Kehillah in Corinth I 10:1-22

1 0 I do not want you to be without da’as, Achim b’Moshiach, that Avoteinu all were under the anan (cloud, SHEMOT 13:21-22) and passed through the sea [SHEMOT 14:22-25],

2 And all into Moshe Rabbenu were given tevilah in the anan (cloud) and in the sea,

3 And all of the same spiritual okhel (food) ate [SHEMOT 16:4,35; DEVARIM 8:3; TEHILLIM 78:24-29],

4 And all of the same spiritual drink drank, for they were drinking from a spiritual TZUR following them [SHEMOT 17:6; BAMIDBAR 20:11; TEHILLIM 78:15; 105:41], and that TZUR was Moshiach.

5 But Hashem was not pleased with most of them, for they were strewn about in the desert, VAYISHCHATEM BAMIDBAR ("then He slaughtered them in the desert" [BAMIDBAR 14:16, 23,29-30; TEHILLIM 78:31).

6 Now these things occurred as moftim (examples) for us, in order that we would not crave what is ra’ah as they did. [BAMIDBAR 11:4,34; TEHILLIM 106:14]

7 Neither should you become ovdei elilim (idolaters), as some of them did, as it has been written, "And the people sat to eat and to drink and they got up to revel” SHEMOT 32:6.

8 Neither should we commit zenut as some of them committed zenut and fell in one day twenty-three thousand [BAMIDBAR 25:1,9]. [T.N. if Rav Sha’ul is not giving the number that died in one day, a very famous and devastating twenty-four hour period, (with BAMIDBAR 25:4 mentioning other executions and the subsequent total being 24,000 [Bamidbar 24:9]), then Rav Sha’ul is referring to those who died in Shemot 32:35, quoting as he does Shemot 32:6 in 1C 10:7]

9 Neither let us tempt Moshiach, as some of them put Moshiach to the test, and by nechashim (serpents) were being destroyed [Ex 17:2; Num 21:5-6; Ps 78:18; 95:9; 106:4; ].

10 Neither should we murmur and grumble even as some of them VAYILONU ("and they murmured’ SHEMOT 15:24; 16:2; 17:3; BAMIDBAR 14:2,29; 16:41) and they were destroyed by the destroyer (Num 14:2,36; 16:41-49; 17:5,10; Ex 12:23Ps 106:25-27).

11 Now, these things happened to those ones as moftim (examples), but it was written for our admonition, to whom the Kitzei HaOlamim has come.

12 So then the one that presupposes that he stands, let him take care lest he fall.

13 No nissayon (temptation) has overtaken you, except that which is common to Bnei Adam, but, Hashem is ne’eman (faithful) (DEVARIM 7:9), who will not let you to be brought into nissayon beyond what you are able, but will make with the nissayon also the derech (Tzaddikim TEHILLIM 1:6) as a way out for you to be able to endure.

14 Therefore, my chaverim, flee from avodah zarah.

15 I speak as to thinking men; you judge what I say.

16 The Kos HaBracha (Cup of Blessing) over which we say the Bracha, is it not a [Mizbe’ach] sharing and deveykus participation in the Korban Pesach death and kapporah of Moshiach? The matzoh which we break, is this not a sharing and a deveykus participation in the Guf HaMoshiach?

17 Because the matzoh is echad, we, many as we are, are one body, one new humanity, for we all partake of the matzoh echad.

18 Observe Yisroel according to the basar. Are not the ones eating the korbanot (sacrifices) partakers of the Mizbe’ach (altar VAYIKRA 7:6, 14, 15)?

19 What then am I saying? That a sacrifice to an elil (idol) is anything or that an idol is anything?

20 No, the things which they sacrifice, YIZB’CHU LASHEDIM LO ELOHIM ("They sacrificed to demons which were not G-d" DEVARIM 32:17; TEHILLIM 106:37). Now I do not want you to become sharers with the shedim (demons). [VAYIKRA 17:7; DEVARIM 32:17; TEHILLIM 106:37]

21 You are not able to drink from the Kos of Hashem and also from the Kos HaShedim; you are not able to partake of the shulchan of Hashem and the shulchan of shedim (demons).

22 Or is it that you would move Hashem to kinah (jealousy) [DEVARIM 32:21]? We don’t think we are stronger than He, do we? [DEVARIM 32:16; MELACHIM ALEF 14:22; TEHILLIM 78:58; YIRMEYAH 44:8; KOHELET 6:10; YESHAYAH 45:9]

Kehillah in Corinth I 10:1-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 10

In this chapter the apostle cautions the Corinthians against security on account of their gifts, knowledge, and profession, since men of great characters, and enjoying high privileges, have fallen into sin, and have been severely punished; and he particularly cautions against idolatry, and all appearances of it, on which account he again introduces the case of eating things offered to idols, and dissuades from it, when it tended to idolatry, and had the appearance of it; though in some cases he allows of eating them, but directs that all should be done to the glory of God, and without offence to any, as they had him for an example. And now, whereas in the latter part of the preceding chapter he had signified his jealousy of himself, lest he should be a castaway, he pursues the thought, and improves it to the use of the Corinthians, that they, on account of their high attainments, should not think themselves secure of all danger; and for this purpose sets before them the instances and examples of the Jewish fathers, of which he would not have them ignorant, who were persons that enjoyed great privileges, and were partakers of things which bore some resemblance to Gospel ordinances; as their passing under the cloud through the sea was a figure of baptism, and their eating manna, and drinking water out of the rock, which was a type of Christ, had some likeness to the ordinance of the Lord's supper, of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, which are meat and drink indeed in a spiritual sense, 1Co 10:1-4 and yet all these persons that enjoyed these privileges were not acceptable to God; nor did they enter into the land of Canaan, but fell in the wilderness, 1Co 10:5 in which they were examples to men under the Gospel dispensation, that they may shun the evils which were the cause of their fall and overthrow, 1Co 10:6 particularly idolatry, of which their making and worshipping the golden calf is an instance, 1Co 10:7 also fornication, on account of which three and twenty thousand fell in one day, 1Co 10:8 likewise tempting Christ, which brought upon them destruction by the fiery serpents, 1Co 10:9 moreover, murmuring against God, and his servants, for which reason the destroyer was sent among them, and destroyed them, 1Co 10:10. All which happened, and are recorded for the use, instruction, and admonition of professors of religion in these last times, 1Co 10:11 from all which the apostle infers, by way of caution to the saints, that they should not be secure of standing, but take heed lest they fall, since so many and such great persons had before fallen, 1Co 10:12. But for their comfort, under afflictions, he observes, that as they were common to men, so the faithfulness of God was concerned to support them under them, and deliver them out of them, that they might not utterly fail of the grace of God, and perish by them, 1Co 10:13. And in order to their standing, he particularly dehorts them from idolatry, 1Co 10:14 and every appearance of it, as eating things offered to idols, in an idol's temple, which is what he has chiefly in view, as appears by the following verses: and whereas they were men of wisdom and judgment whom he addressed, he was the more encouraged to use the following arguments with them, the force of which they would understand, 1Co 10:15. And his first argument is taken from the Lord's supper, and the communion of his body and blood, which believers have with him in eating the bread, and drinking the wine; suggesting, that in like manner such who eat things offered to idols, as such, had communion with them, and so were guilty of idolatry, and therefore should be abstained from, 1Co 10:16. His next argument is taken from the union and communion which saints have one with another at the Lord's table, whereby they appear to be one body and one bread; and so such that associate themselves with idolaters in their temples, and eat with them things offered to idols, are one with them in a like sense, and chargeable with idolatry, 1Co 10:17. To which is added a third, taken from the priests of the Israelitish nation, who eating of the sacrifices, were partakers of the altar, worshipped the God of Israel, and had communion with him; and so in like manner eating of the sacrifices offered to idols, and especially in one of their temples, might be very well interpreted a partaking of their altars, a worshipping of them, and so idolatry, 1Co 10:18 not that he thought that an idol was to be considered as a deity, or that things offered to it were upon an equal foot with the Lord's supper, or Jewish sacrifices, 1Co 10:19 but as there was a communion in the one, so in the other; for as for the sacrifices of the Gentiles, they were offered to devils, and not to God; and which he mentions to deter them from having the most distant regard to such sacrifices, 1Co 10:20 it being the most inconsistent, as well as shocking thing in the world, to partake of both cups and tables, those of the Lord, and those of devils, 1Co 10:21 wherefore the apostle dissuades from such idolatrous practice, from the pernicious and dangerous consequences of them, stirring up the Lord to jealousy, fighting against him, and being destroyed of him, 1Co 10:22. But inasmuch as things offered to idols were in themselves indifferent, the apostle directs to a proper use of them; and observes, that though they might be lawfully eaten, yet the expediency of time and place, and the edification of others, ought to be considered, 1Co 10:23 for we are not to seek our own pleasure, but the welfare of others, 1Co 10:24. If indeed such meat is sold in the butchers' meat markets in common with others, it may be bought and eat, when no questions are asked about it, what it is, 1Co 10:25 and that for this reason, because the earth, and all that is in it, are the Lord's, and his people have a right to all through him, and therefore may make use of every creature in it, 1Co 10:26. So if an idolater invites a believer to dine with him, and he accepts the invitation, he may very lawfully eat whatever is before him, even though it be meat offered to idols, provided he asks no questions about it, 1Co 10:27. But should anyone present point at certain meat, and say that was offered to idols, then it was advisable not to eat of it; partly for the sake of the unbeliever that pointed at it, who would be hardened in his idolatry by it; and partly for the sake of the conscience of a weak believer present, who might be offended at it; and the reason given to enforce such a conduct is, because there is plenty of other food without it, 1Co 10:28. And then the apostle explains whose conscience he meant; not the conscience of him that is invited, but either of the unbeliever, or the weak brother; and suggests a reason why he should not make use of his liberty in their presence, and under such circumstances, lest it should be censured and condemned, 1Co 10:29 or he be reproached for what he had, through good will, and had reason to be thankful for, 1Co 10:30 wherefore, upon the whole, the apostle advises in this affair, and in all others, to have the glory of God in view in the first place, 1Co 10:31 and next to that to be careful not to offend any sort of persons whatever, 1Co 10:32 and proposes himself as an example in these things to be followed; who sought not his own advantage, but the pleasure and profit of others, and to promote, as much as in him lay, their salvation, and not hinder it, 1Co 10:33.