By the example of the Israelites, he shews that we are not to build too
much upon favours received but to avoid their sins and fly from the
service of idols and from things offered to idols.
10:1. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were
all under the cloud: and all passed through the sea.
10:2. And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud and in the sea:
In Moses... Under the conduct of Moses, they received baptism in figure,
by passing under the cloud, and through the sea; and they partook of the
body and blood of Christ in figure, by eating of the manna, (called here
a spiritual food because it was a figure of the true bread which comes
down from heaven,) and drinking the water, miraculously brought out of
the rock, called here a spiritual rock, because it was also a figure of
Christ.
10:3. And did all eat the same spiritual food:
10:4. And all drank the same spiritual drink: (And they drank of the
spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.)
10:5. But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were
overthrown in the desert.
10:6. Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not
covet evil things, as they also coveted.
10:7. Neither become ye idolaters, as some of them, as it is written:
The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
10:8. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them that committed
fornication: and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
10:9. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted and perished
by the serpent.
10:10. Neither do you murmur, as some of them murmured and were
destroyed by the destroyer.
10:11. Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are
written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
The ends of the world... That is, the last ages.
10:12. Wherefore, he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed
lest he fall.
10:13. Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which
you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be
able to bear it.
Or... no temptation hath taken hold of you... or come upon you as yet,
but what is human, or incident to man. Issue... or a way to escape.
10:14. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, fly from the service of idols.
10:15. I speak as to wise men: judge ye yourselves what I say.
10:16. The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it
not the partaking of the body of the Lord?
Which we bless... Here the apostle puts them in mind of their partaking
of the body and blood of Christ in the sacred mysteries, and becoming
thereby one mystical body with Christ. From whence he infers, ver. 21,
that they who are made partakers with Christ, by the eucharistic
sacrifice and sacrament, must not be made partakers with devils by
eating of the meats sacrificed to them.
10:17. For we, being many, are one bread, one body: all that partake of
one bread.
One bread... or, as it may be rendered, agreeably both to the Latin and
Greek, because the bread is one, all we, being many, are one body, who
partake of that one bread. For it is by our communicating with Christ,
and with one another, in this blessed sacrament, that we are formed into
one mystical body; and made, as it were, one bread, compounded of many
grains of corn, closely united together.
10:18. Behold Israel according to the flesh. Are not they that eat of
the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
10:19. What then? Do I say that what is offered in sacrifice to idols is
any thing? Or that the idol is any thing?
10:20. But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to
devils and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers
with devils.
10:21. You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord and the chalice of
devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the
table of devils.
10:22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? All
things are lawful for me: but all things are not expedient.
10:23. All things are lawful for me: but all things do not edify.
10:24. Let no man seek his own, but that which is another's.
10:25. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat: asking no question for
conscience' sake.
10:26. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.
10:27. If any of them that believe not, invite you, and you be willing
to go: eat of any thing that is set before you, asking no question for
conscience' sake.
10:28. But if any man say: This has been sacrificed to idols: do not eat
of it, for his sake that told it and for conscience' sake.
10:29. Conscience I say, not thy own, but the other's. For why is my
liberty judged by another man's conscience?
10:30. If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I evil spoken of for that
for which I give thanks?
10:31. Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do,
do all to the glory of God.
10:32. Be without offence to the Jew, and to the Gentiles and to the
church of God:
10:33. As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is
profitable to myself but to many: that they may be saved.