Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

1 Corinthians 10:20

1 Corinthians 10:20. But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils (Gr. ‘demons'), and not to God. But has not the apostle been insisting that an idol is nothing in the world? and how (it may be asked) could they sacrifice to nothing? The obvious answer is, that in the preceding verses he was speaking of what an idol is in itself whereas here he has in view the worshipper's belief and intention. In itself it is nothing, but to the sincere worshipper it is a living reality. And since, according to Bible teaching, the living God and “the god of this world” the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience are rival claimants to the worship and service of men, it follows that, according to the same teaching, all who serve not the One are in reality servants of the other; for “no man can serve two masters.” It is on this principle that the whole system of idol-worship, in whose feasts the Christians of Corinth were tempted to join, is held up here as a detestable compound of devil-worship, which, as it robs the living God of the glory due to His name, is doubtless inspired by the wicked one to that very end. It may be added that the plural demons here used confirms the impression one gathers from other scriptures, that there exists an organized confederacy of evil, under the inspiration of one chief, “the prince of the power of the air.”

and I would not that ye should have communion with devils: ‘To think of my own children in the faith, after having been dragged out of the mire of a gross sensuality, again sinking, through these idol-feastings, into fellowship with those impure spirits, whose sole object is to pollute their minds, blast all their Christian hopes, and ruin their souls how can I endure this?'

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

1 Corinthians 10:20

Old Testament

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