College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
1 Corinthians 10 - Introduction
Butler's Comments
Chapter Ten
THE PROBLEM OF PRESUMPTUOUSNESS
IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:
1.
Why would Paul bring up the failure of the Israelites right here?
2.
Why are idolatry and immorality usually coincidental?
3.
When is the end of the ages?
4.
Are all temptations common to all men?
5.
In what way is the cup which we bless a participation in the blood of Christ?
6.
Was it possible for the Corinthians to be partners with demons?
7.
Are all things really lawful for a Christian?
APPLICATIONS:
1.
God gave great privileges to the Israelites he did not give to othersthey defaulted. What about Christian's privileges?
2.
Since the Old Testament events are warnings to us, should we not study them more frequently?
3.
What responsibilities are incurred by the privileges of freedom?
4.
What idols are you tempted to worship?
5.
Unbelief is immorality.
6.
We must make constant, deliberate and overt expressions of thankfulness, because ingratitude is the most heinous of all sins.
7.
Do not be lead astraythe church age is the last age there will be.
8.
God makes a way to avoid every temptation to sin known to man. The question is, Do we believe God?
9.
Taking the Lord's Supper is more than participating in a ritual. It is a weekly oath or testimony by the Christian that he is like-minded and of the same purpose as Christ.
10.
To be insensitive to another person's moral reservations or scruples is a sin for the Christian.
11.
To implicate another person with guilt by questioning or belittling another person's scruples is wrong.
12.
Every Christian who desires to glorify God must agree that his liberty is to be determined by the scruples of others!
13.
The Christian must be willing to give up anything, or to do anything short of apostasy and immorality to win men to Christ.
APPREHENSIONS:
1.
Why does Paul give a short review of Israelite history?
2.
What kind of privileges did God give Israel in the wilderness?
3.
What kind of responsibilities are demanded as a response to such privileges?
4.
What is the risk of freedom?
5.
How were the experiences of the Israelites types of all human experiences toward God?
6.
Why is idolatry almost always associated with illicit sexual behavior?
7.
What is putting the Lord to the test? Do Christians today do that? How?
8.
Why are Christians warned against grumbling?
9.
When did the end of the ages come? Why is it significant that we understand this? Why do so many people today insist the end of the ages is yet to come?
10.
Are there any temptations unique to just you?
11.
Are there any temptations for which there are no escapes? Why, then, do men fall into temptations?
12.
Can a Christian eat food sacrificed to an idol without participating in the worship of demons?
13.
Are all things lawful to a Christian? What does Paul mean by his statement?
14.
How careful must the Christian be about criticizing and ridiculing another person's scruples?
15.
Should a Christian condescend to behaving according to a weaker brother's more rigid scruples?
16.
What is the purpose in allowing another person's scruples determine one's liberty?
17.
Should we do anything, short of apostasy and immorality, to win others to Christ? Give up anything which is merely a matter of opinion?
Applebury's Comments
CHAPTER TEN
Analysis
A.
Paul wanted the brethren to know that the remark he had just made about being rejected was illustrated by the experience of the fathers (1 Corinthians 10:1-13).
1.
He reminds them of the things of that experience which illustrated the possibility of successfully running the race (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).
a)
Things that were related to the beginning of the race.
(1)
All were under the cloud.
(2)
All passed through the sea (thus escaping from Egypt.)
(3)
All were baptized unto Moses (submitting to his divinely appointed leadership) in the cloud and in the sea.
b)
Things that were related to the running of the race.
(1)
All ate the same spiritual food.
(2)
All drank the same spiritual drink.
(3)
That is, they kept drinking from a spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
2.
He reminds them also of their tragic failure in the wilderness journey (1 Corinthians 10:5).
a)
With most of them (all but two) God was not well pleased.
b)
They were overthrown in the wilderness (because they lost sight of their goal, the promised land).
3.
He points out that these things were examples for the Christians (1 Corinthians 10:6-11).
a)
They were examples to keep the Christians from the longing desire for things that were evil (1 Corinthians 10:6-10).
(1)
Idolatry and its attendant sins (1 Corinthians 10:7).
(2)
Fornication that some committed which resulted in the fall of 23,000 of them.
(3)
Making trial of the Lord that caused them to perish by the plague of serpents.
(4)
Murmuring (grumbling against God's program for them) that caused them to perish by the destroyer.
b)
These were examples written to admonish the Christians upon whom the ends of the ages are come (1 Corinthians 10:11).
4.
In the light of this, he presents a solemn exhortation (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).
a)
He indicates that what happened to Israel can happen to the Christian for he says, Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
b)
He shows, however, that one need not fall if he observes these principles:
(1)
Temptations are on the human level.
(2)
God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond your ability to withstand trial.
(3)
He will make the way of escape that you may be able to endure it (God does His part; you must do yours).
B.
Paul presents a strong plea for his beloved fellow-Christians to flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14-22).
1.
He appeals to them as men who are capable of thinking to decide for themselves the merits of what he is saying (1 Corinthians 10:14-18).
a)
He points out the significance of the cup and the bread.
(1)
As to the cup which he calls a cup of blessing and which we bless, he asks, It is a sharing in the blood of Christ, is it not?
(2)
As to the bread which we break, he asks, It is a sharing in the body of Christ, is it not?
(a)
This means that we are many are one body as represented by the one loaf.
(b)
That this is true is indicated by the fact that we all partake of the loaf.
b)
He cites the example of Israel and asks, The one eating the sacrifices are sharers in the altar, are they not?
2.
He shows what is implied by this reasoning (1 Corinthians 10:19-22).
a)
He asks, Is the thing sacrificed to the idol anything, or is the idol anything?
b)
He answers by showing what is wrong with this practice:
(1)
Pagans do sacrifice to demons and not to God.
(2)
He does not want his brethren to become sharers with demons.
c)
He proceeds to point out the impossibility of a Christian sharing in two completely opposite forms of worship.
(1)
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and of demons.
(2)
You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
(3)
By two questions, he shows the folly of attempting to do so.
(a)
Are we provoking the Lord to jealousy (by such conduct)?
(b)
We are not stronger than He, are we?
C.
Paul cites the law of expediency to indicate the rule of conduct for one who might be involved in eating meat sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 10:23-33).
1.
The principle involved in the law of expediency (1 Corinthians 10:22-24).
a)
What is lawful should also build up the body of Christ: All things are lawful; but not all things build up.
b)
What is lawful should also benefit one's neighbor: Let no man seek his own, but his neighbor's good.
2.
The principle applied to food sold in the markets (1 Corinthians 10:25-30).
a)
Where no investigation is necessary:
(1)
No need to investigate it's source for the sake of conscience.
(2)
Why this is so: The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.
b)
Where there is no reason to refuse an invitation to dine with one who is not a believer:
(1)
If you are invited and you are so disposed, go.
(2)
No need to investigate the source of food set before you for the sake of conscience.
c)
Where it might be necessary to forgo eating in the event it is pointed out that the food had been used in idol worship.
(1)
The reason why this might apply:
(a)
For the sake of the one who reveals the source of the food.
(b)
For the sake of conscience.
(2)
Paul explains the matter of conscience in such a case:
(a)
It is not the conscience of the believer who understands about idolatry.
(b)
But it is for the sake of the other's conscience who does not understand.
(3)
He explains how the principle of limitation of liberty applies to such cases:
(a)
Forgo eating, for why is my liberty judged (condemned) by another's consciencethat is of one who does not understand about idols?
(b)
He gives thanks for the food, and asks, Why am I evil spoken of when I eat? This too can be avoided by forgoing the right to eat.
3.
His concluding statement of principles governing the matter of eating meats sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 10:31-33).
a)
In eating and drinking, Do all things to the glory of God.
b)
Give no occasion of stumbling to Jews, Greeks, or to the church of God.
c)
Do not act selfishly, but for the good of the many just as Paul does.
d)
The goal to keep in mind: That they may be saved.
Questions
1.
What is the connection between the thought of chapter ten and the closing thought of chapter nine?
2.
Why did Paul use the word brethren in this chapter?
3.
What was Paul's purpose in using the word ignorant?
4.
How can we express the thought and spirit of the apostle on this matter?
5.
How could Paul effectively use the examples of the Old Testament in discussing the problems of Gentile Christians?
6.
How could he speak of the ancient Israelites as our fathers when writing to the Gentiles?
7.
What are some of the things God provided for the fathers as they left Egypt?
8.
How does their failure to enter the promised land illustrate the necessity of exercising self-control?
9.
What is the history of the cloud that appeared to Israel during their journey from Egypt to the promised land?
10.
What was the situation of the Israelites as they came to the Red Sea?
11.
How did God protect them?
12.
What blessings are represented by the cloud?
13.
What has been said in an attempt to discredit Moses-' account of the crossing of the Red Sea?
14.
What did Moses say about it?
15.
What evidence is there to support his account?
16.
What relation does the crossing of the Red Sea have to baptism?
17.
What is meant by saying that they were baptized unto Moses?
18.
What is the history of the manna?
19.
What is the history of God's providing water for Israel on their journey through the wilderness?
20.
What was the attitude of the fathers toward the manna?
21.
How did the people in Jesus-' time regard it?
22.
Why does Paul say that they ate spiritual food and drank spiritual drink?
23.
What is meant by the statement that a spiritual rock followed them?
24.
What is meant by the statement that the rock was Christ?
25.
How does God provide spiritual food for His people?
26.
How did the Holy Spirit provide the life-giving stream of truth for sinful men on the Day of Pentecost?
27.
Why did Paul say that God was not well pleased with the fathers?
28.
What is the history of the refusal of the fathers to enter the promised land?
29.
In what way were the failures of the fathers examples for us?
30.
What is the meaning of lust?
31.
What is the history of the idolatry which the fathers practiced at Sinai?
32.
What is meant by the statement rose up to play
33.
How did the fathers make trial of the Lord ?
34.
What use did Jesus make of the incident of the fiery serpents?
35.
What bearing did this have on the situation in the church at Corinth?
36.
What are some of the occasions of murmuring of the children of Israel?
37.
How did the complaints of the fathers explain the problem which was present at Corinth?
38.
Why were the failures of the fathers written in the Old Testament?
39.
What position in history does the church occupy?
40.
What may be the most dangerous position for a Christian to occupy?
41.
What evidence have we that God expects His people to be victorious over temptation?
42.
What provision did He make for their victory?
43.
Why did Paul say, Flee from idolatry?
44.
What is the difference between the references to wise men in 1 Corinthians 10:15 and 1 Corinthians 1:26?
45.
What did Paul want the Corinthians as wise men to do?
46.
Why is the cup called the cup of blessing?
47.
What does communion mean?
48.
What is the significance of the one bread?
49.
How did the experience of Israel as they brought the sacrifices to God reveal to the Corinthians the evil of idolatry?
50.
What was the reality back of the idol which the pagans worshiped?
51.
Why did the enemies of Jesus attempt to show that He cast out demons by Beelzebub?
52.
What are some of the impossible things for the Christian?
53.
What did Paul mean by the question, Do we provoke the Lord?
54.
What did he mean by the question, Are we stronger than he?
55.
How does the law of expediency apply to the matter of meats sacrificed to idols?
56.
What other rule did Paul give for this situation?
57.
What did he mean by ask no questions?
58.
Was it ever right for the Christian to be found in a pagan temple partaking of the idolatrous feast?
59.
Under what circumstances did Paul say a Christian might eat meat that had been sacrificed to an idol without investigating its source?
60.
What should he do in the event some one called attention to the fact that the food had been used as a sacrifice to idols?
61.
Whose conscience is to be considered in exercising one's liberty?
62.
What is the place of thanksgiving in relation to eating food?
63.
What is the meaning of Paul's question, If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced?
64.
How could such a criticism be avoided?
65.
What should be the purpose of the Christian in all his activity?
For Discussion
1.
What bearing does the faithfulness of the Christian in partaking of the Lord's supper have on a victorious life?
2.
What are some things that your group could do to increase its effectiveness in winning some to Christ?