Admonitions and Warnings. A. D. 57.
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how
that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the 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.
In order to dissuade the Corinthians from communion with idolaters,
and security in any sinful course, he sets before them the example of the
Jews, the church under the Old Testament. They enjoyed great privileges,
but, having been guilty of heinous provocations, they fell under very grievous
punishments. In these verses he reckons up their privileges, which, in
the main, were the same with ours.
I. He prefaces this discourse with a note of regard: "Moreover, brethren,
I would not that you should be ignorant. I would not have you without the
knowledge of this matter; it is a thing worthy both of your knowledge and
attention. It is a history very instructive and monitory." Judaism was
Christianity under a veil, wrapt up in types and dark hints. The gospel
was preached to them, in their legal rites and sacrifices. And the providence
of God towards them, and what happened to them notwithstanding these privileges,
may and ought to be warnings to us.
II. He specifies some of their privileges. He begins, 1. With their
deliverance from Egypt: "Our fathers, that is, the ancestors of us Jews,
were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. They were all under
the divine covering and conduct." The cloud served for both purposes: it
sometimes contracted itself into a cloudy pillar, shining on one side to
show them their way, dark on the other to hide them from their pursuing
enemies; and sometimes spread itself over them as a mighty sheet, to defend
them from the burning sun in the sandy desert, Ps. cv. 39. They were miraculously
conducted through the Red Sea, where the pursuing Egyptians were drowned:
it was a lane to them, but a grave to these: a proper type of our redemption
by Christ, who saves us by conquering and destroying his enemies and ours.
They were very dear to God, and much in his favour, when he would work
such miracles for their deliverance, and take them so immediately under
his guidance and protection. 2. They had sacraments like ours. (1.) They
were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea (v. 2), or into
Moses, that is, brought under obligation to Moses's law and covenant, as
we are by baptism under the Christian law and covenant. It was to them
a typical baptism. (2.) They did all eat of the same spiritual meat, and
drink of the same spiritual drink, that we do. The manna on which they
fed was a type of Christ crucified, the bread which came down from heaven,
which whoso eateth shall live forever. Their drink was a stream fetched
from a rock which followed them in all their journeyings in the wilderness;
and this rock was Christ, that is, in type and figure. He is the rock on
which the Christian church is built; and of the streams that issue from
him do all believers drink, and are refreshed. Now all the Jews did eat
of this meat, and drink of this rock, called here a spiritual rock, because
it typified spiritual things. These were great privileges. One would think
that this should have saved them; that all who ate of that spiritual meat,
and drank of that spiritual drink, should have been holy and acceptable
to God. Yet was it otherwise: With many of them God was not well pleased;
for they were overthrown in the wilderness, v. 5. Note, Men may enjoy many
and great spiritual privileges in this world, and yet come short of eternal
life. Many of those who were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and sea,
that is, had their faith of his divine commission confirmed by these miracles,
were yet overthrown in the wilderness, and never saw the promised land.
Let none presume upon their great privileges, or profession of the truth;
these will not secure heavenly happiness, nor prevent judgments here on
earth, except the root of the matter be in us.
Admonitions and Warnings. A. D. 57.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not
lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 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. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some
of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither
let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of
serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were
destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them
for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take
heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved,
flee from idolatry.
The apostle, having recited their privileges, proceeds here to an account
of their faults and punishments, their sins and plagues, which are left
upon record for an example to us, a warning against the like sins, if we
would escape the like punishments. We must not do as they did, lest we
suffer as they suffered.
I. Several of their sins are specified as cautions to us; as, 1. We
should shun inordinate desires after carnal objects: Not lust after evil
things, as they lusted, v. 6. God fed them with manna, but they must have
flesh, Num. xi. 4. They had food for their supply, but, not content with
this, they asked meat for their lusts, Ps. xvi. 14. Carnal desires get
head by indulgence, and therefore should be observed and checked in their
first rise: if once they prevail, and bear sway in us, we know not whither
they will carry us. This caution stands first, because carnal appetites
indulged are the root and source of much sin. 2. He warns against idolatry
(v. 7): Neither be you idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written,
The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. The sin of the
golden calf is referred to, Exod. xxxii. 6. They first sacrificed to their
idol, then feasted on the sacrifices, and then danced before it. Though
only eating and drinking are mentioned here, yet the sacrifice is supposed.
The apostle is speaking to the case of the Corinthians, who were tempted
to feast on the heathen sacrifices, things offered to idols, though they
do not seem to have been under any temptation to offer sacrifice themselves.
Even eating and drinking of the sacrifices before the idol, and as things
sacrificed, was idolatry, which, by the example of the Israelites, they
should be warned to avoid. 3. He cautions against fornication, a sin to
which the inhabitants of Corinth were in a peculiar manner addicted. They
had a temple among them dedicated to Venus (that is, to lust), with above
a thousand priestesses belonging to it, all common prostitutes. How needful
was a caution against fornication to those who lived in so corrupt a city,
and had been used to such dissolute manners, especially when they were
under temptations to idolatry too! and spiritual whoredom did in many cases
lead to bodily prostitution. Most of the gods whom the heathens served
were represented as patterns of lewdness; and much lewdness was committed
in the very worship of many of them. Many of the Jewish writers, and many
Christians after them, think that such worship was paid to Baal-Peor; and
that fornication was committed with the daughters of Moab in the worship
of that idol. They were enticed by these women both to spiritual and corporal
whoredom; first to feast on the sacrifice, if not to do more beastly acts,
in honour of the idol, and then to defile themselves with strange flesh
(Num. xxv.), which brought on a plague, that in one day slew twenty-three
thousand, besides those who fell by the hand of public justice. Note, Whoremongers
and adulterers God will judge, in whatever external relation they may stand
to him, and whatever outward privileges he may bestow upon them. Let us
fear the sins of Israel, if we would shun their plagues. 4. He warns us
against tempting Christ (as some of them tempted, and were destroyed of
serpents, v. 9), or provoking him to jealousy, v. 22. He was with the church
in the wilderness; he was the angel of the covenant, who went before them.
But he was greatly grieved and provoked by them in many ways: They spoke
against him and Moses, Wherefore have you brought us out of Egypt to die
in the wilderness? for which reason God sent fiery serpents among them
(Num. xxi. 5, 6), by which many of them were stung mortally. And it is
but just to fear that such as tempt Christ under the present dispensation
will be left by him in the power of the old serpent. 5. He warns against
murmuring: Neither murmur you as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed
of the destroyer (v. 10), by a destroying angel, an executioner of divine
vengeance. They quarrelled with God, and murmured against Moses his minister,
when any difficulties pressed them. When they met with discouragements
in the way to Canaan, they were very apt to fly in the face of their leaders,
were for displacing them, and going back to Egypt under the conduct of
others of their own choosing. Something like this seems to have been the
case of the Corinthians; they murmured against Paul, and in him against
Christ, and seem to have set up other teachers, who would indulge and soothe
them in their inclinations, and particularly in a revolt to idolatry. Rather
let them feast on idol sacrifices than bear the reproach, or expose themselves
to the ill-will, of heathen neighbours. Such conduct was very provoking
to God, and was likely to bring upon them swift destruction, as it did
on the Israelites, Num. xiv. 37. Note, Murmuring against divine disposals
and commands is a sin that greatly provokes, especially when it grows to
such a head as to issue in apostasy, and a revolt from him and his good
ways.
II. The apostle subjoins to these particular cautions a more general
one (v. 11): All these things happened to them for ensamples, and were
written for our admonition. Not only the laws and ordinances of the Jews,
but the providences of God towards them, were typical. Their sins against
God, and backslidings from him, were typical of the infidelity of many
under the gospel. God's judgments on them were types of spiritual judgments
now. Their exclusion from the earthly Canaan typified the exclusion of
many under the gospel out of the heavenly Canaan, for their unbelief. Their
history was written, to be a standing monitor to the church, even under
the last and most perfect dispensation: To us, on whom the end of the world
is come, the concluding period of God's gracious government over men. Note,
Nothing in scripture is written in vain. God had wise and gracious purposes
towards us in leaving the Jewish history upon record; and it is our wisdom
and duty to receive instruction from it. Upon this hint the apostle grounds
a caution (v. 12): Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall. Note, The harms sustained by others should be cautious to us. He
that thinks he stands should not be confident and secure, but upon his
guard. Others have fallen, and so may we. And then we are most likely to
fall when we are most confident of our own strength, and thereupon most
apt to be secure, and off our guard. Distrust of himself, putting him at
once upon vigilance and dependence on God, is the Christian's best security
against all sin. Note, He who thinks he stands is not likely to keep his
footing, if he fears no fall, nor guards against it. God has not promised
to keep us from falling, if we do not look to ourselves: his protection
supposes our own care and caution.
III. But to this word of caution he adds a word of comfort, v. 13. Though
it is displeasing to God for us to presume, it is not pleasing to him for
us to despair. If the former be a great sin, the latter is far from being
innocent. Though we must fear and take heed lest we fall, yet should we
not be terrified and amazed; for either our trials will be proportioned
to our strength, or strength will be supplied in proportion to our temptations.
We live indeed in a tempting world, where we are compassed about with snares.
Every place, condition, relation, employment, and enjoyment, abounds with
them; yet what comfort may we fetch from such a passage! For, 1. "No temptation,"
says the apostle, "hath yet taken you, but such as is common to man, what
is human; that is, such as you may expect from men of such principles as
heathens, and such power; or else such as is common to mankind in the present
state; or else such as the spirit and resolution of mere men may bear you
through." Note, The trials of common Christians are but common trials:
others have the like burdens and the like temptations; what they bear up
under, and break through, we may also. 2. God is faithful. Though Satan
be a deceiver, God is true. Men may be false, and the world may be false;
but God is faithful, and our strength and security are in him. He keepeth
his covenant, and will never disappoint the filial hope and trust of his
children. 3. He is wise as well as faithful, and will proportion our burden
to our strength. He will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are
able. He knows what we can bear, and what we can bear up against; and he
will, in his wise providence, either proportion our temptations to our
strength or make us able to grapple with them. He will take care that we
be not overcome, if we rely upon him, and resolve to approve ourselves
faithful to him. We need not perplex ourselves with the difficulties in
our way when God will take care that they shall not be too great for us
to encounter, especially. 4. When he will make them to issue well. He will
make a way to escape, either the trial itself, or at least the mischief
of it. There is no valley so dark but he can find a way through it, no
affliction so grievous but he can prevent, or remove, or enable us to support
it, and in the end overrule it to our advantage.
IV. And upon this argument he grounds another caution against idolatry:
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. Observe, 1. How he addresses
them: My dearly beloved. It is out of tender affection to them that he
presses this advice upon them. 2. The matter of his advice: "Flee idolatry;
shun it, and all approaches towards it." Idolatry is the most heinous injury
and affront to the true God; it is transferring his worship and honour
to a rival. 3. The ground of this advice: "Seeing you have such encouragement
to trust God, and to be faithful, do you approve yourselves men, be not
shaken by any discouragements your heathen enemies may lay before you.
God will succour and assist, help you in your trials, and help you out
of them; and therefore be not guilty of any idolatrous compliances." Note,
We have all the encouragement in the world to flee sin and prove faithful
to God. We cannot fall by a temptation if we cleave fast to him.
Against Countenancing Idolatry. A. D. 57.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing
which we bless, is it not the communion 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, and one body: for we are all partakers of that
one bread.
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, v. 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." Note, It is no dishonour
to an inspired teacher, nor disadvantage to his argument, to appeal for
the truth of it to the reason and consciences of his hearers. It comes
upon them with the greater force when it comes with this conviction. Paul,
an inspired apostle, would yet, in some cases, leave it with the Corinthians
to judge whether what he taught was not conformable to their own light
and sense.
II. He lays down his argument from the Lord's supper: The cup which
we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which
we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Is not this sacred
rite an instrument of communion with God? Do we not therein profess to
be in friendship, and to have fellowship, with him? Is it not a token whereby
we professedly hold communion with Christ, whose body was broken, and blood
shed, to procure remission of our sins, and the favour of God? And can
we be in alliance with Christ, or friendship with God, without being devoted
to him? In short, the Lord's supper is a feast on the sacrificed body and
blood of our Lord, epulum ex oblatis. And to eat of the feast is to partake
of the sacrifice, and so to be his guests to whom the sacrifice was offered,
and this in token of friendship with him. Thus to partake of the Lord's
table is to profess ourselves his guests and covenant people. This is the
very purpose and intention of this symbolical eating and drinking; it is
holding communion with God, and partaking of those privileges, and professing
ourselves under those obligations, which result from the death and sacrifice
of Christ; and this in conjunction with all true Christians, with whom
we have communion also in this ordinance. Because the bread is one, we,
being many, are one body, for we are made partakers of one bread, or loaf
(v. 17), which I think is thus more truly rendered: "By partaking of one
broken loaf, the emblem of our Saviour's broken body, who is the only true
bread that came down from heaven, we coalesce into one body, become members
of him and one another." Those who truly partake by faith have this communion
with Christ, and one another; and those who eat the outward elements make
profession of having this communion, of belonging to God and the blessed
fraternity of his people and worshippers. This is the true meaning of this
holy rite.
