1 Corinthians 10
Learning from Israel’s Failures
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,
Paul again addressed the Corinthian church as brothers, meaning that they were believers. The Greek word for "unaware" is ἀγνοέω (agnoeo), meaning willing ignorance. It is the origin of the English word agnostic. The Corinthians were willingly ignorant of many of the Jewish Scriptures.
When Paul mentioned "fathers", he was writing to the Jewish part of the congregation. Most of the early church was Jewish with a sprinkling of Gentiles. The Jewish fathers were those who marched through the wilderness with the Shechinah Glory cloud protecting them from the Sinai desert. These were the Jewish fathers who marched through the Red Sea into the desert, only to die because of their ignorance. Paul did not wish for the Corinthian believers to die in the wilderness of the world because of their ignorance.
2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
Baptism was identification. The Israelites identified with Moses. They did not have enough faith to enter the Promised Land, but Moses did. So, they identified with Moses, causing them to be protected by the Shechinah Glory and the waves of the Red Sea.
3and all ate the same spiritual food,
The Israelites identified with Moses, so they were able to eat manna from heaven,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
The Israelites identified with Moses, so they were able to drink water that came out of a rock. This rock was Christ. He was the one who poured out the water of life for those who were thirsty.
5 But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness.
Even though the Israelites witnessed miracles from God that no nation had ever experienced, this evidence of God was not enough to bring Israel into the land. God brought only Joshua and Caleb into the land. Even Moses was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land. These Israelites had light, but they rejected it. Therefore, God allowed them to die in the wilderness.
6 These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did.
Old Testament history was written so that believers could learn from their examples.
7 So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
The Israelites were traveling across the wilderness before the Mosaic Law was given. They had liberty to do as they pleased, very similar to the liberty that the Corinthian Christians received at their conversion. Paul reminded the Corinthians not to abuse this privilege and make the same mistake as the Israelites in the wilderness.
The idolatry of Israel was the golden calf. The idol for the Corinthians was anything that they put in the place of God.
8 And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day.
Israel was guilty of sexual sin in the wilderness, causing 23,000 to die in one day. Paul warned the Corinthians not to make the same mistake. Their morals were too loose. The same thing could happen to them.
9 And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes.
The Israelites tested God and ended up being bitten by snakes. The Corinthians were warned not to put Christ to the test.
10 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.
Some of the Israelites had grumbled against God. An angel appeared and killed many of the grumblers. Paul warned the Corinthian believers not to make the same mistake.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
Believers have Christian liberty, but these examples from Israel history were recorded as warnings so that future generations would not make the same mistakes.
12 So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall.
Even the most mature Christian can fall. Moses and David were examples of this spiritual concept.
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.
The Corinthians were surrounded by the great temptations of their evil and depraved culture. However, there were many other saints who had experienced these same trials and God delivered them. God will not allow any of his children to be tempted beyond what they can handle. He will provide them an escape route.
Avoid Idol Feasts
14 So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
Idolatry was a mega-force in Corinth. Corinthian believers were told to flee away from it as fast as possible. The idolatry of Corinth came from the prostitution temples, so it was very seductive and dangerous.
15 I am speaking to thoughtful people. Consider what I say.
The Corinthians were sensible people, so they would agree with Paul's assessment.
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?
Paul gave the Corinthians some teachings of the Lord's Supper. The bread and wine were symbols of the blood and body of Christ. They do not magically become the literal blood and body of Christ when a Catholic priest incants "hocus locus".
17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread.
The sharing of bread and wine at the Lord's Supper symbolized the unity of the believers into the body of Christ.
18 Look at the people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?
The priests and people would share the sacrifice at the altar. A part would be offered to God. The remainder of the sacrifice was shared between priest and people.
19 Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything?
Idols were nothing but wood and stone. They possessed no life to perform anything.
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.
The idols were nothing. They were not demons. However, demons will disguise themselves as the pagan deities and accept the sacrifice in the names of the idol gods.
21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take part in the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
Believers cannot worship idols and then worship Christ on Sunday.
22 Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we really stronger than he is?
God is a jealous God and he will not share his glory with another, especially a lifeless idol. If a Christian thinks that he is strong enough to worship God and demons, then he will provoke the Lord to act against him.
Live to Glorify God
23 “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds others up.
Christians have liberty on any issue that is not black and white in the Bible. However, this Christian liberty needs to be used with spiritual discernment. Christian freedom should not be utilized if it causes damage to another Christian.
24 Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person.
Christian liberty must serve the other person, and not the individual. Christians have liberty to drink, smoke, or dance, unless it weakens another believer.
25 Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience,
Satan desires to monopolize God's creation. Corinthians were allowed to eat any meats that were sacrificed to idols.
26 for the earth and its abundance are the Lord’s.
All believer possess the Christian liberty to enjoy all the things of creation that God has provided.
27 If an unbeliever invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat whatever is served without asking questions of conscience.
Do not ask an unbeliever if the meat was sacrificed to an idol. Just eat it. A believer may lose an opportunity of witness.
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 –
If a weaker Christian asks a believer not to eat because it was sacrificed to pagans, then do not eat it for their sake.
29 I do not mean yours but the other person’s. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?
The question that the stronger believer will ask is, "Why am I limited by one who has not taken the time to study the Bible as much as I"?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for the food that I give thanks for?
Here is the second question of the mature believer, "If I give thanks to God, why should I be judged by another man's conscience?"
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient. The question is not "Should I partake in this?" The question is "If I partake in this, will it bring glory to God."
32 Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,
There are three types of people in the world. Believers would not serve ham to a Jew. Believers would not invite a Gentile to dinner and then offend him. The church of God included Jews and Gentiles. They will someday be leaving this world. This will leave a seven year Great Tribulation world full of Jews and Gentiles.
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.
Paul fit in to the culture of his audience in order to share the gospel. That was his goal in all multicultural situations. His goal was to save souls, not argue different social cultures.
