First Corinthians

First Corinthians was taught by Dr. James Modlish
Outline provided by Randy Rogers

 

CHAPTER TEN

10:1 “brethren” - The core of the early church was made up of Jewish Believers. As a result, Paul uses the term “our fathers”.

“…ye should not be ignorant…” - Paul uses this terminology 6 times in his epistles:

[1]. Paul did not want the Romans ignorant about his desire to come to them and have some fruit among them (Rom. 1:13).
[2]. Paul did not want the Romans ignorant about Israel’s blindness (Rom. 11:25).
[3]. Paul did not want the Corinthians ignorant about what happened to Israel in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:1).
[4]. Paul did not want the Corinthians ignorant about Spiritual gifts and there proper use (1 Cor. 12:1).
[5]. Paul did not want the Corinthians ignorant of His and other disciples suffering for the gospel’s sake (2 Cor. 1:8).
[6]. Paul does not want Christians ignorant about the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13).

Summary: Paul obviously he does not want Christians to be ignorant of these things.

“under the cloud… through the sea;” - This is a reference to Israel coming through the Red Sea as they came out of Egypt.

10:2 There are 7 baptisms in scripture, and here is one where no one gets wet. People who teach that you have to be baptized in water to be saved, have it all wrong, here Israel did not get wet. This baptism is called aspersion.

They were baptized “unto” Moses - they are now his crew, his burden, his folk.

10:3 “spiritual meat” - This is the manna that God gave them in the wilderness (Jn. 6:31-32). This meat was physical, but typifies the spiritual meat of Christ (Jn. 6:33-35). This is also true of the drink in (vs.).

10:4 “spiritual drink” - this was water from the rock, and typifies the water of life that Jesus Christ alone can give (Jn. 4;13-14).

“spiritual Rock” - again this is a type of Jesus Christ in the wilderness. This Rock followed the children of Israel. This Rock is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.

Roman Catholics try to make Peter out to be the Rock, but he is not. By Peter’s own confession, Jesus Christ is the Rock (1 Pet. 2:5-8) Have a look at (Deut. 32:4, 15, 18, 31), the Rock of Israel is Jesus Christ, not Peter.

In the wilderness, the rock that Moses smote was only to be smitten once. Jesus Christ was smitten once for our sins. The second time Moses was to speak to the rock not smite it, (Num. 20:8-11) as a result of this, Moses was not allowed into the promise land.

10:5 “many of them” - this is a reference to what took place in Numbers, and also speaks to a whole generation that was overthrown due to their wickedness.

This verse also ties in with (9:27) where Paul says he keeps under his body, so as not to be a castaway… for testimonies sake.

10:6 “our examples” - the examples are what follows:

[1]. lusting after evil things.
[2]. idolatry (vs. 7).
[3]. committing fornication (vs. 7).
[4]. tempting Christ (vs. 7).
[5]. murmuring (vs. 7).

Notice that the number “5” in your Bible is the number of death. Here are 5 things listed that caused God to overthrown them in the wilderness.

10:7 The idolatry involved here was the golden calf that they made from the Gold that they brought out of Egypt (Ex. 32).

It is implied that a Christian can be an idolater just like the Israelites who saw God’s power directly when they crossed the Red Sea. It seems that none of us are immune to this sin (1 Jn. 5:21).

10:8 “commit fornication” - Here we have a a direct reference to the children of Israel intermarrying with the Moabites in (Num. 25).

Now we have an apparent contradiction between the 24,000 dead, found in (Num. 25:9), and the 23,000 dead found here. The King James Bible will clear it all up!

The 23,000 mentioned here in (vs. 8) is the amount that died in one day.
The 24,000 mentioned in (Num. 25:9) is the total amount that died in the plague.

10:9 Here again we see a clear reference to Christ as being God (1 Tim. 3:16).

The children of Israel tempted Christ, by complaining and questioning God’s purpose for taking them out of Egypt, as well as his provisions for them while in the wilderness (Num. 21:5). Sounds like some Christians today!

God’s deliverance from the Fiery Serpents comes in the form of a serpent on a pole, which if they looked at, they would be delivered from death. This serpent on a pole pictures Jesus Christ on the cross, and how he was lifted up for us (Jn. 12:32).

10:10 “neither murmur” - Murmuring is simple complaining in a low voice, so others won’t always hear what you are saying. This can be done verbally, or in the heart where the words are not audible. It’s all the same to God!

The destroyer is Satan himself - the death angel (Heb. 2:14).

10:11 “ensamples” - an ensample is a small sample of the real product given out.

“example” - not the real thing, but something used for an object lesson to help some one learn a particular thing. Israel under went the real thing, and it is a sample of what could happen to Christians.

10:12 This is a warning to Christians not to do the same things that Israel did, all the while thinking that you stand and are okay. Take Heed!!

10:13 Now here we come to one of the greatest verses in scripture that shows that all people are tempted in some form or fashion, and that God is able to help and make a way to escape.

First let me say that it is not a sin to be tempted! It is however, a sin to fall to the temptation, or put yourself in a position to be tempted, especially in an area you are already weak in. Satan knows as well as God, where each person is weakest; so he brings temptations to that area in order to try to get you to fall. James says, “confess your faults one to another…” (Jas. 5:16) but a fault is not a sin, as the Catholic bible reads. This gives grounds for the confessional at the Catholic church. A “fault” is a weak area in a persons life where it would be easy to tempt that person to sin. A good example of this would be an earthquake fault line, it is a weak area of the earth where earthquakes happen the easiest most often.

Temptation and Sin:

[1]. Presentation - The temptation is presented in various fashions and disguises.
[2]. Illumination - You are enlightened as to whether it is right or wrong.
[3]. Debate - You roll it around in your pea brain whether or not to follow through. This is where the sin comes in even before you commit the physical action.

The “temptation” Paul is speaking about here, is a direct reference to the 5 things Israel did in the previous verses (6-10). It can also be a reference to any other sin that a Christian goes through in their daily walk with Christ.

The term “taken you” harkens to the verse:

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Tim 2:26)

Each temptation is common, and we are all tempted with the same sins. Satan has been at this for 6000 years, and he knows what works.

“but God is faithful” - Thanks be to God for his faithfulness, steadfastness, love, longsuffering, and patience. God will not allow us to be tempted above what we can handle. He does however, make a way “with the temptation” to escape. God somehow uses the very temptation and shows us how to escape it. It is up to us to take the escape when it is provided, and God shows us the way out.

Threes basic temptations:

[1]. Lust of the flesh - (1 Jn. 2:16; Matt. 4:1-11; Gen. 3.:6)
[2]. Lust of the eyes - (1 Jn. 2:16; Matt. 4:1-11; Gen. 3.:6)
[3]. Pride of life - (1 Jn. 2:16; Matt. 4:1-11; Gen. 3.:6)

The Great Escape - (Psa. 119:9,11; Rom. 6:3; Col. 3:5; Jas. 4:7; 1 Cor. 6:18)

10:14 Idolatry is wanting more than you have. Paul equates it with Covetousness in (Col. 3:5). Paul says “flee” from idolatry. (See v.7) There are times that we are to stay and fight, while putting on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6), and there are times that God says to flee. (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Cor. 6:18)

10:16 Paul brings up the Lord’s Supper right after speaking about idolatry. You can’t have the communion of devils (v. 22) while at the same time time have the communion of the Lord.

Paul does not say that the cup of blessing is the blood of Christ, but rather, the “communion of the blood of Christ.” Likewise the bread is not the physical body, but the “communion of the body of Christ.” Jesus said that the flesh profits nothing (Jn. 6:63) in the context where spoke about being the living bread from heaven.

If you could eat his physical flesh, and drink his physical blood, it would do 3 things:

[1]. Profit you nothing - the Spirit gives life (Jn. 6:63)
[2]. Make you a cannibal - eating and drinking blood forbidden throughout scripture.
[3]. You would eat and drink damnation to yourself (not discerning the Lord’s body - (1 Cor. 11:29).

10:17 The communion of the body is a reference to a “Living Body” (Christ’s) not a dead corpse as taught by the Roman Catholics. (1 Cor. 11:29). Christ’s body is a living organism made up of many members.

10:18 This is a literal reference to Israel, which were commanded to eat the sacrifice after it was offered (Ex. 12).

Verses (16-17), are not literal, but symbolic. They are to show the Lord’s death till he comes (1 Cor. 11:26).

10:19 Paul references (8:4). Idols are nothing, but the work of man’s hands.

10:20 This would be a reference to the Catholic Church which sacrifices to devils. (See Deut. 32:15-19; 31-33).

10:21 The two DO NOT go hand in hand, but many so called Christian religions try to make them the same, or at least “appear” that they are both are the same; by covering them in scriptural terminology that they themselves know nothing about, doctrinally.

10:22 NO! God is a jealous god. There use to be a commercial on TV that said it was “not nice to fool mother nature.” What about it not being nice to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Not only is it not “nice,” it can also be deadly. (See the references in the Old Testament on how Israel provoked the Lord to jealousy.)

10:23 Paul rehashes what he spoke about in (6:12). Once more emphasizing the Liberty that we have in Christ. Not everything that we do as Christians edify the Lord or his body, the church.

10:24 Here Paul is not saying to steal or covet after another man’s wealth, but rather conduct yourself in a way that will benefit other Christians. This has to do with the welfare of the other person, and not your own advantage.

10:25 “shambles” - a rundown market place.
Just buy the meat and don’t inquire as to where it came from or what it was used for.

10:26 God can bless and sanctify anything you put in your mouth (1 Tim. 4:4-5), but eating right and in moderation is still the best way to keep the flesh under control in at least the food area. Some of the Jewish dietary laws were to help Israel live a cleaner healthier life. It is a known fact that Pork is not the best meat to eat, so God gave Israel instructions accordingly in Leviticus. Daniel and the 3 Hebrew children did not eat the kings meat, but ate a vegetarian diet (Dan. 1:8-16).

10:27 Eat without asking questions, and your conscience will not be defiled.

10:28 Don’t eat if you are made aware that it was used in sacrifice to idols, otherwise the other person’s conscience will be defiled.

10:29 You have Liberty in Christ to eat and enjoy, but if it offends the other person, abstain.

10:30 Paul had liberty, but he had to watch his testimony, otherwise he could turn away people that he was trying to win.

Paul became all things to all people (1 Cor. 9:22).

10:31 Do all to God’s Glory!

10:32 Don’t be offensive. This is hard to do at times, especially in this day and age where everyone seems to get offended if you breathe wrong. People seem to be more thin-skinned nowadays.

10:33 (Gal. 1:10) - Preaching & Teaching truth.
Paul’s personal conduct was to get along with people, that they might get saved.

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