1 Corinthians 10
10
Avoid Israel’s Mistakes
1For I do not want you to be unaware, believers, that our fathers were all under the cloud [in which God’s presence went before them] and they all passed [miraculously and safely] through the [Red] Sea; [Ex 13:21; 14:22, 29] 2And all [of them] were baptized into Moses [into his safekeeping as their leader] in the cloud and in the sea; 3and all [of them] ate the same #10:3 I.e. divinely provided manna.spiritual food; [Ex 16:4, 35] 4and all [of them] drank the same #10:4 I.e. divinely provided water from a rock.spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. [Ex 17:6; Num 20:11] 5Nevertheless, God was not well-pleased with #10:5 Of all those adult Israelites who had been in bondage in Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb (along with those born in the wilderness) were allowed to enter the promised land.most of them, for they were scattered along the ground in the wilderness [because their lack of self-control led to disobedience which led to death]. [Num 14:29, 30]
6Now these things [the warnings and admonitions] took place as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did. [Num 11:4, 34] 7Do not be worshipers of handmade gods, as some of them were; just as it is written [in Scripture], “The people sat down to eat and drink [after sacrificing to the #10:7 The selection of a calf-god was probably inspired by the Egyptian bull-god Apis (Hapis), believed to be a living manifestation of the Egyptian god Ptah.golden calf at Horeb], and stood up to play [indulging in immoral activities].” [Ex 32:6] 8We must not indulge in [nor tolerate] sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand [suddenly] fell [dead] in a single day! [Num 25:1-18] 9We must not tempt the Lord [that is, test His patience, question His purpose or exploit His goodness], as some of them did—and they were killed by serpents. [Num 21:5, 6] 10And do not murmur [in unwarranted discontent], as some of them did—and were destroyed by the #10:10 Perhaps a reference to the angel of destruction whom the rabbis called Mashhith.destroyer. [Num 16:41, 49] 11Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12Therefore let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation]. 13No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].
14Therefore, my beloved, run [keep far, far away] from [any sort of] idolatry [and that includes loving anything more than God, or participating in anything that leads to sin and enslaves the soul]. 15I am speaking as to wise and sensible people; judge [carefully and thoughtfully consider] for yourselves what I say. 16Is the cup of blessing which we bless [at the Lord’s Supper] not a sharing in the blood of Christ? [Indeed it is.] Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? [Indeed it is.] 17Since there is one bread, we [believers] who are many are [united into] one body; for we all partake of the one bread [which represents the body of Christ]. 18Consider the people of Israel; are those who eat the sacrifices not partners of the altar [united in their worship of the same God]? [Indeed they are.] [Lev 7:6] 19What do I mean then? That a thing offered to idols is anything [special or changed simply because it is offered], or that an idol is anything? 20On the contrary, the things which the Gentiles (pagans) sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons [in effect], and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons [by eating at feasts in pagan temples]. [Deut 32:17] 21You cannot drink [both] the Lord’s cup and the cup of demons. You cannot share in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons [thereby becoming partners with them]. 22Do we [really] provoke the Lord to jealousy [when we eat food sacrificed to handmade “gods” at pagan feasts]? Are we [spiritually] stronger than He? [Certainly not! He knows that the idols are nothing. But we deeply #10:22 The offense consists of becoming “partners with demons” (v 20) merely to enjoy the pagan meal as an exercise of the believer’s liberty.offend Him.] [Deut 32:21; Eccl 6:10; Is 45:9]
23All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]. 24Let no one seek [only] his own good, but [also] that of the other person. 25[Regarding meat offered to idols:] Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking any questions for the sake of your conscience, 26For the [whole] earth is the Lord’s, and everything that is in it. [Ps 24:1; 50:12] 27If one of the unbelievers invites you [to a meal at his home] and you want to go, eat whatever is served to you without asking questions [about its source] for the sake of your conscience. 28But if anyone says to you, “This meat has been offered in sacrifice to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’s sake— 29and by conscience I mean for the sake of the other man’s, not yours. For #10:29 Or to what end, i.e. what good can come of it?why is my freedom [of choice] judged by another’s conscience [another’s ethics—another’s sense of right and wrong]? 30If I take my share [of food] with thankfulness, why am I accused because of something for which I give thanks?
31So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of [our great] God. 32Do not offend Jews or Greeks or even the church of God [but live to honor Him]; 33just as I please everyone in all things [as much as possible adapting myself to the interests of others], not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, so that they [will be open to the message of salvation and] may be saved.
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1 Corinthians (1 Co) 10
10
1For, brothers, I don’t want you to miss the significance of what happened to our fathers. All of them were guided by the pillar of cloud, and they all passed through the sea, 2and in connection with the cloud and with the sea they all immersed themselves into Moshe, 3also they all ate the same food from the Spirit, 4and they all drank the same drink from the Spirit — for they drank from a Spirit-sent Rock which followed them, and that Rock was the Messiah. 5Yet with the majority of them God was not pleased, so their bodies were strewn across the desert.
6Now these things took place as prefigurative historical events, warning us not to set our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were — as the Tanakh puts it, “The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to indulge in revelry.” 8And let us not engage in sexual immorality, as some of them did, with the consequence that 23,000 died in a single day. 9And let us not put the Messiah to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 10And don’t grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the Destroying Angel.
11These things happened to them as prefigurative historical events, and they were written down as a warning to us who are living in the acharit-hayamim. 12Therefore, let anyone who thinks he is standing up be careful not to fall! 13No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and God can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure.
14Therefore, my dear friends, run from idolatry! 15I speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. 16The “cup of blessing” over which we make the b’rakhah — isn’t it a sharing in the bloody sacrificial death of the Messiah? The bread we break, isn’t it a sharing in the body of the Messiah? 17Because there is one loaf of bread, we who are many constitute one body, since we all partake of the one loaf of bread. 18Look at physical Isra’el: don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19So, what am I saying? That food sacrificed to idols has any significance in itself? or that an idol has significance in itself? 20No, what I am saying is that the things which pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice not to God but to demons; and I don’t want you to become sharers of the demons! 21You can’t drink both a cup of the Lord and a cup of demons, you can’t partake in both a meal of the Lord and a meal of demons. 22Or are we trying to make the Lord jealous? We aren’t stronger than he is, are we?
23“Everything is permitted,” you say? Maybe, but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permitted?” Maybe, but not everything is edifying. 24No one should be looking out for his own interests, but for those of his fellow. 25Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26for the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord. 27If some unbeliever invites you to a meal, and you want to go, eat whatever is put in front of you without raising questions of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This meat was offered as a sacrifice,” then don’t eat it, out of consideration for the person who pointed it out and also for conscience’s sake — 29however, I don’t mean your conscience but that of the other person. You say, “Why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30If I participate with thankfulness, why am I criticized over something for which I myself bless God?” 31Well, whatever you do, whether it’s eating or drinking or anything else, do it all so as to bring glory to God. 32Do not be an obstacle to anyone — not to Jews, not to Gentiles, and not to God’s Messianic Community. 33Just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not looking out for my own interests but for those of the many, so that they may be saved;
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