CHAPTER X. _Peculiar circumstances in the Jewish history were typical of_ _the greatest mysteries of the Gospel; particularly their_ _passing through the Red Sea, and being overshadowed with the_ _miraculous cloud_, 1, 2. _The manna with which they were fed_, 3. _And rock out of which they dra... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:2. _AND WERE ALL BAPTIZED UNTO MOSES_] Rather INTO _Moses_-into the _covenant_ of which Moses was the mediator; and by this typical baptism they were brought under the obligation of acting according to the Mosaic precepts, as Christians receiving Christian baptism are said to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:3. _SPIRITUAL MEAT_] The manna which is here called _spiritual_. 1. Because it was provided supernaturally; and, 2. Because it was a type of Christ Jesus, who speaking of it, John 6:31, c., tells us that it was a type of that _true bread which came down_ _from heaven_, which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:4. _SPIRITUAL DRINK_] By the βρωμα πνευματικον _spiritual_ _meat_, and πομα πνευματικον, _spiritual drink_, the apostle certainly means both _meat_ and _drink_, which were furnished to the Israelitish assembly _miraculously_, as well as _typically_: and he appears to borrow hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:5. _THEY WERE OVERTHROWN IN THE WILDERNESS._] And yet ALL these persons _were under the cloud_ - ALL _passed through the sea_ - ALL _were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea_ - ALL _ate the_ _same spiritual meat_ - ALL _drank the same spiritual drink_, for they we... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:6. _THESE THINGS WERE OUR EXAMPLES_] The punishments which God inflicted on _them_ furnish us with evidences of what God will inflict upon _us_, if we sin after the similitude of those transgressors. _WE SHOULD NOT LUST AFTER EVIL THINGS_] It is most evident that the apostle... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:7. _NEITHER BE YE IDOLATERS_] The apostle considers partaking of the idolatrous feasts as being real acts of _idolatry_; because those who offered the flesh to their gods considered them as feeding invisibly with them on the flesh thus offered, and that every one that partook... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:8. _FELL IN ONE DAY THREE AND TWENTY THOUSAND._] In Numbers 25:9, the number Isaiah 24; and, allowing this to be the genuine reading, (and none of the Hebrew MSS. exhibit any various reading in the place,) Moses and the apostle may be thus reconciled: in Numbers 25:4, God com... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:9. _NEITHER LET US TEMPT CHRIST_] I have already supposed, in _Clarke's note on "_1 Corinthians 10:4_"_, that Christ is intended by the spiritual rock that followed them: and that it was _he_, not the rock, that did _follow_ or _accompany_ the Israelites in the wilderness. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:10. _NEITHER MURMUR YE_] How the Israelites murmured because of the manna, which their souls despised as a _light_ _bread_-something incapable of affording them nourishment, c., and because they had been brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, and pretended that the promises... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:11. _UPON WHOM THE ENDS OF THE WORLD ARE COME._] Τα τελη των αιωνων· The end of the times included within the whole duration of the Mosaic economy. For although the word αιων means, in its _primary_ sense, _endless being_, or _duration_; yet, in its accommodated sense, it is... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:12. _LET HIM THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH_] ο δοκων εσταναι. _Let him who most confidently standeth_-him who has the _fullest conviction_ in his own conscience that his heart is right with God, and that his mind is right in the truth, take heed lest he fall from his faith, and fr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:13. _BUT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN_] ανθρωπινος. Chrysostom has properly translated this word ανθρωπινος, τουτεστι μικρος, βραχυς, συμμετρος; that is, _small, short, moderate_. Your temptations or trials have been but trifling in comparison of those endured by the Israelites;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:14. _THEREFORE - FLEE FROM IDOLATRY._] This is a trial of no great magnitude; to escape from so _gross_ a temptation requires but a moderate portion of grace and circumspection.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:15. _I SPEAK AS TO WISE MEN_] The Corinthians valued themselves not a little on their _wisdom_ and various gifts; the apostle admits this, and draws an argument from it against themselves. As ye are _so wise_, surely ye can see the propriety of abominating idolatry of every ki... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:16. _THE CUP OF BLESSING_] The apostle speaks here of the Eucharist, which he illustrates by the כוס הברכה _cos habberacah_, cup of blessing, over which thanks were expressed at the conclusion of the passover. See this largely explained at the conclusion of _Clarke's notes on... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _FOR WE_, BEING MANY, _ARE ONE BREAD_] The original would be better translated thus: _Because there is one bread_, or _loaf; we, who are many, are one body_. As only one loaf was used at the passover, and those who partook of it were considered to be _one religious body_; so we who partake... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _BEHOLD ISRAEL AFTER THE FLESH_] The Jews not yet _converted_ to Christianity: the latter being _Israel after the_ _Spirit_. As the design of the apostle was to withdraw his converts at Corinth from all temptations to idolatry, he produces two _examples_ to show the propriety of his endeav... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _WHAT SAY I THEN?_] A Jewish phrase for, _I conclude_; and this is his conclusion: that although an idol is nothing, has neither power nor influence, nor are things offered to idols any thing the worse for being thus offered; yet, as the things sacrificed by the Gentiles are sacrificed to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _YE CANNOT DRINK THE CUP OF THE LORD_] It is in vain that you who frequent these idol festivals profess the religion of Christ, and commemorate his death and passion in the holy eucharist; for you can not have that fellowship with Christ which this ordinance implies, while you are partaker... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _DO WE PROVOKE THE LORD TO JEALOUSY?_] All idolatry is represented as a sort of spiritual _adultery_; it is giving that heart to Satan that should be devoted to God; and he is represented as being _jealous_, because of the infidelity of those who have _covenanted_ to give their hearts to h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME_] I may lawfully eat all kinds of food, _but all are not expedient_; ου παντα συμφερει. It would not be _becoming_ in me to eat of all, because I should by this offend and grieve many weak minds. See the notes on 1 Corinthians 6:12, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _LET NO MAN SEEK HIS OWN_, c.] Let none, for his private gratification or emolument, disturb the peace or injure the soul of another. Let every man live, not for _himself_, but for every part of the great human family with which he is surrounded.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _WHATSOEVER IS SOLD IN THE SHAMBLES_, THAT _EAT_] The case to which the apostle refers is simply this; it was customary to bring the flesh of the animal to market, the blood of which had been poured out in sacrifice to an idol; or, taken more _particularly_, the case was this; _one_ part... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S_] And because God made the earth and its _fulness_, all animals, plants, and vegetables, there can be nothing in it or them impure or unholy; because all are the creatures of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _IF ANY - BID YOU_ TO A FEAST] The apostle means any _common meal_, not an idol festival; for to such no Christian could lawfully go. _WHATSOEVER IS SET BEFORE YOU, EAT_] Do not act as the Jews generally do, torturing both _themselves_ and _others_ with questions, such as those mentioned... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _THIS IS OFFERED IN SACRIFICE UNTO IDOLS_] While they were not apprized of this circumstance they might lawfully eat; but when told that the flesh set before them had been offered to an idol, then they were not to eat, for the sake of his weak conscience who pointed out the circumstance. F... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. 30. _FOR WHY IS MY LIBERTY JUDGED OF ANOTHER MAN'S_ _CONSCIENCE?_ C.] Though in the case of flesh offered to idols, and other matters connected with idolatry, (on which it appears there was much of a tender conscience among some of the Corinthians,) it was necessary to sacrifice something... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. 1 Corinthians 10:29... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _WHETHER THEREFORE YE EAT, OR DRINK_] As no general rule can be laid down in reference to the above particulars, there is one maxim of which no Christian must lose sight-_that whether he_ _eats or drinks_ of this or the other kind of aliments, or _whatever_ _else_ he may _do_, he must do i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _GIVE NONE OFFENCE_, c.] Scrupulously avoid giving any cause of offence either to the unconverted _Jews_ or the unconverted _Gentiles_, so as to prejudice them against Christianity: _nor to the Church of God_, made up of converts from the above parties.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Corinthians 10:33. _EVEN AS I PLEASE ALL MEN_] Act as _I_ do: forgetting myself, my own interests, convenience, ease, and comfort, I labour for the welfare of others; and particularly that they may be _saved_. How blessed and amiable was the spirit and conduct of this holy man! THIS chapter... [ Continue Reading ]