William Burkitt's Expository Notes

1 Corinthians 10:9

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 person whom the Israelites are said to tempt, Christ: which proves,

1. His pre-existence before his incarnation: the Israelites could not have then tempted him, had he not been then existent.

2. His divinity; he who is here called Christ, is by the Psalmist called God, Psalms 106:14

They tempted God in the desert. Christ had not. human nature then to be tempted in, they tempted him therefore as he was God:. good argument to prove the divinity of our Saviour, made use of by the ancients.

The other sin warned against is, murmuring: Neither murmur ye: that is, do not repine, because ye are forbidden to be present at the idolatrous feasts of the Gentiles in the idol-temples; neither do ye murmur, by reason of the persecutions which you do or may endure for the sake of Christianity, and the cause of Christ.

Learn hence, That to murmur at, or be impatient under, any of the providential dispensations of God, is both great sin and folly. 'Tis as high presumption and wickedness to be dissatisfied with God's works of providence, as with his work of creation; to quarrel at what God doth, is as unchristian-like, yea, as uncreature-like, as to quarrel at what God has made. Therefore murmur not, as the Israelites murmured.

Observe, secondly,. double punishment inflicted on the Israelites for this double sin committed; such as tempted were destroyed of fiery serpents, Numbers 21:6-7. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people: the sting and venom of those serpents was inflaming, spreading, and killing: much people of Israel died. And such as murmured, were destroyed of the destroyer: that is, by the destroying angel, in that plague mentioned, Numbers 14:37. Such variety of judgments has Almighty God, with which to punish and plague an incorrigible and unreclaimable people.

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William Burkitt's Expository Notes

1 Corinthians 10:9

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