Amongst other arguments which the apostle produces to dissuade the Corinthians from eating things offered to idols in the idol temples, and to prove it absolutely unlawful for Christians to have communion with the Gentiles in their idolatrous banquets, the first is drawn from the danger of such sinf... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, 1. The Israelites are here said to be baptized in the cloud and in the sea; that is, the cloud which overshadowed them, did sometimes bedew and sprinkle them; and the Red sea, through which they passed, and its waters gathered into two heaps, one on the right hand, and the left, betwixt whi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY, that is, the fathers in the wilderness, did all eat of the manna which came down from heaven, which is here called spiritual meat; either because it came down from heaven, which is the habitation of spiritual beings; or because it was food given out by the ministry of angels, those spiritual a... [ Continue Reading ]
Although the Israelites were made partakers of the before-mentioned privileges and spiritual favours; though they were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did eat sacramental meat, and drink sacramental drink; yet it did not set them out of danger of God's displeasure, for they were... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The sin charged upon the Israelites in the wilderness: THEY LUSTED; that is, after the flesh-pots of Egypt, and to return thither again. They had manna for forty years together; but being tied to it, (though angels' food, that is, most excellent food,) they grew weary of it. Lord!... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle being still dissuading the Corinthians from eating of things offered unto idols, and thereby from holding communion with the Gentiles in their idolatrous banquets in their idol-temples, he sets before them the idolatry of the Jews, who sat down to eat and to drink of the sacrifices offer... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here. double SIN, which the Corinthians are warned against: tempting and murmuring. NEITHER TEMPT YE CHRIST, by trying how long his patience will last, as the Israelites did, when (as the angel of the covenant) he went before them in the wilderness, Numbers 21:5-6 Here note, The object or p... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, the history of the Israelites' sins and punishments was written and recorded by God in the holy scriptures, for the use and benefit of all succeeding generations, and particularly for us, who live in the last ages of the world, to warn us to avoid the like sin, that we may escape the like p... [ Continue Reading ]
These words are an inference which our apostle draws from the foregoing discourse. Seeing that so many who enjoyed great privileges among the Jews, were yet punished greatly for their sins; seeing that sacraments are no privileges either from sin, or from plagues; therefore LET HIM THAT THINKETH HE... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the apostle answers. plea which the Corinthians might probably make for their compliance with their fellow-citizens, in eating things offered unto idols in their temples with them; namely, that thereby they should avoid persecution. Fear not that, says the apostle, you have hitherto been prese... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle resumes his exhortation to the Corinthians, not to meddle with the mysteries of paganism, nor to eat of things offered unto idols; assuring them it was no less than idolatry, in the account of God, to eat of those things which were taken from their execrable altars, as. part and rem... [ Continue Reading ]
These words are. special argument, made use of by the apostle to dissuade the Christians from joining with the heathens in their impure feasts in the old temples--the Gentiles have fellowship with the idols in those feasts, as Christians have communion with Christ at his holy table. So that the arg... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostles argument lies thus: As Christians, though many, yet by virtue of their society in the same worship, are compacted together as it were into one loaf or lump, that is, into one mystical body, in that they partake of one and the same sacramental bread; so those that communicate with idolat... [ Continue Reading ]
Here another argument against eating things offered to idols is produced by our apostle, and it runs thus: "As in the Jewish church all persons that did eat of the peace-offerings which were laid upon God's altar, did by that act declare themselves members of the Jewish church, and that they owned t... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, "Ye cannot have communion with Christ and with idolaters too: your comminicating with Christ in the Lord's supper is utterly inconsistent with communicating with devils in the idol's feasts, for this were to do homage to two contrary lords, God and Satan, and to profess service to both." H... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. That the worship of God is that which he is very tender and jealous of: never was husband so jealous of the chastity of his suspected wife, as God is jealous in point of worship; idolatry is. provoking God to jealousy. Observe, 2. That such as worship idols, or are guilty of idolat... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having in the former part of this chapter resolved the case concerning public eating things offered unto idols in the idol-temples, and by several arguments proved it to be absolutely unlawful; he comes now to resolve another case, concerning private buying and private eating of things o... [ Continue Reading ]
These words may be understood two ways: 1. Let no man seek his own, that is, only his own wealth. 2. Let no man seek his own wealth: that is, to the prejudice of others, though never so much to his own advantage; teaching us, that it is the duty of every Christian not merely to look at his own pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the apostle resolves the case, whether it were lawful to buy that meat in the market which had been offered to an idol in the temple. He determines, 1. That it was; if it be sold in the shambles, it is to be looked upon as common food, and they may freely buy it without any scruple of conscien... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle here puts another case: "Suppose an unbeliever, an infidel or heathen, did invite. believer,. Christian, to. feast of civil friendship in his private house, (not to. feast upon. sacrifice in the idol-temple, which was absolutely unlawful,) what was to be done in this case?" He declares t... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the apostle tells them that they ought to abstain from that which is lawful and indifferent in itself, for the sake of another man's conscience. This meat had not been unlawful to them, though offered to idols, had they not been told that it was so offered; but being made acquainted therewith,... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle concludes his whole discourse with three excellent rules, to direct all Christians how they should govern themselves in the use of their lawful liberty, as to things that are of indifferent nature; that is, neither commanded nor forbidden in the word of God. The first is this, to refer... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have the second rule for ordering all the affairs of human life: Give no offence to any, neither to the unbelieving Jew, nor to the unconverted Gentile, nor to the weak members of the church of God; particularly, give no offence to these, by eating things offered to idols at any time, or in... [ Continue Reading ]
The last rule which the apostle lays down, is his own practice and example, who in indifferent things accommodated himself to all men. I PLEASE ALL MEN; that is,. seek and endeavour to please all men, and in all things: that is, in all lawful things, and in all other things wherein the law of God ha... [ Continue Reading ]