New Testament Commentary - 1 Corinthians 10

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 10 Christ is the God of Israel and the spiritual Rock that guided them—Ancient Israel rebelled against Christ—Paul contrasts true and false sacraments.
1 MOREOVER, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the ^acloud, and all passed through the ^bsea; 2 And were all ^abaptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual ^ameat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that ^aRock was Christ.		1^a TG Missionary Work ^b TG Gospel 2^a Romans 1:16 ^b GR hold fast to, retain
5 But with many of them ^aGod was not well ^bpleased: for they were ^coverthrown in the ^dwilderness. 6 Now these things were our ^aexamples, to the intent we should not ^blust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The ^apeople sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.		1^a TG Missionary Work ^b TG Gospel 2^a Romans 1:16 ^b GR hold fast to, retain
8 Neither let us commit ^afornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us ^atempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither ^amurmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were ^bdestroyed of the destroyer.		1^a TG Missionary Work ^b TG Gospel 2^a Romans 1:16 ^b GR hold fast to, retain
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ^aensamples: ^band they are ^cwritten for our ^dadmonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he ^astandeth take heed lest he ^bfall.		1^a TG Missionary Work ^b TG Gospel 2^a Romans 1:16 ^b GR hold fast to, retain
13 There hath no temptation ^ataken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be ^btempted above that ye are able; but will with the ^ctemptation also make a way to ^descape, that ye may be able to ^ebear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from ^aidolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The ^acup of ^bblessing which we bless, is it not the ^ccommunion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 *For we being* many are one bread^a*, 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 ^apartakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to ^aidols is any thing?	*17^a For we being* many are one bread** This has been much discusion as to what Christ meant when he stated that He and His Father were One, and how we also might become One even as He and His Father were one (John 10:30, D&C 50:43 & John 17:11). Now we know that this 'Oneness' is not unto being one and the same person. All logic argues that. But what is meant is also that which is portrayed here. We understanding that Christ according to John is the 'Word', and that 'Word' being the 'Gospel'. And that 'Gospel' being the 'Doctrine of Christ'. And that doctrine even leading men unto immortality and eternal life. Thus Jesus Christ is said, even of himself, to be the 'Bread of Life'. And this is the 'Bread of Life' and that 'Oneness' of which is being spoken of. That we are of one Faith and grow in the fulness of the stature of Christ until we do so come unto the 'Unity of the Faith' (Ephesians 4:13), which includes coming to a full knowledge and understanding of God and His Holy ways which we must accept and come into compliance with. This is where we come together as one in our minds as to that which we do believe in, in that Doctrine of God, which is the Truth and the Glory of God, the very knowledge of all things as they really are in truth and in doctrine, in faith and in belief. And in this we so submit ourself unto until we all come into that Unity and Oneness with God in the fulness of the Gospel and Truth of all Eternity.
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they ^asacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the ^acup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to ^ajealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 ^aAll things are lawful for me, but all things are not ^bexpedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things ^cedify not. 24 Let no man seek his ^aown, but every man another's ^bwealth^a.	24^a Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth This seems a strange saying when read a certain way. But the manner of Paul's speech takes an understanding as to what his meaning was. What Paul states is that we are not to be out to get 'personal gain' to our own selfish interests. Our business is not unto such self gradification. But we are to seek to make others wealthy. That is we are to work to the end of the benefit of others, making them 'wealthy'. And that 'wealth' is not necessisarily of the wealth of the world, but to be 'rich' as to the things of God. This is the 'Charitible Way'. It is the way wereby we seek for the welfare of others, doing good unto them, making them to have sufficent and not to want. We are to be concerned with the well being of our brother. We are to make mankind our business, to seek to bring the other man in well being, to be of service unto him in all that we do, to make him 'rich' in the things of the Lord and to both his spiritual and temporal well being. A better and clearer translation would be: "Let no man seek his own selfish ends, but let every man serve the beneficial ends of another." That this is the proper understanding of what Paul is stating is made perfectly clear in verse 33.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the ^ashambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 26 For the ^aearth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a ^afeast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's ^aconscience? 30 For if I ^aby grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, ^ado all to the glory of God.
32 Give none ^aoffence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not ^aseeking mine own profit, but the ^bprofit of many, that they may be ^csaved^a.	33^a not seeking mine own propit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved Here Paul makes perfectly clear what he meant by his statement poorly translated in verse 24. And here is exactly why things ought not to be taken to be understood out of the whole context of a man's speaking and intent. Often fragment sentences are quoted and attributed to a man's saying, which is not what he 'said and meant' at all. If one qoutes only verse 24, one might subscibe unto Paul that one ought to strive after to obtain for himself the wealth of another man. But that is not what Paul was saying. What Paul was saying there and which is fully clarified here in its full context is correctly explained in the note to verse 24 above.