1: Moreover brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that
all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the [Red] sea 2:
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea 3: And did
all eat the same spiritual meat 4: And did all drink the same spiritual
drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock
was Christ 5: But with many of them God was not well pleased for they
were overthrown in the wilderness 6: Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust
after evil things as they also lusted[1] Numbers
11:4-6,18-23,31-34 7: Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them
as it is written The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play Exodus
32 8: Neither let us commit porneuo as some of them committed
and fell in one day three and twenty thousand Numbers 25:1-9 9:
Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of
serpents Numbers 21:5-8 10: Neither murmur ye as some of them
also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer[2] Numbers
14:36 11: Now all these things happened to them for ensamples
and they are written for our admonition
[3] upon
whom the ends of the world are come 12: Wherefore let them that think they
stand take heed lest they fall[4] 13:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is
faithful who will not permit you to be tempted above that you are able but will
with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it 14:
Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from idolatry 15: I speak as to the wise
you judge what I say 16: The cup
of blessing which we bless is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ The
bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ 17:
For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that
one bread 18: Behold Israel after the flesh are not they which eat of
the sacrifices partakers of the alter 19: What say I then that the idol
is anything or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything 20:
But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to devils
and not to God and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils 21:
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils you cannot be
partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils 22: Do we
provoke the Lord to jealousy are we stronger than he 23: All [things]
are lawful for me but all things are not profitable All [things] are lawful for
me but all things do not build up 24: Let no one seek their own but
every one another’s wealth[5] 25:
Whatever is sold in the market that eat asking no question for conscience sake 26:
For the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof 27: If any of them
that believe not invite you to a feast and you be disposed to go whatever is
set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake 28: But if any
say to you This is offered in sacrifice to idols eat not for their sake that disclosed
it and for conscience sake For the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof 29:
Conscience I say not your own but of the other for why is my liberty judged by
another’s conscience 30: For if I by grace be a partaker why am I evil
spoken of for that for which I give thanks 31: Whether therefore you eat
or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God 32: Give no
offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God 33:
Even as I please all in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of
many that they may be saved[6]
[1] Sin is always a matter of the heart.
But it is not always the obvious things we think of as sin. The people in the
wilderness were not content with God’s provision of manna. They complained
against him, demanding meat. This was sin. Wanting meat and eating meat, in and
of itself, was not evil. It was the ungrateful, rebellious hearts, complaining
mouths, and the lusting after what was not
provided—what was not in the immediate will of God for them—that brought the
wrath of God down upon those who lusted and complained.
[2] It is never OK to murmur against God,
even when the way is fearful and difficult to understand or endure
[3] Paul reiterates that what was written
of old, is evergreen for the Christian. Some say the Old Testament is
irrelevant to New Testament Christianity, but the New Testament itself affirms
[time and again] that what was written to God’s people under the Law of Moses
[and before] is relevant for Children of God, today. This commentator
recommends reading your Bibles every day, always picking up today where you
left off yesterday.
[4] This admonition is written to those who
believe they are serving God sincerely but need to search their hearts for sin
which may not be obvious to them (the heart of man is deceitful and wicked
above all things…Search my heart O God…).
Pride, arrogance, class consciousness, racism, these are things are
grievous sins in the sight of God, and have no place in the hearts and lives of
Christians, yet we see the Body of Christ segregated along such lines. This
must stop.
[5] Seek the welfare of our family in
Christ and all fellow human beings, just as if it were our own. We truly are
our brother’s keepers.
[6] Paul is not instructing Christians to
be “man-pleasers.” He is saying that we should not offend someone else's
conscience, by eating food that we know has been used in idolatrous/pagan
religious ceremonies. This compares with his message about not eating meat as
long as the world stands if it would cause a brother to stumble, or that it is
better to refrain from behavior that could be misconstrued, even when we know
that we are doing nothing wrong. The consciences of others should be of concern
to the Christian. The apostle is not promoting a generalized political
correctness or commanding Christians to never offend anyone by telling the
truth. A thorough reading of Paul’s letters, reveals that he was anything but
politically correct, and that both he and Jesus spoke the truth, even when it
was hard and they know some would take offense to it.
Additional commentary pending for this
chapter
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