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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 10:15-22

In this passage the apostle urges the general caution against idolatry, in the particular case of eating the heathen sacrifices as such, and out of any religious respect to the idol to whom they were sacrificed. I. He prefaces his argument with an appeal to their own reason and judgment: ?I speak to wise men, judge you what I say, 1 Cor. 10:15. You are great pretenders to wisdom, to close reasoning and argument; I can leave it with your own reason and conscience whether I do not argue justly.?... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

10:14-22 So then, my beloved ones, avoid everything that has to do with idols. I speak as I would to sensible men; pass your own judgment on what I am saying. Is not this blessed cup on which we ask the blessing, a very sharing in the blood of Jesus Christ? Is not the bread which we break a very sharing in the body of Christ? Just as the broken bread is one, so we, though we are many, are one body. For we all share in the one bread. Look at the nation of Israel in the racial sense. Do not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 10:18

Behold Israel after the flesh ,.... So the apostle calls them, to distinguish them from the Israel of God, the spiritual Israel, whether Jews or Gentiles; who are born again, believe in the true Messiah, worship God in a spiritual manner, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in fleshly things; but these were the descendants of Jacob or Israel by carnal generation, were carnal men, in the flesh, in a state of unregeneracy, and were employed in a carnal worship, in the observance of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 10:19

What say I then ?.... Or may be objected to, or inferred from, what I say; that an idol is anything, or that which is sacrificed to idols is anything ? to which must be answered, as the Syriac version reads, לא , "no", by no means; by running the parallel between Christians having communion with the body and blood of Christ, in the Lord's supper, through eating the bread and drinking the wine, the Israelites partaking of the altar, by eating of the sacrifices of it, and men's joining... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 10:20

But I say ,.... This is my sense and meaning, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice unto devils, and not to God ; reference is had to Deuteronomy 32:17 for what the Gentiles sacrificed, though they did not sacrifice intentionally to the idols of gold, silver, wood, and stone, but to God in them, as they pretended; yet inasmuch as in such worship and sacrifices they were directed, instigated, influenced, and assisted by devils, who took up their residence in these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 10:21

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils ,.... Not only they ought not, but they could not rightly, truly, and really drink the cup of wine in the Lord's supper, in the true faith of Christ's bloodshed, and his sacrifice offered up for them, in remembrance of his love, and to the honour of his name; and also the cup of wine of libations, poured out and drank to the honour of the Heathen deities; these things are utterly inconsistent; no man can serve two masters, God and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 10:18

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 endeavors. All who join together in celebrating the Lord's Supper, and are partakers of that one bread, give proof by this that they are Christians, and have fellowship with Christ. 2. All the Israelites who offer... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 10:19

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 demons and not to God, those who partake of them have fellowship with demons: those who profess Christianity cannot have fellowship both with Christ and the devil. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 10:21

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 partakers of the table of demons. That the Gentiles, in their sacrifices, fed on the slain beasts, and ate bread and drank wine in honor of their gods, is sufficiently clear from various accounts. See my Discourse... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 10:18

Verse 18 18.Behold Israel after the flesh He establishes it by another example, that such is the nature of all sacred observances, that they bind us in a kind of fellowship with God. For the law of Moses admits no one to a feast upon a sacrifice, but the man who has duly prepared himself. I speak not of priests merely, but of those among the common people who eat of the remains of the sacrifice. Hence it follows, that all who eat of the flesh of the sacrificed victim, are partakers with the... read more

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