Talk 14. No going to idol temples (10:14-11:1)
As we have seen in recent talks, in chapter 8 Paul brought out the general principle that there are some things that are quite lawful but from which we should abstain for the sake of weaker Christians.
This theme is partly continued in chapter 9 where he points out that he has certain rights as an apostle which he has not claimed.
The same line of thought dominates the second part of chapter 10, which includes a strong prohibition against attendance at cultic meals.
As we saw last time, the chapter may be divided into four main parts:
- An example from OT history (1-5)
- Lessons to be learned from this (6-13)
- Christianity and idolatry are incompatible (14-22)
- Eating market-place food (23-33)
Today we pick up where we finished last time.
c) Christianity and idolatry are incompatible (14-22)
Here Paul flatly prohibits idolatry. He does so on two grounds:
1) The sacred meal means fellowship with the deity
2) Idolatry involves the demonic.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
God’s promise of help (13) is not intended to cause us to see how near we can get to sin and get away with it! We must flee from idolatry. There are some things it is wise for us to run away from (cf. 2 Timothy 2:22). It’s not sinful to walk near the edge of a precipice, but it’s very foolish!
15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
the cup of thanksgiving
A technical Jewish term for the cup of wine drunk at the end of a meal as its formal close. “Blessed are Thou, O Lord our God, Who givest us the fruit of the vine”. In the Passover meal it was the third of the four cups that had to be drunk.
a participation
Koinonia is the joint sharing of a common blessing. Paul is not identifying the wine with Christ’s blood. He is thinking of the share all Christians enjoy in the benefits secured for them through the blood of Christ.
the bread that we break
The bread comes after the wine in this passage indicating that at the time of writing no strict liturgy had developed (although everywhere else in the NT the bread precedes the wine).
17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
one loaf
A single loaf was used. Christians are united, despite their plurality, by the fact that they participate in one loaf, the same Christ.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
Consider the people of Israel
The illustrations that follow are analogies to clarify Paul’s points, not arguments to prove them. The Jew making a sacrifice in the OT was allowed to eat a part of it. Paul argues that he thus became identified with the altar.
19 Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
Paul repeats his contention that the idol is nothing (cf. 8:4-5), but:
20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.
A variety of OT passages indicate that heathen sacrifices were made to demons (e.g. Ps.96:5 LXX, Isa. 65:11).
Idolatry thus brought a man in contact with the unseen spirit world.
So it’s not the eating of the food that is condemned, but participation in idolatry.
21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.
Idolatry is unthinkable for the Christian because of his exclusive relationship with Christ (cf. 6:18, 10:14, with regard to immorality).
Christ and demons are incompatible. You can’t be involved with both!
22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
The general sense of the verse seems to be Do you really think you can do what you like and get away with it?
d) On Eating Market Place Food (10:23-11:1)
23 “Everything is permissible“–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive.
24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
v23 “Everything is permissible”
This is almost certainly a quotation from a Corinthian source. Paul does not disagree with it, but quickly qualifies it with not everything is constructive
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
v25 Eat anything….
This remark indicates that Paul had ceased to be a practising Jew.
27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.
28 But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake–
29 the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience?
30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
The general sense of these verses is as follows:
If you don’t know whether the food you’re offered has been sacrificed to an idol or not, eat it without asking any questions.
(If it has been offered to an idol it won’t do you any harm).
So eat what’s set before you;
but if anyone tells you it’s been offered to an idol (28), don’t eat it or you’ll look like an idol-worshipper.
(People may get the idea that Christ is just another god who can be worshipped along with the idols).
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God
v31 the glory of God
I will not glorify God if I give an idol the honour due to Him, or if I cause ill-feeling within the church, or if I cause a fellow-Christian to fall from his faith.
33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
All our behaviour should be motivated by the good of others. The ultimate good is their salvation. In comparison with that nothing else matters.
Verses 23-33 express three basic principles of Christian living:
Edification (the spiritual welfare of our fellow-Christians) (23)
Exaltation (the glory of God) (31)
Evangelism (the salvation of many) (33)
We are to follow Paul’s example (11:1) as he follows Christ. Christ’s example is the way of the cross, the way of love, which does not insist on its own rights, but seeks the salvation of others.