1 Corinthians 10:22

22 Ether shall we provoke the lorde? Or are we stronger then he? All thynges are laufull vnto me but all thynges are not expedient.

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 Nay but I saye that those thinges which the gentyle offer they offer to devyls and not to god. And I wolde not that ye shuld have fellishippe with ye devils
21 Ye canot drincke of the cup of the lorde and of yt cup of ye deuyls. Ye cnanot be partetakers of the lordes table and of the table of deuelles.
22 Ether shall we provoke the lorde? Or are we stronger then he? All thynges are laufull vnto me but all thynges are not expedient.
23 All thynges are lawfull to me but all thinges edifye not.
24 Let no man seke his awne proffet: but let every man seke anothers welthe.
The Tyndale Bible is in the public domain.