1 Corinthians 10:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Since many do not believe the teaching about Gehenna, because it is intangible and invisible, the Apostle proves from past examples that God punishes sinners, even if He had earlier poured countless benefactions upon them.

If you do not believe what is to come, he says, surely you will not disbelieve what has passed. See how many benefactions God bestowed on them.

He freed them from Egypt and its bondage. He led them through the sea. He sent down manna from heaven. He caused new and wondrous springs of water to flow.

He continually accompanied them, working miracles and protecting them everywhere. Yet when they proved unworthy of such gifts, He did not spare them, but destroyed them all.

"For they were struck down in the wilderness," says the Apostle. By this expression he shows their sudden destruction, the sufferings and punishments sent upon them by God, and the fact that they did not receive the rewards set before them.

Moreover, He did not send all this upon them in the promised land, but outside it, and very far from it. He punished them with a twofold punishment: He did not allow them to see the promised land, and He chastised them severely.

But how, you will say, does this apply to us? It applies precisely to you.

They were baptized "in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Cor 10:2). "And all ate the same spiritual food," that is, the miraculously sent manna (1 Cor 10:3).

"And all drank the same spiritual drink," miraculously drawn from the rock. "For they drank," in a typological sense, "from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ" (1 Cor 10:4).

"But with many of them," the Apostle observes, "God was not well pleased, for they were struck down in the wilderness" (1 Cor 10:5).

In the history of the Hebrews, saved and then destroyed for murmuring, idolatry, and fornication with pagans, the Apostle points to types for future times. He observes that hidden in them is "instruction for us," Christians, "upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Cor 10:11).

The Apostle therefore beseeches the Corinthians to flee pagan temptations, which are so numerous at feasts, and to abandon all self-confidence. Let them not think that they cannot be compared with the Hebrews, as though they would not yield to sinful temptations at pagan idol-feasts.

"Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. My beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Cor 10:14).

Are higher views really reconciling them to sacrificial meat, or is it gluttony? In the same way, many among us often cover violations of various Church rules with supposedly higher views. Yet for the most part they do so out of love for low pleasures of various kinds.

So too the apostate Hebrews, after casting the calf and offering sacrifice to it, ate, drank, began to sing songs, and made merry in every way (Ex 32:6).

But another example cited by the Apostle could especially apply to the Corinthians. In Corinth idolatrous worship flourished together with the kind of corruption into which the Hebrews fell when they sacrificed to Baal (Num 25).

Drawing a general conclusion from all the examples, St John Chrysostom says: "One must not only suffer, but also endure everything that happens courageously and with complete gladness.

If this is not present, punishment will overtake those who murmur." Thus it overtook Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who were swallowed by the earth (Num 16), as well as by other divine punishments.

Fearful were the punishments of the Hebrews, which serve as instruction for Christians. In them the whole purpose of God's divine economy for the salvation of men is concentrated.

Yet still more terrible will be the punishments of those who fall away from Christ, for they will be without end. Together with their punishment, the age of this life will end, and eternal life will begin.

From the earth He caused new and wondrous springs of water to flow. He continually accompanied them, working miracles and protecting them everywhere. Yet when they proved unworthy of such gifts, He did not spare them, but destroyed them all.

'They were struck down in the wilderness,' says the Apostle. By this he shows both that they were struck down suddenly, and that the punishments striking them were sent by God.

Moreover, He did not send all this upon them in the promised land, but outside it, and very far from it. He punished them with a twofold punishment: by not allowing them to see the promised land, and by chastising them severely.

But how, you will say, does this apply to us? It applies precisely to you. Therefore the Apostle continues" (St Chrysostom).