1 Corinthians 10:22

22 Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?

1 Corinthians 10:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 10:22

Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?
&c.] As they do who are guilty of idolatry in any shape: nothing is more highly resented by God, or stirs him up more to wrath and fury, and to inflict punishment; he cannot bear, nor will he admit of a rival in religious worship; he is a God jealous of his own honour; nor will he give, or suffer to be given by others, his praise and glory to graven images:

are we stronger than he?
to give into idolatrous practices, is to proclaim and enter into a war against God; and what madness must this be? who can be so sottish and stupid as to think of succeeding? when God is omnipotent, and man a poor feeble impotent creature, a worm, and but dust and ashes: thus the apostle dissuades from idolatry, and every species and branch of it; partly from its ill effect, in bringing men into fellowship with devils; and partly from the impossibility of practising it, in consistence with a true and real participation of the cup and table of the Lord; and from the absurdity and stupidity of it, and its dangerous consequence, in exposing men to the vengeance of an almighty incensed Being.

1 Corinthians 10:22 In-Context

20 No! But what is offered by those who worship statues of gods is really offered to demons. It is not offered to God. I don't want you to be sharing with demons.
21 You can't drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You can't have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.
22 Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
23 You say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything is good for us. Again you say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything builds us up.
24 We should not look out for our own interests. Instead, we should look out for the interests of others.
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