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1 Corinthians Chapter Ten

                             

I. Content of the Chapter

 

The Diet of Christians

A.  The types and examples of the Israel (v.1-13):

1. They had baptized into Moses and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink (v.1-4).

2. The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play and fell in the wilderness (v.5-11).

3. These things happened to them became our examples (v. 12-13).

B.  Christians cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons (v.14-22):

1. We have partaken of the Lord’s cup and bread and have communion of the blood and body of Christ (v.14-17).

2. We shall no longer eat things offered to idols or partake of the table of demons (v.18-22).

C.  The principles of Christians’ diet (v.23-33):

1. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being (v.23-24).

2. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market and in the table of a dinner (v.25-27).

3. We do not eat for the sake of the conscience of others (v.28-30).

4. Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, do all to the glory of God and edify others (v.31-33).

 

II. Verse by Verse Commentary

 

1Cor. 10:1 “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,”

   YLT: “And I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,”

Literal Meaning: “moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware”, the word “moreover” indicates that it takes up where the last chapter left off, which illustrates that “brethren” in the Lord shall not only be governed by the limits of the liberty (right) of Christians (see 1Cor. 9:12, 15, 18) but also run the race before us diligently (see 1Cor. 9:24-27). Here, the apostle Paul “does not want us to be unaware” that all things happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness after they were come out of the land of Egypt before they entered the land of Canaan would be examples for believers in last days (see v.6, 11).

“That all our fathers were under the cloud”, “our fathers” are the fathers of the Israel, who represent all the people of God. “Under cloud”: to walk in the way of the wilderness under the guidance of the pillar of a cloud as well as the pillar of fire (Ex. 13:21-22; Num. 9:15-23; 14:14; Deut. 1:33; Ps. 78:14).

“All passed through the sea”, it refers to passing through the Red Sea and walking upon the dry land (see Ex. 14:22, 29).

Spiritual Meaning: the Israel typifies believers in the New Testament; “Under the cloud”, it typifies the presence of the Holy Spirit. “Passing through the sea”, it typifies the baptism (Rom. 6:4).

 

1Cor. 10:2 “all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,”

   YLT: “and all to Moses were baptized in the cloud, and in the sea;”

Literal Meaning: this is the typical example of the spiritualized interpretation of the Scriptures of the apostle Paul. The experience of the Israel in the Old Testament can be used to typify the experience of Christians in the New Testament.

Spiritual Meaning: “in the cloud”, it typifies in the Spirit; “in the sea”, it typifies the water of baptism; “Moses” typifies Christ. That how the Israel were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea typifies how believers are baptized unto Christ in Spirit and in water (see 1Cor. 12:13; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27).

 

1Cor. 10:3 “all ate the same spiritual food,”

   YLT: “and all the same spiritual food did eat,”

Literal Meaning: “spiritual food” refers to manna comes down out of heaven (Ex. 16:4, 31, 35).

Spiritual Meaning: the manna typifies that Christ is the bread of life that comes down out of heaven (John 6:31, 35, 41). He is the daily provision for the life of the people of God as well as the spiritual food that we have to eat.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    We believers should eat “the same” spiritual food instead of anything out of Christ.

2)    Since the Lord has saved us, He shall take responsibility of all the need of our spiritual life so as to maintain our life.

3)    The words that the Lord has spoken unto us are spirit and are life (John 6:63). Today that we believers have fellowship with the Lord and read the Lord’s words are receiving the Lord’s bread of life.

 

1Cor. 10:4 “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”

   YLT: “and all the same spiritual drink did drink, for they were drinking of a spiritual rock following them, and the rock was the Christ;”

Literal Meaning: “and all drank the same spiritual drink”, “spiritual drink” relates to the living water flown out of the Rock in the dry land (Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:8).

“For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them”, “that spiritual Rock that followed them”, it was the Rock out of which the living water flowed twice ---- in Rephidim and Meribah of Kadesh respectively (Ex. 17:1; Num. 20:1, 13). In the view of the apostle Paul, the Rocks in the two places were the same Rock that went with the people of Israel. Note that the first time God asked Moses to “smite” the Rock and the second time God asked Moses to “speak unto” the Rock, for the Rock had been smitten and needed no longer to be smitten.

“And that Rock was Christ”, this is the typical example of spiritualized interpretation of the Scriptures of the apostle Paul. Many people and things in the Old Testament typify Christ in the New Testament (see Col. 2:16-17).

Spiritual Meaning: “that Rock” typifies Christ who was smitten (Is. 53:4-6) on the cross by God in order to redeem sinners. There came out blood and water from His side (John 19:34), signifying the two effects of the death of Christ’s redemption. Negatively, it removes men’s sins. And positively, the water is life that will be given to men.

  “The water out of the Rock” typifies the living water of the life of Christ, who can quench the thirst of men (John 4:14).

Controversial Clarification: many theologians in the past ages opposed spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures. There were many extremists and heretics of the Christianity who interpreted the Scriptures excessively and even deduced new truth from one certain verse. Normal Christians can not agree with the above-mentioned attitudes towards the spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures. It is necessary of proper use of the spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures like the apostle Paul so as to persuade those who are instructed easily. Note that any spiritual interpretation of Scriptures should in no wise be against the literal meaning of other Scriptures. Those who interpret the Scriptures spiritually should have grasped the whole truth in the Scriptures and not go too far. One should not deduce anything he likes through his own imagination.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The Lord Jesus is the spiritual Rock of us. He does not only give us reliance but also follows us to provide us the living water of the Spirit to quench the thirst of our spirit.

2)    “Followed them”, where the people of God are, there is Christ of God. Though they wander in the wilderness of the world, God has not forsaken them. What grace!

 

1Cor. 10:5 “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.”

   YLT: “but in the most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn in the wilderness,”

Literal Meaning: “but with most of them God was not well pleased”, “most of”: the majority of them; “God was not well pleased”, the whole assembly of the people of Israel wept and murmured on account of hearing and believing the evil report of the ten that searched out the land, and thus the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people. And He would destroy them. However, the people of Israel were then forgiven due to the intercession of Moses, any yet they were appointed to not enter the land of Canaan (see Num. 14:1-35).

“For their bodies were scattered in the wilderness”, among the people of Israel who come out of the land of Egypt from twenty years old and upwards, their carcasses fell in the wilderness during their wandering in the wilderness forty years, save Caleb and Joshua (see Num. 14:26-30).

Note that the word “all” has been mentioned five times from verse one to four. It is what the apostle Paul wants to focus on. “All” the people of Israel were guided by God, and “all” of them were redeemed, and “all” of them were unto one leader, and “all” of them had the same provision. None of their privileges was of themselves, for they were “all” of the grace and power of God. However, since they had not realized the blessed grace, they even puffed up so that they were not well pleased by God and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Paul intends to warn believers in Corinth through these examples not to maintain their “rights”.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The liberty and rights of Christians are gifts of God’s grace, not attainments obtained by our cost. Therefore, we shall be willing to sacrifice our liberty and rights for the sake of God’s glory, lest we should not be pleased by God.

2)    Believers can do nothing without the Lord (John 15:5). If we think and walk as we wish outside of the Lord, it is the most thing that does not please the Lord.

3)    The people of Israel were judged by God because of the deeds in flesh. Therefore, “their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” and could not enter into the good land of Canaan that God predestinated them to enter into, which indicated that the flesh of men could only hinder men and make men give up halfway that men could not enter into the fullness of Christ.

4)    God does the work of resurrection on us. On one hand, He makes the outward men of us scattered in the trial of the wilderness like the people of Israel who fell in the wilderness. On the other hand, the inside men of us are like the new born generation of the Israel who  would enter the final perfect rest of God with the greater Joshua ---- the Lord Jesus.

 

1Cor. 10:6 “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.”

   YLT: “and those things became types of us, for our not passionately desiring evil things, as also these did desire.”

Meaning of Words: “example”: sampler, type, a model, figure;

Literal Meaning: “now these things became our examples”, “these things” referred to the experience that when the people of Israel came out of Egypt. “We”: believers in the New Testament; “example”: type, warning; To believers in the New Testament, the history of the people of Israel in the old Testament was the type of our spiritual experience as well as instances for warning (see v.11).

“To the intent that we should not lust after evil things”, “lust”: covet for things outside of the range that one should obtain. “Evil things” refer to various things that sin against God, just like what are listed from verse six to eleven.

In the Bible, lust and idolatry are often mentioned together (see 1Cor. 5:11; Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5). Since idolatry is that one seeks after what is outside of God and lusts after vain blessing and goodness in belief. Therefore, lusting after evil things is idolatry, and vice versa.

“As they also lusted”, it was that the people of Israel lusted for food in the land of Egypt (Num. 11:4-6).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Lusts for evil things can distract men from God to seek after men or things outside of God so as to let men be ruled by them unconsciously.

2)    Evil things will sooner or later catch the hearts, time and souls of those who lust after evil things and cast them into miserable condition eventually.

 

1Cor. 10:7 “And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."”

   YLT: “Neither become ye idolaters, as certain of them, as it hath been written, `The people sat down to eat and to drink, and stood up to play;'”

Literal Meaning: “and do not become idolaters as were some of them”, “as were some of them”, it referred to the worship of golden calf (Ex. 32:1-6).

“As it is written”, the following Scriptures are quoted from the Book of Exodus (32:6).

“The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play”, “eating and drinking” are put together with “playing” in the Scriptures, in which there is a significant meaning. The attitude of the people of Israel towards eating and drinking was as frivolous as playing so that they had sinned against in the matters concerning eating and drinking.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Today, men seem to not worship the tangible idols made by men as that in the past, but the worship of various intangible idols has become increasingly popular. No matter the adoration for spiritual giants, sportsmen, stars, or money worship, or crazy for works or for computers and etc., these are all idolatry. Believers should take heed of it.

2)    The idolatry especially relates to eating and drinking. On the feasts of idols and in the places where men worship idols, men tend to be extravagant in eating and drinking, which indicates us that there is evil spirit behind eating and drinking. Satan often snatches the worship of God by things of eating and drinking.

3)    Eating and drinking are put together with playing. The lack of temperance in eating or drinking fulfills the lust of the flesh, which neither profits men (see v.24, 33) nor glorifies God (see v.31).

 

1Cor. 10:8 “Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;”

   YLT: “neither may we commit whoredom, as certain of them did commit whoredom, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand;”

Literal Meaning: “nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did”, “as some of them did”, it referred to the fornication of the people of Israel with the daughters of Moab (Num. 25:1-9). According to the records of the Bible in the Old Testament, the people of Israel not only committed fornication but also ate things offered to idols and even worshipped idols. It is recorded in the Scriptures that the Israel joined himself to Baal-Peor (Num. 25:3). Obviously, the three sins of fornication, eating and drinking and idolatry are all linked to one another, abetting one another.

“And in one day twenty-three thousand fell”, “twenty-three thousand”, it was actually twenty-four thousand (Num. 25:9). Some Bible exegetes thought the number here was the amount of the death one day, and the number in the Book of Numbers included another one thousand who died afterwards because of the plague.

 

1Cor. 10:9 “nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;”

   YLT: “neither may we tempt the Christ, as also certain of them did tempt, and by the serpents did perish;”

Literal Meaning: “nor let us tempt Christ”, “tempt” refers to extreme temptation or doing one’s best to tempt; the first “tempt” is different from the second on in this verse. The latter one means common or general temptation.

“As some of them also tempted, and were destroyed”, it indicated the history that when the people of Israel journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea to go round the land of Edom, the soul of the people spoke against God and against Moses because of the way (Num. 21:4-5).

“By serpents”, Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, which bit the people. And much people of Israel died (Num. 21:6).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The people of Israel tempted God in the wilderness, for the main reason of the evil heart of unbelief (see Heb. 3:8-9, 12) ---- they did not believe the words and works of God. We believers are on the principle of faith to faith (see Rom. 1:17). For we are become companions of the Christ if indeed we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end (Heb. 3:14).

2)    He who “tempts God” gives room to the devil and will be eventually bitten “by serpents”. He who “tempts God” just opens the doors of disaster and distress.

 

1Cor. 10:10 “nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.”

   YLT: “neither murmur ye, as also some of them did murmur, and did perish by the destroyer.”

Literal Meaning: “nor complain”: “complain”, there is much murmur, showing dissatisfaction at someone or something in one’s heart. 

“As some of them also complained”, the people of Israel often complained of God in the wilderness (see Ex. 15:24; 16:2; 17:3 and etc.) so that they had the name of “the people of murmuring”. Here, it might referred the event that the people of Israel were swallowed up by the earth because of the murmuring of Korah and all his band against Moses and against Aaron (Num. 16:41). Someone also held that it referred to the history that the people of Israel murmured against God in Taberah (Num. 11:1-3).

“And were destroyed by the destroyer”, there were fourteen thousand seven hundred who died in the plague (Num. 16:49). Someone also thought it referred to the history that Jehovah burned among the people of Israel in Taberah.

 

1Cor. 10:11 “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

   YLT: “And all these things as types did happen to those persons, and they were written for our admonition, to whom the end of the ages did come,”

Meaning of Words: “example”: sampler, type, a model, figure;

Literal Meaning: “now all these things happened to them as examples”, “all these things happened to them”, we shall not see lightly all things that happened to the people of Israel repeatedly and should regard them as examples.

“And they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come”, “be written”: be written in the Old Testament; “the ends of the ages”, it refers to the age of grace in the New Testament from the first time that Christ came to the earth to His second coming. It is the end of the past ages in the Old Testament.

The record of the history of the people of Israel in the Old Testament is for the main purpose of warning believers in the age of grace in the New Testament.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The people of Israel had many failures and stumbles during the fourty years in the wilderness from Egypt to Canaan and they even fell in the wilderness. These things became examples to whom the ends of the ages have come. Today, we Christians also walk in the spiritual wilderness, so we should not repeat the failure of the Israel, e.g. lusting for evil things, idolatry, sexual immorality, tempting the Lord and complaining and etc. (v.6-10). Instead, we should go ahead through the spiritual food and spiritual water of the Lord.

2)    The failures and negative things in the Scriptures are not of no use, for at least they are examples to us. The saints who think eating and drinking the Lord are enough and dislike hearing any negative things should note that they Scriptures have not mentioned eating spiritual food or drinking spiritual water only. There is positive provision in the Scriptures as well as negative dealing.

 

1Cor. 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

   YLT: “so that he who is thinking to stand -- let him observe, lest he fall.”

Literal Meaning: “therefore let him who thinks he stands”, “therefore”, it takes the previous seven verses (v.5-11) as background to put forward the following warning. Note that here it means that he who thinks he stands may not be “truly” able to stand firm.

“Take heed lest he fall”, excessive confidence leads to pride. Pride leads to carelessness. Carelessness leads to stumble.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    He who falls in spiritual way is usually not those who are trembling, but those who think they stand.

2)    He who thinks he stands may have at least attained to a certain degree. It seems that they need no longer “be cautious”, but in fact it is necessary.

3)    The preacher should take heed to himself and his teaching, for, doing this, he shall save both himself and those that hear him (see 1Tim. 4:16).

 

1Cor. 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

   YLT: “No temptation hath taken you -- except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear .”

Meaning of Words: “way”: way to escape, end;

Literal Meaning: “no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man”, “temptation”: that man drawn away, and enticed by his own lust (James. 1:14) and it is out of the devil (see Matt. 6:13). Let no man, being tempted, say, I am tempted of God (James 1:13). God governs the temptation of the devil (see Job. 1:12; 2:6). He will not allow men to be tempted by the devil beyond what men are able.

“But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able”, “God is faithful”, it means that the principle of God’s works is always the same. He never changes, and never lets the devil tempt believers beyond what they are not able.

“But with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it”, when believers are tempted, God will on one hand restrict the temptation of the devil and on the other hand make the way of escape for us so that we are able to bear it.

Note that the word “temptation” has two meanings: one is “temptation” from Satan, and the other is “trial or test” from God. The former is negative, and the latter is positive. The trial or test, like the refinement of gold, can remove the impurity so that believers may be serviceable to the Lord (see Job. 23:10; Zech. 13:9; James. 1:2-3; 1Pet. 1:6-7; 4:12-13).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    When we are in temptations and trials, God will “make the way of escape” for us that we may be able to bear them. This “way” is often not a way outside, but a way inside ---- that we will experience Christ is our “way” (see John 14:6). Many times, there is no way in the circumstance. However, once we have touched Christ inside, there is a way. This is the most wonderful and sweetest experience in the spiritual wilderness.

2)    All the temptations are all that we can bear and overcome. Therefore, we should take the responsibility for our failure before God. We have failed, because we have not relied on God not that the temptation is too strong.

3)    God is faithful. He allows the temptation to come upon us and He will strengthen us so that we can bear it. If we cannot bear it, it is certainly because that we have not held the faithfulness of God but have relied on ourselves and that we rely on the power of us instead of that of God.

4)    When we are tempted, God will make us the way of escape. God always has the way and He shall never let us always in temptations or failures. The temptations can not always stump us, for God will surely deliver us out of the difficulty.

5)    A preacher says, “The way that God gives to us is a way of escape as well as a pair of running feet”. The wise attitude of us towards temptation is escape (see Matt. 6:13). We shall neither be seized by it nor struggle with it.

 

1Cor. 10:14 “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

   YLT: “Wherefore, my beloved, flee from the idolatry;”

Literal Meaning: “therefore, my beloved”, the word “therefore” shows that the content as follows is the application and conclusion of the first half part of this chapter (v.1-13). In other words, the words as below take up the thing that is talked about from chapter eight to the previous verse of this chapter, namely, eating things offered to idols. And eating things offered to idols are closely connected with the worship of idols.

“Flee from idolatry”, “flee”, the present tense shows that it is an unceasing action. This verse suggests that the sins of lusts, eating and drinking (wrong eating and drinking), sexual immorality, tempting the Lord and complaining mentioned in the first half of this chapter have something to do with idolatry and stem from idolatry.

 

1Cor. 10:15 “I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.”

   YLT: “as to wise men I speak -- judge ye what I say:”

Literal Meaning: “I speak as to wise men”, “wise men” refer to those who have understanding and discernment. 

“Judge for yourselves what I say”, “judge”: discern, examine;

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Believers should not lightly esteem prophecies, but prove all things and hold fast the right and hold aloof from every form of wickedness (1Thess. 5:20-22).

2)    To the teachings of any preacher, we should learn from the examples of believers in Berea, “receiving the word with all readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures if these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

 

1Cor. 10:16 “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

   YLT: “The cup of the blessing that we bless -- is it not the fellowship of the blood of the Christ? the bread that we break -- is it not the fellowship of the body of the Christ?”

Literal Meaning: “the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?” ---- “The cup of blessing”, it refers to the cup in the bread-breaking gathering in remembrance of the Lord. There is wine and grape juice in the cup. “Communion”: fellowship, partake of; “the blood of Christ” refers to the precious blood of the Lord Jesus shedding on the cross.

The cup in the bread-breaking gathering in remembrance of the Lord (the wine or grape juice in the cup) symbolizes that the Lord shed His blood for us (see Matt. 26:28; 1Cor. 11:25). Believers that partake of the cup partake of the blood of Christ.

The emphasis here is the “communion” of the blood of Christ. The cup is singular. We have received from the same cup ---- this is fellowship.

“The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ”? ---- “Bread” refers to the bread (the unleavened cake of fine flour) that is broken in the gathering in remembrance of the Lord; “break”: break and eat; “the body of Christ”, it indicates that the body of the Lord Jesus who was crucified on the cross.

The bread (the unleavened cake of fine flour) that is broken in the gathering in remembrance of the Lord symbolizes the body of Christ (1Cor. 11:24). That believers eat the bread that is broken is partaking of the body of Christ.

The emphasis here is the “communion” of the body of Christ. When we partake of the same bread, we are partaking of the communion of the body of Christ.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    We partake of whatever we eat. This is very serious. If we are not careful in our eating and drinking, we will unconsciously partake of the condition that we should not have.

2)    We believers have fellowship with the blood and body of Christ though the bread and cup so that we are jointed into one with the Lord as well as all the saints. All the saints are jointed together with one another when they are jointed into the Lord.

3)    The blood of Christ represents redemption. And the body of Christ stands for life. We have not only been redeemed but also have close fellowship in the same life.

 

1Cor. 10:17 “For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.”

   YLT: “because one bread, one body, are we the many -- for we all of the one bread do partake.”

Literal Meaning: “for we, though many, are one bread and one body”, the emphasis here is “one”. The “communion” in verse 16 refers to having fellowship with the body of Christ. And “one bread and one body” in this verse just put the emphasis on the oneness of believers.

“For we, though many, are one bread”, we are the bread. That is to say, all the children of God are one, just like the one bread. We have only one bread, and everyone partakes of the same bread. The total of the bits that we each take is one. Though the bread is broken and delivered to everyone, the bread in Spirit is the same. 

“For we all partake of that one bread”, “we” includes all believers, and there is no difference in races, language, culture, classes, status, gender (see 1Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11) and there is no restriction in time or space ---- we are all of the bread, namely, the spiritual body of Christ.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The bread that is broken in the gathering in remembrance of the Lord is always one, ne matter how many believers take part in the gathering. It suggests that when we believers are united, we are the spiritual body of Christ, namely, the church. Oh, how close the relationship is!

2)    The oneness of Christians is a spiritual fact that the Lord has accomplished for us (see Eph. 4:3-4). Our responsibility is to keep the oneness. We cannot create oneness, but we may destroy the oneness.

 

1Cor. 10:18 “Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?”

   YLT: “See Israel according to the flesh! are not those eating the sacrifices in the fellowship of the altar?”

Literal Meaning: “observe Israel after the flesh”, “Israel after the flesh” refer to the people of Israel in the flesh, and it does not relate to any spiritual meaning.

“Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?” ---- They have fellowship with the sacrifices and the altar by eating the sacrifices on the altar (see Deut. 14:22-23).

 

1Cor. 10:19 “What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything?”

   YLT: “what then do I say? that an idol is anything? or that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything? --”

Literal Meaning: “what am I saying then”? ---- Paul here mentions his words in chapter eight again and gives further explanation then.

“That an idol is anything”, when he mentions things offered to idols, he says that meat does not commend us to God, for neither if we should not eat do we come short nor if we should eat have we an advantage (1Cor. 8:8).

“Or what is offered to idols is anything?” ---- When he mentions the idols, he says the idol is nothing, for there is no other God save one (see 1Cor. 8:4).

 

1Cor. 10:20 “Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.”

   YLT: “but that the things that the nations sacrifice -- they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not wish you to come into the fellowship of the demons.”

Literal Meaning: “rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice”, “rather”, he wants to further explains his words so that believers can know his true meaning in his words. “Gentiles” refer to heretics who do not believe the Lord.

“They sacrifice to demons and not to God”, though the idols are nothing, there are demons behind the idols. Therefore, sacrificing to idols is sacrificing to demons.

“And I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.” ---- If men eat things offered to demons, they are “having fellowship with demons”. The apostle Paul does not desire believers in Corinth to have fellowship with demons unconsciously on account of eating things offered to idols, for it is an abomination to God.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    He who eats things offered to idols is “having fellowship with demons”. The apostle Paul here does not desire us to have fellowship with demons, for it will destroy our fellowship with Christ.

2)    We have fellowship with whatever we eat. The people of Israel eat the sacrifices so that they have fellowship with the altar (see v.18). We believers have fellowship with Christ when we eat the bread and drink the cup (see v.16-17). Likewise, the one who eats things offered to demons has fellowship with demons.

 

1Cor. 10:21 “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons.”

   YLT: “Ye are not able the cup of the Lord to drink, and the cup of demons; ye are not able of the table of the Lord to partake, and of the table of demons;”

Literal Meaning: “you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons”, “drink the cup of the Lord”: have fellowship with the Lord; “drink the cup of demons”: have fellowship with the demons;

“You cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons”, it has the same meaning with the first half of this verse.

Man cannot have fellowship with the Lord and with demons at the same time, for there is no concord of the Lord with demons (see 2Cor. 6:15).

 

1Cor. 10:22 “Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?”

   YLT: “do we arouse the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He?”

Literal Meaning: “or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” ---- “Jealousy”: envy; the rhetorical question shows that man can by no means provoke the Lord jealousy.

“Are we stronger than He?” ---- Man’s fool works just challenge the power of God. Man has overreached himself and will suffer the consequences.

 

1Cor. 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.”

   YLT: “All things to me are lawful, but all things are not profitable; all things to me are lawful, but all things do not build up;”

Literal Meaning: “all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful”, it repeats the teaching of verse twelve in chapter six. However, it mentions the principle of one’s walking to himself, but here it talks about the principle of one’s walking to others.

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify”, “edify”: build up (see 1Cor. 8:1).

Enlightenment in the Word: though we are perfectly free after we have been saved. However, we should also consider others whatever we do so as to edify others. This is the principle of Christians’ walking to others.

 

1Cor. 10:24 “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.”

   YLT: “let no one seek his own -- but each another's.”

Literal Meaning: “let no one seek his own”, it is “not all things are helpful” in the previous verse. However, in this verse, it means that though it has well-being, we shall also see who will be profited. Christian should not give priority to his own well-being.

“But each one the other's well-being”, if one thing is not helpful to others, even though it is helpful to ourselves, we should still give it up.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    We were self-centered before we were saved. We shall be other-centered after we are saved.

2)    Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others (Phil. 2:4).

 

1Cor. 10:25 “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience' sake;”

   YLT: “Whatever in the meat-market is sold eat ye, not inquiring, because of the conscience,”

Literal Meaning: all the food in the market at that time might have been offered to idols, especially meat. Christians can buy and eat whatever is sold in the market and need not to ask whether the meat has been offered to idols to seek the peace of conscience.

 

1Cor. 10:26 “for "the earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness."”

   YLT: “for the Lord's the earth, and its fullness;”

Literal Meaning: this verse is quoted from the Book of Psalm (24:1). “For”, it shows that. Since one has unconsciously eaten things offered to idols, after all, they are still of the Lord and are gifted by the Lord.

Enlightenment in the Word: for every creature of God good, and nothing to be rejected, being received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God's word and freely addressing (1Tim. 4:4-5).

 

1Cor. 10:27 “If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake.”

   YLT: “and if any one of the unbelieving do call you, and ye wish to go, all that is set before you eat, nothing inquiring, because of the conscience;”

Literal Meaning: “if any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go”, here the dinner must not be the dinner set in the temple, for Paul has commanded “not to eat the table of demons” (see v.21). Here, it refers to the dinner in one’s private house.

“Eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake”, the food set by those who do not believe may have been offered to idols, but Paul exhorts not to ask for the same reason mentioned in the literal meaning of the previous verse.

 

1Cor. 10:28 “But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness."”

   YLT: “and if any one may say to you, `This is a thing sacrificed to an idol,' -- do not eat, because of that one who shewed , and of the conscience, for the Lord's the earth and its fulness:”

Literal Meaning: “but if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols,"” if someone purposefully tells you the food has been offered to idols, it shows that he has doubt as to whether Christians should eat this kind of food or not, or even thinks Christians should not eat it.

“Do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake”, Paul exhorts believers not to eat and sacrifice the liberty and right of Christians for the sake of others.

 

1Cor. 10:29 “"Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?”

   YLT: “and conscience, I say, not of thyself, but of the other, for why that my liberty is judged by another's conscience?”

Literal Meaning: “conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other”, it is because the conscience of the other one is weak and he may be stumbled. As for your conscience, there is no problem for you have the knowledge that “the earth is the LORD's” (v.30). 

“For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?” ---- Though a Christian is not afraid of judgment of others, he fears that his liberty may become a fall-trap to his brother. Therefore, we should avoid judgments caused by weak conscience of others.

 

1Cor. 10:30 “But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?”

   YLT: “and if I thankfully do partake, why am I evil spoken of, for that for which I give thanks?”

Literal Meaning: “but if I partake with thanks”, “with thanks”, it shows that the food that he partakes is gifted by God.

“Why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?” ---- It is a rhetorical question, indicating that the food that I have partaken with thanks has even something to do with demons, so I am evil spoken of. All of these are caused by my liberty that I am unwilling to give up.

 

1Cor. 10:31 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

   YLT: “Whether, then, ye eat, or drink, or do anything, do all to the glory of God;”

Literal Meaning: this is the conclusion of the previous paragraph. If I am evil spoken of on account of eating and drinking, it is not to glory of God. Christians should try to avoid such condition and eat and drink to glory of God.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The principles of Christians’ walking: a) to the glory of God; b) have well-being to oneself and have no dominion over oneself; c) have well-being to others and be able to edify others.

2)    We should not do anything that comes short of God’s glory, for it is sin (Rom. 3:23).

 

1Cor. 10:32 “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,”

   YLT: “become offenceless, both to Jews and Greeks, and to the assembly of God;”

Literal Meaning: “either to the Jews or to the Greeks”, “the Jews” refer to the Jews who do not believe the Lord; “the Greeks” refer to all the Gentiles who do not believe the Lord.

“The church of God” here relates to all the Jews and the Greeks that believe the Lord.

“Give no offense”, Christians should not only have responsibility of not making believers not stumbled but also have the duty of not blocking the way of believing the Lord to those who have not believed the Lord.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Believers do not eat things offered to idols so as not to destroy our fellowship with Christ (see v.21) and not to offend brothers and thus make the church of God suffer loss. Therefore, the full Christ ---- Christ and the church ---- is the standard that we believers measure everything.

2)    We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt. 5:13-16), owning the responsibility of manifesting good testimony before the world so that man shall glorify God.

 

1Cor. 10:33 “just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

   YLT: “as I also in all things do please all, not seeking my own profit, but that of many -- that they may be saved.”

Literal Meaning: “just as I also please all men in all things”, here the apostle Paul sets himself as an example for us to imitate (see 1Cor. 11:1).

“Not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved”, Paul always takes his preoccupation with things concerning saving men (see 1Cor. 9:19, 22). This is the motive of his walking.

Enlightenment in the Word: the motives of the apostle Paul are: 1) “not seeking my own profit”, it is that the death of the cross cuts off all the profit of one’s self; 2) “but the profit of many, that they may be saved”, it is providing the full Christ (being saved is obtaining the full salvation of Christ). In a word, he provides the full Christ through the death of the cross. This is the general principle of Christians’ life.

 

III. Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons

 

The Blessings that All Believers Partake Of

A.   Under the cloud (v.1a) ---- all of them were guided by the Spirit;

B.   In the sea (v.2b, 3b) ---- all of them were baptized in the water;

C.   Be baptized into Moses in the cloud (v.3a) ---- all of them were baptized in Spirit;

D.   All were baptized into Moses (v.3b) ---- all of them were unto Christ;

E.   All ate the same spiritual food (v.4) ---- all of them partook of the bread of life;

F.    All drank the same spiritual drink (v.5a) ---- all of them enjoyed the Spirit of life;

G.   Spiritual Rock that followed them (v. 5b) ---- all of them had the presence of Christ;

H.   They were all obtained God’s help in temptation (v.13);

I.      The communion of the blood of Christ (v.16a ) ---- all of them partook the blood of Christ;

J.    The communion of the body of Christ (v.16b) ---- all of them partook the body of Christ;

K.   Partake of the Lord's table (v.21) ---- all of them had fellowship with the Lord.

 

Things that Sin Against God

A.   Lust after evil things (v.6);

B.   Idolaters (v.7a);

C.   Eat and drink, and rose up to play (v.7b) ---- be extravagant in eating and drinking;

D.   Commit sexual immorality (v.8);

E.   Tempt Christ (v.9) ---- the evil hearts of unbelief;

F.    Complain (v.10) ---- be disobedient;

 

Reasons Why Believers Should Not Eat Things Offered to Idols

A.   Eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar (v.18) ----

B.   Idolatry is having fellowship with demons (v.20);

C.   Idolatry provokes the Lord to jealousy (v.22);

D.   Eating things offered to idols may hurt the conscience of those who are weak (v.28-29);

 

Christians’ Principles of Eating Or Not Eating

A.   The principle of not eating:

1.    We should not eat in the temple ---- for we have clearly known that things have been offered to idols (v.19-22).

2.    We should not eat after we have been told that the food has been offered to idols (v.28-29).

B.   The principle of eating:

1.    Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions (v.25);

2.    Eat whatever is set before you, asking no question (v.27);

 

Principles of Christians’ Walking

A.   We should not hurt Christ or the church.

1.    We provoke the Lord to jealousy (v.22).

2.    We should not give no offense to anyone in the church of God (v.32).

B.   We walk to glorify God and edify men:

1.    Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (v.31).

2.    We shall not seek our own profit, but the profit of many (v.23-24, 33).

 

── Caleb HuangChristian Digest Bible Commentary Series

   Translated by Mary Zhou