1 Corinthians 10-11

== 1 Corinthians 10:1-12 ==
1 Cor. 10:1-12 - 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. 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 examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 
I have not heard many lessons on this passage, and most of the ones I have were cursory and the typical "how does this apply to us" first type lesson.  This is a powerful lesson for those living during the time between Pentecost and the fall of Judaism.  The points Paul makes are very specific to that time period.
1.  Immersed unto Moses - He speaks of the type of immersion where the Israelites were in Egyptian slavery, then passed through the Red Sea under the cloud that Paul declares was Christ, God the Son.  We know that after this immersion they were a free people, founded as the nation of Israel.
This parallels the church which was founded on Pentecost the day Christ founded the church through the Apostles by immersing those first 3000 souls.  The type pointed to the NT antitype that is water immersion by which men pass from bondage into freedom in Christ, from slavery in the kingdom of Satan into freedom in the kingdom of Christ.
2.  Spiritual Meat and Drink - The manna from the sky, the water from the rock in the wilderness, both kept the Israelites alive during their 40 years of wandering, until they came into the promised land and were fully established as a nation.  So, too, the "manna from Heaven" (John 6:31-58; Rev. 2:17) and "the water of life" (John 4:10-28; 7:38; Rev. 21:6; 22:1, 17) were given to the church for 40 years (AD 33-73) of "wandering" in the wilderness of persecution at the hands of the Jews until the Jews were removed, the "promised land" (no persecution by the Jews and full establishment) was reached.  The bulk of the New Testament then is inspired to be written at this time, and only John's four letters that bear his name come after. 
3.  Upon whom the ends of the ages are come - Again we see this word αἰώνων (aion) which is a measurement of time, not a reference to space or the planet.  Paul writes that the church of the first century, his audience is specifically the church at Corinth for this letter, is to look upon what happened during the time of Moses as an example of what was happening then.  They were for "our admonition...upon whom the end of the ages had come."  Paul groups himself in with this.  This is not about the "Christian age" which would include us in 2013.  This is about the Christians of the first century.  It was upon them that the ends of the ages had come.  It does not get any more explicit that this, folks. Paul is warning them that they should not fall to the same lures that drew the Israelites away by being drawn in by the Judaisers.  Within the Jewish system, such as it was in Paul's day, the Christians would be lost and destroyed as those who died in the wilderness of Arabia were lost.
== 1 Corinthians 10:13-33 ==
1 Cor. 10:13-33 - 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. 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. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup 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 jealousy? are we stronger than he? 23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. 24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. 25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. 27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, 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 conscience? 30 For if I by 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, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give none offence, 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 seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
 The rest of this is a comparison of the communion, which Paul will circle back to in chapter 11, to the Levites eating what was sacrificed on the altar (cause its really just food), and what was sacrificed to idols (cause its really just food).  
First, a modern application before I get into the real, contextual meaning.  The Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation is proved false by this passage cause, yeah, its really just food. 
Given that Corinth is Gentile territory, the primary concern will be the pagan gods with regard to the food they were purchasing and eating.  As covered before, eating meat offered to idols is meaningless (1 Cor. 8; Romans 14).  Yet many of these folk had come out of paganism and would be weak concerning these things.  If they were to remain faithful until Christ's figurative return, they needed to take care how they proceeded according to these things, to watch out for one another and not cause the weaker members to sin. 
== 1 Corinthians 11 ==
1 Corinthians 11 has some great material in it, but nothing significant to address save a brief refutation of hyper/full preterism as they see this passage. 
They argue that 1) because Paul addresses the communion in chapter 10 within the context of the 40 years and the eventual coming of Christ, and 2) because chapter 11 reads that they partook of the Lord's Supper to show the Lord's death "till he come" (11:26), that the Lord's Supper was only to be a reminder to the church during the first century to help them remain faithful until AD 70 when the Jews were taken out of the way. 
There are a number of problems with rejecting a current observance of the Lord's Supper: 
1.  We are still in the kingdom and Jesus said "I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God." (Mark 14:25) and "I will not any more eat [of the Passover] thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (Luke 22:16).  These both address a time after the figurative coming of Christ and the full establishment of the church.  "New" refers to the times of refreshing (Acts 3:19), the time when all would be made new (2 Pet. 3).  We today drink with the Lord, and still wait for His literal return.
2.  The Bible was not written to us, so nothing explicitly addresses us or what we must do.  We have to understand that in writing to the church of the first century, the kingdom was being set up, established, but giving its laws to mankind, but showing the patterns of things for the rest of time.  So even though Paul was not writing to us, the pattern of the Lord's Supper that he received from Christ Jesus is one we are still obligated to conform to. 
3.  The coming of Christ isn't actually mentioned in chapter 10 so there is nothing binding the "coming of the Lord" in 11:26 to the coming in AD 70.  Given how near we are to 1 Cor. 15, it is much more likely this is referring to the end of the physical universe rather than the end of the Jewish age. 
4.  The Lord's Supper is the centerpiece of Christian worship.  It is the primary purpose for assembling ourselves on the first day of the week.  All other forms of worship are acceptable any time (except giving as a form of worship, which is tied to the LS in 1 Cor. 16).  To assert that the Lord's Supper was a temporary thing is to assert that all that we do as a local church (ekklesia - called out to assemble) is temporary.
I must reject this emphatically.  Our worship, our organization, our reasons to assemble have not diminished.  These things were set up in those 40 years in order that they continue through today.  
Else what is the purpose of what we do on Sunday?  Why participate in church/congregational activities at all except for no other reason than it makes us feel good? Ultimately, the argument leads to the point that nothing in the New Testament remains to us.  No church, no worship except what we decide personally to do, no immersion in water for salvation, nothing but loving God and loving others.  The doctrine of the hyperpreterist leads to the dissolution of the church as presented in the New Testament because after 70AD, what's the point? 
Any argument whose conclusion is an absurdity is to be rejected as absurd and so I reject hyperpreterism on this argument. 
In Truth and Love
Category:Apocalyptic