(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Warnings from Israel’s History
- For I don’t want you to be ignorant brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
- and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
- and all ate the same spiritual food,
- And all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from the spiritual rock following them; and the rock was the Anointed.
- But God wasn’t pleased with most of them, for their bodies were scattered in the desert.
- Now, these things became examples to us; for us not to be coveters1or “cravers”; either is a correct translation of this Greek word. of wicked things, just as they also coveted.2or “craved them“; either is a correct translation of this Greek word.
- And don’t become idolaters, just as some of them did. As it is *written; “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose to play.”3quotation/allusion to Exodus 32:4-6
- Nor should we fornicate, just as some of them fornicated and twenty three thousand fell in one day.
- Nor should we test the Anointed, just as some of them tested Him and were destroyed by the serpents.
- And don’t grumble, just as some of them grumbled and perished4“perished” The Greek word here is in the middle voice, not the active voice, making the agent significantly more involved in the result. Translating it “killed themselves” wouldn’t be out of place. This is likely a reference to Numbers 16:41-49, where all of Israel grumbled against Moses and Arron, ascribing to them the fault of God’s divine judgement on Korah’s rebellion. by the destroyer.
- Now, these things were happening to them as examples and were written as a warning to us, to whom the ends of the ages have come.
- Therefore, the man who thinks he *stands; let him beware, lest he fall.
- Temptation hasn’t seized you except what’s common to man. But God is faithful, who won’t allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation will also make the way to escape, so you’ll be able to endure it.
- Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry.
- I speak as I would to prudent men; you judge what I declare.
Things sacrificed to idols
- Isn’t the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of the Anointed? Isn’t the bread that we break a participation in the body of the Anointed?
- Since there’s one bread, we the many are one body, for we all partake from the one bread.
- Look at Israel according to the flesh. Aren’t the men who eat the sacrifices partakers in the altar?
- Therefore, what do I mean? That what is sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is anything?
- Rather, I mean that what [the gentiles] sacrifice, they sacrifice it to demons and they don’t sacrifice it to God. Now, I don’t want you to become partakers with demons.
- You aren’t able to drink the Lord’s cup and the demons’ cup. You aren’t able to partake of the Lord’s table and the demons’ table.
- Or, do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We aren’t stronger than Him, are we?
- All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.
- Let no one seek to edify himself, but to edify another.
Eat everything
- Eat everything which is sold in the meat market, investigating nothing for your conscience’ sake.
- For “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”5quotation/allusion to Psalm 24:1
- If someone among the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, investigating nothing for conscience’ sake.
- But if someone tells you; “This is sacrificed to an idol.” Don’t eat it because of the man who revealed it, and his conscience. [For The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.“6quotation/allusion to Psalm 24:1]7The majority of manuscripts have the bracketed portion in this verse, but it is missing from some early manuscripts that some scholars consider important. Most modern Bibles don’t include it.
- Now, I certainly don’t mean your own conscience, but the conscience of the other man. For why is my freedom decided by another man’s conscience?
- If I partake by grace, why am I slandered over the food for which I give thanks?
- Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God.
- Become inoffensive, both to Jews and Greeks, and to the church of God,
- just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many so they might be saved.
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