The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 321

,of God, or of the Word (Logos), in nlmost they were specially warned not "to provoke," every incident of the deliverance from Egypt because "my Name is in him" (Exod. xxiii. nnd the wnnderings in the wilderness. 20, 21). Another reading is "the Lord." 'fhus in Wied. x. 15 and xi. 4 it is Wisdom "Christ" may have come in from a marginal -nnother form of the Logos-who leads nnd gloss. On the other hand, since " Christ" supports the Israelites. The frequent com- is the more rlifficult reading, it was, perhaps, -parison of God to a Rock in the Old Testa. the more likely to be altered by copyists. ,ment (Dent. xxxii., pnssim; 1 Sam. ii. 2; The word for "tempt" means "tempt Ps. xci. 12, etc.) would render the symbolism utterly," "tempt beyond endurance." As more easy, especially as in Exod. xvii. 6 we some of them (Exod. xvii. 2, 7; Numb. :find," Behold, I [Jehovah] will stand before xiv. 22; xxi. 5, 6). Of serpents; rather, <thee there upon the rock in Horeb." perished lnJ the serpents, viz. the " fiery ser• Yer. 5.-With many of them; rather, with pents" of the wilderness (Numb. xxi. 6). .most of them. They were overthrown in the Ver. 10.-Neither murmur ye (Numb. wilderness. A quotation from the LXX. of xiv. 2, 29; xvi. 41, 49). The Corinthians Numb. xiv. 16. All but Caleb and Joshua were at this time murmuring against their perished (Numb. xxvi. 64, 65; comp. Jude teacher and apostle. Of the destroyer. All ~). In Heh. iii. 17 the word used is" they p!ogues and similar great catastrophes, ae fell." well as all individual deaths, were believed Ver. 6.-These things were our examples. by the Jews to be the work of an angel If this rendering be adopted, perhaps "exam- whom they called Sammael (see Exod. xii. ples" is the best equivalent of the original 23; 2 Sam. xxiv. 16; Job xxxiii. 22; 2 tupoi, as in Phil. iii. 17, "Walk so as ye l\'Io.cc. xv. 22). In the retribution narrated have us for an example (tupon)." It may, in Numb. xvi. 41, etc., fourteen thousan,l however, mean "types," i.e. foreshadowing seven hundred perished. symbols, as in Rom. v. 14, where Adam is Ver. 11.-For ensamples; literally, by way the "figure" (tupos) of Christ. But, in of _figure; typically. The rabbis said, ,spite of Alford's decisive rejection of it, the "WhateYer happened to the fathers is 11 rendering," Now in these things they proved sign to their children." The thought is -to be fi_!!ures of us," is at least equally pro- the some o.s in Rom. xv. 4, "\Vho.tsoever bable. To the intent. 01' course, the events things were w1itten 11foretime were written bad their own immediate instruction, but for our learning." The exmnple in thi, the example which they involved was the instance would come home more forcibly ulterior purpose of their being so ordaiued from the sickness o.nd morto.Iity then by the providence of God. As they also prevalent o.mong the Coriuthinn Uh.ristians lusted. (For quails, Numb. xi. 4, 33; and ( eh. xi. 30). The ends of the world; rather, see Pa. xcv. 7-11.) of the ages. The expression is in o.ccordancc Ver. 7.-As were some of them. As in with the view which reg11rded tho then the c11se of the golden calf, the worship of epoch as "the close or consummation of the Moloch, Rempho.n, Bao.1-peor, etc. In the nges" (Matt. xiii. B9; 1 Pet. iv. 7, "The prominent instance of the co.If-worship, they end of all things is at h11nd;" 1 John ii. IR, -(like the Corinthio.ns) would have put forth "It is the lo.st time;" Heb. ix. 26; Matt. xiii. ·sophistic11l pleo.!' in their own favour, saying 39). thnt they wore not worshipping idols, but Ver. 12.-Take heed lest he fall. Till' -011ly paying honour to cherubic emblems of Corinthinns, thinking that they stood, 11s- .Jehovah. To play. The word is, perhaps, serting that they nil hnd knowledge, protul used euphemistico.lly for the worst con- of the insight which letl them to declare comit11nt• of a sensual nnture-worship (Exod. that "au idol is nothing in the world," wer0 xxxii. 3-6), which resembled the deprnved uot only lio.ble to undermte the amount of o.nd orgiastic worship of Aphrodite Pandemos forbeamnce due to wenker consciences, but at Corinth. were 11lso in persounl d11nger of falling 11way. Ver. 8.-Commit fornication. This sin To them, 11s to the Romans, St. Po.ul menus w11s not only an ordino.ry accompaniment of to soy," Bo not high minded, but fenr" (Rom. idolo.try, but often 11 consecrated port of it, xi. 20). as in the case of the thousand hierodouloi, Ver. 13.-But such as is common to ma.ii; or female attendants, in the temple of rnthcr, ezcept such as is human; i.e. such na Aphrodite on Acro-Corinthus. Three and m:m cnn beo.r. Tho Inst verse wns a warn- twenty thonsand. The number given in ing; this is nn encouragement. H11vin~ Numb. xxv. 9 is twenty-four thousand. We just beard what efforts evou St. P11ul had to -cannot give 11ny account of the discrepo.ncy, make to run in tho Christilm ruco, o.nd how which is, however, quite unimportant. terribly their fathers in the wilderness hnd Ver. 9.-Tempt Christ (see the note on failed to meet tho rcquiromonts of God, they ver. 4 ). Christ is here identified with the might bo inclined to thrnw up every effort angel which went before tho Israelites, whom in despair. St. Pnul. therefore, reminds them 321 TllE FIRST EPISTLE '!\) 'l'HE CORINTHIANS. [cu. x. 1-33