The Letters · New Testament

1 Corinthians 10

1 Corinthians 10: the fathers in the wilderness as warning, and two tables that cannot be shared

General context

The argument turns to the past: "all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea" and "were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea", ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same drink, "for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ". Even so, "with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness". These are called "our examples" against five things in turn: lusting after evil things, idolatry, with the written line "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play", fornication where "three and twenty thousand" fell in one day, tempting Christ, and murmuring where some "were destroyed of the destroyer". All of it is "written for our admonition", so "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall", with the assurance that God "will with the temptation also make a way to escape". The instruction is short: "flee from idolatry." Then the table. The cup of blessing is "the communion of the blood of Christ" and the broken bread "the communion of the body of Christ", and "we being many are one bread, and one body". Those who eat the sacrifices of Israel are "partakers of the altar". What the Gentiles sacrifice "they sacrifice to devils", and "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils." Practice closes the chapter: eat what is sold or set before you, "asking no question for conscience sake", but stop if someone identifies it as sacrificed, for that person's sake. Everything is to be done "to the glory of God", giving offence to nobody.

1 Corinthians 10 (KJV)

¹Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

²And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

³And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

⁴And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

⁵But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

⁶Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

⁷Neither 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.

⁸Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

⁹Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

¹⁰Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

¹¹Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

¹²Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

¹³There 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.

¹⁴Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

¹⁵I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

¹⁶The 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?

¹⁷For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

¹⁸Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

¹⁹What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

²⁰But 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.

²¹Ye 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.

²²Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

²³All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

²⁴Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

²⁵Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

²⁶For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

²⁷If 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.

²⁸But 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:

²⁹Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

³⁰For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

³¹Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

³²Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

³³Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

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Historical context

The wilderness material is used as example rather than told as history, and no episode is given a name, a place or a reference. The quoted line about eating and playing matches Exodus 32:6, which reads "the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play"; the letter drops the second to. The line about the earth belonging to the Lord, printed twice, matches Psalm 24:1. The figure given for the fornication is "three and twenty thousand" fallen "in one day"; the chapter does not say which episode it means, and Numbers 25:9 gives a different total for a plague, "those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand", with no in one day attached. The destroyer and the serpents are named without further identification. The chapter describes no meal in Corinth and names no idol, temple or host.

Cited passages: 1 Corinthians 10:7, 1 Corinthians 10:8, 1 Corinthians 10:9, 1 Corinthians 10:10, 1 Corinthians 10:26, 1 Corinthians 10:28, Exodus 32:6, Psalms 24:1, Numbers 25:9

Literary context

The warning section is built as a litany. An opening example says "as they also lusted", and then four clauses in a row begin with Neither and attach the same phrase, "as some of them", so the readers are lined up against the fathers item by item. The second half turns to questions that expect agreement, "is it not the communion of the blood of Christ", and then to a flat impossibility stated twice in one verse, ye cannot and ye cannot. The chapter reuses the slogan quoted in chapter 6, "All things are lawful for me", but changes its second half from a claim about power over the writer to a claim about what edifies. The closing rules are given as cases rather than principles, the market, the invitation, and the person who speaks up at the table.

Cited passages: 1 Corinthians 10:6, 1 Corinthians 10:7, 1 Corinthians 10:8, 1 Corinthians 10:9, 1 Corinthians 10:10, 1 Corinthians 10:16, 1 Corinthians 10:21, 1 Corinthians 10:23, 1 Corinthians 10:25, 1 Corinthians 10:27, 1 Corinthians 10:28, 1 Corinthians 6:12

Key moments

That Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). The wilderness drink is identified in the writer's own terms.
Written for our examples (1 Corinthians 10:6). The past events are given a purpose for the readers.
Take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). Confidence is named as the danger.
A way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Temptation is described as limited and provided for.
The communion of the body (1 Corinthians 10:16). Cup and bread are described by what they share in.
Two cups, two tables (1 Corinthians 10:21). Sharing both is stated as impossible.
To the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). The practical rules end in a single measure.

For reflection

The chapter says eat without asking questions, and then says stop eating the moment someone tells you what the food is. What is being protected by that second rule?

People in this chapter

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Javan