1Cor 10:1-10 | MHM | STEP | Admonitions and Warnings In this section, Paul warns the Corinthians not to join in idol worship or continue in sinful ways. He reminds them of the story of the Israelites in the Old Testament. Even though the Israelites had many blessings from God, they still faced serious punishments when they disobeyed. Paul uses their story as a warning for Christians today: having great spiritual privileges does not guarantee safety if we do not obey God. v. 1 : Paul starts by saying, “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant,” (1 Corinthians 10:1 ). He wants the Corinthians to pay attention to the history of Israel. The lessons from their experiences are important for Christians to understand and to learn from. Paul explains that God’s actions with Israel were for our instruction and warning.

‏ 1 Corinthians 10:1-10

Admonitions and Warnings

In this section, Paul warns the Corinthians not to join in idol worship or continue in sinful ways. He reminds them of the story of the Israelites in the Old Testament. Even though the Israelites had many blessings from God, they still faced serious punishments when they disobeyed. Paul uses their story as a warning for Christians today: having great spiritual privileges does not guarantee safety if we do not obey God.

v. 1: Paul starts by saying, “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant,”(1 Corinthians 10:1 ^a). He wants the Corinthians to pay attention to the history of Israel. The lessons from their experiences are important for Christians to understand and to learn from. Paul explains that God’s actions with Israel were for our instruction and warning.

v. 2: Paul tells them that all the Israelites were “under the cloud, and all passed through the sea”(1 Corinthians 10:1 ^b). The cloud showed God’s presence and protected them from danger (see Psalm 105:39 ^c). The sea was the Red Sea, which God parted for them to escape Egypt safely. This was a great miracle and a sign that God cared for them, just as Christ saves us from our enemies.

v. 3-4: Paul adds that the Israelites were “all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea”(1 Corinthians 10:2 ^d). This means they became followers of Moses and his law, just as Christians are baptized into Christ. They also “ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink”(1 Corinthians 10:3-4 ^e). The manna was their food, a symbol of Jesus, the bread from heaven. The water from the rock was their drink, which represents Christ giving spiritual life to believers. These were special blessings from God.

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v. 5: But Paul warns, “with most of them God was not pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness”(1 Corinthians 10:5 ^f). Even though the Israelites had many blessings, most of them died in the desert because they disobeyed God. Paul says this so that Christians will not be proud or careless, thinking that spiritual privileges alone will save them. Only true faith and obedience to God will lead to eternal life.

Admonitions and Warnings

In this passage, Paul reminds the Corinthians that after listing the blessings the Israelites received, he now talks about their sins and the punishments that followed. These stories are recorded as warnings for us. If we do what they did, we may face the same kinds of trouble. Paul’s purpose is to help Christians avoid the mistakes of the past by learning from the examples in scripture.

v. 6: Paul says, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did”(1 Corinthians 10:6 ^g). The Israelites were not content with the manna God gave them and wanted more, especially meat (Numbers 11:4 ^h). Their uncontrolled desires led to sin. Paul warns that we must control our appetites, because letting them grow can lead to much greater sins.

v. 7: Paul continues, “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’”(1 Corinthians 10:7; Exodus 32:6 ⁱ). He refers to the time when the Israelites worshiped the golden calf and celebrated with feasting and dancing. Paul reminds the Corinthians that even just eating and drinking in front of an idol counts as idolatry, and they must avoid it.

v. 8: Next, Paul warns, “We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day”(1 Corinthians 10:8; Numbers 25:1-18 ^j). Many Israelites joined in sexual sin with the women of Moab and worshiped their idols, which led to a deadly plague. Paul knows that Corinth is a city where this kind of sin is common, so he especially warns them to stay away from such behavior.

v. 9: Paul says, “We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents”(1 Corinthians 10:9; Numbers 21:5-6 ^k). The Israelites complained against God and Moses, so God sent poisonous snakes among them. Paul’s warning is that Christians should not provoke or test Christ by being ungrateful or rebellious.

v. 10: He adds, “Nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer”(1 Corinthians 10:10; Numbers 14:37 ^l). The Israelites often complained about their leaders and God’s plan, which brought judgment upon them. Paul wants the Corinthians to know that complaining against God or church leaders is a dangerous sin that can lead to serious consequences.