1 Corinthians 10:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And see against whom he first speaks: against those who ate in idol temples. Having said, "that we should not be desirers of evil things," which applied to all in general, he also showed in particular that every sin comes from evil desire.

He first says: "Nor become idolaters, as some of them did, as it is written: 'The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play'" (1 Cor 10:7).

Do you hear how he calls the Corinthians idolaters? Here, however, he only hints at it. Later he proves it.

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.

"That we should not be desirers of evil things" means either evil desire in general, the source of every sin, as Theophylact says. Thus St James says: "Desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin" (Jas 1:15).

Or, in relation to the words "as they also desired," it means especially gluttony and sensual pleasure. For the Israelites are portrayed as especially desirous of foods, as Oecumenius says.

Thus the Prophet David says: "They desired a desire in the wilderness... And He gave them their request, and sent satiety into their souls" (Ps 105:14-15).

And in the book of Numbers it is written: "They desired with desire, and the children of Israel sat down and wept, and said, 'Who will feed us with meat?'" (Num 11:4).

The place where such desire-driven people, struck down from above, were buried was called the graves of desire. This latter sense is closer to the Apostle's purpose.

Here the Apostle covertly points to the cause that drew the clever Corinthians to tables of idol-sacrifices. They themselves said, "We know that an idol is nothing," and so justified their conduct by higher views.

But the Apostle, presenting this image from Israelite history, gives them a hint to enter into themselves. Let them see whether higher views are truly reconciling them to sacrificial meat, or whether it is gluttony.

St Chrysostom says: "He also presents the cause why they streamed to the tables: it was sensual pleasure."

That this is exactly so is evident from what the Apostle says next concerning idolaters. In Corinth, Christians had already left idolatry behind. Yet some clever ones were defiled by contact with idolatry through participation in demonic tables.

"Having said, 'that we should not be desirers of evil things,' and then continued, 'nor become idolaters,' he points to sensual pleasure as the cause of such impiety" (St Chrysostom).