Reflections on 1 Corinthians 10

1 Corinthians 10 (Contemporary English Version)
1. Friends, I want to remind you that all of our ancestors walked under the cloud and went through the sea.
   
2. This was like being baptized and becoming followers of Moses.
   
3. All of them also ate the same spiritual food
   
4. and drank the same spiritual drink, which flowed from the spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ.
   
5. But most of them did not please God. So they died, and their bodies were scattered all over the desert.
   
6. What happened to them is a warning to keep us from wanting to do the same evil things.
   
7. They worshiped idols, just as the Scriptures say, "The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance around." So don't worship idols.
   
8. Some of those people did shameful things, and in a single day about twenty-three thousand of them died. Don't do shameful things as they did.
   
9. And don't try to test Christ, as some of them did and were later bitten by poisonous snakes.
   
10. Don't even grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel.
    
11. These things happened to them as a warning to us. All this was written in the Scriptures to teach us who live in these last days.
    
12. Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall.
    
13. You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.
    
14. My friends, you must keep away from idols.
    
15. I am speaking to you as people who have enough sense to know what I am talking about.
    
16. When we drink from the cup that we ask God to bless, isn't that sharing in the blood of Christ? When we eat the bread that we break, isn't that sharing in the body of Christ?
    
17. By sharing in the same loaf of bread, we become one body, even though there are many of us.
    
18. Aren't the people of Israel sharing in the worship when they gather around the altar and eat the sacrifices offered there?
    
19. Am I saying that either the idols or the food sacrificed to them is anything at all?
    
20. No, I am not! That food is really sacrificed to demons and not to God. I don't want you to have anything to do with demons.
    
21. You cannot drink from the cup of demons and still drink from the Lord's cup. You cannot eat at the table of demons and still eat at the Lord's table.
    
22. We would make the Lord jealous if we did that. And we are not stronger than the Lord.
    
23. Some of you say, "We can do whatever we want to!" But I tell you that not everything may be good or helpful.
    
24. We should think about others and not about ourselves.
    
25. However, when you buy meat in the market, go ahead and eat it. Keep your conscience clear by not asking where the meat came from.
    
26. The Scriptures say, "The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord."
    
27. If an unbeliever invites you to dinner, and you want to go, then go. Eat whatever you are served. Don't cause a problem for someone's conscience by asking where the food came from.
    
28. But if you are told that it has been sacrificed to idols, don't cause a problem by eating it. I don't mean a problem for yourself, but for the one who told you. Why should my freedom be limited by someone else's conscience?
    
29. (SEE 10:28)
    
30. If I give thanks for what I eat, why should anyone accuse me of doing wrong?
    
31. When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God.
    
32. Don't cause problems for Jews or Greeks or anyone else who belongs to God's church.
    
33. I always try to please others instead of myself, in the hope that many of them will be saved.
    
    

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    After defending his apostleship in chapter 9, Paul returns to the topic of idolatry in particular, and other sinful practices in general. The Corinthian Christians were a proud bunch boasting of their spiritual prowess and competing over who was best in spiritual matters. It was likely for this reason that Paul reminded them of the experiences of the Israelites of old. They were a privileged people in a number of ways. They had divine guidance (under the cloud), had received God's miraculous deliverance from Egypt (passed through the sea), etc., but this didn't stop God from disciplining them severely: "God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert." (10:5)
    
    Paul then told them, "Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire evil as they did." (10:6) If this were true of Israel, whose standing with God was unquestionable, it was also true for the Corinthian Christians who were boasting of their spiritual standing yet still delving into idolatry and other sins. Thus Paul warned them against idolatry, sexual immorality, tempting Christ, and complaining. He seemed most concerned, however, about idolatry. Many had come out of idolatry and likely had friends who were still in it, so it was tempting for them to continue to dabble in idolatry thinking there was no harm. But Paul told them that sacrifices to idols were actually sacrifices to demons, and they should not partner themselves with demons. They could not go from participating in the Lord's Supper (the Lord's Table) and the table of demons.
    
    Paul then repeated what he had told them before: "'Everything is permissible,' but not everything is helpful. 'Everything is permissible,' but not everything builds up." (10:23) Though participation is sacrifices to idols was off limits, eating the meat used in these sacrifices that was sold in the market could be done in good conscience. However, when buying their meat they should not raise the question of its origen. Buy the meat, no questions asked. And if invited to the home of an unbeliever they should eat the meat without raising question as to its origen. But if another person points out that the meat was offered to an idol, then they should not eat it. Why? For the benefit of the person who might point it out. It would be due to their own conscience that they should pointed it out, and it would do harm to them to go ahead and eat it. When considering our Christian liberties, I believe Paul would say, "What will it hurt?" is the wrong question when considering an action. The better question would be, "How will it help?"