1 Corinthians 10:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and all ate the same spiritual food,

NIV: They all ate the same spiritual food

NASB: and they all ate the same spiritual food,

CSB: They all ate the same spiritual food,

NLT: All of them ate the same spiritual food,

KJV: And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

NKJV: all ate the same spiritual food,

Paul is making a connection between the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness and the Christians in Corinth. He has written that the Israelites were baptized into Moses through their universal experiences of passing through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–28) and being led by the Lord in a pillar of cloud (Exodus 13:21). Christians, too, receive God's guidance and protection, as well as being baptized into Christ, our connection to God.

Now Paul adds that the Israelites all ate the same spiritual food, referring to God's provision of manna from heaven during their years in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4, 15). Christians, including those in Corinth, eat spiritual food from heaven in the sense that we symbolically take in Christ's body and blood through the sacrament of communion (John 6:31–34).

First Corinthians 10:1–13 describes how the generation of Israelites who escaped from Egypt were blessed by God and yet fell repeatedly into idol worship. God severely punished many of them, including the fate of wandering the desert until death. The Corinthians should read their example as a warning unless they, too, fall at God's hand for participating with idols. Their standing in Christ does not mean that God will not act against unfaithfulness to Him with false gods. Still, such temptations are common, and God always provides His children a way to escape from sin.

Idol worship is an extremely serious sin. Paul reminds the Christians in idol-saturated Corinth of that by referring to the history of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness. Though blessed by God, they worshiped false idols. God killed many of them for it. Paul commands his readers to flee from idol worship. To participate with idol worship in any way is to participate with demons. God always provides some way to avoid sin. So, they must avoid giving anyone the idea that they approve of idol worship, even by knowingly eating food offered to idols. Their first question must always be, ''Will this glorify God?''

The previous chapter concluded with Paul's commitment to continue to control himself. He exercises discipline so he does not become ineffective in his ministry. He begins chapter 10 by reminding the Corinthians of how the Israelites brought consequences on themselves in the wilderness. Among their many sins was worshiping idols, and God killed many of them for it. The Corinthians must flee idol worship and any appearance of supporting the demonic practice. They are free to eat meat if they don't know that it is idol food. However, they should be ready to set aside their own freedoms and rights whenever doing so will glorify God and win others to Christ.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.

Accessed 5/3/2024 5:59:55 AM