An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 2 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
HItherto hee hath spoken of things offered to Idols, by way of Concession, as if they were indifferent. In this Chapter, hee sets down a twofold use of things offered to Idols: The one publick in the Idols Temple, simply unlawful, to vers. 23. The other private in their houses, which (without the case of scandal) was lawful, but in case of scandal unlawful, from which hee dehorts, to the end. That which pertains to the publick eating of things offered to Idols in the Idols Temple, hee disswades from, by five Arguments.
Vers. 1. Moreover, Brethren, I would not that you should bee ignorant, how that all your Fathers were under the cloud, and all passed thorough the Sea:
2. And were all baptized to Moses, in the Cloud, and in the Sea:
Argum. 1. There is danger, lest you fall into those sins and punishments, into which the Israelites fell, if you proceed to participate of, and bee present at Idolatrous Banquets, and covet after things offered in Sacrifice to Idols: Therefore you ought not to eat things sacrificed to Idols, in the Idols Temple.
That the likeness of the Israelites example may appear, hee shews that they had the like priviledges with us (because the Iseaelites were our Fathers) not of the Israelites onelyonly, but also of the Christians amongst the Gentiles, viz. in the profession of the true Religion, and propagation of them to us their posterity; for as they are wont to bee called Fathers, who lived in ancient times, with some certain relation of propagating Religion to us; So hee calls the Israelites our Fathers; because they went before us in the partaking of the same Religion, the same Covenant, and like Sacraments: For the walking under the cloud, and the Sea which was over their heads, as if they had with us been bapized into the doctrine and outward profession of Moses, of obtaining salvation by the Messias.
Vers. 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.
They did also as it were partake of the same Supper of the Lord with us, eating Manna, and drinking out of the Rock, or waters gushing out of the Rock, which followed the Camp of the Israelites (which are called spiritual meat and drink, because they had a spiritual meaning, figuring the same Grace of Christ, which the Supper of the Lord doth) yet notwithstanding many of those Israelites (because they displeased God) perished in the wilderness.
Vers. 6. Now these things were our examples, to the intent wee should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Furthermore, hee reckons up the sins for which God inflicted punishments, and death it self upon them, for an example to posterity; from which sins the Apostle dehorts the Corinthians, lest they also perish; and first, hee exhorts them in general, lest they covet evil things as they did, i. e. lest they indulge their fleshly lusts, as those ancient Israelites did, who by their lusts were hurried beyond the bounds appointed by God.
Vers. 7. Neither bee you Idolaters, as were some of them, as it is written, The people sate down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them commited, 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 murmure yee, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
More especially hee admonishes them, that they bee not Idolaters, or Fornicators, or Tempters of Christ (trying how true and just Christ is, and that by unlawful waies) or murmurers against the providence of God, as the Scripture witnesses of the Israelites. The meaning of this dehortation is this: That you bee not amongst any Idolatrous Banquets made in the honour of any Idol, lest yee suffer that which the Israelites did, sacrificing to the honour of the Golden Calf, whose indulging their gluttony and sport, was in stead of Religion, vers. 7. Bee not taken with the desire of pleasing Idolaters, that for their sakes you bee mixed with them in Idolatrous Banquets, lest God also deliver you to your hearts lusts, that together with the pollution of your souls, you defile also your bodies by Fornications, Adulteries, and so perish with those Israelites, vers. 8. Tempt not Christ, by abusing of his knowledge, and pretending Christian liberty for your lusts, which is nothing else, than to provoke Christ to anger. As the Israelites in the wilderness provoked the Angel of the Covenant, or Christ, who went before them in the wilderness, and perished by Serpents, vers. 9. Lastly, Murmure not, because it is not lawful to you by Christian Religion, to bee present at the Idolatrous feasts of your friends in the Idols Temple, lest you perish with the murmuring Israelites.
Vers. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12. Wherefore let him that thinketh hee standeth, take heed lest hee fall.
Further hee shews that the use of these examples belong unto all men living, and those that shall live hereafter; hee declares the danger of falling into the same sins, and the same punishments, if they shall mix themselves with Idolatrous Feasts; rebuking in the mean time their vain confidence, who feared not the danger, but fed securely upon things offered to Idols in the Idols Temple.
Vers. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to bee tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that yee may bee able to bear it.
Hee prevents an Objection, from the fear of evil things, which did hang over them, from the Idolaters, their fellow Citizens, if they should so much abhorre their society, that they would not bee at their publick Religious Feasts. Hee answers, that that temptation was no other than what was ordinary to men, for which they might hope for an end, for the faithfulness of God who will not permit, that they should bee tempted above measure, who indeavour to keep themselves from impurity, chiefly in the case of confessing of him, but lest they should fall with the temptation, hee is wont to discover a way of freedome from danger, or at least from sin; out of these things precedent from the first verse, it follows: Therefore wee ought not to feed in the Idols Temple, upon things offered to Idols;
Vers. 14. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from Idolatry.
Argum. 2. Of disswading from things offered to Idols in the Idols Temple. Idolatry is joyned with the publike eating of things offered to Idols, from which Idolatry yee ought to fly: Therefore wee ought not to eat things offered to Idols in the Idols Temple.
Vers. 15. I speak as to wise men: judge yee what I say.
Being about to confirm this Argument, hee calls his Hearers or Readers wise, and commands that they weigh both the argument now spoken, and the confirmation of it, which hee sub-joyns, adding five reasons, by which hee proves, that this publike eating of things offered to Idols in the Idols Temple, doth render them guilty of Idolatry.
Vers. 16. The Cup of Blessing which wee bless, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ? The bread which wee break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ?
The first reason, from the like example of Christians, whose fashion is this: The partaking of the Elements in the Supper of the Lord, is the profession of our Communion with Christ, and other Christians in the true Religion: Therefore the partaking of things offered to Idols, in the Feast of the Devil together with Idolaters, is the profession of Communion with the Devil and Idolaters, in Idolatry, or their false Religion.
But hee urges this reason and the rest, by often questioning; The Cup of Blessing ▪ hee sayes, Is it not a sign, a powerful token, and real profession of that saving Communion which wee have in the Blood of Christ shed for us? Also that holy bread which wee break in our Assembly, is not it a sign, and real profession of that Communion, which all of us have in the Body of Christ crucified for us? Therefore it follows from the like, that the partaking of the Sacrifice in an Idolatrous and devillish Feast, is no less a sign and real profession (in it self, and out of the intention of the deed) of Communion with Idolaters, and the Idol, to whom the Sacrifice was offered.
Vers. 17. For wee being many, are one bread, and one body: for wee are all partakers of that one bread.
Hee unfolds this reason to this sense. As wee Christians, although many, yet by virtue of our Society in the same worship, Sacramentally sealed, grow together, as it were into one bread, i. e. into one Mystical Body, in this that wee communicate of one and the same Sacramental Bread: So those that communicate with Idolaters, in the participation of Idolatrous Sacrifices, by virtue of their society in the same worship, sealed by their Idolatrous feasting in the Idols Temple, grow up into one Mystical body with them, in this, that together with them, they communicate of one and the same Sacramental Sacrifice.
Vers. 18. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the Sacrifices, partakers of the Altar?
Reason 2. From the like example of the Israelites, the Israelites eating of the Sacrifices, by thus doing testified themselves to bee partakers of the Altar and Jewish Religion: Therefore they who eat of the Idol-Sacrifices in the Idolatrous Feast, witness that they communicate with Idolaters in their Idolatry.
Vers. 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 yee should have fellowship with devils.
Reason 3. Propounded by way of answer to an objection: Although an Idol hath nothing of Divinity (as was said before) nor things offered to Idols is any thing of the Worship of God, which possibly the Idolater supposeth and intends; yet in the nature of the work, an Idolatrous Sacrifice is the worshipping of Devils, 2 Chron. 11.15. Therefore partaking of that which is offered unto Idols, is the most gross Idolatry, from which you ought to abstain.
Vers. 21. Yee cannot drink the Cup of the Lord, and the Cup of Devils: yee cannot bee partakers of the Lords Table, and of the Table of Devils.
Argum. 3. By way of dehortation from things offered to Idols in the Idol Temple; The partaking of the Sacramental Feast of Idols, or Devils, cannot consist with a lawful and saving partaking of the Supper of the Lord; because this was to do homage to two Lords, God and the Devil, and to profess publike service to both: Therefore wee must not eat of things sacrificed to Idols in the Idol Temple.
Vers. 22. Do wee provoke the Lord to jealousie? Are wee stronger than hee?
Argum. 4. By way of dehortation from things offered to Idols: God is provoked to jealousie, if any one profess himself a Christian, and yet publikely partakes of things sacrificed to Devils: Therefore must wee not eat of things sacrificed to Idols.
Stronger] Argum. 5. Because to persist in this so manifest a sin, is to proclaim war with God, and to try whether any bee stronger than hee: And therefore unless any be so mad, as to think himself stronger than God, we must abstain from things offered to Idols in the Idol-Temple.
THE SECOND PART.
Vers. 23. All things are lawful for mee, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for mee, but all things edifie not.
The other part of the Chapter follows, wherein hee propounds a general Doctrine, (that hee may come to the private use of things offered unto Idols) which is this. All things (to wit, indifferent) are lawful, unless when it is not expedient to use them, or they edifie not.
Vers. 24. Let no man seek his own, but every man anothers wealth.
That they are not lawful, when not expedient, and edifie not, or are hurtful to edification, hee gives a reason hereof, by way of Precepts, because in the use of our liberty wee must regard rather the Salvation of another, than our own temporal profit.
Vers. 25. Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
Premising the general Doctrine, hee answers concerning things offered unto Idols, when they are out of religious use (as for example, when they are sold in the Shambles) any one may eat them without any scruple of conscience. For it was a custome to set to sale in the Shambles flesh that was sacrificed, the gain whereof was returned to the Priests.
Vers. 26. For the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof.
The reason is, Because in that common condition they are the creatures of God, sanctified to the use of the faithful, and they were allowed a free use of them, by the Lord of Heaven and Earth, &c.
Vers. 27. If any of them that believe not, bid you to a Feast, and yee bee disposed to go, whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
In like manner, if any Believer bee invited to a Feast in the private house of an Unbeliever, hee saith, the Christian may eat without scruple, of any meat that is set before him.
Vers. 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. The earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof.
Hee excepts in case of scandal, when either an Unbeliever, or a weak Brother, shall intimate that that mea… was sacrificed to Idols, in which case hee wills them to forbear, and sub-joyns seven Reasons.
Reason 1. Lest if thou eat after warning given, thy weak brother who warned thee bee offended, or lest the unbeliever bee hardened in his Idolatry, if happily hee gave thee warning.
Is the Lords.] Reason 2. Other meats besides that, wherein there is danger of offence, God hath sanctified; and because the Lord of the earth hath not granted power of using his creatures indifferently with the offence of any one: Therefore in this case wee must not eat.
Vers. 29. Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the others: for why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience?
Reason 3. If any one eats with offence, Christian Liberty in eating will bee condemned of another mans conscience, as prophane licentiousness: Therefore in this case wee may not eat.
Vers. 30. For if I by grace bee a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
Reason 4. Hee should sin against the Grace of God, if hee should abuse the gift of God, (for every kind of meat is the gift of God, as in the giving of Thanks before or after meat wee acknowledge) so as to give occasion of speaking evil of him, as if hee had no regard of another mans Soul: Therefore wee must not eat in this case.
Vers. 31. Whether therefore yee eat, or drink, or whatsoever yee do, do all for the glory of God.
Reason 5. Propounded by way of Precept: In all our actions (and therefore in eating and drinking) wee must endeavour that God may bee glorified, which is not done when wee eat with offence: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 32. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God.
Reason 6. Wee must give offence to none, whether they profess the true Religion or not: Therefore in case of scandal wee ought not to eat.
Vers. 33. Even as I please all men in all things; not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may bee saved.
Reason 7. All are bound to imitate the Apostles example in all indifferent things, who served not his own temporal profit, but the Eternal Salvation of others: Therefore as hee, in such a case, would not eat, so are all bound not to eat this or that meat, in case of scandal.