1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
This chapter finishes the subject of eating meat offered to idols begun in chapter eight. In the first half of the chapter, the Apostle warns the church against murmurings and lusting after evil things, which is relevant to the topic in that the early church had already ruled that Christians should refrain from idol meat (Acts 21:25). For selfish reasons, some in Corinth were disobeying the Apostles’ rule. The last half of the chapter lays out the final word on the matter.
Paul’s lesson to church in Corinth using the example of the children of Israel is helpful for churches today. And not simply in relation to the topic of eating meat offered to idols, but for new Satan-provoked lusting for the leeks and garlics of the World within the present-day Christian experience (v6, v11).
Under the cloud. During their 40-year journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, the children of Israel were led by a pillar of cloud during the day and by a pillar of fire during the night (Ex 13:21; Num 9:18; Deut 1:33). At the Red Sea, the cloud separated them from the Egyptian army (Ex 14:19). Being Guide and Protector, the cloud is a type of the Holy Spirit, which leads and teaches the people of God during their earthly journey to the Celestial City (John 16:13).
In the context of eating meat offered to idols, Paul effectively says, “Brethren, do not be ignorant; being a baptized member in the church does not mean that God is well pleased with you. How can you think to go out feasting with heathen at idol temples as before? How can you continue to participate in wicked and immoral societal traditions? Do you think that God approves of you doing those things? He that goes to eat the meat offered upon an altar, whether pagan, Jewish or Christian, becomes a participant in that altar. Will you provoke the Lord’s jealousy? Follow my example! I try hard not to offend others by what I do; I seek not my own profit, but the good of others. I keep under the desires of my flesh, so that I do not become a castaway (1Cor 9:27).” The Liberals in Corinth greatly needed this advice.
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
The rite of baptism did not exist until John the Baptist, so the Apostle is speaking in a figurative sense. Baptism marks the start of the Christian journey, while the crossing of the Red Sea marked the beginning of the children of Israel’s journey to the promise land. The spiritual, symbolic meaning of Baptism is commitment, acceptance and identification in the congregation of the Lord. Israel was baptized unto Moses in that miracle of deliverance they experienced at the Red Sea, when the cloud moved from before them to shield them behind so that the armies of Pharaoh could not reach them. Early the next morning the Red Sea parted in two and the whole company passed through the sea on dry land. The typology of these two baptismal parallels is beautiful: the cloud corresponds to the Holy Spirit and the Red Sea with the water of baptism. Jesus said, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God (John 3:5).
Immersionists struggle with the picture of the cloud and sea baptizing the children of Israel, for neither goes well with baptism by immersion. They attempt the impossible anyway; John Gill writes, “the Israelites, when they passed through the Red sea, had the waters on each side of them, which stood up as a wall higher than they, and the cloud over them, so that they were as persons immersed in and covered with water; and very fitly represented the ordinance of baptism as performed by immersion; and which is the way it was administered in the apostles’ time, to which he refers; and is the only way it ought to be administered…(The cloud) as it passed over them let down a plentiful rain upon them, whereby they were in such a condition as if they had been all over dipped in water; or their being all under the cloud, and all over covered with it, was a representation of the ordinance of baptism, in which a person is all over covered with water; and then they were baptized in the sea, as they passed through it, the waters standing up above their heads, they seemed as if they were immersed in it.” Gill’s description notwithstanding, the fact remains that the water of a cloud sprinkles; and he who walks on dry ground through the sea cannot be immersed in those waters (see Ex 14:22).
Baptism and Communion, the two great identifiers in the New Testament church, have prominent Old Testament counterparts. The emblems of Communion are portrayed in the spiritual meat and drink that the children of Israel providentially received from above. Manna was a bread-like seed which fell from heaven every morning (Ex 16:31; Ps 78:25; John 6:31), while the drink was pure water that God caused to flow from a rock in the desert (Ex 17:6; Num 20:11). Manna is a type of the eternal, spiritual life that is found in Christ (John 6:31-58; Rev 2:17) and the water is a type of the Word of God (Eph 5:26; John 4:10-14). One of Jesus’ titles is the Word (John 1:1; Rev 19:13).
A fourth symbol in this passage is the spiritual rock from which the life-giving water flowed. Jesus Christ is that rock – upon this Rock I will build My Church (Mat 16:18) – and that is exactly what happened (see Mat 21:42; Eph 2:20; 1Pet 2:6-7). The rock as a symbol of God’s faithfulness is an Old Testament metaphor (see Deut 32:4, 15, 30-31; Ps 78:20, 35; Is 28:16). Indeed, that symbolism was so preciously developed by God that Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because he marred its meaning by striking the rock twice (see Num 20:8-12). Jesus was smitten once.
Some believe the children of Israel carried a literal rock during their journey which produced water whenever they needed it. Others have speculated that a river flowed out from the rock in Horeb (Ex 17:6) and the Israelites followed its banks all during their desert journey. There is no Scriptural support for these ideas. In fact, the accounts show that Moses provided water miraculously on multiple occasions. I do not see the need for such physical literalism. The Rock of Israel, the Jehovah God of the Jewish Covenant, did follow them every day and every step of the way. He was not visible to the human eye. He was a spiritual rock. And He (not Moses) was the One who truly gave them the bread and water (John 6:32).
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
The sad result of Israel’s wicked example demonstrate the grave results of Coveting and Complaining. The children of Israel saw and experienced the amazing miracles of God in their deliverance from bondage. They received the water of baptism at the Red Sea and they daily communed of the heavenly bread and drank from the Rock that accompanied them. Most of them however, were overthrown in the wilderness, God having tired of their constant lusting, complaining and tempting. So too in the churches of Christ. Do not think that you can congregate with the body of Christ but live as the members of the World.
If the Apostle Paul could become a castaway and the chosen-for-salvation Israelites be overthrown in the wilderness on account of evil actions, then we too must be careful to follow the Truth in full. Do not deceived by those false teachers who claim it is impossible to fall away and lose your salvation. I paraphrase Adam Clarke: “All the children of Israel were baptized, all went through the sea, all partook of the manna, all drank the same water; yet most were overthrown in the wilderness. This is decisive proof that people who have been made partakers of the grace of our Lord Jesus may so abuse their privileges and so grieve the Spirit of God as to fall from their state of grace and perish. Let those beware which continually assert that this is impossible, lest they themselves, thinking to be in grace and overmuch confident in their eternal security, become proofs of the possibility of ending in the flesh, though they began in the Spirit. Reader, remember he who first said, Ye shall not surely die. Remember the mischiefs produced by believing his doctrine.”
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Five wicked examples: lust, idolatry, fornication, murmuring and tempting God. Yes, the Corinthians were in dangerous company. Yet, as the Israelites before them, they were oblivious to these problems among them. It is a sober lesson of just how hard it is to see our own faults and weaknesses. The Apostle fittingly closes this section by saying, Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. In their minds, they thought they were running well, they were confident in the reasoning of their own minds (see Ch2-5; Rev 3:17-18).
The Israelites soon tired of eating only manna and began to complain (Num 11:5-6). They lusted (epithumeo) for flesh to eat (Num 11:4) and bewailed their daily manna (Num 11:6). Yet God had warned, Thou shalt not covet (epithumeo); same word in the Greek, also used in Ex 20:17; Rom 7:7; Ps 106:14. To lust or covet is to earnestly desire or yearn for. When coupled with seeking God, that is good (1Pet 1:12), but when coupled with seeking Self, it is the very definition of fleshly temptation. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed (James 1:14-15). Covetousness is a sin of the spirit that gives birth to sins of the flesh of every kind (see note 1Tim 6:10). Rightfully then, covetousness appears first on this list, for it directly precedes each of the four sins of the flesh that follow. At the base of covetousness lies a simple problem of attitude – DISCONTENTMENT. Guard you heart and soul from this little time-bomb! It will cause a host of wrong thoughts and actions.
Idolatry was a constant problem all through the history of Israel (Eze 20:28) until the Babylonian captivity. The first indication that the Jews were prone to forsake God and turn to idolatry was the golden calf incident at Sinai just a few months after their deliverance from Egypt (Ex 32:1-7). The pattern continued in Canaan, for the people (and kings) soon turned to worship their neighbor’s gods, even building groves and high places of iniquity (2Kings 17:10). The pagan idol feasts at Corinth were known for their wicked, drunken parties of jesting, fornication and general ungodly behavior. To this topic we return in v14.
Fornication was also a constant sin in Israel. The instance here mentioned is when the children of Israel began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab (see Num 25). The church at Corinth seemingly struggled more with this sin than the other churches of Christ. Paul mentions fornication more often in the two Corinthian epistles than in all the others combined. See 1Cor 5 and 2Cor 12:21.
Murmuring and tempting God go hand in hand. To tempt Christ is to demand Him to act rather than asking Him (see notes for Heb 3:7-13). Satan presented Jesus the opportunity to commit this same sin (Mat 4:5-7). Didn’t God know the Jews needed water? Didn’t He see that they lacked meat? Yes! And He was instantly willing and constantly waiting to abundantly supply those needs; but He was also testing their allegiance and faith in Him (Ex 16:4). Would they humbly ask Moses for water, thanking God first for delivering them from bondage and for the daily miracle bread? They sadly, badly failed.
Murmuring is the work of a discontented, half-rebellious heart. It is telling God, “what You are giving me isn’t good. I don’t like it; give me THIS.” On one occasion, the Jews demanded Moses to give them water or they would go back to Egypt (Ps 78:18). They became so angry and quarrelsome he feared for his life (Ex 17:1-7). On another occasion, they murmuring against the manna that God was providing them (Num 21:4-9). Murmuring is a serious sin, yet it often goes condoned in the churches of Christ. The Corinthians were murmuring against God because He wouldn’t allow them to eat meat offered to idols.
We pause to marvel at the ungrateful, belligerent behavior of the Israelites. They saw the hand of God working for them, they saw the miraculous parting of the Red Sea and all the other mighty manifestations of His power on their behalf. How could they act so callously? How could they so boldly, angrily demand Him to provide for them? Commit outright rebellion? It is a sobering lesson for the churches of Christ. The heart conceals all manner of sinful, selfish attitudes and thoughts. Do not let these find expression in our actions! Deal with those covetous, murmuring attitudes; mortify them, cast them away from you (Heb 12:1).
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
The Old Testament is a treasury of spiritual instruction, filled with stories, analogies and prophecies. They are sermons of the highest quality, preaching both doctrine and admonition (Rom 4:23-24; 15:4). The histories and accounts included in the Scriptures were put there by the Holy Spirit as examples for our benefit. We might wonder why certain stories are in the Old Testament, but I am convinced that none are within its pages without purpose.
The ends of the world. The Gospel Age, which began with John the Baptist, is the final age of the world. There will be no future “millennial reign” of Christ on earth after this Age has ended. Discern the Gospel angel’s final announcement in Rev 14:6-7. In one sudden moment, the Kingdom of Christ on earth will be transformed into the eternal Kingdom of the Father. Thus, the Scriptures consistently witness that the saints of the Kingdom are living in the last days (Acts 2:17; Heb 1:2; 1John 2:18).
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
These words ring strong and true through the centuries of time. The warning emphasis is on that little word, “thinketh.” The mind and heart are receptacles for Satan’s deceptions. Indeed, they are his workshop, the place he goes daily to corrupt and deceive! Therefore, “Let him that is confident and sure of his footing take heed lest he fall.” The warning is not for the weak and faltering, but for the wise and confident. To these “puffed up” ones the Apostle directed his message of the first 5 chapters of this epistle.
Psychologists work to change persons with an “inferior complex,” yet I am convinced that the dangers of a “superior complex” are much greater. Christian counsellors who enter this topic should do so warily. A healthy dose of self-doubt keeps one from ignorance and deception, while the confident, superior one is so sure of himself that he cannot see his errors and shortcomings.
The human heart is so often blind to its own wickedness and so often prone to ignore and/or rationalize its own faults and sins. Hypocrites, that’s what Jesus called the outwardly pious religious leaders of His day. Their spiritual eyes were blinded to their true condition (John 9:39-41). An honest, penetrating analysis of our own heart is a primary reason for the Communion service, calling us to greater personal responsibility and determination.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Here is consolation for every tempted soul. First, take heart in the fact that your particular temptation is not some strange, abnormal one that is worse than the temptations others are experiencing. No, it is common to man. Others are tantalized by the same wicked thoughts, the same sinful impulses. Second, calm yourself with this hope-giving truth: God knows and will not let you be tempted beyond your capabilities to withstand. Third, God has promised to provide a door of escape for every temptation that you will face.
Take note that you must look for the escape, find it and use it – God will not impose over your free-will and choice in the matter. Christ has provided you with the power, the promise and the escape. He is faithful and worthy to be trusted. Now its up to you to lay hold of this certain foundation (1Tim 6:19), and go forward with the whole armor of God…and having done all, to stand (Eph 6:11-13). The key is doing – not expecting God to remove you from this evil world’s temptations (John 17:15), but working to escape/avoid his evil snares (2Tim 2:24-26). The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations (2Pet 2:9). A popular game is the Escape Room, where a team of people must find the key to open the door of their cell by means of various clues. God has given us the clues; now its up to you.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
With the word Wherefore the Apostle sums up the previous verses: Being reminded of Israel’s sad end, my beloved brethren, do ye also flee from idolatry. Eating meat that has been offered to idols, while not literal idolatry of itself, is often directly associated with it (1Cor 8:10). And the Christian is called to abstain from all practices that have the appearance of being evil (1Thes 5:22). The children of Israel fell in the wilderness because they lusted after idols, meats, foreign women, and the leeks and garlics of Egypt. The Corinthians desired to feast in pagan temples. These do not well become a follower of Christ.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
In these verses, Paul shows the indecency of mixed worship – taking part in the communion of the body of Christ while having fellowship with devils. God will not accept a double minded man (James 4:8), for one cannot serve two masters (Mat 6:24). The cup of blessing is another term for the fruit of the vine which is shared at the Communion table and joins the individual members of the church into one spiritual body. Likewise, by partaking of that One bread they become one with Him. “Stop being simple-minded; be wise and judge yourself: is it right to be joined spiritually to Christ and then have fellowship with devils? The Jew who eats the meat of his sacrifice is a partaker of the Jewish altar; so when you eat the meat of an idol sacrifice, are you not also a partaker of the idol’s altar?” See 2Cor 6:16.
Israel after the flesh refers to blood Jews observing the ceremonial Law, while the true Israel of God according to the spirit is the Church of Jesus Christ (Gal 6:16), in which every member is a Jew inwardly (Rom 2:29). These are truly children of Abraham (Gal 3:7-9), while the Jews who rejected their Messiah in favor of keeping the Mosaic law are servants of the bondwoman and not the free (Gal 4:23).
The words fellowship (v20) and communion (v16) and partakers (v18) are all forms of the Greek word koinonia, but partakers (v17, 21) comes from metecho, which is found only in the books of 1Corinthians and Hebrews. Except for several designated ceremonies, the priests were to eat the meat of the animals they sacrificed upon the altars in the Temple. They were in communion with the altar, just as a man who eats the meat offered on a pagan altar is in communion with that idol.
19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
The Apostle had earlier said that an idol is nothing, being a powerless, inanimate object (1Cor 8:4-7). Does he now contradict himself? No, for the gods of the Gentiles were directly tied to the very real devils (demons) of Satan (James 2:19; 1Tim 4:1; Luke 9:42). The writings of the early church are filled with descriptions of the Gentiles’ worship of daimonion. They believed that Zeus, Aphrodite, Jupiter, etc were avenues to the demons of the underworld who controlled the course of nature according to their own whims and desires. Thus, it was necessary to reverence the gods and offer them sacrifices in order to appease their anger. Wine, feasting and prostitutes made up the ceremonial activities in the temples. The wine was both consumed and poured out to the gods, and the meat too was eaten and offered in sacrifice. Apparently the sexual coupling with temple prostitutes was a way of becoming one with the god or goddess of the temple.
For at least three reasons then, a Christian should not eat meat offered to idols. First, because it is a linked with idolatry. Second, because it is typically accompanied by ungodly activities such as immorality and drunkenness. Third, because these sacrifices were offered to demons, those wicked angels who rebelled with Satan against God. In truth, these three reasons often apply to questionable practices of all kinds even today. First, they have origins in the kingdom of darkness; second, they are accompanied by wickedness and influences to sinful acts; and third, they provoke the worship of idols rather than God. The human creature is always worshipping; look at what he is doing and you will know who or what is the god of his choice. The Lord is a jealous God (Deut 6:15). Let not anyone think to give unto another the praise that is due His name alone (Is 42:8).
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. 24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
We heard this proverb earlier (1Cor 6:12), but with a different ending. We can synthesize them into one: “Yes, all things are lawful, but some things do not edify, being inconsistent with Christ; nor will I permit even lawful things to dominate me, but will exercise my will to rule over them.” The supremacy of love over knowledge is the great rule that must govern our actions (see my notes on 1Cor 8:1-2). Knowledge might say whether something is lawful to do, but love must decide if it is right to do.
A person acting in love will not seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. This concept is foundational to living out the Apostle’s teaching in these chapters (see also v33). The mature Christian will control his actions by taking into account what is spiritually good and edifying for his brother, not just what he finds personally good and edifying (see 1Cor 13:5; Php 2:4).
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. 27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: 29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
Here the Apostle acknowledges and advises the three conscience groups, namely: a) the liberal whose conscience was not alarmed by attended temple feasts and eating foods that had been sacrificed to the gods, b) the conservative conscience who would not eat any food without first investigating its source, c) the intermediate conscience that avoided all appearance of evil but ate any food set before him after thanking God for it. First, if idol-meat is sold in the market, buy without asking questions. Do likewise if you are invited to dine with some unbelievers; eat whatsoever is set before you. However, if someone warns that the food you are about to eat has been sacrificed to an idol, better not to eat it. For while the meat itself will not contaminate/defile the eater, it could wound the conscience of others. If the onlooker is an unbeliever, he will be confused and disappointed to see the pure religion of Christ mixed with idolatry. If the onlooker is a believer, you are emboldening him to eat contrary to his conscience (wrong according to 1Cor 8:11).
Bid you to a feast. Not a feast dedicated to idol-worship nor a feast at an idol’s temple as described in 1Cor 8:10, but to a common supper with unbelievers. For in verse 21 the Apostle shows that to participate in a feast unto idols is to partake of the table of devils. However, the Christian that is invited to an unbeliever’s home and happens to eat meat offered to idols has not communed with devils.
Asking no question. The Jew was accustomed to ask questions before eating what was set before him. Was it a clean beast? Had the animal been killed according to Jewish rules? Had the correct tithes of food been offered? Had the food been offered to idols? etc. I have heard the same questions from Jews we served in our home. And then, even after assuring them that the meat was turkey, not pork, they refused to eat it.
There were probably several flavors of practicing Jews among the Christians in Corinth (see note for 1Cor 9:21). These would have disagreed deeply on this subject. The Apostle did not forbid the Christian Jews in Corinth from following the Judaic customs, but twice he quotes their Scriptures to show that meats are not unclean in themselves. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof (Ps 24:1; 89:11). The Greek word is used to indicate all things that are contained in the earth. Paul himself was convinced that in Christ’s new Kingdom, there was no such thing as an unclean animal, but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean (Rom 14:14).
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
“If I eat the food and give all thanks to God for it, why should I be slandered?” The picture is of a believer that is about to eat food that had been used in a sacrifice to idols (perhaps food he bought at the market, perhaps food being served at a friend’s house). Before eating, the believer bows his head to give thanks to God for the food, thereby demonstrating his true allegiance and erasing any thoughts that he might be participating with demons or idols.
Perhaps the same advice can be extended to believers of high conscience, that they not speak evil of believers with different beliefs and practices. We have seen that the subject of meat offered to idols ranges from innocently eating food that had been earlier offered to idols to blatantly feasting with heathen worshippers in their temples (1Cor 8:10). Thus, the issue stretches from simpler matters of conscience to express actions of sin. This is true of many matters in the churches of God today. Let us understand and follow carefully the Scripture’s rule and method.
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Our every act and thought should be to honor and glorify God (Col 3:17), for He created the Universe and gave us life for that purpose. So before we eat, drink, talk, dress, etc. stop to consider: does it honor Christ? Does it edify His Kingdom? Does it accomplish His will? Jesus has invested tremendously in our lives, so it is only a reasonable service that we sacrifice our lives for Him (Rom 12:1).
Even the conscience of an unbeliever gives reason to consider the effects of our actions, so that they may be saved (v33). The admonition is to walk wisely, circumspectly (Eph 5:15) in the brotherhood (Rom 14:13) and among those without (Col 4:5; 1Thes 4:12). It is an important criterion for every act of the Christian – to live in such manner so as to please all men, for that is profitable to the Church of Christ. See also v24.
At the close of this chapter, it is worthwhile to again drill down to the basic principles of the Apostle’s response to the church’s questions concerning eating meat offered to idols, for the purpose of beneficial application to difficult questions in our own day. First is the repeated rule: “All things might be lawful for you, but not all things are wise and edifying” (1Cor 10:23; 6:12). Second, “Do what is profitable for the brotherhood instead of following your own wishes” (1Cor 10:24, 33). Third, “Discipline yourselves to follow the mind of God; do not let your fleshly desires gain the mastery over you” (1Cor 9:27). These three together form the fourth rule: “With your every action, seek to glorify Christ” (1Cor 10:31).