However, since Paul baptized only a few people there, he doesn’t have to worry about being regarded as a cult figure. 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. So Paul warns them to beware, because just as Israel was blessed and had spiritual experiences, they still perished – and so some of the Corinthian Christians might also! i. We certainly see that in the church today—both the worldwide church, which is broken into hundreds of denominations, and local congregations, which often fight over such mundane things as the color of the carpet. He is invoking the authority and power of Jesus Christ as he addresses serious problems in the Corinthian church. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use our convenient, Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. 2. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. But a Christian must not merely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient, and to edify others. In what communion are those who feed themselves without fear, who eat with the glutton and drink with the drunkard? Then they saw God send the water back to drown the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:21-31). • Others pledge allegiance to Christ. And did all drink the same spiritual — That is, typical; drink — Namely, typical of Christ and of the living water, the divine influence derived from him, John 8:37. All Rights Reserved. Top 10 First Corinthians Commentaries. ii. We fight temptation with Jesus’ power, like the girl who explained what she did when Satan came with temptation at the door of her heart: “I send Jesus to answer the door. Daily devotional with John Piper. All ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink. i. During the day, the cloud sheltered them from the brutal desert sun, and during the night, it burned as a pillar of fire. But the two things are incompatible (1 Corinthians 10:21). 1905-1909. For Christ read Κύριον theLord. Let every man live, not for himself, but for every part of the great human family with which he is surrounded. Paul’s point may seem obscure to us, but it was plain to someone in that ancient culture. “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying“ (v. 18a). See the notes on 1 Corinthians 8:1, etc. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 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. 1 Corinthians 10 Commentary, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary helps you understand the riches of the New Testament without hours on tedious language work All these things happened to them as examples: Since we are those upon whom the ends of the ages have come, we can and should take warning from the bad example of Israel. If the Corinthian Christian would have kept this principle in mind from the beginning in this issue, how much easier it would have made everything! What blessing, what privilege! We are reminded that to be tempted is not sin, but to entertain temptation or surrender to temptation is sin. But such as is common to man - Ανθρωπινος· Chrysostom has properly translated this word ανθρωπινος, τουτεστι μικρος, βραχυς, συμμετρος ; that is, small, short, moderate. The First Readings: The Old Testament and Acts (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001), Sampley, J. Paul, The New Interpreter’s Bible: Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Vol. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. That’s the wrong approach! See, also, the story of “Bel and the Dragon,” vv. The sacrifices lost their religious character when sold in the meat market, so it was permitted to eat meat that may have been sacrificed to an idol at a private table. Paul responds by quoting, If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner… eat what is set before you. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. ii. Thus the cross, which seems like foolishness to those who are steeped in human wisdom, is really the instrument of salvation for those who are being saved. b. Paul appeals to them to live together in unity, and he tells them three different ways that their unity needs to express itself: (1) They must be in agreement—say the same thing—promulgate the same doctrine—proclaim the same Christ. It may have been a relatively small symptom, but it was a symptom of a great and dangerous disease. In the thinking of that part of the ancient world, to eat at the same table with someone indicated friendship and fellowship with that person. Some Bible scholars today debate as to if the. 17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News (Greek: euangelizo)— not in wisdom of words (Greek: sophia logou—wise words), so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void. The way of escape isn’t the same as mere “relief” from the pressure temptation, which some people find by giving in to the temptation! The force of the interrogative particle is, surely we are not stronger. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 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. It was a pillar of fire to give light to the camp by night. Reader, remember who said, Ye shall not surely die; and remember the mischiefs produced by a belief of his doctrine. Those who are being saved have acknowledged their powerlessness and God’s power. See the places in Schoettgen. It is sometimes spoken of as covering the host. An ancient invitation to such a meal reads “Chairemon invites you to a meal at the table of the lord Serapis in the temple of Serapis, tomorrow the fifteenth from nine o’clock onwards.” If it, i. Roman Catholics have used this passage to support the idea of the Mass as a sacrifice for sins. See James 3:7; 1 Peter 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:3. So Euripides: “He laid low his wife and child with one dart” (“Hercules Furens,” 1000). Peculiar circumstances in the Jewish history were typical of the greatest mysteries of the Gospel; particularly their passing through the Red Sea, and being overshadowed with the miraculous cloud, 1 Corinthians 10:1, 1 Corinthians 10:2. Some fellow-guest, probably a gentile convert, but, at all events, with a weak conscience. Lit., the blessing: the cup over which the familiar formula of blessing is pronounced. See Alschech in legem. We should do all things to the glory of God, avoid whatsoever might be the means of stumbling another, and seek the profit of others in spiritual matters rather than our own gratification, 1 Corinthians 10:31-33. We are reminded that to be tempted is not sin, but to entertain temptation or surrender to temptation is sin. So when Paul appeals to them “through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ,” he is not just mentioning a person known to both parties. 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.