1 Corinthians 10:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

These expressions alone are sufficient for admonition. Then he speaks reproachfully: “Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” (1 Cor 10:22). That is, do we dare to tempt Him, asking whether He can punish us, and to provoke Him by passing over to the side of His opponents and standing among His enemies? Here he recalls Old Testament events and the transgressions of the fathers. Therefore he uses the very expression once used by Moses when, speaking in God’s name, he rebuked the Jews for idolatry: “They provoked Me with what was no god; they angered Me with their vanities” (Deut 32:21). “Are we stronger than He?” Do you see how powerfully and terribly he strikes them, shaking their very nerves, bringing their judgments to absurdity, and so casting down their pride?

He says this as a reproach to them. Are we really to test and provoke God, to see whether He can punish us when we go over to the side of His enemies? Then, to show the utter absurdity of their conduct, he says, “Are we stronger than He?” By this he recalls a very sharp saying: “They provoked Me with what is not God; they grieved Me with their vanities,” that is, with their idols (Deut 32:21).

Or do you wish to provoke His jealousy by this? Are we stronger than He, so that He will not require this of us?

The Apostle used the word “provoke” in the sense of wound. He also reminded the Corinthians of God’s word spoken to Israel: “They provoked Me with what is not God; they angered Me with their idols” (Deut 32:21).

After this the Apostle teaches that eating what has been sacrificed to idols is, in its own way, fellowship with demons and participation in a demonic table. “I speak to you as to sensible men” (1 Cor 10:15). “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16). But “are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers of the altar?” (1 Cor 10:18). And since “what the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God,” then “I do not want you, consciously and voluntarily, to have fellowship with demons” (1 Cor 10:20). “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons” (1 Cor 10:21).

There seems to be some difference between the Apostle’s earlier teaching about idols and sacrifices to them and his present view. In fact, there is none. Chrysostom presents the Apostle as saying here: “I turn you away from idols not because they can cause any harm or possess any power. They are nothing. But I want you to despise them. Sacrifices are not offered to your Lord. For what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. Do not turn, then, to what is opposed to God. The intention of those who sacrifice and the character of those who receive them, that is, demons, make what is offered unclean.

“That is, do we dare to tempt Him and provoke Him by passing over to the side of His opponents and taking our place among His enemies? Here he recalls Old Testament events and the transgressions of the fathers. Therefore he uses the very expression once used by Moses when, speaking in God’s name, he rebuked the Jews for idolatry. ‘They provoked Me with what was no god,’ he said, ‘they angered Me with their idols’ (Deut 32:21). ‘Are we stronger than He?’ Do you see how powerfully and terribly he strikes them, shaking their very nerves, bringing their judgments to absurdity, and so casting down their pride? Beginning with the lesser matter, he came to the greatest.