Featured Study & Discussion of 1Corinthians 10

I came to this thread late, it was on page 2. But I would like to offer my views on this passage, 1 Corinthians 10. First let me post the NASB translation, which is in my opinion, the best one to base a study on. Of course other translations that differ must be considered.

Avoid Israel’s Mistakes
10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

6 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.” 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them [b]did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them [c]did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them [d]did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. 16 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the [e]bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Since there is one [f]bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one [g]bread. 18 Look at [h]the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? 19 What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?

23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his [i]neighbor. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and [j]all it contains. 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake; 29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 10:4 I.e. the Messiah
2. 1 Corinthians 10:8 Lit acted immorally
3. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Lit made trial
4. 1 Corinthians 10:10 Lit grumbled
5. 1 Corinthians 10:16 Lit loaf
6. 1 Corinthians 10:17 Lit loaf
7. 1 Corinthians 10:17 Lit loaf
8. 1 Corinthians 10:18 Lit Israel according to the flesh
9. 1 Corinthians 10:24 Lit the other
10. 1 Corinthians 10:26 Lit its fullness

So as to avoid making this first contribution too long, let us consider the first section:

10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

1) "to be unaware" means to be ignorant or without understanding.
2) "brethren" refers to our male and female siblings in Christ. Siblings is a preferred translation for there is no difference between male and female in Christ, whereas "brothers and sisters" draws a distinction.
3) Under the cloud refers to the "pillar of cloud" that lead and "covered" those in the Exodus.
4) Passed through the sea that Moses parted in the Exodus.
5) baptized into Moses refers to being immersed in Moses' guidance and provision
6) Note the spiritual "food" rather than spiritual "meat" because manna was not meat.
7) Christ or Messiah, or Deliverer, the Second Person of the Trinity.
8) Because they doubted and grumbled and turned from God's chosen leader (Moses) they did not enter the promised land.

 

The OT, and the teaching of the Apostles!

 

The steak is all;; 66 books of the canon!

 

Hi Heretic Hunter, sorry that you think only the KJV presents the correct "keys." As with "meat" its a mistranslation in my view.

Even the NKJV translates the word as food. One of the early steps in bible study is to look up the key words and to look at the various translation choices. If you look at 1 Corinthians 10:3, almost all modern versions translate the word as "food."

For another illustration, look at:
Mat 14:15
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

All things used for nourishment are victuals, or in modern English "food."
victuals - Dictionary Definition Victuals are anything that can be used as food.

 

Good Grief, dozens of versions translate the word as "food." And you think the mistranslation in the KJV is valid. Even the KJV translated the word as "victuals" which is another word for food.

Take a look at Mark 7:18-19, and ask yourself, did Jesus declare all foods clean (whatever goes in) or only meats?

 

Yet another deflection, but the NKJV has food, the WEB (Majority Text) has food and so forth.

 

No, I provided my thoughts on the first part of chapter 10. If we cannot discuss the meaning of the first 6 verses, and must instead conflate the Old Covenant with the New, I think my input will be viewed as less than useful.

I did not see any response to my question in post #31. There is study and then there is lack of study.

 

My thoughts were expressed in my initial post. and yes, as I said, I believe the spiritual food refers to the divinely supplied manna. We can consider whether the manna carries with it a deeper spiritual message beyond physical such as a reference to the gospel or the Old Covenant opportunity for salvation, which would be their "good news."

Why did I think the spiritual food referred to manna? Because that was the spiritually prepared food (angel food so to speak.) Yes I saw several commentaries which also thought the reference was to manna, perhaps as a "type" for a deeper message.

What did I mean by conflating the two Covenants. Certainly parts of the gospel are presented in the Old Testament, but the full disclosure of the gospel of Christ is found only in the New Testament. As Hebrews 11 says, the OT saints obtained approval by faith. They believed God and trusted in His love.

Verse 5 does indeed present their difficulty. I posted: 8) Because they doubted and grumbled and turned from God's chosen leader (Moses) they did not enter the promised land. The story can be found in Numbers 13, 14 and following. Numbers 14:22 may be the verse you want.

 

Perhaps you sometimes attempt to read a different meaning into words used in the 1611 KJV than the actual way that those words were used in the 1500's by English Bible translators and in 1611 by the KJV translators.

Some KJV defenders have claimed that the 1828 Webster's Dictionary gives correct definitions of words in the KJV according to the meaning that they had in 1611.
The first definition for meat in the 1828 Webster's is "food in general; any thing eaten for nourishment, either by man or beast."
The third definition for meat is as follows: "In Scripture, spiritual food; that which sustains and nourishes spiritual life or holiness."

 

The makers of the KJV borrowed much from the 1560 Geneva Bible.
At 1 Corinthians 10:3, the 1560 Geneva Bible has a letter b before "spiritual meat" and the note for this letter b is as follows: "That is, Manna, which was the outward sign or sacrament of spiritual grace."

For the chapter or content headings at 1 Corinthians 10, the 1611 edition of the KJV has "The Sacraments of the Jews."

The 1657 English translation of the 1637 Dutch Annotations upon the whole Bible has the following annotation on "spiritual meat" at 1 Corinthians 10:3 --"spiritual meat: namely, the manna, which is called spiritual meat, because it served the Israelites, not only for corporal food, but also to be an extraordinary sign of the flesh of Christ"

1 Corinthians 10:2-3 in 1842 edition of the Holy Bible
And were all immersed to Moses in the cloud and the sea;
And all ate the same spiritual food;