1 Corinthians 10:6-13

Butler's Comments

SECTION 2

Immorality (1 Corinthians 10:6-13)

6 Now these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did. 7Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to dance. 8We must not indulge in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.9 We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents; 10nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come. 12Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:6 Imperative Instruction: The actual, historical experiences and divine judgments upon Israel in the wilderness became (Gr. egenethesan, aorist verb) warnings for us, not to ardently desire (Gr. epithemetas) evil as they did. The word warning is tupos in Greek. It is the word from which we get the English word type. A type is the imprint left when a die or other instrument is struck. John's gospel uses the word tupos when reporting Thomas-' statement that he would not believe in the resurrection of Jesus unless he saw the print of the nail in Jesus-' hand. Paul is saying that God recorded the history of Israel's forfeiture of its privileges and its fall in the wilderness to strike an indelible tupos (imprint or image) of the consequences of presumptuousness and overconfidence. The lesson is historicalnot mythological, or allegorical, or theoretical.

Israel's divine judgment in the wilderness is separated from us by more than three thousand years. Israel's circumstances, technologically and culturally, differed from ours today like light and darkness. Our privileges, both spiritual and physical, surpass theirs. However, human nature and the human predicament are exactly the same. Man still cannot come to virtue and goodness without the grace of his Creator. Man still is tempted to be presumptuous, overconfident and independent of his Creator. So, man still refusing to learn from history, dooms himself to repeat it.

1 Corinthians 10:7 Idolatry: Idolatry is immoral. Moral means, that which is right and immoral means, that which is wrong. It is wrong and immoral to worship other gods. The first commandment of the Decalogue is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3; Exodus 20:23; Deuteronomy 5:7). No object, thing, creature, human being, angel or spirit (except the Holy Spirit of God) is to be revered, worshiped, adored, exalted, prayed to, trusted in, or looked to for eternal life. To do so is idolatry. That which a man trusts and serves or puts first or gives the essence of his life to is his god. Jesus stated an unequivocal truth: No man can serve two masters. No man can obey contradictory orders from two masters. No man can continue that way; sooner or later a man's motives and goals force him to choose which master he wishes to please. Then he will despise the other for interfering. The issue is: Man is so created that he takes on the nature of that which he worships (see Hosea 9:10; Psalms 115:3-8; Romans 1:18-32).

1 Corinthians 10:8 Illicit Intercourse: The Greek word porneuomen is translated immorality (RSV) and fornication (KJV) and is the word from which we get the English word pornography. It probably refers to illicit sexual intercourse. The Israelites apparently indulged in fornication and adultery as they worshiped the golden calf (see Exodus 32:1-35 and Deuteronomy 9:1-29); Paul may be referring to their fornication at the time of Balaam and Balak (see Numbers 24:1-25; Numbers 25:1-18).

We have already learned from this letter (ch. 5-7) that all forms of illicit sex were commonplace in Corinth, and that the Christians had a difficult time overcoming what was so socially acceptable by their heathen contemporaries. The seven churches of Asia Minor were also beset with this temptation to sexual perversion (cf. Revelation 2:14-15; Revelation 2:20-23). The Roman empire is characterized or symbolized in the early centuries (100-500 A.D.) as the great harlot (Rev. ch. 17-18). The Gnostic cult within the first and second century church taught that since all matter or all that is physical is evil, and all that is mental or spiritual is holy, so long as you did not think evil you should never be concerned about misusing your body. One could only sin with the mind, according to the Gnostics, not with the body. Gnostics said as long as you know or think what is right you are righteous no matter what you do with your body. Ancient Gnosticism has crept into the twentieth century Christian church under the guise called situation ethics. Situation ethics says whenever a person does the most loving thing in any situation he has acted morally. Classic illustrations of this principle have pictured sailors, having been deprived of sexual release for months at sea, being loved by prostitutes because they have done a good thing in satisfying the sailor's sublimated sexual urges when he has come ashore on liberty. Some Christians have rationalized illicit sexual relations with persons other than their spouses by declaring they are helping their illicit partners find love and tenderness and relief from frustration for the first time in their lives.

Sexual intercourse with a person outside the bonds of matrimony, or with a person other than one's singular spouse, is immoral in any circumstance. It is immoral because God has declared it to be so in his Word. No amount of human reasoning or feeling can change or temper that divine edict!

1 Corinthians 10:9 Incredulity: Unbelief is immoral. Paul warns, Do not put the Lord to the test. The Greek word translated test is ekpeiradzomen, which is literally, overtest, or, test beyond what is acceptable. God does want us to put the promises he has revealed to us in his Word to the test. At least as far as reason and propriety will allow. He does want us to test his Word to confirm its historicity and accuracy.

But to keep asking God to prove himself and his promises beyond the Word is to put him to the test! The Israelites did this when they asked for more proof than the Lord had already given of his presence among them (cf. Exodus 17:7; Deuteronomy 6:16; Numbers 21:4-6; Hebrews 3:7-19).

This same unbelief appears to have been a problem with the Corinthians. It is demonstrated by their clamoring for the continuance of miraculous gifts which were given exclusively to create belief and were to pass away (see I Cor. ch. 12-14). At the same time the Corinthians shunned the gifts designed to edify and which were to abide. When the evidence is sufficient, demanding more from the Lord is to put him to the test and is immoral. Jesus warned the Jewish rulers who kept asking him for more signs that they were committing the unpardonable sin.

The Israelites in the wilderness had every opportunity and privilege God could offer to create faith and commitment in their hearts. But they asked for more. The Corinthians had every opportunity and privilege Christ could offer to give them liberty and freedom. They seemed to be demanding more. Paul warns them they are putting the Lord to the test. The New Testament is Christ's final and complete Bill of Rights for the church. Any Christian who presumes to demand more is putting the Lord to the test.

1 Corinthians 10:10 Ingratitude: Christians are not to grumble. The Greek word is egongusan (Eng. gong) and is an onomatopoeic word, i.e., a word which represents the significance by the sound of the word, like the English word murmur. In the papyri the word is used of the impudent complaining of a gang of workmen. The word is almost always used with the connotation of private or nearly inarticulate complaining. The Israelites were inveterate complainers (Numbers 14:1-3; Numbers 14:27; Numbers 16:41; Numbers 17:5; Numbers 17:10; Numbers 20:2-13; see also Matthew 20:11; Luke 5:30; John 6:41; John 6:43; John 6:61; John 7:32; Acts 6:1; Philippians 2:14; 1 Peter 4:9). It often appears that those most blessed and privileged are the most presumptuous and complaining. Ingratitude is the mother of all manner of wickedness (see Romans 1:21 ff.). Moses warned the Israelites against ungrateful presumption (Deuteronomy 8:11-20). Paul is here warning all Christians about presuming upon the Lord's grace by complaining. Grumbling is immoral!

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 Indolence: Paul repeats his use of the Greek word tupos, type or imprint, in reference to God's historical dealings with the presumptuous Israelites. The RSV translates tupos with the word warning because the Christian age was the ultimate purpose for God's dealing with Israel as he did. The judgments and redemptions God worked upon Israel were recorded ultimately for the Bride of Christthe New Testament church. Paul says they were written (Gr. egraphe, Eng. graph, engraved, graphically) for our instruction (Gr. nouthesian, combined word from nous, mind, and tithemi, to put; literally, a putting in mind). Our instruction is to be more than teaching, it is indoctrinationwe are to have it put into our minds so that it becomes a part of our mentality or way of thinking.

The next phrase is, in Greek, eis hous ta tele ton aionon katenteken, or in English, upon whom the end of the ages has come. It is an extremely significant phrase because it is so decisive in stating apostolic eschatology in one declaration! It clearly declares the Christian age as the goal of all past ages. The Greek word katenteken is a perfect tense verb and may be translated, has come down in the past with a continuing result. The decisive word in the whole phrase, however, is the Greek word tele, translated, end. It is the word from which we get the English prefix, tele, or telo, meaning, end, perfect, final, complete. The Greek word teleios means having reached its end, finished, completed, perfected or final. The Christian age, begun on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17 ff.), is the final age. There will be no more ages or eras or dispensations. The only great event in the framework of time yet to come is the end of time, at which point Jesus will come again visibly to deliver the faithful living and dead to glory and to judge and deliver the unfaithful living and dead to Hell. The church age is the kingdom age. There is no kingdom dispensation yet to come. Paul's use of the perfect tense verb katenteken and his use of the noun tele settles the issue of Christian eschatology once for all. All the previous dispensations or ages of history were pointing toward the Christian age as their goal. The coming of the Christian age means that the goal has been reached, that the last phase of redemption has begun. So Paul is urging the Corinthians that self-discipline is now imperative. God has no other plan of redemption than the one in the New Testament. God has no other revelation than that written down in the New Testament. God has no other time or age in which he will work with mankind than this age. Behold, now (in the Christian age) is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day (or age) of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). To wait for or hold out to others any hope of another time-frame (or dispensation) after this age in which God will offer salvation to any group of people is presumptuous. This phrase has behind it inspired, apostolic authority. It is in complete harmony with all the rest of the Bible in teaching that the Christian age (the church age) is the last age of time. There is no millennium (in the sense of a latter dispensation) yet to come. If there is any millennium at all in the framework of time, we are now in it.

Paul's purpose in making his unequivocal statement about the Christian dispensation being the last of God's dispensations in time is to prove his argument about the necessity for Christian resistance to temptation in this earthly phase of life. There is no other probationary or proving phase of life. We are becoming what we shall be. Therefore, let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. Let anyone who thinks privilege secures his standing before God, take heed lest he be indolent toward the responsibilities involved. To be indolent is to be lazy, to deliberately avoid responsibility or exertion; indolence is slothfulness. The Corinthians were prone to be slothful in exercising Christian charity and brotherhood toward weaker brethren. They were arrogant in their liberty supposing such privileges secured their spiritual superiority. They presumed they stood while the weaker had fallen.

Some Corinthians had clearly rationalized their arrogant disregard for weaker brethren by claiming they were participating in things they just could not quit. They probably argued that their old habit of eating at the feasts honoring idols was just too ingrained to be given up. They plead, our temptation is uniqueno one knows how strong this temptation is. Besides, they knew an idol was no god so they were free to participate. Let the weaker brother look out for himself. He should get rid of his scruples and grow up to our level of spirituality, they probably argued. Paul's answer was that any temptation may be resisted; any test endured.

The Greek word eilephen, translated overtaken you, is third person, singular, perfect tense, indicative mood, active voice. It means Paul is indicating these Corinthians had already been taken in the temptation of presumptuous arrogance and it was continuing in their lives. The apostolic revelation is that every temptation is common to mankind. The Greek phrase ei me anthropinos is translated that is not common to man. Anthropinos literally means is human. Now the devil may use different tools or agents in different cultural milieu or in different historical times, but his temptations to rebel against God generally fall into three or four general categories (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 1 John 2:16). Jesus was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13) essentially in these three categories; Eve and Adam were tempted in the Garden of Eden in these three categories (Genesis 3:1-7). The Corinthians could not excuse their weaknesses by claiming their temptations were unique. No man can!

On the positive side, every human being who wishes may have the help of God for every temptation he faces. God will not permit any man to be tempted beyond the availability of help. Notice that the Bible does not promise any man (especially Christians) that they will have no temptation. As a matter of fact, temptation is one of God's ways of disciplining his children. God does not want his children to do evil, nor does he push them in that direction (James 1:13-15). But he does want them to develop spiritual maturity and strength and this can only be done as his children wrestle with and conquer temptation (see Hebrews 10:32-39; Hebrews 12:1-17; James 1:2-11; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10). Jesus, fully human as he was fully divine, proved in the flesh that all temptation is common to mankind and that every temptation may be overcome if human beings will avail themselves, by total faith, of the help of God. Jesus never used his divinity nor his miraculous power to extricate himself from a temptation. He always relied on the word of God in total commitment to God's faithfulness (see Matthew 4:1-11, et al.).

With every temptation God allows he makes available an attendant way of escape. The Greek text has the definite article ten before the noun ekbasin. In other words, Paul says, ... with the temptation will also provide the way of escape. It is not a way of escape, but the way of escape. Every temptation has its own way of escape. The temptation and the way of escape come in pairs. God sees to it that one does not occur without the other. No man can plead not guilty by saying the way of escape was not made available because Paul says God sends with every temptation the escape that you may be able to endure. If a Christian sins it is not because he did not have the way to escape it; it is because he did not avail himself of the way of escape. Sin cannot overpower a person unless the person allows it. God expects all men to resist temptation (Proverbs 1:10; Proverbs 4:14; Romans 6:13; Ephesians 6:13; 2 Peter 3:17). God encourages all men to seek his help (Hebrews 2:18; 2 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 4:14-16, etc.). Great men of faith have resisted (Abraham, Genesis 14:23; Joseph, Genesis 39:1-9; Job, Job 2:9-10; the Rechabites, Jeremiah 35:5-6; Daniel, Daniel 1:8; Christ, Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Peter, Acts 8:20). Spiritual indolence is inexcusable!