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1 Corinthians Chapter 10

1 Corinthians Chapter 10

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"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. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
Warnings from Israel’s History

(Parallel teachings: Hebrews 3:7–4:11; Jude 5–11)
(Thematic parallels: 2 Peter 2:4–10)

  • 1 For brothers, I don’t want you to be unaware that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,fnquotation/allusion to Exodus 13:21–22; 14:21–22, 29 (also quoted/alluded to by Heb 11:29; Psalm 78:13–14; 105:39; Nehemiah 9:11–12)
  • 2 and all immersed themselves into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
  • 3 and all ate the same spiritual food,fnquotation/allusion to Exodus 16:4, 15, 35 (also quoted/alluded to by Psalm 78:24–25; Nehemiah 9:15; John 6:31); also see Numbers 11:7–9
  • 4 And all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from the spiritual rock following them,fnquotation/allusion to Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:7–11; also see Psalm 78:15–16, 20; 105:41 and the rock was the Anointed.fnquotation/allusion to Deuteronomy 32:4, 15, 18, 30–31
  • 5 But God wasn’t pleased with mostfn“most” is literally “the more part” of them, for their bodies were scattered in the desert.fnquotation/allusion to Numbers 14:16-37; 26:64–65
  • 6 Now, these things became examples to us, for us not to be covetersfnor “cravers”; either is a correct translation of this Greek word. of wicked things, just as they also coveted.fnquotation/allusion to Numbers 11:4, 34 “coveted them” could also be translated “craved them“; either is a correct translation of this Greek word.
  • 7 And don’t become idolaters, just as some of them did.  As it’s *written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose to play.”fnquotation/allusion to Exodus 32:4-6 (also quoted/alluded to by Acts 7:40–41)
  • 8 Nor should we fornicate, just as some of them fornicated and 23,000 fell in one day.fnallusion to Numbers 25:1-9 (also quoted/alluded to by Rev 2:14).  Note, Numbers said that 24,000 died in total.  It’s likely then that 23,000 died in a single day, and the remaining 1000 died on the next day.
  • 9 Nor should we test the Anointed,fn“the Anointed” a few manuscripts read “the Lord” here. just as some of them tested Him and were being destroyed by the serpents.fnallusion to Numbers 21:4-9 (also quoted/alluded to by John 3:14–15).
  • 10 And don’t grumble, just as some of them grumbled and perishedfn“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 Aaron after God’s divine judgement on Korah’s rebellion. by the destroyer.fnallusion to Numbers 16:41-49 (also quoted/alluded to by Jude 1:11); the destroyer / destroying angel is a quotation/allusion to Exodus 12:23(also quoted/alluded to by Hebrews 11:28)
  • 11 Now, [all] 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.
  • 12 Therefore, let the man thinking he *stands beware, lest he fall.
  • 13 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’re able to bear, but with the temptation will also make the way to escape, so you’ll be able to endure it.
  • 14 Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry.
  • 15 I speak as I would to prudent men; you judge what I declare.
Things sacrificed to idols

(Parallel teachings: 1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

  • 16 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?
  • 17 Since there’s one bread, we (the many) are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
  • 18 Look at Israel according to the flesh: aren’t the men eating the sacrifices partakers in the altar?
  • 19 Therefore, what do I mean?  That what’s sacrificed to idols is anything?  Or that an idol is anything?
  • 20 Rather, I mean that what [the gentiles] sacrifice, they sacrifice it to demons and they don’t sacrifice it to God.fnquotation/allusion to Deuteronomy 32:17, and verse 16 is also contextually relevant  Now, I don’t want you to become partakers with demons.
  • 21 You aren’t able to drink the Lord’s cup and the demons’ cup.  You aren’t able to partake of the Lord’s tablefnquotation/allusion to Malachi 1:7, 12 and the demons’ table.
  • 22 Or, do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?fnquotation/allusion to Deuteronomy 32:16, and verse 17 is also contextually relevant  We aren’t stronger than Him, are we?
  • 23 All things are lawful [for me], but not all things are profitable.  All things are lawful [for me], but not all things build up.
  • 24 Let no one seek to build himself up, but to build up another.
Eat everything

(Parallel teachings: Romans 14:13–23; Acts 15:19–29)

  • 25 Eat everything sold in the meat market, investigating nothing for your conscience’ sake.
  • 26 For “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 24:1
  • 27 If someone among the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat everything set before you, investigating nothing for your conscience’ sake.
  • 28 But if someone tells you: “This is sacrificed to an idol.” Don’t eat it because of the man who told you and his conscience. [For The earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.“fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 24:1]fnThe 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.
  • 29 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?
  • 30 If I partake with thanks, why am I slandered over the food for which I give thanks?
  • 31 Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God.
  • 32 Become inoffensive to both Jews and Greeks, and to the church assembly of God,
  • 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many so that they might be saved.

 

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