vincent: 1Co 10:13 - Temptation

Temptation ( πειρασμὸς )

See on Mat 6:13.

Vincent: 1Co 10:13 - Common to man

Common to man ( ἀνθρώπινος )

The word means what belongs to men , human . It occurs mostly in this epistle; once in Rom 6:19, meaning after the manner of men , popularly (see note). See Jam 3:7; 1Pe 2:13; 1Co 2:4, 1Co 2:13; 1Co 4:3. It may mean here a temptation which is human , i.e., incident or common to man, as A.V., or, inferentially, a temptation adapted to human strength ; such as man can bear , Rev. The words are added as an encouragement, to offset the warning " let him that thinketh," etc. They are in danger and must watch, but the temptation will not be beyond their strength.

Vincent: 1Co 10:13 - A way to escape

A way to escape ( τὴν ἔκβασιν )

Rev., better, the way of escape . The word means an egress , a way out . In classical Greek, especially, of a way out of the sea. Hence, in later Greek, of a landing-place . Compare Xenophon: " The ford that was over against the outlet leading to the mountains" (" Anabasis," iv. 3, 20). For the sense of issue or end , see on Heb 13:7. The words with the temptation and the way of escape imply an adjustment of the deliverance to each particular case.

Vincent: 1Co 10:13 - To bear

To bear

Not the same as escape. Temptation which cannot be fed must be endured . Often the only escape is through endurance . See Jam 1:12.

Vincent: 1Co 10:14 - Idolatry

Idolatry

Notice the article: the idolatry, the temptation of which is constantly present in the idol-feasts.

Vincent: 1Co 10:15 - Wise

Wise ( φρονίμοις )

See on wisdom , Luk 1:17; see on wisely , Luk 16:8. The warning against the sacrificial feasts and the allusion in 1Co 10:3 suggest the eucharistic feast. An act of worship is sacramental, as bringing the worshipper into communion with the unseen. Hence he who practices idolatry is in communion with demons (1Co 10:20), as he who truly partakes of the Eucharist is in communion with Christ. But the two things are incompatible (1Co 10:21). In citing the Eucharist he appeals to them as intelligent (wise) men, concerning a familiar practice.

Vincent: 1Co 10:16 - The cup of blessing

The cup of blessing ( τὸ ποτήριον τῆς εὐλογίας )

Lit., the blessing: the cup over which the familiar formula of blessing is pronounced. Hence the Holy Supper was often styled Eulogia (Blessing). For blessing , see on blessed , 1Pe 1:3. It is the same as eucharistia ( thanksgiving ), applied as the designation of the Lord's Supper: Eucharist . See 1Co 14:16; 1Ti 4:4, 1Ti 4:5. The cup is first mentioned, perhaps, because Paul wishes to dwell more at length on the bread; or possibly, because drinking rather than eating characterized the idol-feasts.

Vincent: 1Co 10:16 - Communion

Communion ( κοινωνία )

Or participation . See on fellowship , 1Jo 1:3; see on Act 2:42; see on partners , Luk 5:10. The Passover was celebrated by families, typifying an unbroken fellowship of those who formed one body, with the God who had passed by the blood-sprinkled doors.

Vincent: 1Co 10:17 - For

For ( ὅτι )

Better, seeing that . It begins a new sentence which is dependent on the following proposition: Seeing that there is one bread , we who are many are one body . Paul is deducing the mutual communion of believers from the fact of their communion with their common Lord. By each and all receiving a piece of the one loaf, which represents Christ's body, they signify that they are all bound in one spiritual body, united to Christ and therefore to each other. So Rev., in margin. Ignatius says: " Take care to keep one eucharistic feast only; for there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup unto unity of His blood;" i.e., that all may be one by partaking of His blood (Philadelphia, 4).

Vincent: 1Co 10:17 - Body

Body

Passing from the literal sense, the Lord's body (1Co 10:16), to the figurative sense, the body of believers, the Church.

Vincent: 1Co 10:17 - Partake of

Partake of ( ἐκ μετέχομεν )

Or partake from . That which all eat is taken from (ἐκ ) the one loaf, and they eat of it mutually , in common , sharing it among them (μετά ). So Ignatius: " That ye come together ἕνα ἄρτον κλῶντες breaking one loaf " (Ephesians, 20).

Vincent: 1Co 10:18 - Partakers of the altar

Showing that partaking of the idol-feasts is idolatry, by the analogy of the Israelite who, by partaking of the sacrifices puts himself in communion with Jehovah's altar.

Partakers of the altar ( κοινωνοὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου )

An awkward phrase. Rev., better, bringing out the force of κοινωνοὶ communers: have not they - communion with the altar? The Israelite who partook of the sacrifices (Lev 8:31) united himself with the altar of God. Paul says with the altar rather than with God , in order to emphasize the communion through the specific act of worship or sacrifice; since, in a larger sense, Israel after the flesh , Israel regarded as a nation, was, in virtue of that fact, in fellowship with God, apart from his partaking of the sacrifices. Possibly, also, to suggest the external character of the Jewish worship in contrast with the spiritual worship of Christians. Philo calls the Jewish priest κοινωνὸς τοῦ βώμου partaker of the altar .

Vincent: 1Co 10:20 - Devils

Devils ( δαιμονίοις )

See on Mar 1:34. Used here, as always in the New Testament, of diabolic spirits. Δαιμόνιον the neuter of the adjective δαιμόνιος divine , occurs in Paul's writings only here and 1Ti 4:1. It is used in the Septuagint, Deu 32:17, to translate the Hebrew word which seems, originally, to have meant a supernatural being inferior to the gods proper, applied among the Assyrians to the bulldeities which guarded the entrances to temples and palaces. Among the Israelites it came to signify all gods but the God of Israel. Compare Isa 65:11, where Gad ( good fortune , probably the star-God Jupiter) is rendered in the Septuagint τῷ δαιμονίῳ the demon . See Rev, O.T. Also Psa 96:5 (Sept. 95), where elilim things of nought , A.V. idols , is rendered by δαιμόνια demons .

Vincent: 1Co 10:21 - The cup of devils

The cup of devils

Representing the heathen feast. The special reference may be either to the drinking-cup, or to that used for pouring libations.

Vincent: 1Co 10:21 - The Lord's table

The Lord's table

Representing the Lord's Supper. See 1Co 11:20 sqq. The Greeks and Romans, on extraordinary occasions, placed images of the gods reclining on couches, with tables and food beside them, as if really partakers of the things offered in sacrifice. Diodorus, describing the temple of Bel at Babylon, mentions a large table of beaten gold, forty feet by fifteen, standing before the colossal statues of three deities. Upon it were two drinking-cups. See, also, the story of " Bel and the Dragon," vv. 10-15. The sacredness of the table in heathen worship is apparent from the manner in which it is combined with the altar in solemn formulae; as ara et mensa . Allusions to the table or to food and drink-offerings in honor of heathen deities occur in the Old Testament: Isa 65:11; Jer 7:18; Eze 16:18, Eze 16:19; Eze 23:41. In Mal 1:7, the altar of burnt-offering is called " the table of the Lord."

Vincent: 1Co 10:22 - Do we provoke - to jealousy

Do we provoke - to jealousy ( ἢ παραζηλοῦμεν )

The A.V. does not translate ἢ or , and thus breaks the connection with what precedes. You cannot be at the same time in communion with the Lord and with demons, or will you ignore this inconsistency and provoke God? For the verb, see on Rom 10:19.

Vincent: 1Co 10:22 - Are we stronger

Are we stronger

The force of the interrogative particle is, surely we are not stronger .

Vincent: 1Co 10:24 - Another's wealth

Another's wealth ( τὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου )

Lit., that which is the other's . Wealth , inserted by A.V. is used in the older English sense of well-being . See on Act 19:25. The A.V. also ignores the force of the article, the other. Rev., much better, his neighbor's good .

Vincent: 1Co 10:25 - The shambles

The shambles ( μακέλλω )

Only here in the New Testament. It is a Latin word, which is not strange in a Roman colony like Corinth. In sacrifices usually only a part of the victim was consumed. The rest was given to the priests or to the poor, or sold again in the market. Any buyer might therefore unknowingly purchase meat offered to idols.

Vincent: 1Co 10:25 - Asking no question

Asking no question

As to whether the meat had been used in idol sacrifice. See on 1Co 2:14.

Vincent: 1Co 10:26 - The earth is the Lord's, etc

The earth is the Lord's, etc.

The common form of Jewish thanksgiving before the meal. For fullness , see on Rom 11:12.

Vincent: 1Co 10:28 - Any man

Any man

Some fellow-guest, probably a gentile convert, but, at all events, with a weak conscience.

Vincent: 1Co 10:28 - Shewed

Shewed ( μηνύσαντα )

See on Luk 20:37 It implies the disclosure of a secret which the brother reveals because he thinks his companion in danger

Vincent: 1Co 10:30 - By grace

By grace ( χάριτι )

Better, as Rev., in margin, with thankfulness: with an unsullied conscience, so that I can sincerely give thanks for my food. Compare Rom 14:6; 1Ti 4:4, 1Ti 4:5.

Vincent: 1Co 10:30 - Am I evil-spoken of

Am I evil-spoken of ( βλασφημοῦμαι )

In the gospels this word, of which blaspheme is a transcript, has, as in the Septuagint, the special sense of treating the name of God with scorn. So Mat 9:3; Mat 26:65; Joh 10:36. In the epistles frequently as here, with the classical meaning of slandering or defaming .

Wesley: 1Co 10:8 - And fell in one day three and twenty thousand

Beside the princes who were afterwards hanged, and those whom the judges slew so that there died in all four and twenty thousand. Num 25:1, Num 25:9.

Wesley: 1Co 10:9 - Neither let us tempt Christ

By our unbelief. St. Paul enumerates five benefits, 1Co 10:1-4; of which the fourth and fifth were closely connected together; and five sins, the fourth and fifth of which were likewise closely connected. In speaking of the fifth benefit, he expressly mentions Christ; and in speaking of the fourth sin, he shows it was committed against Christ.

Wesley: 1Co 10:9 - As some of them tempted him

This sin of the people was peculiarly against Christ; for when they had so long drank of that rock, yet they murmured for want of water. Num 21:4, &c

Wesley: 1Co 10:10 - The destroyer

The destroying angel. Num 14:1, Num 14:36

Wesley: 1Co 10:11 - On whom the ends of the ages are come

The expression has great force. All things meet together, and come to a crisis, under the last, the gospel, dispensation; both benefits and dangers, punishments and rewards. It remains, that Christ come as an avenger and judge. And even these ends include various periods, succeeding each other.

Wesley: 1Co 10:12

The common translation runs, Let him that thinketh he standeth; but the word translated thinketh, most certainly strengthens, rather than weakens, the sense.

Wesley: 1Co 10:13 - Common to man

Or, as the Greek word imports, proportioned to human strength.

Wesley: 1Co 10:13 - God is faithful

In giving the help which he hath promised.

Wesley: 1Co 10:13 - And he will with the temptation

Provide for your deliverance.

Wesley: 1Co 10:14 - Flee from idolatry

And from all approaches to it.

Wesley: 1Co 10:16 - The cup which we bless

By setting it apart to a sacred use, and solemnly invoking the blessing of God upon it.

Wesley: 1Co 10:16 - Is it not the communion of the blood of Christ

The means of our partaking of those invaluable benefits, which are the purchase of the blood of Christ.

Wesley: 1Co 10:16 - The communion of the body of Christ

The means of our partaking of those benefits which were purchased by the body of Christ - offered for us.

Wesley: 1Co 10:17

For it is this communion which makes us all one. We being many are yet, as it were, but different parts of one and the same broken bread, which we receive to unite us in one body.

Wesley: 1Co 10:18 - Consider Israel after the flesh

Christians are the spiritual "Israel of God." Are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar - Is not this an act of communion with that God to whom they are offered? And is not the case the same with those who eat of the sacrifices which have been offered to idols?

Wesley: 1Co 10:19 - What say I then

Do I in saying this allow that an idol is anything divine? I aver, on the contrary, that what the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils. Such in reality are the gods of the heathens; and with such only can you hold communion in those sacrifices.

Wesley: 1Co 10:21 - Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils

You cannot have communion with both.

Wesley: 1Co 10:22 - Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy

By thus caressing his rivals? Are we stronger than he - Are we able to resist, or to bear his wrath?

Wesley: 1Co 10:23

Supposing this were lawful in itself, yet it is not expedient, it is not edifying to my neighbour.

Wesley: 1Co 10:24

His own only, but another's welfare also.

Wesley: 1Co 10:25

The apostle now applies this principle to the point in question.

Wesley: 1Co 10:25 - Asking no questions

Whether it has been sacrificed or not.

Wesley: 1Co 10:26

For God, who is the Creator, Proprietor, and Disposer of the earth and all that is therein, hath given the produce of it to the children of men, to be used without scruple. Psa 24:1

Wesley: 1Co 10:28 - For his sake that showed thee, and for conscience' sake

That is, for the sake of his weak conscience, lest it should be wounded.

Wesley: 1Co 10:29 - Conscience I say, not thy own

I speak of his conscience, not thine.

Wesley: 1Co 10:29 - For why is my liberty judged by another's conscience

Another's conscience is not the standard of mine, nor is another's persuasion the measure of my liberty.

Wesley: 1Co 10:30 - If I by grace am a partaker

If I thankfully use the common blessings of God.

Wesley: 1Co 10:31 - Therefore

To close the present point with a general rule, applicable not only in this, but in all cases, Whatsoever ye do - In all things whatsoever, whether of a religious or civil nature, in all the common, as well as sacred, actions of life, keep the glory of God in view, and steadily pursue in all this one end of your being, the planting or advancing the vital knowledge and love of God, first in your own soul, then in all mankind.

Wesley: 1Co 10:32 - Give no offence

If, and as far as, it is possible.

Wesley: 1Co 10:33

Even as I, as much as lieth in me, please all men.

JFB: 1Co 10:8 - fornication

Literally, Fornication was generally, as in this case (Num. 25:1-18), associated at the idol feasts with spiritual fornication, that is, idolatry. This all applied to the Corinthians (1Co 5:1, 1Co 5:9; 1Co 6:9, 1Co 6:15, 1Co 6:18; 1Co 8:10). Balaam tempted Israel to both sins with Midian (Rev 2:14). Compare 1Co 8:7, 1Co 8:9, "stumbling-block," "eat . . . thing offered unto . . . idol."

JFB: 1Co 10:8 - three and twenty thousand

In Num 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:9 - 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 Num 21:5 it is "spake against God" (whence probably arose the alteration in the one manuscript, 1Co 10:9, "God," to harmonize it with Num 21:5). As either "Christ" or "Lord" is the genuine reading, "Christ" must be "God." Compare "Why do ye tempt the Lord?" (Exo 17:2, Exo 17:7. Compare Rom 14:11, with Isa 45:22-23). Israel's discontented complainings were temptings of Christ especially, the "Angel" of the covenant (Exo 23:20-21; Exo 32:34; Isa 63:9). Though they drank of "that Rock . . . Christ" (1Co 10:4), they yet complained for want of water (Exo 17:2, Exo 17:7). 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 Psa 95:8-9; Num 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:10 - some of them . . . murmured

Upon the death of Korah and his company, who themselves were murmurers (Num 16:41, Num 16:49). Their murmurs against Moses and Aaron were virtually murmurs against God (compare Exo 16:8, Exo 16:10). Paul herein glances at the Corinthian murmurs against himself, the apostle of Christ.

JFB: 1Co 10:10 - destroyed

Fourteen thousand seven hundred perished.

JFB: 1Co 10:10 - the destroyer

THE same destroying angel sent by God as in Exo 12:23, and 2Sa 24:16.

JFB: 1Co 10:11 - Now . . . these things . . . ensamples

Resuming the thread of 1Co 10:6. The oldest manuscripts read, "by way of example."

JFB: 1Co 10:11 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:12 - 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" (Rom 11:20).

JFB: 1Co 10:12 - fall

From his place in the Church of God (compare 1Co 10:8, "fell"). Both temporally and spiritually (Rom 14:4). Our security, so far as relates to God, consists in faith; so far as relates to ourselves, it consists in fear.

JFB: 1Co 10:13

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].

JFB: 1Co 10:13 - faithful

(Psa 125:3; Isa 27:3, Isa 27:8; Rev 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; Mat 4:7).

JFB: 1Co 10:13 - 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 (Jam 1:2-4, Jam 1:12). He "makes" the way of escape simultaneously with the temptation which His providence permissively arranges for His people.

JFB: 1Co 10:13 - to bear it

Greek, "to bear up under it," or "against it." Not, He will take it away (2Co 12:7-9).

JFB: 1Co 10:14

Resuming the argument, 1Co 10:7; 1Co 8:9-10.

JFB: 1Co 10:14 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:15

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 (Act 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:15 - 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."

JFB: 1Co 10:16 - 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 (Mat 26:27; Luk 22:17, Luk 22:20).

JFB: 1Co 10:16 - 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, Eph 5:32), 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 (Lev 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:17 - one bread

Rather, "loaf." One loaf alone seems to have been used in each celebration.

JFB: 1Co 10:17 - 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).

JFB: 1Co 10:17 - we . . . all

Greek, "the whole of us."

JFB: 1Co 10:18 - Israel after the flesh

The literal, as distinguished from the spiritual, Israel (Rom 2:29; Rom 4:1; Rom 9:3; Gal 4:29).

JFB: 1Co 10:18 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:19-20 - 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 (Deu 32:17; Lev 17:7; 2Ch 11:15; Psa 106:37; Rev 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 (Jam 2:19).

JFB: 1Co 10:20 - I would not that ye . . . have fellowship with devils

By partaking of idol feasts (1Co 8:10).

JFB: 1Co 10:21 - Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord

Really and spiritually; though ye may outwardly (1Ki 18:21).

JFB: 1Co 10:21 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:21 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:22 - 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? Deu 32:21 is before the apostle's mind [ALFORD], (Exo 20:5).

JFB: 1Co 10:22 - are we stronger?

That we can risk a contest with Him.

JFB: 1Co 10:23 - 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."

JFB: 1Co 10:23 - edify not

Tend not to build up the spiritual temple, the Church, in faith and love. Paul does not appeal to the apostolic decision (Acts 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:24

(1Co 10:33; 1Co 13:5; Rom 15:1-2).

JFB: 1Co 10:25 - shambles

Butchers' stalls; the flesh market.

JFB: 1Co 10:25 - asking no question

Whether it has been offered to an idol or not.

JFB: 1Co 10:25 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:26

The ground on which such eating without questioning is justified is, the earth and all its contents ("the fulness thereof," Psa 20:1; Psa 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 (Rom 14:14, Rom 14:20; 1Ti 4:4-5; compare Act 10:15).

JFB: 1Co 10:27 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:27 - for conscience' sake

(See on 1Co 10:25).

JFB: 1Co 10:28 - if any man

A weak Christian at table, wishing to warn his brother.

JFB: 1Co 10:28 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:28 - for conscience' sake

Not to cause a stumbling-block to the conscience of thy weak brother (1Co 8:10-12).

JFB: 1Co 10:28 - for the earth is the Lord's, &c.

Not in the oldest manuscripts.

JFB: 1Co 10:29 - Conscience . . . of the other

The weak brother introduced in 1Co 10:28.

JFB: 1Co 10:29 - 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:30 - For

The oldest manuscripts omit "For."

JFB: 1Co 10:30 - by grace

Rather, "thankfully" [ALFORD].

JFB: 1Co 10:30 - I . . . be partaker

I partake of the food set before me.

JFB: 1Co 10:30 - evil spoken of

By him who does not use his liberty, but will eat nothing without scrupulosity and questioning whence the meat comes.

JFB: 1Co 10:30 - give thanks

Which consecrates all the Christian's acts (Rom 14:6; 1Ti 4:3-4).

JFB: 1Co 10:31

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).

JFB: 1Co 10:31 - to the glory of God

(Col 3:17; 1Pe 4:11) --which involves our having regard to the edification of our neighbor.

JFB: 1Co 10:32 - Give none offence

In things indifferent (1Co 8:13; Rom 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.

JFB: 1Co 10:33 - I please

I try to please (1Co 9:19, 1Co 9:22; Rom 15:2).

JFB: 1Co 10:33 - not seeking mine own

(1Co 10:24).

JFB: 1Co 10:33 - many

Rather as Greek, "THE many."

Clarke: 1Co 10:8 - Fell in one day three and twenty thousand

Fell in one day three and twenty thousand - In Num 25:9, the number is 24,000; and, allowing this to be the genuine reading, (and none of the Hebrew MSS. exhibit any various reading in the place), Moses and the apostle may be thus reconciled: in Num 25:4, God commands Moses to take all the heads (the rulers) of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun; these possibly amounted to 1000, and those who fell by the plague were 23,000, so that the whole amounted to 24,000. Instead of εικοσιτρεις χιλιαδες, 23,000, two MSS., with the later Syriac and the Armenian, have εικοσιτεσσαρες χιλιαδες, 24,000; but this authority is too slender to establish a various reading, which recedes so much from the received text. I think the discordance may be best accounted for by supposing, as above, that Phineas and his companions might have slain 1000 men, who were heads of the people, and chief in this idolatry; and that the plague sent from the Lord destroyed 23,000 more; so an equal number to the whole tribe of Levi perished in one day, who were just 23,000. See Num 26:62; and see Lightfoot.

Clarke: 1Co 10:9 - Neither let us tempt Christ

Neither let us tempt Christ - I have already supposed, in the note on 1Co 10:4 (note), that Christ is intended by the spiritual rock that followed them: and that it was he, not the rock, that did follow or accompany the Israelites in the wilderness. This was the angel of God’ s presence who was with the Church in the wilderness, to whom our fathers would not obey, as St. Stephen says, Act 7:38, Act 7:39. Instead of Χριστον, Christ, several MSS. and a few versions have Κυριον, the Lord, and some few Θεον, God. But though some respectable MSS. have the Lord instead of Christ, yet this latter has the greatest proportion of authority on its side. And this affords no mean proof that the person who is called יהוה Yehovah in the Old Testament, is called Christ in the New. By tempting Christ is meant disbelieving the providence and goodness of God; and presuming to prescribe to him how he should send them the necessary supplies, and of what kind they should be, etc.

Clarke: 1Co 10:10 - Neither murmur ye

Neither murmur ye - How the Israelites murmured because of the manna, which their souls despised as a light bread - something incapable of affording them nourishment, etc., and because they had been brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, and pretended that the promises of God had failed; and how they were destroyed by serpents, and by the destroyer or plague; may be seen at large in the texts referred to in the margin on this and the preceding verses. It appears from what the apostle says here, that the Corinthians were murmuring against God and his apostle for prohibiting them from partaking of the idolatrous feasts, just as the Israelites did in the wilderness in reference to a similar subject. See the history of Phineas, with Zimri and Cosbi, and the rebellion of Corah and his company, etc., etc

Clarke: 1Co 10:10 - Destroyed of the destroyer

Destroyed of the destroyer - The Jews suppose that God employed destroying angels to punish those rebellious Israelites; they were five in number, and one of them they call משחית Meshachith , the destroyer; which appears to be another name for Samael, the angel of death, to whose influence they attribute all deaths which are not uncommon or violent. Those who die violent deaths, or deaths that are not in the common manner of men, are considered as perishing by immediate judgments from God.

Clarke: 1Co 10:11 - Upon whom the ends of the world are come

Upon whom the ends of the world are come - Τα τελη των αιωνων· The end of the times included within the whole duration of the Mosaic economy. For although the word αιων means, in its primary sense, endless being, or duration; yet, in its accommodated sense, it is applied to any round or duration that is complete in itself: and here it evidently means the whole duration of the Mosaic economy. "Thus, therefore,"says Dr. Lightfoot, "the apostle speaks in this place that those things, which were transacted in the beginning of the Jewish ages, are written for an example to you upon whom the ends of those ages are come; and the beginning is like to the end, and the end to the beginning. Both were forty years; both consisted of temptation and unbelief; and both ended in the destruction of the unbelievers - that, in the destruction of those who perished in the wilderness; this, in the destruction of those that believed not: viz. the destruction of their city and nation."The phrase סוף יומיא soph yomaiya , the end of days, says the Targum of Jerusalem, Gen 3:15, means ביומוי דמלכא משיחא beyomoi demalca Meshicha , in the days of the King Messiah. We are to consider the apostle’ s words as referring to the end of the Jewish dispensation and the commencement of the Christian, which is the last dispensation which God will vouchsafe to man in the state of probation.

Clarke: 1Co 10:12 - Let him that thinketh he standeth

Let him that thinketh he standeth - Ὁ δοκων ἑσταναι· Let him who most confidently standeth - him who has the fullest conviction in his own conscience that his heart is right with God, and that his mind is right in the truth, take heed lest he fall from his faith, and from the state of holiness in which the grace of God has placed him. I have already shown that the verb δοκειν, which we render to seem, to think, to suppose, is used by the best Greek writers, not to lessen or weaken the sense, but to render it stronger and more emphatic. See the note on Luk 8:18

In a state of probation every thing may change; while we are in this life we may stand or fall: our standing in the faith depends on our union with God; and that depends on our watching unto prayer, and continuing to possess that faith that worketh by love. The highest saint under heaven can stand no longer than he depends upon God and continues in the obedience of faith. He that ceases to do so will fall into sin, and get a darkened understanding and a hardened heart: and he may continue in this state till God come to take away his soul. Therefore, let him who most assuredly standeth, take heed lest he fall; not only partially, but finally.

Clarke: 1Co 10:13 - But such as is common to man

But such as is common to man - Ανθρωπινος· Chrysostom has properly translated this word ανθρωπινος, τουτεστι μικρος, βραχυς, συμμετρος ; that is, small, short, moderate. Your temptations or trials have been but trifling in comparison of those endured by the Israelites; they might have been easily resisted and overcome. Besides, God will not suffer you to be tried above the strength he gives you; but as the trial comes, he will provide you with sufficient strength to resist it; as the trial comes in, he will make your way out. The words are very remarkable, ποιησει συν τῳ πειρασμῳ και την εκβασιν, "He will, with the temptation, make the deliverance, or way out."Satan is never permitted to block up our way, without the providence of God making a way through the wall. God ever makes a breach in his otherwise impregnable fortification. Should an upright soul get into difficulties and straits, he may rest assured that there is a way out, as there was a way in; and that the trial shall never be above the strength that God shall give him to bear it.

Clarke: 1Co 10:14 - Therefore - flee from idolatry

Therefore - flee from idolatry - This is a trial of no great magnitude; to escape from so gross a temptation requires but a moderate portion of grace and circumspection.

Clarke: 1Co 10:15 - I speak as to wise men

I speak as to wise men - The Corinthians valued themselves not a little on their wisdom and various gifts; the apostle admits this, and draws an argument from it against themselves. As ye are so wise, surely ye can see the propriety of abominating idolatry of every kind: for an idol is nothing in the world, and can do nothing for you and nothing against you.

Clarke: 1Co 10:16 - The cup of blessing

The cup of blessing - The apostle speaks here of the Eucharist, which he illustrates by the כוס הברכה cos habberacah , cup of blessing, over which thanks were expressed at the conclusion of the passover. See this largely explained at the conclusion of the notes on Mat 26:75, and in my Discourse upon the Eucharist, 8vo. 2nd edit. 1814

Clarke: 1Co 10:16 - The communion of the blood of Christ?

The communion of the blood of Christ? - We who partake of this sacred cup, in commemoration of the death of Christ, are made partakers of his body and blood, and thus have fellowship with him; as those who partake of an idol feast, thereby, as much as they can, participate with the idol, to whom the sacrifice was offered. This I have proved at large in the above tract, to which I must refer the reader, as the subject is too voluminous to be inserted here.

Clarke: 1Co 10:17 - For we, being many, are one bread

For we, being many, are one bread - The original would be better translated thus: Because there is one bread, or loaf; we, who are many, are one body. As only one loaf was used at the passover, and those who partook of it were considered to be one religious body; so we who partake of the eucharistical bread and wine, in commemoration of the sacrificial death of Christ, are one spiritual society, because we are all made partakers of that one Christ whose blood was shed for us to make an atonement for our sins; as the blood of the paschal lamb was shed and sprinkled in reference to this of which it was the type.

Clarke: 1Co 10:18 - Behold Israel after the flesh

Behold Israel after the flesh - The Jews not yet converted to Christianity: the latter being Israel after the Spirit. As the design of the apostle was to withdraw his converts at Corinth from all temptations to idolatry, he produces two examples to show the propriety of his endeavors

1.    All who join together in celebrating the Lord’ s Supper, and are partakers of that one bread, give proof by this that they are Christians, and have fellowship with Christ

2.    All the Israelites who offer sacrifice, and partake of those sacrifices, give proof thereby that they are Jews, and are in fellowship with the object of their worship: so they who join in idol festivals, and eat things which have been offered to idols, give proof that they are in communion with those idolaters, and that they have fellowship with the demons they worship.

Clarke: 1Co 10:19 - What say I then?

What say I then? - A Jewish phrase for, I conclude; and this is his conclusion: that although an idol is nothing, has neither power nor influence, nor are things offered to idols any thing the worse for being thus offered; yet, as the things sacrificed by the Gentiles are sacrificed to demons and not to God, those who partake of them have fellowship with demons: those who profess Christianity cannot have fellowship both with Christ and the devil.

Clarke: 1Co 10:21 - Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord - It is in vain that you who frequent these idol festivals profess the religion of Christ, and commemorate his death and passion in the holy eucharist; for you can not have that fellowship with Christ which this ordinance implies, while you are partakers of the table of demons. That the Gentiles, in their sacrifices, fed on the slain beasts, and ate bread and drank wine in honor of their gods, is sufficiently clear from various accounts. See my Discourse on the Holy Eucharist, where many examples are produced. The following from Virgil, Aen. viii, verse 179-273, is proof in point: -

Tum lecti juvenes certatim araeque sacerdo

Viscera tosta ferunt taurorum, onerantque canistri

Dona laboratae Cereris, Bacchumque ministrant

Vescitur Aeneas simul et Trojana juventu

Perpetui tergo bovis et lustralibus extis. -

Quare agite, O juvenes, tantarum in munere laudum

Cingite fronde comas, et pocula porgite dextris

Communemque vocate Deum, et date vina volentes

The loaves were served in canisters; the win

In bowls; the priests renewed the rites divine

Broiled entrails are their food, and beef’ s continued chin

Ye warlike youths, your heads with garlands crown

Fill high the goblets with a sparkling flood

And with deep draughts invoke our common god.

Clarke: 1Co 10:22 - Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?

Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? - All idolatry is represented as a sort of spiritual adultery; it is giving that heart to Satan that should be devoted to God; and he is represented as being jealous, because of the infidelity of those who have covenanted to give their hearts to him

Clarke: 1Co 10:22 - Are we stronger than he?

Are we stronger than he? - As he has threatened to punish such transgressors, and will infallibly do it, can we resist his omnipotence? A sinner should consider, while he is in rebellion against God, whether he be able to resist that power whereby God will inflict vengeance.

Clarke: 1Co 10:23 - All things are lawful for me

All things are lawful for me - I may lawfully eat all kinds of food, but all are not expedient; ου παντα συμφερει· It would not be becoming in me to eat of all, because I should by this offend and grieve many weak minds. See the notes on 1Co 6:12, etc.

Clarke: 1Co 10:24 - Let no man seek his own, etc.

Let no man seek his own, etc. - Let none, for his private gratification or emolument, disturb the peace or injure the soul of another. Let every man live, not for himself, but for every part of the great human family with which he is surrounded.

Clarke: 1Co 10:25 - Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat - The case to which the apostle refers is simply this; it was customary to bring the flesh of the animal to market, the blood of which had been poured out in sacrifice to an idol; or, taken more particularly, the case was this; one part of the sacrifice was consumed on the altar of the idol: a second part was dressed and eaten by the sacrificer; and a third belonged to the priest, and was often sold in the shambles. To partake of the second share, or to feast upon the sacrifice, St. Paul absolutely forbids, because this was one part of the religious worship which was paid to the idol; it was sitting down as guests at his table, in token that they were in fellowship with him. This was utterly incompatible with receiving the sacrament of the Lord’ s Supper, which was the communion of the body and blood of Christ. But as to the third share, the apostle leaves them at liberty either to eat of it or forbear; except that, by eating, their weak brethren should be offended; in that case, though the thing was lawful, it was their duty to abstain. See the notes on 1Co 8:1, etc. Hindoos eagerly embrace whatever has been offered to an idol: hence it is common to see the flowers that have been thus offered placed in the hair of a Hindoo. Water that has been thus made sacred is preserved in Hindoo houses, and with it they rub their bodies, and occasionally sip a drop, regarding it as the water of life. - See Ward

Clarke: 1Co 10:25 - Asking no questions for consciences sake

Asking no questions for consciences sake - Dr. Lightfoot observes, that "the Jews were vexed with innumerable scruples in their feasts, as to the eating of the thing, as well as to the company with which they ate; and even the manner of their eating. Of fruits and herbs brought to the table, they were to inquire whether they were tithed according to custom; whether they were consecrated by the Truma, or whether they were profane; whether they were clean, or touched with some pollution, etc. And concerning flesh set on the table, they were to inquire whether it was of that which had been offered to idols; whether it were the flesh of an animal that had been torn by wild beasts; or of that which had been strangled, or not killed according to the canons; etc., etc. All which doubts the liberty of the Gospel abolished as to one’ s own conscience, with this proviso, that no scandal or offense be cast before another man’ s weak or scrupulous conscience.

From this it is evident that the apostle had the case of the Jewish converts in view, and not the Gentiles. The latter were not troubled with such extraordinary scrupulousness.

Clarke: 1Co 10:26 - For the earth is the Lord’ s

For the earth is the Lord’ s - And because God made the earth and its fullness, all animals, plants, and vegetables, there can be nothing in it or them impure or unholy; because all are the creatures of God.

Clarke: 1Co 10:27 - If any - bid you to a feast

If any - bid you to a feast - The apostle means any common meal, not an idol festival; for to such no Christian could lawfully go

Clarke: 1Co 10:27 - Whatsoever is set before you, eat

Whatsoever is set before you, eat - Do not act as the Jews generally do, torturing both themselves and others with questions, such as those mentioned in 1Co 10:26.

Clarke: 1Co 10:28 - This is offered in sacrifice unto idols

This is offered in sacrifice unto idols - While they were not apprized of this circumstance they might lawfully eat; but when told that the flesh set before them had been offered to an idol, then they were not to eat, for the sake of his weak conscience who pointed out the circumstance. For the apostle still takes it for granted that even the flesh offered in sacrifice to an idol might be eaten innocently at any private table, as in that case they were no longer in danger of being partakers with devils, as this was no idol festival

Clarke: 1Co 10:28 - For the earth is the Lord’ s, and the fullness thereof

For the earth is the Lord’ s, and the fullness thereof - This whole clause, which appears also in 1Co 10:26, is wanting here in ABCDEFGH, several others, the Syriac, Erpen, Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itala; and in several of the fathers. Griesbach has left it out of the text: and Professor White says, " Certissime delendum ;"it should most undoubtedly be erased. It has scarcely any authority to support it.

Clarke: 1Co 10:29-30 - For why is my liberty judged of another man’ s conscience? etc.

For why is my liberty judged of another man’ s conscience? etc. - Though in the case of flesh offered to idols, and other matters connected with idolatry, (on which it appears there was much of a tender conscience among some of the Corinthians), it was necessary to sacrifice something to an over-scrupulous conscience, yet the Gospel of Christ did not lay any man under this general burthen, that he must do nothing at which any weak brother might feel hurt or be stumbled; for the liberty of the Gospel must not take for its rule the scrupulosity of any conscience; for if a man, by grace - by the allowance or authority of the Gospel, partake of any thing that God’ s bounty has sent, and which the Gospel has not forbidden, and give thanks to God for the blessing, no man has right or authority to condemn such a person. This seems to be the meaning of these two verses; and they read a lesson of caution to rash judges, and to those who are apt to take offense.

Clarke: 1Co 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink - As no general rule can be laid down in reference to the above particulars, there is one maxim of which no Christian must lose sight - that whether he eats or drinks of this or the other kind of aliments, or whatever else he may do, he must do it so as to bring glory to God. This is a sufficient rule to regulate every man’ s conscience and practice in all indifferent things, where there are no express commands or prohibitions.

Clarke: 1Co 10:32 - Give none offense, etc.

Give none offense, etc. - Scrupulously avoid giving any cause of offense either to the unconverted Jews or the unconverted Gentiles, so as to prejudice them against Christianity: nor to the Church of God, made up of converts from the above parties.

Clarke: 1Co 10:33 - Even as I please all men

Even as I please all men - Act as I do: forgetting myself, my own interests, convenience, ease, and comfort, I labor for the welfare of others; and particularly that they may be saved. How blessed and amiable was the spirit and conduct of this holy man

This chapter has already presented the serious reader with a variety of maxims for his regulation. -

1.    As to his own private walk

2.    His domestic duties; an

3.    His connection with the Church of God

Let us review some of the principal parts

1.    We should be on our guard against what are called little sins, and all occasions and excitements to sin. Take heed what company you frequent. One thing, apparently harmless, may lead by almost imperceptible links to sins of the deepest dye. See the example in this chapter

1.    The people sat down to eat and to drink

2.    They rose up to play, dance, and sing: an

3.    They committed fornication, and brought upon themselves swift destruction

2.    However conscious we may be of our own sincerity and uprightness, we should ever distrust ourselves. God has made nothing independent of himself; the soul has no principle of self-dependence either in itself or its attainments: it is wise, powerful, and happy, only while it is depending on infinite wisdom, unlimited power, and endless mercy

3.    The Gentiles were in communion with demons by their idolatrous services. In what communion are those who feed themselves without fear, who eat with the glutton and drink with the drunkard? So they partake of the Lord Jesus who are under the influence of pride, self-will, hatred, censoriousness, etc., and who carry their self-importance and worldly spirit even into the house and worship of God

4.    A spirit of curiosity too much indulged may, in an irreligious man, lead to covetousness and theft: in a godly man, to a troublesome and unscriptural scrupulosity of conscience, productive of nothing but uneasiness to itself, and disturbance to others. Simplicity of heart saves from this, and is an excellent gift

5.    In many actions we have a twofold rule - the testimony of God and charity: and in many things charity is the best interpreter of the testimony. The testimony often permits what charity forbids, because circumstances in time, place, etc., may render a thing improper on one occasion that might be proper on another

6.    Pious Quesnel has well said: Every thing honors God when it is done for his sake; every thing dishonors him when any ultimate end is proposed beside his glory. It is an unchangeable principle of the Christian morality that all comes from God by his love, and all should be returned to him by ours. This rule we should keep inviolate

7.    Though many of the advices given in this chapter appear to respect the Corinthians alone, yet there is none of them that is not applicable to Christians in general in certain circumstances. God has given no portion of his word to any people or age exclusively; the whole is given to the Church universal in all ages of the world. In reading this epistle let us seriously consider what parts of it apply to ourselves; and if we are disposed to appropriate its promises, let us act conscientiously, and inquire how many of its reprehensions we may fairly appropriate also.

Calvin: 1Co 10:8 - Neither let us commit fornication

8.Neither let us commit fornication Now he speaks of fornication, in respect of which, as appears from historical accounts, great licentiousness prevailed among the Corinthians, and we may readily infer from what goes before, that those who had professed themselves to be Christ’s were not yet altogether free from this vice. The punishment of this vice, also, ought to alarm us, and lead us to bear in mind, how loathsome impure lusts are to God, for there perished in one day twenty-three thousand, or as Moses says, twenty-four. Though they differ as to number, it is easy to reconcile them, as it is no unusual thing, when it is not intended to number exactly and minutely each head, ⁵⁴⁶ to put down a number that comes near it, as among the Romans there were those that received the name of Centumviri , ⁵⁴⁷ (The Hundred,) while in reality there were two above the hundred. As there were, therefore, about twenty-four thousand that were overthrown by the Lord’s hand — that is, above twenty-three, Moses has set down the number above the mark, and Paul, the number below it, and in this way there is in reality no difference. This history is recorded in Num 25:9

There remains, however, one difficulty here — why it is that Paul attributes this punishment to fornication, while Moses relates that the anger of God was aroused against the people on this account — that they had initiated themselves in the sacred rites of Baalpeor. ⁵⁴⁸ But as the defection began with fornication, and the children of Israel fell into that impiety, not so much from being influenced by religious considerations, ⁵⁴⁹ as from being allured by the enticements of harlots, everything evil that followed from it ought to be attributed to fornication. For Balaam had given this counsel, that the Midianites should prostitute their daughters to the Israelites, with the view of estranging them from the true worship of God. Nay more, their excessive blindness, in allowing themselves to be drawn into impiety ⁵⁵⁰ by the enticements of harlots, was the punishment of lust. Let us learn, accordingly, that fornication is no light offense, which was punished on that occasion by God so severely and indeed in a variety of ways.

Calvin: 1Co 10:9 - Neither let us tempt Christ

9.Neither let us tempt Christ This part of the exhortation refers to the history that is recorded in Num 21:6. For the people, having become weary of the length of time, began to complain of their condition, and to expostulate with God — “Why has God deceived us,” etc. This murmuring of the people Paul speaks of as a tempting; and not without good reason, for tempting is opposed to patience. What reason was there at that time why the people should rise up against God, except this — that, under the influence of base desire, ⁵⁵¹ they could not wait in patience the arrival of the time appointed by the Lord? Let us, therefore, take notice, that the fountain of that evil against which Paul here warns us is impatience, when we wish to go before God, and do not give ourselves up to be ruled by Him, but rather wish to bind him to our inclination and laws. This evil God severely punished in the Israelitish people. Now he remains always like himself — a just Judge. Let us therefore not tempt him, if we would not have experience of the same punishment.

This is a remarkable passage in proof of the eternity of Christ; for the cavil of Erasmus has no force — “Let us not tempt Christ, as some of them tempted God; ” for to supply the word God is extremely forced. ⁵⁵² Nor is it to be wondered that Christ is called the Leader of the Israelitish people. For as God was never propitious to his people except through that Mediator, so he conferred no benefit except through his hand. Farther, the angel who appeared at first to Moses, and was always present with the people during their journeying, is frequently called יהוה , Jehovah. ⁵⁵³ Let us then regard it as a settled point, that that angel was the Son of God, and was even then the guide of the Church of which he was the Head. As to the term Christ, from its having a signification that corresponds with his human nature, it was not as yet applicable to the Son of God, but it is assigned to him by the communication of properties, as we read elsewhere, that

the Son of Man came down from heaven. (Joh 3:13.)

Calvin: 1Co 10:10 - Neither murmur ye

10.Neither murmur ye Others understand this to be the murmuring that arose, when the twelve, who had been sent to spy out the land, disheartened, on their return, the minds of the people. But as that murmuring was not punished suddenly by any special chastisement from the Lord, but was simply followed by the infliction of this punishment — that all were excluded from the possession of the land, it is necessary to explain this passage otherwise. It was a most severe punishment, it is true, to be shut out from entering the land, ⁵⁵⁴ but the words of Paul, when he says that they were destroyed by the destroyer, express another kind of chastisement. I refer it, accordingly, to the history, which is recorded in the sixteenth chapter of Numbers. [Num 16:1 ]. For when God had punished the pride of Korah and Abiram, the people raised a tumult against Moses and Aaron, as if they had been to blame for the punishment which the Lord had inflicted. This madness of the people God punished by sending down fire from heaven, which swallowed up many of them — upwards of fourteen thousand. It is, therefore, a striking and memorable token of God’s wrath against rebels and seditious persons, that murmur against him.

Those persons, it is true, murmured against Moses; but as they had no ground for insulting him, and had no occasion for being incensed against him, unless it was that he had faithfully discharged the duty which had been enjoined upon him by God, God himself was assailed by that murmuring. Let us, accordingly, bear in mind that we have to do with God, and not with men, if we rise up against the faithful ministers of God, and let us know that this audacity ⁵⁵⁵ will not go unpunished.

By the destroyer you may understand the Angel, who executed the judgment of God. Now he sometimes employs the ministry of bad angels, sometimes of good, in punishing men, as appears from various passages of Scripture. As Paul here does not make a distinction between the one and the other, you may understand it of either.

Calvin: 1Co 10:11 - Now all these things happened as types // They are written for our admonition // Upon whom the ends of the world are come

11.Now all these things happened as types He again repeats it — that all these things happened to the Israelites, that they might be types to us — that is, examples, in which God places his judgments before our eyes I am well aware, that others philosophize on these words with great refinement, but I think that I have fully expressed the Apostle’s meaning, when I say, that by these examples, like so many pictures, we are instructed what judgments of God are impending over idolaters, fornicators, and other contemners of God. For they are lively pictures, representing God as angry on account of such sins. This exposition, besides being simple and accurate, has this additional advantage, that it blocks up the path of certain madmen, ⁵⁵⁶ who wrest this passage for the purpose of proving, that among that ancient people there was nothing done but what was shadowy. First of all, they assume that that people is a figure of the Church. From this they infer, that everything that God promised to them, or accomplished for them — all benefits, all punishments, ⁵⁵⁷ only prefigured what required to be accomplished in reality after Christ’s advent. This is a most pestilential frenzy, which does great injury to the holy fathers, and much greater still to God. For that people was a figure of the Christian Church, in such a manner as to be at the same time a true Church. Their condition represented ours in such a manner that there was at the same time, even then, a proper condition of a Church. The promises given to them shadowed forth the gospel in such a way, that they had it included in them. Their sacraments served to prefigure ours in such a way, that they were nevertheless, even for that period, true sacraments, having a present efficacy. In fine, those who at that time made a right use, both of doctrine, and of signs, were endowed with the same spirit of faith as we are. These madmen, therefore, derive no support from these words of Paul, which do not mean that the things that were done in that age were types, in such a way as to have at that time no reality, but a mere empty show. Nay more, they expressly teach us, (as we have explained,) that those things which may be of use for our admonition, are there set forth before us, as in a picture.

They are written for our admonition This second clause is explanatory of the former; for it was of no importance to the Israelites, but to us exclusively, that these things should be committed to record. ⁵⁵⁸ It does not, however, follow from this, that these inflictions were not true chastisements from God, suited for their correction at that time, but as God then inflicted his judgments, so he designed that they should be kept everlastingly in remembrance for our instruction. For of what advantage were the history of them to the dead; and as to the living, how would it be of advantage to them, unless they repented, admonished by the examples of others? Now he takes for granted the principle, as to which all pious persons ought to be agreed — that there is nothing revealed in the Scriptures, that is not profitable to be known.

Upon whom the ends of the world are come The word τέλη (ends) sometimes means mysteries; ⁵⁵⁹ and that signification would not suit in with this passage. I follow, however, the common rendering, as being more simple. He says then, that the ends of all ages are come upon us, inasmuch as the fullness of all things is suitable to this age, because it is now the last times. For the kingdom of Christ is the main object of the Law and of all the Prophets. But this statement of Paul is at variance with the common opinion — that God, while more severe under the Old Testament, and always ready and armed for the punishment of crimes, has now begun to be exorable, and more ready to forgive. They explain, also, our being under the law of grace, in this sense — that we have God more placable than the ancients had. But what says Paul? If God inflicted punishment upon them, he will not the more spare you. Away, then, with the error, that God is now more remiss in exacting the punishment of crimes! It must, indeed, be acknowledged, that, by the advent of Christ, God’s goodness has been more openly and more abundantly poured forth towards men; but what has this to do with impunity for the abandoned, who abuse his grace? ⁵⁶⁰

This one thing only must be noticed, that in the present day the mode of punishment is different; for as God of old was more prepared to reward the pious with outward tokens of his blessing, that he might testify to them his fatherly love, so he showed his wrath more by corporal punishments. Now, on the other hand, in that fuller revelation which we enjoy, he does not so frequently inflict visible punishments, and does not so frequently inflict corporal punishment even upon the wicked. You will find more on this subject in my Institutes. ⁵⁶¹

Calvin: 1Co 10:12 - Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth

12.Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth The Apostle concludes from what goes before, that we must not glory in our beginnings or progress, so as to resign ourselves to carelessness and inactivity. ⁵⁶² For the Corinthians gloried in their condition in such a way, that, forgetting their weakness, they fell into many crimes. This was a false confidence of such a kind as the Prophets frequently reprove in the Israelitish people. As, however, Papists wrest this passage for the purpose of maintaining their impious doctrine respecting faith, as having constantly doubt connected with it, ⁵⁶³ let us observe that there are two kinds of assurance.

The one is that which rests on the promises of God, because a pious conscience feels assured that God will never be wanting to it; and, relying on this unconquerable persuasion, triumphs boldly and intrepidly over Satan and sin, and yet, nevertheless, keeping in mind its own infirmity, casts itself ⁵⁶⁴ upon God, and with carefulness and anxiety commits itself to him. This kind of assurance is sacred, and is inseparable from faith, as appears from many passages of Scripture, and especially Rom 8:33.

The other arises from negligence, when men, puffed up with the gifts that they have, give themselves no concern, as if they were beyond the reach of danger, but rest satisfied with their condition. Hence it is that they are exposed to all the assaults of Satan. This is the kind of assurance which Paul would have the Corinthians to abandon, because he saw that they were satisfied with themselves under the influence of a silly conceit. He does not, however, exhort them to be always anxiously in doubt as to the will of God, or to tremble from uncertainty as to their salvation, as Papists dream. ⁵⁶⁵ In short, let us bear in mind, that Paul is here addressing persons who were puffed up with a base confidence in the flesh, and represses that assurance which is grounded upon men — not upon God. For after commending the Colossians for the solidity or steadfastness of their faith, (Col 2:5,) he exhorts them to be

rooted in Christ, to remain firm, and to be built up and
confirmed in the faith. (Col 2:7.)

Calvin: 1Co 10:13 - No temptation has taken you // But God is faithful

13.No temptation has taken you ⁵⁶⁶ Let others take their own way of interpreting this. For my part, I am of opinion that it was intended for their consolation, lest on hearing of such appalling instances of the wrath of God, as he had previously related, they should feel discouraged, being overpowered with alarm. Hence, in order that his exhortation might be of advantage, he adds, that there is room for repentance. “There is no reason why you should despond; for I have not had it in view to give you occasion for despair, nor has anything happened to you but what is common to men.” Others are of opinion that he rather chides their cowardice in giving way, on being so slightly tried; ⁵⁶⁷ and unquestionably the word rendered human is sometimes taken to mean moderate. ⁵⁶⁸ The meaning, then, according to them would be this: “Did it become you thus to give way under a slight trial?” But as it agrees better with the context, if we consider it as consolation, I am on this account rather inclined to that view.

But God is faithful As he exhorted them to be of good courage as to the past, in order that he might stir them up to repentance, so he also comforts them as to the future with a sure hope, on the ground that God would not suffer them to be tempted beyond their strength. He exhorts them, however, to look to the Lord, because a temptation, however slight it may be, will straightway overcome us, and all will be over with us, if we rely upon our own strength. He speaks of the Lord, as faithful, not merely as being true to his promises, but as though he had said. The Lord is the sure guardian of his people, under whose protection you are safe, for he never leaves his people destitute. Accordingly, when he has received you under his protection, you have no cause to fear, provided you depend entirely upon him. For certainly this were a species of deception, if he were to withdraw his aid in the time of need, or if he were, on seeing us weak and ready to sink under the load, to lengthen out our trials still farther. ⁵⁶⁹

Now God helps us in two ways, that we may not be overcome by the temptation; for he supplies us with strength, and he sets limits to the temptation. It is of the second of these ways that the Apostle here chiefly speaks. At the same time, he does not exclude the former — that God alleviates temptations, that they may not overpower us by their weight. For he knows the measure of our power, which he has himself conferred. According to that, he regulates our temptations. The term temptation I take here as denoting, in a general way, everything that allures us.

Calvin: 1Co 10:14 - Wherefore, my beloved, flee, etc

14.Wherefore, my beloved, flee, etc The Apostle now returns to the particular question, from which he had for a little digressed, for, lest bare doctrine should have little effect among them, he has introduced those general exhortations that we have read, but now he pursues the discussion on which he had entered — that it is not allowable for a Christian man to connect himself with the superstitions of the wicked, so as to take part in them. Flee, says he, from idolatry In the first place, let us observe what meaning he attaches to the term Idolatry He certainly did not suspect the Corinthians of such a degree of ignorance or carelessness ⁵⁷⁰ as to think, that they worshipped idols in their heart. But as they made no scruple of frequenting the assemblies of the wicked, and observing along with them certain rites instituted in honor of idols, he condemns this liberty taken by them, as being a very bad example. It is certain, then, that when he here makes mention of idolatry, he, speaks of what is outward, or, if you prefer it, of the profession ⁵⁷¹ of idolatry. For as God is said to be worshipped by the bending of the knee, and other tokens of reverence, while the principal and genuine worship of him is inward, so is it also as to idols, for the case holds the same in things opposite. It is to no purpose that very many in the present day endeavor to excuse outward actions ⁵⁷² on this pretext, that the heart is not in them, while Paul convicts of idolatry those very acts, and assuredly with good reason. For, as we owe to God not merely the secret affection of the heart, but also outward adoration, the man who offers to an idol an appearance of adoration takes away so much of the honor due to God. Let him allege as he may that his heart is quite away from it. The action itself is to be seen, in which the honor that is due to God is transferred to an idol.

Calvin: 1Co 10:15 - I speak as to wise men

15.I speak as to wise men As he was about to take his argument from the mystery of the Supper, he arouses them by this little preface, that they may consider more attentively the magnitude of the thing. ⁵⁷³ “I do not address mere novices. You understand the efficacy of the sacred Supper in it we are ingrafted into the Lord’s body. How unseemly a thing is it then, that you should enter into fellowship with the wicked, so as to be united in one body. At the same time, he tacitly reproves their want of consideration in this respect, that, while accurately instructed in the school of Christ, they allowed themselves in gross vice, as to which there was no difficulty in forming an opinion.

Calvin: 1Co 10:16 - The cup of blessing // The bread which we break

16.The cup of blessing While the sacred Supper of Christ has two elements — bread and wine — he begins with the second. He calls it, the cup of blessing, as having been set apart for a mystical benediction. ⁵⁷⁴ For I do not agree with those who understand blessing to mean thanksgiving, and interpret the verb to bless, as meaning to give thanks I acknowledge, indeed, that it is sometimes employed in this sense, but never in the construction that Paul has here made use of, for the idea of Erasmus, as to supplying a preposition, ⁵⁷⁵ is exceedingly forced. On the other hand, the meaning that I adopt is easy, and has nothing of intricacy.

To bless the cup, then, is to set it apart for this purpose, that it may be to us an emblem of the blood of Christ. This is done by the word of promise, when believers meet together according to Christ’s appointment to celebrate the remembrance of his death in this Sacrament. The consecration, however, which the Papists make use of, is a kind of sorcery derived from heathens, ⁵⁷⁶ which has nothing in common with the pure rite observed by Christians. Everything, it is true, that we eat is sanctified by the word of God, as Paul himself elsewhere bears witness, (1Ti 4:5;) but that blessing is for a different purpose — that our use of the gifts of God may be pure, and may tend to the glory of their Author, and to our advantage. On the other hand, the design of the mystical blessing in the Supper is, that the wine may be no longer a common beverage, but set apart for the spiritual nourishment of the soul, while it is an emblem of the blood of Christ.

Paul says, that the cup which has been in this manner blessed is κοινωνίαν — the comnunion of the blood of the Lord. It is asked, in what sense? Let contention be avoided, and there will be nothing of obscurity. It is true, that believers are united together by Christ’s blood, so as to become one body. It is also true, that a unity of this kind is with propriety termed κοινωνία ( communion.) I make the same acknowledgment as to the bread Farther, I observe what Paul immediately adds, as it were, by way of explanation — that we all become one body, because we are together partakers of the same bread But whence, I pray you, comes that κοινωνία ( communion) between us, but from this, that we are united to Christ in such a way, that

we are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones?
(Eph 5:30.)

For we must first of all be incorporated (so to speak) into Christ, that we may be united to each other. In addition to this, Paul is not disputing at present merely in reference to a mutual fellowship among men, but as to the spiritual union between Christ and believers, with the view of drawing from this, that it is an intolerable sacrilege for them to be polluted by fellowship with idols. From the connection of the passage, therefore, we may conclude, that (κοινωνίαν) the communion of the blood is that connection which we have with the blood of Christ, when he engrafts all of us together into his body, that he may live in us, and we in him.

Now, when the cup is called a participation, the expression, I acknowledge, is figurative, provided that the truth held forth in the figure is not taken away, or, in other words, provided that the reality itself is also present, and that the soul has as truly communion in the blood, as we drink wine with the mouth. But Papists could not say this, that the cup of blessing is a participation in the blood of Christ, for the Supper that they observe is mutilated and torn: if indeed we can give the name of the Supper to that strange ceremony which is a patchwork of various human contrivances, and scarcely retains the slightest vestige of the institution of our Lord. But, supposing that everything else were as it ought to be, this one thing is at variance with the right use of the Supper — the keeping back of the whole of the people from partaking of the cup, which is the half of the Sacrament.

The bread which we break From this it appears, that it was the custom of the ancient Church to break one loaf, and distribute to every one his own morsel, in order that there might be presented more clearly to the view of all believers their union to the one body of Christ. And that this custom was long kept up appears from the testimony of those who flourished in the three centuries that succeeded the age of the Apostles. Hence arose the superstition, that no one dared to touch the bread with his hand, but each one had it put into his mouth by the priest.

Calvin: 1Co 10:17 - For we are one bread

17.For we are one bread I have already stated above, that it was not Paul’s particular design here to exhort us to love, but he mentions this by the way, that the Corinthians may understand that we must, even by external profession, maintain that unity which subsists between us and Christ, inasmuch as we all assemble together to receive the symbol of that sacred unity. In this second part of the statement, he makes mention only of the one part of the Sacrament, and it is the manner of Scripture to describe by Synecdoche ⁵⁷⁷ the entire Supper by the breaking of bread It is necessary to warn my readers, in passing, as to this, lest any less experienced person should be put off his guard by the foolish cavil that is brought forward by certain sycophants — as if Paul, by mentioning merely the bread, had it in view to deprive the people of the one half of the Sacrament.

Calvin: 1Co 10:18 - Behold Israel after the flesh

18.Behold Israel after the flesh He establishes it by another example, that such is the nature of all sacred observances, that they bind us in a kind of fellowship with God. For the law of Moses admits no one to a feast upon a sacrifice, but the man who has duly prepared himself. I speak not of priests merely, but of those among the common people who eat of the remains of the sacrifice. Hence it follows, that all who eat of the flesh of the sacrificed victim, are partakers with the altar, that is, of the sanctification, with which God has set apart his Temple, and the sacred rites that are performed in it.

This expression after the flesh, may seem to be added in order that the Corinthians, on comparing the two, might set a higher value on the efficacy of our Supper. “If there was so much virtue in the ancient figures and in those rudiments of youthful education, how much more must we reckon that there is in our mysteries, in which God shines forth much more fully upon us!” At the same time, it is more simple, in my opinion, to say that Paul intended merely by this mark to distinguish the Jews that were still under the law from those that had been converted to Christ. Now there was a contrast that remained to be made — that if the sacred rites appointed by God sanctify those who observe them, pollution, on the other hand, is contracted from the sacred rites rendered to idols. ⁵⁷⁸ For it is God alone that sanctifies, and hence all strange gods pollute. ⁵⁷⁹ Again, if mysteries ⁵⁸⁰ unite and connect believers with God, it follows, that the wicked are in like manner introduced by their superstitious rites into fellowship ⁵⁸¹ with idols. But the Apostle, before proceeding to this, answers by an anthypophora ⁵⁸² (anticipation) a question that might be proposed by way of objection.

Calvin: 1Co 10:19 - What do I say then?

19.What do I say then? It might seem at first view as if the Apostle either argued inconclusively, or ascribed to idols something of existence and of power. Now it might readily be objected — “What comparison is there between the living God and idols? God connects us with himself by the sacraments. Be it so. How comes it that idols, which are nothing, (1Co 8:4,) have so much power, as to be able to do the like? Do you think that idols are anything, or can do anything?” He answers, that he does not look to the idols themselves; ⁵⁸³ but rather has in view the intention of those who sacrifice to idols. For that was the source of the pollution that he had indirectly pointed out. He confesses, therefore, that an idol is nothing. He confesses that it is a mere delusion when the Gentiles take it upon them to go through solemn rites of dedication, ⁵⁸⁴ and that the creatures of God are not polluted by such fooleries. But as the design of them is superstitious and condemnable, and as the work is base, he infers, that all who connect themselves with them as associates, are involved in pollution.

Calvin: 1Co 10:20 - But the things // I would not that ye

20.But the things ⁵⁸⁵ that the Gentiles sacrifice. To complete the answer, a negative must be understood in this way: “I do not say that an idol is anything, nor do I imagine it to be endued with any virtue, but I say that the Gentiles sacrifice to the devil and not to gods those things which they do sacrifice, and hence I estimate the work by their wicked and impious superstition. For we must always look to the intention with which a thing is done. He, then, who connects himself with them, declares that he has fellowship with them in the same impiety.” He proceeds accordingly with what he had commenced: “If we had to do with God only, those things would be nothing, but, in relation to men, they become faulty; because no one sits down to an idol feast, who does not declare himself to be a worshipper of the idol.”

Some, however, understand the term demons here as meaning the imaginary deities of the Gentiles, agreeably to their common way of speaking of them; for when they speak of demons they meant inferior deities, as, for example, heroes, ⁵⁸⁶ and thus the term was taken in a good sense. Plato, in a variety of instances, employs the term to denote genii, or angels. ⁵⁸⁷ That meaning, however, would be quite foreign to Paul’s design, for his object is to show that it is no light offense to have to do with actions that have any appearance of putting honor upon idols. Hence it suited his purpose, not to extenuate, but rather to magnify the impiety that is involved in it. How absurd, then, it would have been to select an honorable term to denote the most heinous wickedness! It is certain from the Prophet Baruch, (Bar 4:7,) that those things that are sacrificed to idols are sacrificed to devils (Deu 32:17; Psa 96:5.) In that passage in the writings of the Prophet, the Greek translation, which was at that time in common use, has δαιμόνια — demons, and this is its common use in Scripture. How much more likely is it then, that Paul borrowed what he says from the Prophet, to express the enormity of the evil, than that, speaking after the manner of the heathen, he extenuated what he was desirous to hold up to utter execration!

It may seem, however, as if these things were somewhat at variance with what I stated a little ago — that Paul had an eye to the intention of idolaters, for it is not their intention to worship devils, but imaginary deities of their own framing. I answer, that the two things are quite in harmony, for when men become so vain in their imaginations (Rom 1:21) as to render divine honor to creatures, rather than to the one God, this punishment is in readiness for them — that they serve Satan. For they do not find that “middle place” ⁵⁸⁸ that they are in search of, but Satan straightway presents himself to them, as an object of adoration, whenever they have turned their back upon the true God.

I would not that ye If the term demon were used in an indifferent sense, how spiritless were Paul’s statement here, while, instead of this, it has the greatest weight and severity against idolaters! He subjoins the reason — because no one can have fellowship at the same time with God and with idols. Now, in all sacred observances, there is a profession of fellowship. Let us know, therefore, that we are then, and then only, admitted by Christ to the sacred feast of his body and blood, when we have first of all bid farewell to every thing sacrilegious. ⁵⁸⁹ For the man who would enjoy the one, must renounce the other. O thrice miserable the condition of those ⁵⁹⁰ who, from fear of displeasing men, do not hesitate to pollute themselves with unlawful superstitions! For, by acting in this way, they voluntarily renounce fellowship with Christ, and obstruct their approach to his health-giving table.

Calvin: 1Co 10:22 - Do we provoke the Lord // Are we stronger

22.Do we provoke the Lord ? Having laid down the doctrine, he assumes a more vehement tone, from observing, that what was a most atrocious offense against God was regarded as nothing, or, at least, was looked upon as a very trivial error. The Corinthians wished the liberty that they took to be reckoned excusable, as there is not one of us that willingly allows himself to be found fault with, but, on the contrary, we seek one subterfuge after another, under which to shelter ourselves. Now Paul says, and not without reason, that in this way we wage war against God; for nothing does God more require from us than this — that we adhere strictly to everything that he declares in his word. Do not those, then, who use subterfuges, ⁵⁹¹ in order that they may be at liberty to transgress the commandment of God, arm themselves openly against God? Hence that curse which the Prophet denounces against all those who call evil, good, and darkness, light (Isa 5:20.)

Are we stronger ? He warns them how dangerous a thing it is to provoke God — because no one can do this but to his own ruin. ⁵⁹² Among men the chance of war, as they speak, is doubtful, but to contend with God is nothing short of voluntarily courting destruction. Accordingly, if we fear to have God as an enemy, let us shudder at the thought of framing excuses for manifest sins, that is, whatever stand opposed to his word. Let us, also, shudder at the thought of calling in question those things that he has himself pronounced upon — for this is nothing less than to rise up against heaven after the manner of the giants. ⁵⁹³ (Gen 11:4.)

Calvin: 1Co 10:23 - All things are lawful for me

23.All things are lawful for me Again he returns to the right of Christian liberty, by which the Corinthians defended themselves, and sets aside their objection by giving the same explanation as before. “To eat of meats that were sacrificed, and be present at the banquet, was an outward thing, and therefore was in itself lawful.” Paul declares that he does not by any means call this in question, but he replies, that we must have a regard to edification. All things are lawful for me, says he, but all things are not profitable, that is, for our neighbors, for no one, as he immediately adds, ought to seek his own advantage exclusively, and if anything is not profitable to the brethren, it must be abstained from. He, in the next place, expresses the kind of advantage — when it edifies, for we must not have respect merely to the advantage of the flesh. “What then? ⁵⁹⁴ Does a thing that is in other respects permitted by God, come on this account to be unlawful — if it is not expedient for our neighbor. Then in that case our liberty would be placed under subjection to men.” Consider attentively Paul’s words, and you will perceive that liberty, nevertheless, remains unimpaired, when you accommodate yourself to your neighbors, and that it is only the use of it that is restricted, for he acknowledges that it is lawful, but says that it ought not to be made use of, if it does not edify

Calvin: 1Co 10:24 - Let no one seek his own

24.Let no one seek his own He handles the same subject in the 14^th Chapter of the Romans. Let no one please himself, but endeavor to please his brethren for their edification This is a precept that is very necessary, for we are so corrupted by nature, that every one consults his own interests, regardless of those of his brethren. Now, as the law of love calls upon us to love our neighbors as ourselves, (Mat 22:39,) so it requires us to consult their welfare. The Apostle, however, does not expressly forbid individuals to consult their own advantage, but he requires that they should not be so devoted to their own interests, as not to be prepared to forego part of their right, as often as the welfare of their brethren requires this.

Calvin: 1Co 10:25 - Whatsoever is sold in the shambles // Debating nothing // For conscience sake

25.Whatsoever is sold in the shambles He has spoken above of dissembling in connection with idolatry, or, at least, as to those actions which the Corinthians could not engage in, without professing themselves to be the associates of the wicked in their superstitions. He now requires them, not merely to abstain from all professions of idolatry, but also to avoid carefully all occasions of offense, which are wont to arise from the indiscriminate use of things indifferent. For, although there was but one kind of offense on the part of the Corinthians, ⁵⁹⁵ there were, at the same time different degrees of it. Now, as to the eating of food, he makes, in the first place, this general statement — that it is lawful to eat, with a safe conscience, any kind of food, because the Lord permits it. In the second place, he restricts this liberty as to the use of it — lest weak consciences should be injured. Thus this conclusion is divided into two parts the first relates to liberty and power as to things indifferent: the second to a limitation of it — that the use of it may be regulated in accordance with the rule of love.

Debating nothing ⁵⁹⁶ ᾿Ανακρίνεσθαι, the word that Paul makes use of, means to reason on both sides, ⁵⁹⁷ in such a way, that the person’s mind vacillates, inclining now to this side, and then to that. ⁵⁹⁸ Accordingly, in so far as concerns a distinction of meats, he frees our consciences from all scruple and hesitation; because it is proper that, when we are certain from the word of the Lord that he approves of what we do, we should have ease and tranquillity in our minds.

For conscience sake — that is to say, Before the judgment-seat of God — “In so far as you have to do with God, there is no occasion for your disputing with yourself, whether it be lawful or not. For I allow you to eat freely of all kinds of meat, because the Lord allows you everything without exception.”

Calvin: 1Co 10:26 - The earth is the Lord’s

26.The earth is the Lord’s He establishes, from the testimony of David, the liberty which he had allowed. (Psa 24:1, and Psa 50:12.) But it will be asked by some one, “What has this to do with the point?” I answer, If the fullness of the earth ⁵⁹⁹ is the Lord’s, there is nothing in the world that is not sacred and pure. We must always keep in view, what the question is of which the Apostle treats. It might be doubted, whether the creatures of God were polluted by the sacrifices of the wicked. Paul says they are not, inasmuch as the rule and possession of the whole earth remain always in the hands of God. Now, what things the Lord has in his hands, he preserves by his power, and consequently sanctifies them. The sons of God, therefore, have the pure use of everything, because they receive them no otherwise than from the hand of God.

The fullness of the earth, ⁶⁰⁰ is an expression which is made use of by the Prophet to denote the abundance of blessings, with which the earth is furnished and adorned by the Lord. For if the earth were stripped of trees, herbs, animals, and other things, it would be like a house devoid of furniture and every kind of utensil: nay more, it would be mutilated and disfigured. Should any one object, that the earth is cursed on account of sin, the answer is easy — that he has an eye to its pure and perfect nature, because Paul is speaking of believers, to whom all things are sanctified through Christ.

Calvin: 1Co 10:27 - If any one of them that believe not invites you

27.If any one of them that believe not invites you Here follows an exception, to this effect, that if a believer has been warned, that what is set before him has been offered to an idol, and sees that there is a danger of offense being given, he sins against the brethren if he does not abstain. He shows then, in short, that care must be taken not to hurt weak consciences.

When he says — and you are willing to go, he intimates indirectly, that he does not altogether approve of it, and that it would be better if they declined, but as it is a thing indifferent, he does not choose to forbid it absolutely. And, certainly, there could be nothing better than to keep at a distance from such snares — not that those are expressly to be condemned, who accommodate themselves to men only in so far as conscience permits, ⁶⁰¹ but because it becomes us to proceed with caution, ⁶⁰² where we see that we are in danger of falling.

Calvin: 1Co 10:29 - Conscience, I say, not thine own // For why is my liberty

29.Conscience, I say, not thine own He always carefully takes heed not to diminish liberty, or to appear to take from it in any degree. “Thou oughtest to bear with the weak conscience of thy brother, that thou mayest not abuse thy right, so as to give occasion of offense to him; but in the meantime thy conscience remains, nevertheless, free, because it is exempted from that subjection. Let not, therefore, the restraint which I impose upon thee as to outward use, become by any means a snare to entangle thy conscience.”

It must be observed here, that the term conscience is taken here in its strict acceptation; for in Rom 13:5, and Tit 1:5, it is taken in a larger sense. “We ought, says Paul, to obey princes, not merely for the sake of wrath, but also for that of conscience ” — that is, not merely from fear of punishment, but because the Lord orders it so, and it is our duty. Is it not reasonable, too, that we should for the same reason accommodate ourselves to weak brethren — that is, because we are to this extent subject to them in the sight of God? Farther, the end of the commandment is love out of a good conscience Is not the affection of love included in a good conscience? Hence its meaning here is, as I have already stated, more restricted, inasmuch as the soul of a pious man looks exclusively to the tribunal of God, has no regard to men, is satisfied with the blessing of liberty procured for it by Christ, and is bound to no individuals, and to no circumstances of time or place.

Some manuscripts repeat the statement — The earth is the Lord’s. But the probability is, that some reader having put it on the margin, it had crept into the text. ⁶⁰³ It is not, however, a matter of great importance.

For why is my liberty It is doubtful, whether Paul speaks in this way of himself, or whether he makes this objection in the name of the Corinthians. If we take it as spoken in his own name, it will be a confirmation of the preceding statement. “In restricting yourself, for the sake of another man’s conscience, your liberty is not thereby made subject to him.” If in the name of the Corinthians, the meaning will be this: “You impose upon us an unjust law, in requiring that our liberty should stand or fall at the caprice of others.” I am of opinion, that Paul says this of himself, but explains it in another way, for hitherto I have been stating the views of others. To be judged, then, I explain here as meaning — to be condemned, agreeably to the common acceptation of the word in Scripture. Paul warns us of the danger that must ensue, if we make use of our liberty unreservedly, so as to give occasion of offense to our neighbors — that they will condemn it. Thus, through our fault, and our unreasonableness, the consequence will be, that this special benefit from God will be condemned If we do not guard against this danger, we corrupt our liberty by our abuse of it. This consideration, then, tends very much to confirm Paul’s exhortation.

Calvin: 1Co 10:30 - If therefore by grace

30.If therefore by grace This argument is similar to the preceding one, or nearly so. “As it is owing to the kindness of God that all things are lawful for me, why should I act in such a manner, that it should be reckoned to my account as a vice?” We cannot, it is true, prevent the wicked from reviling us, nor even the weak from being sometimes displeased with us; but Paul here reproves the forwardness of those, who of their own accord give occasion of offense, and hurt weak consciences, when neither necessity or expediency calls for it. He would have us, then, make a good use of our benefits, ⁶⁰⁴ that the weak may not have occasion of reviling from our inconsiderate use of liberty.

Calvin: 1Co 10:31 - Whether, therefore, ye eat, or drink

31.Whether, therefore, ye eat, or drink Lest they should think, that in so small a matter they should not be so careful to avoid blame, he teaches that there is no part of our life, and no action so minute, ⁶⁰⁵ that it ought not to be directed to the glory of God, and that we must take care that, even in eating and drinking, we may aim at the advancement of it. This statement is connected with what goes before; for if we are eagerly desirous of the glory of God, as it becomes us to be, we will never allow, so far as we can prevent it, his benefits to lie under reproach. It was well expressed anciently in a common proverb, that we must not live to eat; but eat to live ⁶⁰⁶ Provided the end of living be at the same time kept in view, the consequence will thus be, that our food will be in a manner sacred to God, inasmuch as it will be set apart for his service.

Calvin: 1Co 10:32 - Be not occasions of stumbling to any

32.Be not occasions of stumbling to any This is the second point, which it becomes us to have an eye to — the rule of love. A desire, then, for the glory of God, holds the first place; a regard to our neighbor holds the second He makes mention of Jews and Gentiles, not merely because the Church of God consisted of those two classes, but to teach us that we are debtors to all, even to strangers, that we may, if possible, gain them. (1Co 9:20.)

Calvin: 1Co 10:33 - Even as I please all men in all this

33.Even as I please all men in all this As he speaks in a general way, and without exception, some extend it by mistake to things that are unlawful, and at variance with the word of the Lord — as if it were allowable, for the sake of our neighbor, to venture farther than the Lord permits us. It is, however, more than certain, that Paul accommodated himself to men only in things indifferent, and in things lawful in themselves. Farther, the end must be carefully observed — that they may be saved Hence what is opposed to their salvation ought not to be conceded to them, ⁶⁰⁷ but we must use prudence, and that of a spiritual kind. ⁶⁰⁸

Defender: 1Co 10:8 - three and twenty thousand

This was the number that died "in one day." Num 25:9 indicates that the total number that died "in the plague" was 24,000. Evidently an additional 1000 died either before or after that particular day. Both figures are probably round numbers."

Defender: 1Co 10:20 - devils

Even though the physical images worshiped by idolaters are nothing but vanity, they do represent a dangerous reality, for demons actually lurk in and around such idols. These demonic spirits are able in certain limited ways to cause temporal blessings or troubles to visit their adherents, thereby impressing them with the validity of their false religion, and binding them ever more securely in the spirit's grasp."

Defender: 1Co 10:23 - edify not

Here is another principle for testing whether a practice not specifically mentioned in Scripture is right or wrong. Does it "edify" or "build up" another person (Rom 14:21, Rom 14:23; 1Co 6:12, 1Co 6:19, 1Co 6:20)?"

Defender: 1Co 10:31 - glory of God

See note on 1Co 10:23."

Defender: 1Co 10:32 - church of God

The "church" can be neither Jewish nor Gentile, for in Christ, "there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision" (Col 3:11; Eph 2:11; Gal 6:15)."

TSK: 1Co 10:8

1Co 6:9, 1Co 6:18; Num 25:1-9; Psa 106:29; Rev 2:14

TSK: 1Co 10:9 - tempt // and were

tempt : Exo 17:2, Exo 17:7, Exo 23:20,Exo 23:21; Num 21:5; Deu 6:16; Psa 78:18, Psa 78:56, Psa 95:9, Psa 106:14; Heb 3:8-11, Heb 10:28-30

and were : Num 21:6

TSK: 1Co 10:10 - murmur // were // destroyer

murmur : Exo 15:24, Exo 16:2-9, Exo 17:2, Exo 17:3; Num 14:2, Num 14:27-30, Num 16:41; Psa 106:25; Phi 2:14; Jud 1:16

were : Num 14:37, Num 16:46-49

destroyer : Exo 12:23; 2Sa 24:16; 1Ch 21:15; 2Ch 32:21; Mat 13:39-42; Act 12:23; 2Th 1:7, 2Th 1:8; Heb 11:28; Rev 16:1

TSK: 1Co 10:11 - ensamples // they // upon

ensamples : or, types

they : 1Co 9:10; Rom 15:4

upon : 1Co 7:29; Phi 4:5; Heb 10:25, Heb 10:37; 1Jo 2:18

TSK: 1Co 10:12

1Co 4:6-8, 1Co 8:2; Pro 16:18, Pro 28:14; Mat 26:33, Mat 26:34, Mat 26:40,Mat 26:41; Rom 11:20; Rev 3:17, Rev 3:18

TSK: 1Co 10:13 - hath // common // but // who // make

hath : Jer 12:5; Mat 24:21-24; Luk 11:4, Luk 22:31, Luk 22:46; 2Co 11:23-28; Eph 6:12, Eph 6:13; Heb 11:35-38, Heb 12:4; Jam 5:10,Jam 5:11; 1Pe 1:6, 1Pe 1:7, 1Pe 5:8, 1Pe 5:9; Rev 2:10, Rev 3:10

common : or, moderate

but : 1Co 1:9; Deu 7:9; Psa 36:5, Psa 89:33; Isa 11:5, Isa 25:1, Isa 49:7; Lam 3:23; Hos 2:20; 1Th 5:24; 2Th 3:3; 2Ti 2:11-13; Heb 6:18, Heb 10:23, Heb 11:11; 1Pe 4:19; 1Jo 1:9; Rev 19:11

who : Exo 3:17; Psa 125:3; Dan 3:17; Luk 22:32; Joh 10:28-30; Rom 8:28-39; 2Co 1:10, 2Co 12:8-10; 2Ti 4:18; 1Pe 1:5; 2Pe 2:9

make : Gen 19:20,Gen 19:21; Psa 124:7; Jer 29:11; Luk 16:26; Act 27:44; Jam 5:11

TSK: 1Co 10:14 - my // flee

my : Rom 12:19; 2Co 7:1, 2Co 11:11, 2Co 12:15, 2Co 12:19; Phi 4:1; Phm 1:1; 1Pe 2:11

flee : 1Co 10:7, 1Co 10:20,1Co 10:21; 2Co 6:17; 1Jo 5:21; Rev 2:14, Rev 13:8, Rev 21:8, Rev 22:15

TSK: 1Co 10:15

1Co 4:10, 1Co 6:5, 1Co 8:1, 1Co 11:13, 1Co 14:20; Job 34:2, Job 34:3; 1Th 5:21

TSK: 1Co 10:16 - cup // the communion of the blood // The bread

cup : 1Co 10:21, 1Co 11:23-29; Mat 26:26-28; Mar 14:22-25; Luk 22:19, Luk 22:20

the communion of the blood : 1Co 10:20, 1Co 1:9, 1Co 12:13; Joh 6:53-58; Heb 3:14; 1Jo 1:3, 1Jo 1:7

The bread : 1Co 11:23, 1Co 11:24; Act 2:42, Act 2:46, Act 20:7, Act 20:11

TSK: 1Co 10:17 - we being // that

we being : 1Co 12:12, 1Co 12:27; Rom 12:5; Gal 3:26-28; Eph 1:22, Eph 1:23, Eph 2:15, Eph 2:16, Eph 3:6, Eph 4:12, Eph 4:13; Eph 4:25; Col 2:19, Col 3:11, Col 3:15

that : 1Co 10:3, 1Co 10:4, 1Co 10:21, 1Co 11:26-28

TSK: 1Co 10:18 - Israel // are

Israel : Rom 4:1, Rom 4:12, Rom 9:3-8; 2Co 11:18-22; Gal 6:16; Eph 2:11, Eph 2:12; Phi 3:3-5

are : 1Co 9:13; Lev 3:3-5, Lev 3:11, Lev 7:11-17; 1Sa 2:13-16, 1Sa 9:12, 1Sa 9:13

TSK: 1Co 10:19 - that the

that the : 1Co 1:28, 1Co 3:7, 1Co 8:4, 1Co 13:2; Deu 32:21; Isa 40:17, Isa 41:29; 2Co 12:11

TSK: 1Co 10:20 - sacrifice

sacrifice : Lev 17:7; Deu 32:16, Deu 32:17; 2Ch 11:15; Psa 106:37-39; 2Co 4:4; Rev 9:20

TSK: 1Co 10:21 - cannot drink

cannot drink : 1Co 10:16, 1Co 8:10; Deu 32:37, Deu 32:38; 1Ki 18:21; Mat 6:24; 2Co 6:15-17

TSK: 1Co 10:22 - we provoke // are

we provoke : Exo 20:5, Exo 34:14; Deu 4:24, Deu 6:15, Deu 32:16, Deu 32:21; Jos 24:19; Psa 78:58; Zep 1:18

are : Job 9:4, Job 40:9-14; Eze 22:14; Heb 10:31

TSK: 1Co 10:23 - things are lawful // edify

things are lawful : 1Co 6:12, 1Co 8:9; Rom 14:15, Rom 14:20

edify : 1Co 8:1, 1Co 14:3-5, 1Co 14:12, 1Co 14:17, 1Co 14:26; Rom 14:19, Rom 15:1, Rom 15:2; 2Co 12:19; Eph 4:29; 1Th 5:11; 1Ti 1:4

TSK: 1Co 10:24 - seek

seek : 1Co 10:33, 1Co 9:19-23, 1Co 13:5; Phi 2:4, Phi 2:5, Phi 2:21

TSK: 1Co 10:25 - sold // for

sold : Rom 14:14; 1Ti 4:4; Tit 1:15

for : 1Co 10:27-29, 1Co 8:7; Rom 13:5

TSK: 1Co 10:26

1Co 10:28; Exo 19:5; Deu 10:14; Job 41:11; Psa 24:1, Psa 50:12; 1Ti 6:17

TSK: 1Co 10:27 - bid // whatsoever // for

bid : 1Co 5:9-11; Luk 5:29, Luk 5:30, Luk 15:23, Luk 19:7

whatsoever : Luk 10:7

for : 1Co 10:25; 2Co 1:13, 2Co 4:2, 2Co 5:11

TSK: 1Co 10:28 - eat // for

eat : 1Co 8:10-13; Rom 14:15

for : 1Co 10:26; Exo 9:29; Deu 10:14; Psa 24:1, Psa 115:16; Jer 27:5, Jer 27:6; Mat 6:31, Mat 6:32

TSK: 1Co 10:29 - not // why

not : 1Co 10:32, 1Co 8:9-13; Rom 14:15-21

why : Rom 14:16; 2Co 8:21; 1Th 5:22

TSK: 1Co 10:30 - grace // for which

grace : or, thanksgiving

for which : Rom 14:6; 1Ti 4:3, 1Ti 4:4

TSK: 1Co 10:31 - Whether // ye eat

Whether : The apostle concludes the subject by giving them a general rule, sufficient to regulate every man’ s conscience and practice - that whether they eat, or drink, or whatsoever they do, to do it all with an habitual aim to the glory of God; by considering his precepts, and the propriety, expediency, appearance, and tendency of their actions.

ye eat : 1Co 7:34; Deu 12:7, Deu 12:12, Deu 12:18; Neh 8:16-18; Zec 7:5, Zec 7:6; Luk 11:41; Col 3:17, Col 3:23; 1Pe 4:11

TSK: 1Co 10:32 - none // Gentiles // the church

none : 1Co 10:33, 1Co 8:13; Rom 14:13; 2Co 6:3; Phi 1:10

Gentiles : or, Greeks

the church : 1Co 11:22; Act 20:28; 1Ti 3:5, 1Ti 3:15

TSK: 1Co 10:33

1Co 10:24, 1Co 9:19-23; Rom 15:2, Rom 15:3; 2Co 11:28, 2Co 11:29, 2Co 12:19

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 1Co 10:8 - in one day three and twenty thousand

The story to which this verse relates is that, Num 25:1-9 . When Balaam could not curse the Israelites, he advised the debauching of them by the Moabitish women, first enticing them to fornication and adultery, then to idolatry: and they were enticed, which caused a plague amongst them, which destroyed amongst them

in one day three and twenty thousand saith our apostle: Moses saith, that there died twenty and four thousand. There are many guesses for the clearing of that seeming contradiction. Some say, that Moses mentioneth not one day, there might in all die twenty-four thousand, but not all the same day, nor possibly by the same death. But nothing is in Scripture more ordinary, than to speak of things or persons in round numbers, though something over or under; and also to speak according to the common reckoning of people, who also may talk variously. Some might report twenty-three, some twenty-four thousand: or possibly Paul chose to mention the lesser rather than the greater round number. The sense of Moses might be, about twenty-four thousand, or near up to that number, all of which probably had not been guilty of adultery or fornication. Paul saith, there died twenty-three thousand. If there did die twenty-four thousand, there must needs die twenty-three thousand.

Poole: 1Co 10:9 - Christ // Were destroyed of serpents

To tempt in the general notion of the term, signifies to make a trial; applied unto God, it signifieth to make a trial of God, either with reference to his power, Psa 78:18-20 , or to his truth and goodness: not to be satisfied with God’ s word, but to challenge him to a sensible demonstration, is to tempt God. Or else to tempt may signify more generally, to provoke God; for indeed all notorious sinning against God is a tempting of God, not believing the wrath of God, which he hath revealed in his word against sin, till men feel it. The term

Christ here is very remarkable to prove Christ’ s Divine nature and existence before he was incarnate; for the same person who is here called Christ, is called God, Psa 106:14 , and Jehovah also in the same Psalm; neither could they have tempted Christ at that time, if at that time he had not been existent.

Were destroyed of serpents by serpents he meaneth the fiery serpents; we have the history, Num 21:6-9 .

Poole: 1Co 10:10 - were

Murmuring signifies the speaking against a person or thing, out of dislike, impatience, or discontent. It was a sin the Jews were very much guilty of, as may be read, Exo 15:24 16:7,8 17:3 Num 14:27 16:11,41 . The apostle may either refer to all their murmurings, when he saith they

were (as the punishment of their sin) destroyed of the destroyer or to that more universal murmuring upon the ill report the spies brought up of the land of Canaan, of which we read, Num 14:1-45 .

Poole: 1Co 10:11 - Now all these things happened to them for ensamples // And they are written for our admonition // Upon whom the ends of the world are come

Now all these things happened to them for ensamples all these dispensations of Divine providence in the revelations of Divine wrath against several sorts of sinners, happened to the Jews, who were God’ s first and ancient people, and enjoyed those great privileges which were before mentioned, not only as just punishments upon them for their sins, but as examples or types, to let the succeeding world know what they should find God towards such kind of sinners.

And they are written for our admonition and God in his wise providence hath ordered the record of them in holy writ, that others who should live afterward might read, and hear, and fear, and take warning, and beware of such wicked actions, as pulled down such vengeance upon a people, than which none can plead a nearer relation to God, or the receiving of greater favours and privileges from him.

Upon whom the ends of the world are come: the apostles ordinarily in their epistles speak of the world as nigh to an end in their age, though it hath since continued more than sixteen hundred years; which would incline one to think, that they thought it would have been at an end before this time, but had no such revelation from God. So true is that of our Saviour, that of that day and hour knoweth no man; and it should teach us to beware of too particular determinations in the case, which the apostles did not make, though they spake of theirs as the last times, and themselves as such upon whom the ends of the world were come.

Poole: 1Co 10:12 - Let him that thinketh he standeth // take heed lest he fall

Let him that thinketh he standeth either in a right and sound judgment and opinion of things, or in a state of favour with God, or confirmed in a holy course of life and conversation; standeth in grace, Rom 5:2 . A man may stand in these things, and he may but think that he standeth: be it as it will, he is concerned to

take heed lest he fall He may but think he standeth, and if so, he will fall: he may really stand in a right judgment and opinion of things, and be a member of the church of Christ, and yet may fall into errors and some loose practices, so as to bring down Divine vengeance upon himself; he may have God’ s favour so far as concerns external privileges, and yet perish, as many of the Jews did in the instances before mentioned: nay, he may really stand in a state of justification and regeneration, and yet may fall, though not totally and finally, yet foully, so as to lose his peace, and bring God’ s severe judgments upon him. Therefore he that thinketh that he standeth, whether his apprehensions be false or true, had need use all means and caution that he may not fall, and that because, if he keepeth his standing, it must be by the use of due means, which God hath appointed in order to that end, though he be also kept by the power of God unto salvation, 1Pe 1:5 .

Poole: 1Co 10:13 - There hath no temptation taken you // make a way to escape

There hath no temptation taken you: temptation (as hath been said before) signifieth in the general notion of it no more than trials, and is often so used in holy writ. Now, in regard we are tried either by afflictive providences, or by motions made to us, either from God, or our own lusts, or the devil, or men of the world; temptations, in Scripture, sometimes signify afflictions, as Jam 1:2 1Pe 1:6 ; sometimes, motions made to us by God, Gen 22:1,2 ; both which sorts of temptations are good in themselves. Sometimes the term signifies motions made by the lusts and unrenewed part of our own souls, or by the devil, or by sinful men in the world; these are sinful temptations, and what we most ordinarily call by that name. Whether the apostle here means all or some of these, cannot certainly be determined; what he saith is true of all, and therefore that is the safest interpretation of the term in this place. Though he had not been before speaking indeed of afflictive temptations, he had before affrighted them with minding them of the possibility of their falling, though they did stand, or thought they stood, and cautioned them to take heed: here he comforteth them, by minding them, that no temptation had befallen them, but what was incident and common to man, anthrwpinov , and they could not expect to be freed from the common fate of mankind: then he minds them, that that God who had promised strength and assistance to his people, Mat 7:11 Luk 11:13 2Co 1:18 1Th 5:4 2Th 3:3 , was one that would be as good as his word, being

faithful and would not suffer them to be tempted above their strength, and ability to oppose and resist; yea, and would

make a way to escape both the evil of the temptation, that it should not overbear them to a total ruin of their souls, and likewise the burdensome and afflictive evil, that it should not continually lie upon them, provided they used their just endeavours, and (as he had said before) took heed lest they fell.

Poole: 1Co 10:14

The apostle would have them avoid all sin, but idolatry more especially, keeping at the utmost distance imaginable from that, being of all sins in its kind the greatest transgression; upon which account it is often in Scripture compared to whoredom. Though we ought to be afraid of and to decline all sin; yet as God hath revealed his wrath against any particular sin more than other, so every good Christian is obliged more to detest and abhor that sin. How the Corinthians were concerned in this caution, we shall read afterwards, 1Co 10:20 . For though idolatry be properly where the failure is in the ultimate or mediate object of our worship, and the creature is made either the ultimate term of our worship, or the medium in and by which we worship the Creator; yet there are many other ways by which we may be partakers of the sins of others, and this sin of idolatry in particular: and idolatry being a sin of the greatest magnitude, from which they were bound to keep the furthest distance, they were bound to take heed of being partakers of other men’ s sins of this kind.

Poole: 1Co 10:15

As to the present case, you are persons that understand the principles of Christian religion, I will make you judges in this case.

Poole: 1Co 10:16 - the cup of blessing // The cup // The bread

It is on all hands agreed, that the apostle is here speaking of believers communicating in the sacrament of the Lord’ s supper. By

the cup of blessing he meaneth the cup there, which he so calleth, because we in the taking of it bless the Lord, who gave his Son to die for us, and Christ, for that great love which he showed in dying for us: we are said to bless it, because we, by solemn prayer in the consecration of it, set it apart for that sacred use, and beg of God to bless it to us. This cup (saith the apostle) is the communion of the blood of Christ

The cup is put for the wine in the cup (which is very ordinary). The cup or wine, of blessing signifieth that cup of wine to which the blessing is added, or with which in that holy institution we thankfully remember the death of Christ, and bless his name for that great mercy; and the wine or cup of blessing also, here signifieth our religions action in drinking of that cup of wine so blessed. This, saith he, is the communion of the blood of Christ that is, it is an action whereby and wherein Christ communicates himself and his grace to us, and we communicate our souls to him; so that Christ and believers in that action have a mutual communion one with another. And as it is with the one element in that holy sacrament, so it is also with the other.

The bread which the minister breaketh (according to the institution and example of Christ) for the church to make use of in the celebration of the Lord’ s supper, that is, their action in eating of that bread so broken and divided amongst them, is the communion of the body of Christ an action wherein Christians have a fellowship and communion with Christ.

Poole: 1Co 10:17

Believers, though many yet are one body and declare themselves to be one body mystical, by their fellowship together in the ordinance of the Lord’ s supper; as the bread they there eat is one bread though it be made up of many grains of corn, which come into the composition of that loaf or piece of bread which is so broken, distributed, and eaten; and the wine they drink is one cup, one body of wine, though it be made up of many particular grapes. And they declare themselves to be one body, by their joint partaking of that one bread. Some have from hence fetched an argument to prove the unlawfulness of communicating with scandalous sinners at the Lord’ s table, because we declare ourselves one body with those that communicate: but whether it will (if examined) be cogent enough, I doubt; for one body signifieth no more than one church, and that not invisible, but visible. So as we only declare ourselves to be fellow members of the visible church with those with whom we partake in that ordinance, and the visible church may consist of persons that are bad mixed with the good. So as though, undoubtedly, scandalously wicked persons ought to be excluded from the holy table, yea, and no unbeliever hath a right to it; yet it may reasonably be doubted, whether those that partake with unbelievers, do by it own themselves to be unbelievers; they only own themselves members of that church wherein there are some unbelievers. But the scope of the apostle is from hence to argue, that by a parity of reason, those that communicated with an idolatrous assembly in their sacrifices, declared themselves by that action to be one body with those idolaters.

Poole: 1Co 10:18 - Israel after the flesh // Are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Israel after the flesh was the whole seed of Jacob, the whole body of the Jewish church; for believers only were Israelites after the Spirit, Rom 11:6 , called the Israel of God, Gal 6:16 .

Are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? If in the Jewish church any persons ate of the flesh of sacrifices offered upon God’ s altar, did they not by that act manifest that they were members of the Jewish church, and owned that God to whom those sacrifices were offered, and that way of worship by which God was so worshipped? By the same reason these Corinthians eating of the flesh of those beasts in the idol’ s temple, which had been offered unto idols, did by that act declare their owning of the idol, and that idolatrous worship which had been there performed, and were really partakers of the idolatrous altar.

Poole: 1Co 10:19

I do not by this contradict what I before said, nor now affirm that an idol is any thing, or the sacrifices offered to it any thing. An idol hath nothing in it of a Deity, nor can it either sanctify or pollute any thing that is set before it; the error is in your action, as you communicate with such as are idolaters; it is your own action that polluteth you, not the idol, nor yet the meat set before it.

Poole: 1Co 10:20

The heathens might not intentionally offer sacrifices to devils, (such a thing can hardly be supposed of men), but actually they offered sacrifices to devils; for they were devils, that is, evil angels, which deluded the poor heathen, and gave answers from the images and statues which they worshipped, believing the true God to be in them: which answers they accounted for oracles. Besides, the apostle saith, they sacrificed to devils, because in God’ s esteem it was so, though not in their intention; God judgeth of men’ s acts of worship and homage pretendedly done unto him, not according to their intention, but according to the truth and reality of the thing: now, really the heathen in their sacrifices paid a homage to devils, though such a thing was far from their intention; and this deserves the consideration, both of the papists, who worship images, and also of those protestants (if any such be) who would excuse the papists in their idolatries from their intentions. The nature of idolatry doth not lie in men’ s intending to worship the creature instead of the Creator, (there were hardly every any such idolaters in the world), but in their actual doing of the thing; and except they can find a direct rule in holy writ ordering the adoration of the Creator in the creature, or before the creature, it is much to be feared, that in the last day God will judge their homage performed to the creature, not to him. Now, saith the apostle, you had need take heed that, by this action, you prove not yourselves to have fellowship with devils instead of Christ and the true and living God.

Poole: 1Co 10:21 - The cup of the Lord // the cup of the Lord // the Lord’ s table, and the table of devils

The cup of the Lord: we may either take the phrase as signifying all religious communion under one great act of religion, or as particularly signifying having a communion with Christ in the ordinance of the Lord’ s supper, which is called

the cup of the Lord either because God hath instituted and appointed the drinking of it, or because it is done for the honour, glory, and remembrance of our Lord Christ, to remember his death until he come, as the apostle speaketh, 1Co 11:26 . This the apostle tells them they could not drink of, that is, not rightly, and with a good conscience; or not really; no man that is an idolater, or hath communion with idolaters in their idolatrous acts, can have communion with Christ. The same is meant by

the Lord’ s table, and the table of devils So as I cannot see how either an idolatrous church can be a true church, or an idolater a true Christian, unless we will assert, that a body of people may be a true church, that can have no communion with Christ; or a man may be a true Christian, and yet have no communion with Christ. Idolatry, doubtless, both divides the soul from Christ, as he is the Head of a believer, and as he is the Head of the church. To call any body of idolaters a true church, either morally, or metaphysically, is to say to those: Ammi, You are the Lord’ s people, to whom God hath said, Lo-ammi. Let them be what they will, the name of a church belongeth not to them, if (as the apostle affirmeth) they can have no communion with Christ.

Poole: 1Co 10:22 - Jealousy

Jealousy is a violent passion in a man, not bearing a companion or a rival as to a thing or person which he loveth. It is in holy writ applied unto God, not to signify any such extravagancy, excess, or vehemence, as attendeth that passion in men, but only his just displeasure at the giving that homage to any creature which is due to him alone. It is most applied to God to express his anger against those who give Divine homage to idols; the worship of God being a great piece of his glory which he hath said he will not give to another, nor his praise to graven images, Isa 42:8 . Hence divines observe, that jealousy is attributed to God in the second commandment, which concerns the more external worship of God, to deter men from the violation of it, Exo 20:5 . So Exo 34:14 Deu 4:24 5:9 6:16 , and in many other texts, it signifieth, that the worship of God is a thing that he is very tender of, and that his will is to endure no creature to share with him in it; and that his wrath shall flame against that man that offers to make any creature such a sharer. So that it is not safe for any to do any thing of that nature, unless he could fancy himself to be stronger than God; for he that doth it, must expect the power and strength of God to be engaged against him. Thus the apostle had dissuaded them from eating meat sacrificed to idols in the idol’ s temple, from the impiety of it, it being a species of idolatry, against which God hath signally revealed his wrath. He returns in the following verses to an argument, by which he had before dissuaded it, 1Co 8:1-13 , as it was against charity, and the duty of love, in which they were indebted to their brethren.

Poole: 1Co 10:23 - All things

All things here must necessarily signify many things, or, at least, (as some think), all those things I have spoken of, to eat meat offered to idols, &c. But if we interpret it in the latter sense, it is not true without limitations; for the apostle had but now determined, that to eat meat offered to idols in the idol’ s temple, was to have communion with devils. I had rather therefore interpret all by many, as that universal particle must be interpreted in a great multitude of scriptures. So as the sense is: There are many things that are lawful which are not expedient; that is, considered in themselves, under due circumstances, they are lawful, but considered in such and such circumstances, are not so, because they are not for the profit or good, but the hurt and disadvantage, of others. Thus the apostle himself expounds it in the latter clause of the verse, where he saith, they

edify not that is, they tend not to promote the gospel, or the faith and holiness of particular Christians.

Poole: 1Co 10:24 - Charity seeketh not her own

It is the duty of every one who is a disciple of Christ, not merely to look at his own pleasure or profit, but the profit and advantage of others.

Charity seeketh not her own ( saith the apostle, 1Co 13:5 ), that is, it seeketh not its own with the prejudice of another. So as admit that in this practice there were nothing looked like idolatry and impiety towards God, yet charity or love to your brethren ought to deter you.

Poole: 1Co 10:25

It is possible that butchers, before they brought their meat into the market, might offer some part of it to the idol; or it is possible that the priests, who had a share in the beasts offered to idols, or the people that had offered such beasts, who, also had a share returned them, might out of covetousness come and bring’ it to be sold in the market. The apostle directeth the Corinthians in such cases to make no scruple, but eat of it, if it were commonly sold in the shambles; which argued, that the thing in itself, considered nakedly, was not sinful. But yet he would have them in that case ask no questions, whence it came? Or whether it had not been offered to an idol? For the sake of other men’ s consciences, lest some others standing by should take notice that they bought and ate such meat. Or their own consciences, lest, though the thing in itself, so separated from a sacred use, and returned to its common use, might be lawfully eaten, yet their consciences should afterwards reflect upon them for the doing of it.

Poole: 1Co 10:26

This sentence is taken out of Psa 24:1 . The earth is God’ s, or the Lord Christ’ s, who hath sanctified all things for the use of man, and all the variety of creatures that are in it are sanctified by him. An idol cannot pollute any kind of meat, it hath no such malign influence upon any thing; you may pollute yourselves by your action, eating it in the idol’ s temple, at an idolater’ s feast immediately upon his sacrifice, but the idol itself is no operative thing, nor can cause an ill quality in the meat; let the meat be once returned to its common use, (the idolater’ s sacred mysteries being over), it is the Lord’ s, what he hath appointed for the use of man. In the idol’ s temple they took the meat out of the devil’ s hand, that was indeed unlawful; but if it were once returned to its common use, and sold in the market, they took it out of the hand of God’ s common providence, and every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, 1Ti 4:4 .

Poole: 1Co 10:27 - ask no questions for conscience sake

The apostle puts another case, in which they might lawfully enough eat of meat offered to an idol; that was in case any of their neighbours, that were heathens, invited them to dinner or supper in a private house (some add, or in the idol’ s temple, if it were a feast of friendship, not a feast upon a sacrifice; but I doubt that, and also whether in the idol-temples there were any feasts but upon sacrifices): he determineth it lawful for them to go and eat whatsoever was set before them; but in this case he would also have them

ask no questions for conscience sake

Poole: 1Co 10:28 - the earth is the Lord’ s, and the fulness thereof

The meat being out of the idol’ s temple, and returned to a common use, there could be no impiety in eating it, no communion with devils, and partaking of the table of devils, in and by such an action; but yet there might be a breach of charity in the action, that is, in case one were there present, who knew that it had been so offered to the idol, and declared his offence, by telling the Christian that was about to eat, that that meat had been so offered: in that case the apostle commandeth Christians not to eat, and that partly

for his sake that showed it lest they should lay a stumbling block before him, and by their example imbolden him that showed it to do the like, though he doubted the lawfulness of it; and likewise

for conscience sake that is, for their own conscience sake, which through weakness might afterward trouble them for it, though without just cause. He gives them as a reason for it, because

the earth is the Lord’ s, and the fulness thereof that is, because there was other meat enough to eat. This passage, taken out of the psalmist, had a something different application, 1Co 10:26 ; there the apostle used it to justify the lawfulness of their eating such meat, returned again to a common use, and exposed to sale in the shambles; here he useth it to dissuade them from eating, if any let them know it had been offered to the idol.

Poole: 1Co 10:29 - For why is my liberty judged of another man’ s conscience?

By reason of what we had, 1Co 10:28 , (where the apostle forbade eating these meats, in case any at the feast told them they had been offered to idols, both for his sake that told him so, and also for conscience sake), it is most reasonable to interpret those words not thine own in this verse, not thine own only, there being frequent instances in Scripture where the negative particle must be so restrained, as Joh 4:42 6:27,38 .

For why is my liberty judged of another man’ s conscience? For why should my practice in a thing wherein I have a liberty, be censured or condemned by the conscience of another, he being persuaded that what I do, and judge that I have a liberty to do, and may do lawfully, is done by me sinfully, and I by him accounted a transgressor for it; so as though I do a thing that is honest, yet it is not honest in the sight of all men, or of good report; whereas Christians are obliged, Rom 12:17 , to provide things honest in the sight of all men, not in their own sight merely, end to do those things that are lovely and of good report, Phi 3:8 .

Poole: 1Co 10:30 - If I by grace be a partaker

If I by grace be a partaker if I by the goodness of God, whose the earth is, and the fulness thereof; or by the grace of knowledge, by which God hath given me to understand that I may do that, as to which others less knowing stumble; can eat such meat (out of the idol’ s temple) as part of it hath been offered to the idol, or with thanksgiving partake of such meat, (for so cariv signifies, Luk 6:32 17:9 ), why am I blasphemed, or evil spoken of, for that for which I can give God thanks? That is, I ought not to cause another to speak evil of me for using of meat, but rather than run that danger, to abstain from such meat which I could otherwise eat of, and give God thanks: for in so doing I should but abuse my liberty, and instead of giving God thanks, I should grievously offend God, not at all consulting his glory.

Poole: 1Co 10:31

The apostle, in these three last verses, layeth down three rules, to direct Christians how to use their liberty as to things that are of an indifferent nature, neither in themselves commanded nor forbidden in the word of God. His first rule is in this verse, to do whatsoever we do to the glory of God. This is a general rule, not to be restrained to the eating of meat offered to idols, of which the former discourse had been. It is a general rule, not applicable alone to eating and drinking, but to all other human actions. The reasonableness of this rule appeareth from our consideration, that the glory of God was the end of our creation; The Lord hath made all things for himself, Pro 16:4 : and indeed it is impossible it should be otherwise; for whereas every reasonable agent both propounds to himself some end of his actions, and the best end he can imagine, it is impossible but that God also, in creating man, should propound to himself some end, and there being no better end than his own glory, he could propound no other unto himself. The glory of God being the end which he propounded to himself in creating man, it must needs follow, that that must be the chief and greatest end which any man can propound to himself in his actions. God is then glorified by us, when by our means, or by occasion of us, he is well spoken of in the world, or by our obedience to his will: this our Saviour hath taught us, Joh 17:4,6 . No man in any of his actions hath a liberty from this rule; so as though a man, as to many things, hath a liberty to marry or not to marry, to eat meats or not to eat them, to wear this apparel or not to wear it; yet he is not even in such things as these so at liberty, but he ought to look about, and to consider circumstances, which will be most for the honour of God, the credit of the gospel, and reputation of religion. And the judgment of this is to be made from circumstances, the difference of which may make that unlawful which otherwise would be lawful, and that lawful which under other circumstances would be unlawful.

Poole: 1Co 10:32

We use to say, that men are offended when they are grieved or angered; but these offences are not here meant, (as appears by the Greek phrase, ’ Aproskopoi ginesye ) but give no occasion of sin or stumbling. This care he commands us, with reference to all men; for at that time all the world fell under one of these denominations, they were either Jews or Gentiles ( that is, heathens), or the church of God (that is, Christians). It was always a hard matter, if not a thing impossible, for Christians to carry themselves so as not to anger those that were no Christians; but it was not impossible for them so to behave themselves, as not to be to them any just occasion of sin. Much less ought conscientious Christians to give offence to Christians, that made up the church of God, and were with them members of the same mystical body, of which Christ is the Head.

Poole: 1Co 10:33 - Even as I please all men in all things // Not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved

Even as I please all men in all things that is, in all things wherein the law of God hath left me a liberty; for Paul pleased no man, either in the omission of any thing which God had commanded him to do, or in the doing of any thing which God had forbidden him to do.

Not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved not seeking my own advantage, either the satisfaction of my own mind or humour, or my own gain, but the advantage of others, especially in matters that may any way affect them as to their eternal salvation. Thus Paul, like a good shepherd, goeth out before the sheep, and leadeth them, and, as every true minister should be, is himself an example to the flock of Christ. And this is a third rule to be observed by Christians, as to the use of the liberty which God’ s law hath left them as to any particular actions; notwithstanding that liberty, yet they ought to have respect to the spiritual good and salvation of others, and to do that part which their judgments inform them will be, as least to the spiritual damage and detriment, so most to the spiritual good and profit, of the souls of others with whom they converse.

PBC: 1Co 10:13 - to be tempted above that ye are able

" to be tempted above that ye are able"

Job knew that Satan had assaulted his life, but he did not know that God had surrounded him with a protective hedge. Satan could cause him great misery, but he could not touch his life. Had Job known this comforting truth, would he have felt more secure, more comforted in his ordeal? Had he known about the New Testament commentary on his life, would he have endured more patiently? Remember the words from Jas 5:11, " Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy."

What a comfort this knowledge would have been to Job! When we face our moment of trial, do we remember the life of Job, the end of the Lord? Do we consider that, despite the ordeal of the moment, God stands closely and graciously by our side? Do we contemplate that his presence and intervention prevent the trial from escalating far beyond what we actually must endure?

Haydock: 1Co 10:9 - As some of them tempted

As some of them tempted Christ. This cannot but be understood of Christ, as God. (Witham)

Haydock: 1Co 10:11 - Upon whom the ends of the world are come

Upon whom the ends of the world are come. The last age of the world, which St. John calls the last hour. (Witham)

Haydock: 1Co 10:12 - Take heed lest he fall

Take heed lest he fall. This regards the doctors and teachers in the new Church of Corinth; who, relying upon their own learning, did not think themselves weak, and presuming too much upon their own strength, exposed themselves to the danger of falling. See St. John Chrysostom and St. Augustine, de dono. Persev. ---

Self-diffidence is the foundation of our strength. We prevent many dangerous falls when we keep close to the earth by humility.

Haydock: 1Co 10:13 - Let no temptation // Will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it // Tenatio vos non apprehendat

Let no temptation [1] take hold on you. Or, no temptation hath taken hold of you, or come upon you as yet, but what is human, or incident to man. (Challoner) ---

The sense of these words is obscure: we may expound them by way of prayer, let no temptation, but such as are of human frailty, and not hard to be overcome, happen to you. See the Greek text. ---

Will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it. The literal signification of the Latin, compared with the Greek is, that God will bring you off, and make you escape out of those dangers, when you are tempted. (Witham) ---

The most violent temptations are occasions of merit and triumph to such as are in the hands of God; whilst the lightest are snares and a deep abyss to such as are in their own hands.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Tenatio vos non apprehendat. In almost all Greek copies, non apprehendit in præterito, Greek: ouk eilephen. Which reading is also in divers ancient Latin interpreters, as if he puts them in mind that hitherto they had not suffered any great temptations or persecutions. Faciet cum tenatione proventum, is not the saem as progressum, or utilitatem, by the Greek, but that they should escape out of it. Greek: sun to peirasme kai ten ekbasin.

Haydock: 1Co 10:14

There are various kinds of idolatry. It is the perfection of Angels never to err: it is a human imperfection to fall into error, but a diabolical crime, so to love our error, as to divide the Church by schism, or leave it by heresy: this love of self is the most dangerous idolatry.

Haydock: 1Co 10:16 - The chalice of benediction

The chalice of benediction, [2] &c. Which the priests bless or consecrate, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, (so called because of the outward appearance of bread) is it not the partaking or communion of the body of the Lord? See St. John Chrysostom here, hom. xxiv. p. 396. and p. 400. See also the Annotations, Matthew xxvi. 26. (Witham) ---

Here the apostle puts them in mind of the partaking of the body and blood of Christ in the sacred mysteries, and becoming thereby one mystical body with Christ. From whence he infers, (ver. 21.) that they who are made partakers with Christ, by the eucharistic sacrifice, and sacrament, must not be made partakers with devils, by eating of the meats sacrificed to them. (Challoner)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Calix benedictionis cui, (or as it is in the Greek) quem benedicimus. See St. John Chrysostom, hom. xxiv. No Catholic now-a-days can declare his faith of the real presence in clearer terms than St. John Chrysostom hath in this, and other places: Greek: oti touto en to poterio on, ekeino esti, to apo tes pleuras reusan, &c. He calls the eucharist, Greek: thusian, a sacrifice.

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Haydock: 1Co 10:17 - We being many, are one bread

We being many, are one bread. Or, as it may be rendered, agreeably both to the Latin and Greek, because the bread is one, all we, being many, are one body, who partake of that one bread. For it is by our communicating with Christ and with one another, in this blessed Sacrament, that we are formed into one mystical body; and made, as it were, one bread, compounded of many grains of corn, closely united together. (Challoner) ---

From the sacrament of the real body of Christ in the eucharist, he passeth to the effect of this sacrament, which is to unite all those who partake of it, as members of the same mystical body of Christ, which is his Church: and from hence he presently draws this consequence, that such as are members of that body, of which Christ is the head, cannot have any communication with idolaters, or with those that offer sacrifices to idols and devils. (Witham)

Haydock: 1Co 10:18 - Behold Israel, according to the flesh // Co we provoke the Lord to jealousy?

Behold Israel, according to the flesh. That is, the people that were the offspring of Israel or Jacob. Are not these they who offered sacrifices to the true God, and eat or the sacrifices, which were offered on his altars, and by offering to him such sacrifices, acknowledged him to be their God, and the only true God: and so you, if you partake, and eat of the sacrifices of idolaters, and of what they tell you was offered to their idols, you seem at least, to join with them in acknowledging, and paying reverence to their idols, which are devils: and you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils. ---

Co we provoke the Lord to jealousy? that is, how dare we provoke our Lord, who is a jealous God, and will admit of no rival, by partaking of sacrifices offered to false gods? how dare we thus contemn his power, as if we were stronger than he, or that he could not punish us? (Witham)

Haydock: 1Co 10:19 - What then? do I say

What then? do I say, &c. He puts this objection, as if it were contradictory to what he had taught before, (chap. viii. ver. 4.) that an idol is nothing, &c. but he answers this objection by saying that all things, that is, all meats are lawful in themselves, but not always expedient, nor edifying, when they give scandal to weak brethren, or when the infidels themselves think that such as eat things offered to idols, join with them in honouring their idols. (Witham) ---

The meaning of this passage is: whilst I advise you to abstain from eating of any thing consecrated to idols, I do not advise you as supposing that these offerings have any power in themselves to defile your souls, in the same manner as by eating of the body and blood of Christ we receive strength to overcome our spiritual enemies. St. Paul here anticipates an objection that might be made by some to whom he was writing. (Estius)

Haydock: 1Co 10:21

In all this discourse, a comparison is instituted between the Christian host and oblation, its effects, conditions and properties, with the altars, hosts, sacrifices and immolations of the Jews and Gentiles; which the apostle could not have done, had there not been a proper sacrifice in the Christian worship. The holy Fathers teach the same with the ancient Councils. This in the council of Nice: The lamb of God laid upon the altar. Conc. Ephes., The unbloody service of the sacrifice. In St. Cyril of Alexandria, in Conc. Ephes., Anath. 11, The quickening holy sacrifice; the unbloody host and victim. Tertullian, de coron. milit., The propitiatory sacrifice both for the living and the dead. This Melchisedech did most singularly prefigure in his mystical oblation of bread and wine; this also according to the prophecy of Malachias, shall continue from the rising to the setting sun, a perpetual substitute for all the Jewish sacrifices; and this, in plain terms, is called the Mass, by St. Augustine, Serm. ccli. 91.; Conc. Cartha. ii. chap. 3. 4. chap. 84. Milevit. 12.; St. Leo, ep. 81. 88. chap. 2.; St. Gregory, lib. ii. ep. 9. 92. &c. &c. See next chapter ver. 24.

Haydock: 1Co 10:23 - All things are lawful

All things are lawful. This is the same sentiment he has expressed in chap. vi. ver. 12. and in chap. viii. ver. 8. 9. wherein he teaches us, that on some occasions it is necessary to abstain even from things in themselves lawful, as in the case of meats consecrated to idols. (Calmet) ---

Two excellent rules that can serve as guides on these occasions, are the edification of the Church, and the spiritual good of our neighbour. Without the aid of these guides, we go astray ourselves and decoy others, in doing what the letter of the law permits, but what the spirit of the law, charity, forbids.

Haydock: 1Co 10:27 - Eat of any thing

Eat of any thing, &c. Here at length St. Paul prescribes them a rule by which they were to govern themselves, as to meats that they met with. Buy and eat any thing sold in the market, or of any thing that you meet with at the table of infidels, when they invite you, for all are the Lord's creatures, and may be taken with thanksgiving, as we ought to take whatsoever we eat. ---

But if any man say, this hath been sacrificed to idols, do not eat of it for his sake, &c. And why must they not then eat of it? because either he is an infidel that says it: and then by saying so, he may mean that they who eat it, ought to eat it in honour of their gods. Or if a weak brother says so, he thereby signifies, that his conscience judges it not lawful to be eaten; so that in one case, you seem to consent that things are to be taken in honour of idols: in the other, you give offence to your weak brother: and I would have you to be without offence, both to Jews and Gentiles; and not to think it enough that you can eat such things with thanksgiving. It may be asked here why the apostle should not absolutely for bid them ever any thing offered to idols, as this seems a thing absolutely forbidden in the council of Jerusalem? (Acts xv. 23.) To this some answer, that the apostle here expounds the true sense of that decree, which was only to be understood, when eating such meats gave scandal. Others say, the prohibition was only for a short time, and now was out of date. Others take notice, that the prohibition was not general, nor for all places, but only for the new converted Gentiles that were at Antioch, or in Syria and Cilicia, as specified in the decree. (Witham)

Haydock: 1Co 10:29 - For why is my liberty?

For why is my liberty? The meaning of this passage is, that though we ought, on some occasions, to abstain from things in themselves lawful, yet, that on other occasions we are by no means obliged to it, particularly when our brother is not thoroughly instructed on that head. (Theophylactus)

Gill: 1Co 10:8 - Neither let us commit fornication // as some of them committed // and fell in one day three and twenty thousand

Neither let us commit fornication,.... To which the Corinthians were much addicted: hence the apostle elsewhere, in this epistle, makes use of arguments, to dissuade from it, as he does here, they judging it to be no evil:

as some of them committed; i.e. fornication; as they did at Shittim, with the daughters of Moab, Num 25:1 which was a stratagem of Balaam's, and the advice he gave to Balak king of Moab, to draw them into that sin, which made way for their commission of idolatry, which they committed by eating the sacrifices of their gods, and bowing down unto them; particularly they joined themselves to Baal Peor, the same with Priapus, one part of whose religious rites lay in acts of uncleanness, and this brought the divine displeasure on them:

and fell in one day three and twenty thousand; in Num 25:9 the number said to be "twenty and four thousand": and so say all the three Targums on the place ^w, and both the Talmuds ^x and others ^y; on the other hand, all the Greek copies of this epistle, and the Oriental versions, agree in the number of twenty and three thousand; so that it does not appear to be any mistake of copies, in either Testament. To reconcile this matter, or at least to abate the difficulties of it, let the following things be observed; as that the apostle does not write as an historian, and so not with that exactness as Moses did; besides, he does not say that there fell "only" three and twenty thousand, and this beings lesser number than is contained in his, and so a certain truth; moreover, Moses and the apostle use different words in their account; Moses says there died so many, including the heads of the people that were hanged up against the sun, and all that perished by the sword; the apostle says, that there fell such a number, referring only to the latter, who only could be properly said to fall, and not those that were hanged up: now the heads of the people that suffered the first kind of death, might, as is very probable, be a thousand; and they that died in the other way, three and twenty thousand, which make the sums to agree, and both are expressed by Moses, under the general name of a plague or stroke; to all this, that the apostle uses a limiting clause, which Moses does not, and says that these three and twenty thousand fell in one day. So that it is very likely that the heads of the people, supposed to be a thousand, were hanged up in one day; and the three and twenty thousand that fell by the sword died the next, which the apostle only takes notice of. Hence the Jew ^z has no reason to charge the apostle with an error.

Gill: 1Co 10:9 - Neither let us tempt Christ // as some of them also tempted

Neither let us tempt Christ,.... As all such persons do, who, presuming on the power and grace of Christ to keep them, or upon what they have received from him, unnecessarily expose themselves to snares and temptations, and so to danger; and as many of the Corinthians did, who are here chiefly respected, who trusting to their gifts and attainments, their knowledge and Christian liberty, would go into an idol's temple, sit down at meat there, and exposed themselves great and imminent danger; which was a tempting Christ, whether he would preserve them or not:

as some of them also tempted; that is, as some of the Israelites tempted, which they did more than once; but what is referred to here, is the time they spake against God and Moses, in Num 21:5 as appears from the punishment annexed, their being destroyed by serpents. The Arabic version adds "him", meaning Christ, which is a right interpretation of the text; otherwise there would be no force in the apostle's reasoning; for Christ was the angel that went before the Israelites in the wilderness, the angel of God's presence, that bore, and carried, and saved them; he is the Jehovah they tempted at Massah and Meribah, and elsewhere, and God they spake against at this place referred to; hence it is clear that our Lord existed before his incarnation, and that he is truly and properly God; the Alexandrian copy reads, "neither let us tempt God", and so the Ethiopic version: "and were destroyed of serpents"; fiery ones, which were sent among them by the Lord Christ, they tempted and spoke against, which bit them, and of these bites many of them died. This might lead to the consideration, of the original cause of man's sin and fall, and the ruin of human nature, by the means of a serpent; and may be an emblem of the future destruction of the wicked, which will be everlasting fire, prepared for the devil, the old serpent, and his angels.

Gill: 1Co 10:10 - Neither murmur ye // as some of them also murmured // and were destroyed of the destroyer

Neither murmur ye,.... Against the true apostles of Christ, and faithful ministers of the word; nor against the laws and ordinances of Christ, or providences of God; so some of the members of this church did, or were inclined to do:

as some of them also murmured: as against the Lord, so against Moses and Aaron. The people of Israel were very prone unto, and often guilty of this sin; but what the apostle here has respect unto, is either their murmuring upon the report the spies made of the good land, in Num 14:1, or that of Korah and his company against Moses and Aaron, as principal officers, who were for setting all upon a level; and of all the people against them, for the death of these men, Num 16:1,

and were destroyed of the destroyer; meaning either some judgment of God upon them, as the earth's opening and swallowing up Korah and all that belonged unto him; and the fire that came down from heaven, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense; and the plague which swept away fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those that murmured against Moses and Aaron, on the account of the death of the said persons; and any other judgment by which the carcasses of those fell in the wilderness, that murmured upon the report of the spies; or else since angels were usually employed by God, in inflicting such judgments, by the destroyer may be meant an angel, such an one as smote the firstborn in Egypt, and bears the same name, Heb 11:28 and as smote Israel with a pestilence upon David's numbering the people, and was about to have destroyed Jerusalem, had he not been restrained, 2Sa 24:15 and as, smote an hundred fourscore and five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians, in one night, 2Ki 19:35. So that though an angel may be intended, it is not necessary, on account of the character given him, to understand an evil angel; it is true indeed, that Satan is by the Jews ^a called המשחית, "the destroyer"; and Samuel, the same with Satan, is called "the angel of death"; to which the allusion is in Heb 2:14 and evil angels are frequently styled מלאכי חבלה, "destroying angels" ^b; as distinct from ministering ones, and to which some think the apostle here refers.

Gill: 1Co 10:11 - Now all these things happened unto them // and were for ensamples // and they are written for our admonition // upon whom the ends of the world are come

Now all these things happened unto them,.... All these punishments came upon them in various ways, not by chance, but by the will of God, and as their sins deserved:

and were for ensamples; to others, to their future posterity, and to the churches of God in all ages:

and they are written for our admonition; that men in a church state particularly may take warning, by these instances of their sin and punishment, to avoid the one and escape the other, and not presume upon their external privileges and favours:

upon whom the ends of the world are come; "or in whom the ends of ages are met"; for the apostle does not mean this material visible world, the universe and all things in it, which has continued, since the writing of this, about two thousand years: but the Jewish ages, or times of the Mosaic economy, which begun when these instances of sin and punishment were, and which now in the times of the apostles were at an end; everything in those periods that were figurative and emblematical, having their fulfilling end and accomplishment, and also were now abrogated: likewise the ages or times of Gentile darkness and ignorance may be intended, which now were come to an end, through the light of the Gospel, and the power of God attending the ministration of it; and hence the ends both of the Jewish and Gentile ages may be said to come upon, or meet in the apostles and their times, who had the advantage of looking back on former ones, and of receiving instruction from thence.

Gill: 1Co 10:12 - Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth // take heed lest he fall

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth,.... Since the Jewish fathers, who enjoyed such peculiar favours and eminent privileges, had such various judgments inflicted on them; since they stood not, but many of them were visible instances of God's displeasure; they were overthrown and cast down, their carcasses fell in the wilderness, and entered not into the land of rest; therefore all such persons who think themselves safe and sure, trusting to themselves, or depending upon the knowledge and gifts they have, the favours and privileges they enjoy; everyone of these should

take heed lest he fall. This advice was exceeding proper, whether it be considered as spoken to true believers, or formal professors; for true believers may fall into temptation, into sin, from a degree of steadfastness in the Gospel, and from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace; but not finally, totally, and irrecoverably; since they are enclosed in the arms of everlasting love, secured in the hands of Christ, built on a foundation that will never fail, and are kept by an almighty power which can never be overcome; but yet, since they may fall to the dishonour of God, the reproach of the Gospel of Christ, the grieving of the Spirit of God, the wounding of their own souls, the stumbling of weak believers, and the strengthening of the hands of the wicked; such an exhortation is not superfluous, even to such; and many and strong are the reasons and arguments why they should take heed lest they fall; nor are admonitions needless to that which God's decree and promise secure: since these are often the means in and by which God executes his decree, and makes good his promise; see Act 27:22. Moreover, if this exhortation be considered as given to formal professors, it is very pertinent; for such as these may fall, as they often do, from that which they seemed to have, from the truths of the Gospel, and a profession of them, and into scandalous sins, and at last into condemnation; and the rather since the apostasy of such persons is injurious to the honour and interest of true religion; hereby the ways of God are evil spoken of, the name of Christ blasphemed, profane sinners hardened, and weak believers stumbled, as by the falls of real Christians: besides, it must be worse for themselves, who hereby bring upon themselves a severe punishment; see 2Pe 2:21 and indeed these seem to be the persons the apostle chiefly respects; not such who truly: thought they stood, and did really stand; for such stand in the true grace and love of God, in Christ, in whom they are chosen, and by whom they are redeemed and saved, and by that faith which he is the author and finisher of; and so shall never finally and totally fall away; but such "that thinketh", ο δοκων, "who seemeth", to himself and others, "that he standeth"; and manifestly designs such who were swelled with a vain opinion of themselves, their gifts and knowledge; who tempted God, and "trusted" to themselves, as the Ethiopic version reads it, and despised weak believers; but lest real believers should be hereby discouraged, the apostle adds,

Gill: 1Co 10:13 - 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 make a way to escape // that ye may be able to bear it

There hath no temptation taken you,.... Some, indeed, understand these words by way of reproof, that whereas their trials and exercises which had attended them were very light ones, and comparatively trivial; and yet they had given way to these temptations, and had sunk under them, and fallen by them, for which they were greatly to be blamed; or as threatening them with something more severe than anything as yet had befallen them, signifying that though they had as yet stood, and thought they still should; yet they ought not to presume on their own strength, or depend on outward things; since the temptations that as yet had come upon them were such as men might easily bear; there was no great trial or experiment of their grace and strength by them; they had not yet resisted unto blood; there were heavier and severer trials they might expect; and therefore should not be too secure in themselves, but take heed lest when these things should come upon them, in such a time of great temptation, they should fall away: but I rather think the words are spoken by way of comfort to the saints; intimating that as no temptation or affliction had befallen them, so none should, but what either came from men, or was common to men, or which men by divine assistance, and under divine influence, might bear; and therefore should not distress themselves with the apprehensions of it, as if it was some strange or unusual thing, and as if they must unavoidably perish and be destroyed by it:

but such as is common to man: "or is humane". There are divine temptations, or such as come from God; God may be said to tempt his people, as he did Abraham, by enjoining them things very hard and disagreeable to nature; and by afflicting them either in body or estate; and by withdrawing his presence, and withholding the communications of his grace, to try their faith, show them their weakness and need of himself. There are also diabolical temptations, or such as come from Satan; who tempts by soliciting to sin, by suggesting blasphemous thoughts, and filling with doubts and fears; and by dissuading from the use of means, as attending at the throne of grace, and on the word and ordinances: but the apostle here speaks of human temptations, such as come from men; meaning reproaches and persecutions, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; and which are temptations or trials of grace, as of faith and patience, and under which there is great danger of falling away: now when the apostle says that none but such temptations had befallen them, he does not mean that they had been, or were, or would be entirely free from other temptations; but that those which they mostly dreaded, and were in danger by, were but human, such as came from men, and were, as our version suggests, common to Christian men, their brethren, who were in the flesh as they, and might be endured by men, strengthened by the grace of God; wherefore they had nothing to fear from hence, especially when they considered the faithfulness, care, and power of God next observed:

but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able: no man can be tempted, afflicted, or persecuted by men, but by a divine permission, and that voluntary; nor more than, or above that measure which God hath determined; who proportions the affliction to the strength he determines and promises to give, and does give, and the strength of his people to the temptation or affliction he suffers to befall them; for which his faithfulness is engaged, having promised that as their day is, their strength shall be; that he will never leave them nor forsake them, and that he will bear, and carry, and save them unto the uttermost, and that they shall hold on and out unto the end:

but will with the temptation make a way to escape; for as he by his permission makes way for the temptation or affliction, which otherwise could not come; and as he knows how, in what manner, and at the best time, to deliver his people out of temptations; so he does and will, in his providence, open a way that they may escape out of them, at least so as not to be overpressed and destroyed by them:

that ye may be able to bear it; for God does not always think fit to remove at once an affliction or temptation, though at the earnest request of his people, as in the case of Paul, 2Co 12:7 yet he gives them grace sufficient to endure and stand up under it, yea, to get the victory of it, to be more that conquerors, and triumph over it.

Gill: 1Co 10:14 - Wherefore, my dearly beloved // flee from idolatry

Wherefore, my dearly beloved,.... Some copies add, "brethren"; as do the Complutensian edition, and Ethiopic version; all which endearing epithets are used to persuade to attend to the exhortation enforced upon the foregoing considerations; since the Jewish fathers, who were idolaters, fell so much under the divine displeasure; and since such who thought they stood were so liable to fall, and the temptation to which they exposed themselves was of such a dangerous consequence; therefore,

flee from idolatry; as what is most dishonourable, pernicious, and abominable: the apostle's meaning is, not only that they would not worship idols, or commit plain downright acts of idolatry; but that they would stand at the greatest distance from idols, not so much as go into an idol's temple, and there sit down and eat; which if not a real act of idolatry, had at least the show of one; and his sense is, that they would abstain from all appearance of idolatry, from every occasion of it, and whatsoever led unto it; particularly he means, that they would not eat of things sacrificed to idols as such, and in an idol's temple; which he considers as a species of idolatrous worship, and by a similar instance he after proves it to be so, even a partaking of the table of devils.

Gill: 1Co 10:15 - I speak as to wise men // judge what I say

I speak as to wise men,.... That is, what he was now going to say concerning the Lord's supper, and the communion which believers have with Christ in it, which they as Christians must have knowledge of; and concerning the participation of the altar the Israelites had, who ate of the sacrifices of it, which many of them, being Jews, as such must know; and therefore being fully persuaded of the propriety and pertinency of the instances he was about to produce, and of the justness of his reasoning upon them, he appeals to the Corinthians, as men of wisdom and understanding in these things, and makes them themselves judges thereof:

judge what I say; consider and weigh the matter well, and you will discern and judge that what I say is proper and pertinent, just and right.

Gill: 1Co 10:16 - The cup of blessing, which we bless // is it not the communion of the blood of Christ // is it not the communion of the body of Christ

The cup of blessing, which we bless,.... Meaning the cup of wine used in the Lord's supper, which being set apart for that service, is taken up, and the name of the Lord called upon over it; and he is blessed and praised for his wondrous love and grace, in the gift and mission of his Son, to shed his precious blood for us, for the remission of our sins; the whole church joining with the administrator, both in the act of blessing and praise over the cup, and in the participation of it. This cup is so called in allusion to the cup of wine used at common meals, or at the passover among the Jews, which they used to take and bless God with, and give him thanks for their mercies, and was commonly called כוס של ברכה, "the cup of blessing" ^c.

"Three things (says R. Judah ^d) shorten a man's days and years; when they give him the book of the law to read, and he does not read, כוס של ברכה לברך, "the cup of blessing to bless with", and he does not bless, and when he accustoms himself to government.''

Again, so they comment on Gen 21:8 ^e.

"what is the meaning "of the day that Isaac was weaned?" the holy blessed God will make a feast for the righteous, in the day that he weans the people of the seed of Isaac, and after they eat and drink, they give to Abraham כוס של ברכה לברך, "the cup of blessing to bless with"; he says to them, I will not bless, because Ishmael sprung from me; they give it to Isaac, he says to them, I am not fit to bless, for Esau came from me; they give it to Jacob, he says unto them I will not bless, for I married two sisters in their lifetime, which the law forbids me; they say to Moses, take it and bless, he says to them I will not bless, for I was not worthy to enter into the land of Israel, neither in life nor in death; they say to Joshua, take it and bless, he says I cannot bless, for I am not worthy of a son, as it is written, Nun his son, Joshua his son; they say to David, take thou it and bless, he saith unto them I will bless, and it is comely for me to bless; as it is said, "I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord".''

Once more they ask ^f,

"what is a beautiful cup? כוס של ברכה, "the cup of blessing";''

and which, they ^g observe, ought to hold the fourth part of a log of wine. These instances clearly show from whence the apostle borrowed this expression, and which he chooses to make use of because well known to the Jews, and as being very appropriate to the cup in the Lord's supper, he is speaking of:

is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? it is; that is, it is a sign, symbol, and token of fellowship with Christ in his death; it is a means of having communion with him, and of enjoying the blessings of grace which come through his blood; such as righteousness, peace, pardon, and atonement; all which true believers are made partakers of; and this part of the Lord's supper, the cup being drank of, is a testimony and an indication of the same: "the bread which we break"; which is the other part of the ordinance, which, though performed first, is mentioned last, because of the argument the apostle pursues upon it. The act of breaking the bread does not only design the distribution and eating of it, but the manner also in which it is prepared for distribution and eating, namely by breaking it into pieces; and which is aptly expressive of the body of Christ, which was wounded, bruised, and broken for us:

is it not the communion of the body of Christ? it is; for not only believers by this act have communion with his mystical body, the church, but with his natural body, which was broken for them they in a spiritual sense and by faith eat his flesh, as well as drink his blood, and partake of him, of his sufferings and death, endured in his body, and of all the blessings of grace consequent thereon. The apostle's view in this instance, and his argument upon it, is this, that if believers, by eating the bread and drinking the wine in the Lord's supper, spiritually partake of Christ, of his body and of his blood, and have communion with him; then such who eat of things sacrificed unto idols, have in so doing communion with them, and partake of the table of devils, and so are guilty of idolatry, which he would have them avoid.

Gill: 1Co 10:17 - For we being many, are one bread and one body // for we are all partakers of that one bread

For we being many, are one bread and one body,.... The several members of the church of Christ; particular believers are indeed many, considered in themselves, in their own persons; yet by virtue of their union to Christ, which is manifested by their communion with him, they are one bread with him, the bread of life, and one body with his, signified by the bread; they are of one and the same mass and lump, they are incorporated together, they are flesh of his flesh, and one spirit with him: or they are one bread and body among themselves; as bread consists of many grains of corn which have been ground and kneaded together, and make up one loaf; and as the members of an human body are many, and make up one body; so believers, though they are many, yet are one body, of which Christ is the head; one in union with him and one another, and one in their communion together at the Lord's table; and so the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "as therefore the bread is one, so we all are one body"; having communion with Christ and one another:

for we are all partakers of that one bread; in the supper, which is all of the same nature and kind, and is a symbol of the body of Christ, and our fellowship with him and each other. The application designed is this, that as believers, by partaking of the same bread, appear to be the same body, and of the same mass and lump with one another; so such as eat things sacrificed unto idols, appear to be of the same mass and lump with Heathen idolaters: Dr. Lightfoot has very pertinently produced some passages out of Maimonides, concerning mixing, associating, or communion of neighbours in courts on sabbath eves, that so they may enter into each other's houses on the sabbath day, for the illustration of this passage; of which mixing the Jews have a whole treatise in their Misna and Talmud, which they call Erubin; and of which they say ^h.

"but how is this mixture or association? it is thus, they mix together, במאכל אחד, "in one food", which they prepare on the eve of the sabbath; and it is as if they should say, for we are all mixed together, and have all one food; nor does anyone of us divide the right from his neighbour--they do not mix in courts, but בפת שלימה "with a whole loaf" only; though the mass or lump baked may be the quantity of a "seah", yet if it is broken, they do not associate with it; but if it is whole, though it be but the value of a farthing, they mix with it--how do they mix or associate together in the courts? they collect הלה אחת שלימה, "one whole cake", out of every house, and put all in one vessel, in one of the houses of the court--and the whole association being gathered together, blesses the Lord--and eats:''

upon which the above learned writer observes, that if it were customary among the Israelites, to join together in one political or economical body, by the eating of many loaves collected from this, and that, and the other man; we are much more associated together into one body, by eating one and the same bread, appointed us by our Saviour.

Gill: 1Co 10:18 - Behold Israel after the flesh // are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar

Behold Israel after the flesh,.... So the apostle calls them, to distinguish them from the Israel of God, the spiritual Israel, whether Jews or Gentiles; who are born again, believe in the true Messiah, worship God in a spiritual manner, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in fleshly things; but these were the descendants of Jacob or Israel by carnal generation, were carnal men, in the flesh, in a state of unregeneracy, and were employed in a carnal worship, in the observance of carnal commandments and ordinances; these the apostle directs to, to see, consider, and take notice of what they were doing; from whence some instruction might be taken, for the further clearing of the present point:

are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? yes, they are. The priests and Levites who waited at the altar, and ministered about holy things there, who brought the sacrifices and laid them upon the altar of the burnt offerings, where the altar consumed and devoured one part by fire, and that which was left they ate among themselves; and so as they had communion with one another in eating, they partook of the altar, of the things, or sacrifices of the altar, and showed themselves to be of the Jewish religion, and professed and declared that they worshipped the God of Israel, and would be thought to have communion with him in so doing; in like manner, such who eat of things sacrificed to idols, declared themselves to be idolaters, to be of the Pagan religion, to be worshippers of idols, and to have fellowship with them.

Gill: 1Co 10:19 - What say I then // that an idol is anything, or that which is sacrificed to idols is anything

What say I then?.... Or may be objected to, or inferred from, what I say;

that an idol is anything, or that which is sacrificed to idols is anything? to which must be answered, as the Syriac version reads, לא, "no", by no means; by running the parallel between Christians having communion with the body and blood of Christ, in the Lord's supper, through eating the bread and drinking the wine, the Israelites partaking of the altar, by eating of the sacrifices of it, and men's joining with idols and idolaters, by eating things sacrificed to idols; it follows not that an idol has anything of deity in it, and is to be set upon a level with God, when, as he had said before, an idol was nothing, and what he now said did not at all contradict that; or that things offered to idols are to be had in the same account, or to be equalled to, or be thought to have any thing in them, as the elements of the bread and wine in the Lord's supper, or the sacrifices that were offered by the Israelites on the altar, according to the divine command; he meant no such thing, but only argued from the greater to the lesser, and his sense is more fully declared in the next words.

Gill: 1Co 10:20 - But I say // that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice unto devils, and not to God // and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils

But I say,.... This is my sense and meaning,

that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice unto devils, and not to God; reference is had to Deu 32:17 for what the Gentiles sacrificed, though they did not sacrifice intentionally to the idols of gold, silver, wood, and stone, but to God in them, as they pretended; yet inasmuch as in such worship and sacrifices they were directed, instigated, influenced, and assisted by devils, who took up their residence in these idols, and gave forth their oracles from them, they sacrificed to them; and which some have done, as in India and China, professedly and openly, and all other idolaters, eventually, virtually, and covertly:

and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils; as all wicked men have, in the commission of any lust, sin, or immorality; and as all idolaters have in their superstitious practices, and idolatrous worship; and if grace prevent not, will have to all eternity in everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; wherefore the apostle would have the Corinthians flee from idolatry, and all appearance of it, and abstain from eating things offered to idols, of which they could not eat without having fellowship with devils; this he says, to deter them from such practices, which must be very horrible and shocking, and bespeaks in him great care of them, and affection for them.

Gill: 1Co 10:21 - 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

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils,.... Not only they ought not, but they could not rightly, truly, and really drink the cup of wine in the Lord's supper, in the true faith of Christ's bloodshed, and his sacrifice offered up for them, in remembrance of his love, and to the honour of his name; and also the cup of wine of libations, poured out and drank to the honour of the Heathen deities; these things are utterly inconsistent; no man can serve two masters, God and mammon, or God and Baal; nor is there any concord between Christ and Belial, or agreement between the temple of God and idols:

ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils; no man can spiritually, however he may externally partake of the entertainment provided, on the table of the Lord, at his supper instituted and kept in commemoration of him; and also with gust and pleasure, and without any concern for the peace of weak minds, and the honour of God, eat things set upon a table in an idol's temple, and before the idol, and as sacrificed unto it.

Gill: 1Co 10:22 - Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy // are we stronger than he

Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?.... As they do who are guilty of idolatry in any shape: nothing is more highly resented by God, or stirs him up more to wrath and fury, and to inflict punishment; he cannot bear, nor will he admit of a rival in religious worship; he is a God jealous of his own honour; nor will he give, or suffer to be given by others, his praise and glory to graven images:

are we stronger than he? to give into idolatrous practices, is to proclaim and enter into a war against God; and what madness must this be? who can be so sottish and stupid as to think of succeeding? when God is omnipotent, and man a poor feeble impotent creature, a worm, and but dust and ashes: thus the apostle dissuades from idolatry, and every species and branch of it; partly from its ill effect, in bringing men into fellowship with devils; and partly from the impossibility of practising it, in consistence with a true and real participation of the cup and table of the Lord; and from the absurdity and stupidity of it, and its dangerous consequence, in exposing men to the vengeance of an almighty incensed Being.

Gill: 1Co 10:23 - All things are lawful for me // all things are not expedient // all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not

All things are lawful for me,.... All sorts of food are lawful to be eaten, every creature of God is good, there is nothing common or unclean in itself, polluted or polluting; and so things offered to idols may be lawfully eaten, but not as such, or in an idol's temple, or before a weak brother; to do which is contrary to the honour of God, and the edification of the saints: and therefore

all things are not expedient; to be done always, and in all places, and before all persons. The apostle suggests, that though they might be lawful to him, and he might make use of his liberty in eating them; yet they might not be expedient, or of service, but on the contrary hurtful to others; and which therefore ought to be judged a sufficient reason for the omission of them:

all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not; though things of an indifferent nature may be lawfully used, yet they do not always tend to the edification of others, which should be consulted; and when this is the case, they ought to be disused. This is observed in answer to an objection taken from the doctrine of Christian liberty, allowing the free use of all the creatures, and disengaging men from an observance of the distinction of meats and drinks which the apostle grants; and yet argues from his own example, and the edification of the saints, that this is not always to be closely pursued; but believers should forego what they have a right to use, when the peace and welfare of their fellow Christians require it.

Gill: 1Co 10:24 - Let no man seek his own // but every man another's wealth

Let no man seek his own,.... His carnal pleasure and private advantage in eating things sacrificed to "idols", to the hurt and disadvantage of his brethren; otherwise it is lawful for a man to seek his own good, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, to seek for the necessaries of life, his spiritual peace and comfort, and his everlasting welfare and happiness; but then he should not only seek his own,

but every man another's wealth, or "that which is another's"; for the word "wealth" is not in the original text. The apostle's meaning is, that a man, in the use of things indifferent, should not seek the gratifying of his sensual appetite or other passions, what may be pleasing or profitable to himself; but should consult the profit and edification of others.

Gill: 1Co 10:25 - Whatsoever is sold in the shambles // that eat // asking no question // for conscience sake

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles,.... the word μακελλον, rendered "shambles", here used, is a Latin word, and is made use of by Latin writers in the same sense as here, for a place where food was sold ⁱ. The original of the name is said ^k to be this; one Macellus, a very wicked and profane man, being for his robberies and filthy life condemned to die, a place was built in his house by Aemylius and Fulvius, censors, for selling of provisions, and which from his name was called "Macellum". The Syriac version retains the word here, and so do the Talmudists, and Rabbins ^l frequently; who say ^m,

"Nylwqm, the "shambles", and the butchers of Israel, though flesh of them is found in the hand of a stranger, it is free:''

into these places the priests sent to be sold what was offered to their idols, which they could not dispense with themselves, or thought not lawful to make use of; for the Egyptians, as Herodotus says ⁿ, used to cut off the heads of their beasts that were sacrificed, and carry them into the market and sell them to the Greeks, and if there were no buyers they cast them into the river. Now the apostle allows, that such meat that was sold in the shambles might be bought and eat of, but not in an idol's temple; there was a difference between an idol's temple, and eating things sacrificed to idols there, and buying them in shambles or meat market, and eating them at home:

that eat; buy, carry home, dress and eat, in your own houses:

asking no question; whether it was sacrificed to idols, or not:

for conscience sake; either a man's own, which may be hurt, wounded, and defiled, by eating contrary to it, should he know that what he eats had been offered to an idol; whereas if he asks no questions, and knows nothing of the matter, his conscience will not be afflicted: or else another man's that may stand by whilst the meat is bought, and sold; and who hearing questions asked and answered, and yet observes the meat, though sacrificed to idols, dressed and ate by the buyer, his conscience being weak, may be offended and grieved.

Gill: 1Co 10:26 - For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof

For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof,.... Which words are taken out of Psa 24:1 and to be understood of Christ, who by creation and preservation is Lord of the whole earth, and as Mediator has all in his possession; and having broken down the middle wall of partition, gives his people the free use of all creatures, of the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, and the trees, fruits, and plants of the earth, which are the fulness thereof; and therefore as the saints have a full right from Christ, to make use of all the creatures in a moderate way, and with thankfulness, they need not fear being defiled by any of them; provided they do not act contrary to the honour of God, and in favour of an idol, or against their own conscience, and the peace of weak believers.

Gill: 1Co 10:27 - If any of them that believe not // and ye be disposed to go // whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no questions for conscience sake

If any of them that believe not,.... In Christ, and make no profession of faith in him; but are infidels to his person, office, grace, righteousness, Gospel, and ordinances, as there were many such at Corinth: "bid you" to a feast; invite you to dine or sup with them in their own houses:

and ye be disposed to go; the apostle does not lay any commands upon them to go, or not go, but leaves them to their own will, inclination, and discretion; for as circumstances might be, it might be either proper or improper to listen to an invitation from such a quarter; but if they were inclined, and did think fit to go, which they might without sin; for as it is lawful to trade, so to eat and drink with unbelievers; then his advice is,

whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no questions for conscience sake; that is, as before, as whether it is offered to idols or not; lest either their own, or another's conscience should be hurt thereby.

Gill: 1Co 10:28 - But if any man say unto you // this is offered in sacrifice unto idols // eat not for his sake that showed it // and for conscience sake // the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof

But if any man say unto you,.... Either a weak believer, to prevent the doing of what he thought to be sinful; or the unbeliever, that invites to try the integrity of his Christian guest, and to draw him into a snare:

this is offered in sacrifice unto idols; the meat that is in that dish, or that portion of food which stands in such a part of the table, came out of an idol's temple, and was sacrificed to idols; which with the Jews were forbidden ^o: for

"everything that came out of an idol's temple was forbidden, and was reckoned as the sacrifices of the dead; for it was not thought possible it could be there, and not offered to idols:''

now when any at the feast, either believer or unbeliever, should thus point at any particular dish, and affirm this of it; then the apostle's advice is,

eat not for his sake that showed it: who, if a weak believer, will be grieved and wounded; and if an infidel, will be hardened in his impiety, and be furnished with an opportunity of reproaching the Christians, as variable, insincere, and unfaithful in their religion:

and for conscience sake; which is explained in the following verse:

the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; which words are neither in the Syriac version, nor in the Vulgate Latin, nor in the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and are thought by some to be added, from 1Co 10:26 though the repetition of them is far from being impertinent; since they contain a very good reason why such a man should abstain from things sacrificed to idols, seeing there is such a plenty and variety of creatures for his use, which he has a right to eat of; and therefore is under no necessity to eat of such sacrifices, nor is it any hardship upon him to forbear the use of them.

Gill: 1Co 10:29 - Conscience I say, not thine own // but of the others // for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience

Conscience I say, not thine own,.... Which is well informed about these things, and is fully persuaded that an idol is nothing, and that things sacrificed to idols are nothing; and as they cannot profit a man, or help forward his comfort, peace, and happiness, so they cannot hinder them:

but of the others; either the weak brother, or the unbelieving master of the feast; it is for the sake of their consciences such food must not be eaten, lest either the one should be grieved, or the other reproach:

for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? this is not an objection of the Corinthians, setting forth the unreasonableness of being condemned, for the use of their Christian liberty by another's conscience, be he who he will, believer or unbeliever, when they had an undoubted right to such an use, and their own consciences did not condemn them: but they are the words of the apostle, expressing his own sense, that it was not right and fitting that he should make use of his liberty, and eat under such a circumstance as here pointed out, and so his liberty should be condemned as sinful by another man's conscience; since the weak believer would be apt to censure, judge, and condemn him as a libertine, and the unbeliever as an atheist, or one that had no regard to any religion at all; and therefore he reasons, that it was best to abstain from eating, rather than expose his liberty to such a censure and condemnation.

Gill: 1Co 10:30 - For if I by grace be a partaker // why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks

For if I by grace be a partaker,.... Either of Christian liberty, through the grace of God; or of the creatures God has given men to eat of through his goodness, and which are enjoyed by the saints with thankfulness:

why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? that is, why should I expose myself to evil tongues, the blasphemies and reproaches of men, by eating things of this kind, under this circumstance, when there are so many creatures I can use without offence, and be thankful for? or why should my liberty be reproached through an imprudent use of it, for which I have the utmost reason to be thankful? wherefore upon the whole it is best to deny one's self in such a case, rather than risk one's character, the glory of God, and the honour of religion.

Gill: 1Co 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat or drink // Or whatsoever ye do // do all to the glory of God

Whether therefore ye eat or drink,.... Which may principally refer to eating things sacrificed to idols, and drinking the libations of wine offered to them, since this is the subject of the apostle's discourse; in doing of which he directs them to have the glory of God in view, and so to conduct, that that end may be answered: and it may also be applied to common eating and drinking, or to ordinary meals upon food, about which there is no dispute; and which common actions of life are done to the glory of God, when every mercy is considered and owned as coming from him; and when we confess ourselves unworthy of any; and when we ascribe all we have to the free and unmerited goodness of God; and enjoy every mercy of this kind, as a fruit of our Father's love to us, as a blessing of the covenant, and as coming to us through the blood of Christ; when we are contented and satisfied with what we have, and act faith continually on God for future fresh supplies, and give thanks for all we receive: and if this, then much more eating and drinking in an ordinance way should be directed to the glory of God and Christ, as eating the bread, and drinking the wine in the Lord's supper; and which is so done, when it is done in a decent and reverend manner, in the exercise of faith, discerning the Lord's body, eating his flesh, and drinking his blood in a spiritual manner, without dependence on the actions done, and in remembrance of the love of God and Christ.

Or whatsoever ye do; in a natural, civil, or religious respect, in preaching, hearing, praying, fasting, giving of alms, &c. whatever in the closet, in the family, in the church, or in the world, in private, or in public:

do all to the glory of God; God's glory is the end of all his works and actions; in creation, providence, and grace; in election, in the covenant, in the blessings and promises of it, in redemption, in the effectual calling, and in bringing many sons to glory. The same is the end of all Christ's actions, as man and Mediator, of his doctrines and miracles, of his obedience, sufferings, and death in this world, and of his interceding life in the other; who, as he lives to make intercession for us, lives unto God, to the glory of God; and therefore the glory of God should be the end of all our actions: besides, without this no action can be truly called a good one; if a man seeks himself, his own glory, and popular applause, or has any sinister and selfish end in view in what he does, it cannot be said, nor will it be accounted by God to be a good action. The Jews have a saying much like this, כל מעשיך יהיו לשם שמים "let all thy works be done to the glory of God" ^p; which one of their commentators ^q explains thus:

"even when thou art employed in eating and drinking, and in the business of life, thou shalt not design thy bodily profit, but that thou mayest be strong to do the will of thy Creator.''

Gill: 1Co 10:32 - Give none offence // neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God

Give none offence,.... Avoid everything that may be the occasion of offence, of the stumbling and falling of others; whether things indifferent, when they are offensive to weak minds, and grieve, and wound, and stumble them; especially things sinful, which as they offend God, and are therefore called "offences", so they are offensive to the churches of Christ, and are cognizable by them; they are staggering and stumbling to weak believers, when committed by professors of religion; are the means of inducing others to sin, and of hardening profane sinners in their iniquities, and give occasion to the enemy to blaspheme: but things that are good, and are made our incumbent duty, are not to be avoided, though persons may be offended thereat; such as the pure preaching of the Gospel, the profession of it, and submission to the ordinances thereof; for an offence is either taken or given; to give offence is one thing, which we should carefully avoid; and to take it, when there is no just reason for it, is another, and not to be regarded:

neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God; which may be considered as having a peculiar respect to the people of God: the two first of these, namely, Jews and Gentiles, being what constituted the first churches, and this at Corinth, so that they may be thought to be the parts, and the church the whole; and the apostle first mentions the one, and then the other, signifying, that they were not to give offence neither to single persons, nor to the whole church; and particularly in the case of eating things offered to idols, care was to be taken that neither Jews nor Gentiles were offended, being both members of the church. Or these may be considered as including all sorts of persons; for Jews and Gentiles include the whole world, and may here mean all that are without, that have no true faith in Christ, nor any spiritual knowledge of him; and "the church", all such as know him, believe in him, and profess his name: so that the apostle's sense is, that care should be taken that no offence be given to any sort of men, neither to the men of the world, of whatsoever character, nor to professors of religion, and more especially the latter; since offending one of the least of them that believe in Christ, is displeasing to him; and since he was so careful to guard against the offence of them, and will, by his angels, at the last day, gather out of his kingdom all such as offend; and has ordered his churches to mark them which cause offences and divisions; and since it is so hard a thing to reconcile an offended brother, who is harder to be won than a strong castle; though that is not his excellency, yet as it makes the case so difficult, it should be guarded against.

Gill: 1Co 10:33 - Even as I please all men in all things // Not seeking my own profit // but the profit of many, that they may be saved

Even as I please all men in all things,.... The apostle sets himself as an example, though he was far from being a man pleaser, in the bad sense of that phrase; nor must these all things, in which he is said to please all men, be taken in the largest sense; but are to be understood of things indifferent, which might be done or avoided, without breaking the law of or contradicting the Gospel of Christ, or any of its rules and ordinances, to all which the apostle was inviolably attached; nor did he in these things seek to please men, but in all to act the part of a faithful servant of Christ, and steward of the mysteries of grace; see 1Co 9:19. Moreover, it is not to bc thought that in fact he pleased all men; it is certain he did not; but he studied to please them; he did all that in him lay; he took the most proper methods to do it, though they were sometimes ineffectual.

Not seeking my own profit; worldly profit and advantage, riches, wealth, the emoluments of life, ease, rest, and pleasure; and chiefly he means the use of liberty in things indifferent; he was willing to forego all for the good of others:

but the profit of many, that they may be saved; he neglected his own private advantage, and the gratifying of himself in anything which was otherwise lawful, when he saw that would be an offence to others, be an hinderance of the Gospel, and deter any from embracing the Christian doctrine; that so he might be the, means of promoting the spiritual profit and edification of many souls, that they might be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; He does not say all, but many, knowing that all will not be saved, only the elect of God; and whereas he knew not who these were, nor where they lay, he behaved in this manner to all men, that he might be the instrument of the spiritual good and salvation of the chosen ones among them, by preaching the Gospel to them without offence.