Exodus 32:6

     5, 6. Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow is a feast to the Lord—a remarkable circumstance, strongly confirmatory of the view that they had not renounced the worship of Jehovah, but in accordance with Egyptian notions, had formed an image with which they had been familiar, to be the visible symbol of the divine presence. But there seems to have been much of the revelry that marked the feasts of the heathen.

Deuteronomy 32:38

Judges 9:27

1 Corinthians 8:4

     4. As concerning, &c.—resuming the subject begun in 1Co 8:1, "As touching," &c.

      idol is nothing—has no true being at all, the god it represents is not a living reality. This does not contradict 1Co 10:20, which states that they who worship idols, worship devils; for here it is the GODS believed by the worshippers to be represented by the idols which are denied to have any existence, not the devils which really under the idols delude the worshippers.

      none other God—The oldest manuscripts omit the word "other"; which gives a clearer sense.

1 Corinthians 8:10

     10. if any man—being weak.

      which hast knowledge—The very knowledge which thou pridest thyself on (1Co 8:1), will lead the weak after thy example to do that against his conscience, which thou doest without any scruple of conscience; namely, to eat meats offered to idols.

      conscience of him which is weak—rather, "His conscience, seeing he is weak" [ALFORD and others].

      emboldened—literally, "built up." You ought to have built up your brother in good: but by your example your building him up is the emboldening him to violate his conscience.

1 Corinthians 10:7

     7. idolaters—A case in point. As the Israelites sat down (a deliberate act), ate, and drank at the idol feast to the calves in Horeb, so the Corinthians were in danger of idolatry by a like act, though not professedly worshipping an idol as the Israelites (1Co 8:10, 11; 10:14, 20, 21; Ex 32:6). He passes here from the first to the second person, as they alone (not he also) were in danger of idolatry, &c. He resumes the first person appropriately at 1Co 10:16.

      some—The multitude follow the lead of some bad men.

      play—with lascivious dancing, singing, and drumming round the calf (compare "rejoiced," Ac 7:41).

Copyright information for JFB