Bullet Point Bible - 1 Corinthians 10

Warnings from Israel's History

¹ For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,² and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,³ and all ate the same spiritual food,⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.⁵ But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness.⁶ These things happened as examples for us, so that we will not crave evil things as they did.⁷ So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, " The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play ."⁸ And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and 23,000 died in a single day.⁹ And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes.¹⁰ And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.¹¹ These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.¹² So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall.¹³ No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Paul uses Israel's wilderness experience as a negative example (typology) for the Corinthians.
Spiritual privileges (like baptism and spiritual food/drink) do not guarantee salvation or prevent falling into sin (1 Cor 10:1-5).
Paul connects Israel's experiences to Christian sacraments: "baptized into Moses" parallels Christian baptism, "spiritual food/drink" parallels the Lord's Supper.
The "spiritual rock" that followed Israel is identified explicitly as Christ, indicating Christ's pre-existence and involvement with Israel (1 Cor 10:4).
Despite God's provision, the majority of the Exodus generation perished due to disobedience (1 Cor 10:5).
Paul lists specific sins relevant to the Corinthian situation: idolatry (1 Cor 10:7, referencing the golden calf incident), sexual immorality (1 Cor 10:8, referencing Numbers 25), testing Christ (1 Cor 10:9, referencing Numbers 21), and grumbling (1 Cor 10:10, referencing Numbers 14, 16).
The phrase "put Christ to the test" (1 Cor 10:9) is striking, suggesting that Israel's testing of God in the wilderness was, in effect, testing the pre-incarnate Christ.
These historical events serve as warnings ("examples," Greek *typoi*) for believers living in the "ends of the ages" (1 Cor 10:6, 11).
Overconfidence ("thinks he is standing") is dangerous; awareness of potential failure is crucial (1 Cor 10:12).
God's faithfulness ensures that temptation/trials are never insurmountable; He always provides a "way out" (Greek *ekbasis*) for endurance (1 Cor 10:13).

Flee Idolatry and Its Associations

¹⁴ So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.¹⁵ I am speaking to thoughtful people. Consider what I say.¹⁶ Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ?¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread.¹⁸ Look at the people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?¹⁹ Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything?²⁰ No, I mean that what the pagans sacrifice is to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take part in the table of the Lord and the table of demons.²² Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we really stronger than he is?

The command "flee from idolatry" (1 Cor 10:14) is the central application drawn from the preceding historical warnings.
Paul appeals to the Corinthians' reason ("thoughtful people") to evaluate his argument (1 Cor 10:15).
The Lord's Supper signifies profound participation ("sharing," Greek *koinonia*) in Christ's body and blood (1 Cor 10:16).
Sharing the one bread in communion symbolizes and fosters the unity of believers as "one body" in Christ (1 Cor 10:17).
Paul draws an analogy with Jewish temple worship: eating sacrifices meant partnership (*koinonoi*) with the altar and the God it represented (1 Cor 10:18).
Paul clarifies he doesn't believe idols have inherent reality (consistent with 1 Cor 8:4), but the *act* of sacrificing to them involves demonic powers (1 Cor 10:19-20).
Participating in pagan temple feasts means becoming "partners with demons," which is incompatible with partnership with Christ in the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 10:20-21).
The concepts of the "cup of the Lord" vs. "cup of demons" and "Lord's table" vs. "table of demons" highlight the mutually exclusive nature of allegiance to Christ and involvement in idolatry.
Attempting to mix allegiance provokes God's "jealousy," a concept rooted in the Old Testament covenant relationship where God demands exclusive loyalty (1 Cor 10:22; cf. Deut 32:21).
The rhetorical question "Are we stronger than he is?" emphasizes the folly and danger of provoking God (1 Cor 10:22).

Principles for Exercising Christian Freedom

²³ "Everything is lawful," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is lawful," but not everything builds others up.²⁴ Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person.²⁵ Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience,²⁶ for the earth and its abundance are the Lord's .²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat whatever is served without asking questions of conscience.²⁸ But if someone says to you, "This is from a sacrifice," do not eat, because of the one who told you and because of conscience -²⁹ I do not mean yours but the other person's. For why is my freedom being judged by another's conscience?³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for the food that I give thanks for?

Paul revisits the Corinthian slogan "All things are lawful" (likely referring to morally neutral actions, cf. 1 Cor 6:12), adding crucial qualifications: not all lawful things are beneficial (*sympherei*) or edifying (*oikodomei*) (1 Cor 10:23).
The guiding principle shifts from personal rights ("my own good") to the well-being ("good") of others (1 Cor 10:24). This echoes the principle of love.
In general, believers can eat meat sold publicly without investigating its origin (whether sacrificed to idols), as God is the ultimate creator and owner of all food (1 Cor 10:25-26, quoting Psalm 24:1).
Similarly, when dining with unbelievers, one need not inquire about the food's source unless explicitly informed (1 Cor 10:27).
However, if someone (likely a weaker believer or even the host trying to test them) points out that the food was sacrificed, the knowledgeable believer should abstain (1 Cor 10:28).
The reason for abstaining is not personal scruples but consideration for the *other person's* conscience and avoiding causing them to stumble (1 Cor 10:28-29).
Paul acknowledges the tension: why should his freedom be limited by another's conscience? (1 Cor 10:29). Yet, love dictates this limitation.
Even if one can partake thankfully in principle (1 Cor 10:30), the higher principle of love for the neighbor takes precedence in specific situations.

Do Everything for God's Glory

³¹ So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.³² Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,³³ just as I also try to please everyone in all things. I do not seek my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.

Paul provides the ultimate guiding principle for all Christian conduct: the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31). This applies to mundane activities ("eat or drink") and everything else.
Actions should be evaluated based on whether they honor God.
A key aspect of glorifying God is avoiding causing offense (*aproskopoi*, stumbling blocks) to any group: Jews, Gentiles ("Greeks"), or fellow believers ("the church of God") (1 Cor 10:32).
Paul presents his own ministry as an example: seeking to "please everyone" (i.e., accommodate himself to their perspectives where possible without compromising truth) not for personal gain but for the salvation of many (1 Cor 10:33).
This principle of seeking the "benefit of many" connects back to prioritizing the other person's good (1 Cor 10:24).
The ultimate goal driving these considerations of freedom, conscience, and avoiding offense is evangelistic: "so that they may be saved" (1 Cor 10:33).
This concluding section summarizes the practical outworking of Christian love and freedom within the community and towards outsiders.

The Bullet Point Bible

1 Corinthians 10