1 Corinthians 10:18

Translation
King James Version
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
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KJV (with Strong's)
Behold G991 Israel G2474 after G2596 the flesh G4561: are G1526 not G3780 they G1526 which eat G2068 of the sacrifices G2378 partakers G2844 of the altar G2379?
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Complete Jewish Bible
Look at physical Isra’el: don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
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Berean Standard Bible
Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?
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American Standard Version
Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?
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World English Bible Messianic
Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Beholde Israel, which is after the flesh: are not they which eate of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
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Young's Literal Translation
See Israel according to the flesh! are not those eating the sacrifices in the fellowship of the altar?
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See also
Leviticus 7:6Philippians 3:3Philippians 3:5Galatians 6:16Leviticus 3:11Romans 1:32 Corinthians 11:18
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In the KJVVerse 28,586 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

First Corinthians 10:18 serves as a pivotal point in Paul's comprehensive argument against idolatry, demonstrating the profound spiritual implications of participation in religious rituals. Paul draws a compelling analogy from the Old Testament sacrificial system, asserting that just as those who partake of the sacrifices offered on the altar are inherently in communion with the God to whom the sacrifice is made, so too does participation in any sacrificial meal establish a spiritual bond with the entity being honored. This principle underscores the gravity of Christian engagement with pagan practices and sets the stage for Paul's strong admonition against partaking in the "table of demons."

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is deeply embedded within Paul's broader discourse in 1 Corinthians 10, where he issues a stern warning to the Corinthian believers against the dangers of idolatry and spiritual compromise. Immediately preceding this verse, Paul has just expounded on the profound significance of the Lord's Supper, describing it as a true participation in the body and blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). By introducing the example of Israel's sacrifices, Paul establishes a foundational principle of spiritual communion through ritualistic eating, setting up a stark contrast between the table of the Lord and the table of demons, which he explicitly warns against in the verses that follow (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). The entire chapter functions as a cautionary tale, drawing lessons from Israel's wilderness wanderings to highlight the perils of spiritual presumption and the necessity of fleeing idolatry.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The Corinthian church existed in a bustling, cosmopolitan city deeply steeped in Greco-Roman polytheism. Public life often revolved around pagan temples, where sacrifices were offered to various gods, and portions of the sacrificial meat were then sold in the market or consumed in temple dining rooms as part of communal feasts. Many Corinthian Christians, having come from pagan backgrounds, struggled with how to navigate these cultural practices, particularly regarding eating meat that had been offered to idols. Some believed that since "an idol is nothing" (1 Corinthians 8:4), eating such meat was permissible, especially if done without conscious participation in the idolatrous act. Paul addresses this complex issue by appealing to the universally understood concept of sacrifice and communion, drawing upon the familiar practices of both Jewish and pagan worship to make his point.
  • Key Themes: The verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes in 1 Corinthians. Foremost is the theme of Spiritual Participation and Communion, emphasizing that religious acts, especially those involving shared meals and sacrifices, are not merely physical but establish a deep spiritual bond with the deity or entity being honored. This is profoundly illustrated by the contrast between the Lord's Supper and pagan feasts. Another key theme is Warning Against Idolatry, as Paul uses the principle of participation to underscore the real spiritual danger of engaging in practices associated with false gods, even if one intellectually dismisses the idols themselves. Finally, the verse highlights the Old Testament as a Moral and Theological Precedent, demonstrating Paul's consistent method of drawing lessons from Israel's history to instruct and warn the New Testament church, as seen throughout 1 Corinthians 10.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • flesh (Greek, sárx', G4561): In this context, "after the flesh" refers to the physical, natural lineage of Israel, distinguishing them as a people group descended from Jacob, rather than implying a spiritual or carnal disposition. It points to their physical participation in the sacrificial system.
  • eat (Greek, esthíō', G2068): This word denotes the literal act of consuming food. However, in the context of sacrifices, it carries profound spiritual weight, signifying not just physical nourishment but an act of participation and identification with the sacrificial ritual and the deity to whom it is offered.
  • partakers (Greek, koinōnós', G2844): This crucial term means "a sharer," "associate," or "companion." It emphasizes a deep fellowship, partnership, or spiritual sharing. Paul's use here highlights that eating from the sacrifices creates a genuine spiritual bond or communion with the altar, and by extension, with the God or entity associated with that altar.
  • altar (Greek, thysiastḗrion', G2379): This refers to a place of sacrifice, specifically the structure upon which offerings were made to God. The altar represents the locus of divine presence, acceptance, and covenant interaction. To be a "partaker of the altar" means to be in communion with the divine activity and presence associated with the sacrificial system.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Behold Israel after the flesh:" Paul directs the Corinthians' attention to the physical nation of Israel, the descendants of Jacob. He uses them as a clear, undeniable example from their shared religious heritage, appealing to a practice universally understood by both Jewish and Gentile converts familiar with the Old Testament. This sets the stage for an analogy based on a well-established religious custom.
  • "are not they which eat of the sacrifices" This clause refers to the Israelites who participated in the sacrificial feasts prescribed by the Mosaic Law, particularly peace offerings (Leviticus 7). In these offerings, a portion of the animal was burned on the altar for God, a portion was given to the priests, and the remainder was eaten by the worshiper and their family. The act of eating the sacrificial meat was an integral part of the ritual, signifying completion and communion.
  • "partakers of the altar?" This rhetorical question expects an affirmative answer. Paul's point is that by eating the meat that had been offered on the altar, the Israelites were not merely consuming food but were actively participating in the sacred act of sacrifice. This participation established a spiritual communion or fellowship with God, who was understood to receive a portion of the sacrifice on the altar. The "altar" here represents the divine presence and the covenant relationship.

Literary Devices

Paul employs several powerful literary devices in this verse. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, "are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?" This question is posed not to elicit information but to assert a self-evident truth, compelling the audience to agree with Paul's premise. By framing it as a question, Paul engages the Corinthians directly, leading them to an inescapable conclusion based on their own understanding of religious practice. Furthermore, the verse functions as an Analogy or Parallelism, drawing a direct comparison between the Israelite sacrificial system and the principles of spiritual communion. This analogy prepares the ground for Paul's subsequent comparison of the Lord's Supper with pagan idolatrous feasts, establishing a universal principle that participation in a sacrificial meal implies communion with the entity to whom the sacrifice is offered. There is also an element of Metonymy in "partakers of the altar," where the "altar" stands in for God Himself or the sacred covenant relationship established through the sacrificial system.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse is foundational for understanding the nature of spiritual communion and the dangers of syncretism. Paul establishes a universal principle: participation in a religious meal, especially one involving sacrifice, creates a bond or communion with the deity or entity being honored. For Israel, eating from the sacrifices meant fellowship with Yahweh, their covenant God. This principle directly informs Paul's warning to the Corinthians against participating in pagan feasts, even if they intellectually dismissed the idols. The act itself carried spiritual weight, implying a communion with demons, which Paul explicitly states is incompatible with communion with Christ. This highlights the exclusivity of Christian worship and the necessity of discerning our associations.

  • Leviticus 7:15: This passage describes the eating of the peace offering, where the worshiper partakes of the sacrifice, signifying communion with God.
  • Deuteronomy 32:17: Moses warns Israel about sacrificing to "devils" (demons), illustrating the concept of communion with false gods through sacrificial acts.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:20-21: Paul explicitly applies the principle from 1 Corinthians 10:18, stating that one cannot partake of the Lord's table and the table of demons.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

First Corinthians 10:18 profoundly challenges believers to consider the spiritual implications of their actions and associations. It moves beyond a superficial understanding of religious rituals, asserting that true participation in worship creates a deep, often unseen, spiritual bond. For us today, this means discerning not only what we physically consume but also what we spiritually "partake" in. Our choices regarding entertainment, relationships, media consumption, and even our vocational pursuits can signify a form of allegiance or communion. This verse calls us to guard against subtle forms of idolatry, recognizing that anything that takes God's rightful place in our hearts—be it money, power, pleasure, or self-affirmation—can become an "altar" to which we offer our devotion. It compels us to examine our allegiances and ensure that our lives consistently reflect our communion with Christ alone, valuing the profound significance of the Lord's Supper as our true spiritual nourishment and fellowship.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be unknowingly "partaking of an altar" that is not God's?
  • How can I cultivate a greater awareness of the spiritual implications of my daily choices and associations?
  • What does it truly mean for me to be in "communion" with Christ through the Lord's Supper, and how should this transform my other allegiances?
  • Are there any "tables" in my life (e.g., social groups, media, habits) that might be subtly drawing me into a form of communion that conflicts with my allegiance to Christ?

FAQ

What is the main point Paul is making in 1 Corinthians 10:18?

Answer: The main point Paul is making is that participation in a sacrificial meal inherently creates a spiritual bond or communion with the entity to whom the sacrifice is offered. He uses the example of Israel's Old Testament sacrifices to demonstrate that when Israelites ate from the sacrifices, they were understood to be in communion with God, who received a portion on the altar. This principle then serves as the foundation for his warning against partaking in pagan feasts, which would imply communion with demons, a practice utterly incompatible with communion with Christ (1 Corinthians 10:20-21).

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

First Corinthians 10:18, by establishing the principle of spiritual communion through sacrifice, powerfully foreshadows and illuminates the ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment of all sacrifice. In the Old Testament, the Israelite sacrifices, while pointing to God's covenant, were imperfect and temporary, requiring repeated offerings. However, Christ, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, offered Himself as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26-28). When believers partake in the Lord's Supper, they are not merely remembering an event; they are spiritually participating in Christ's body and blood, entering into profound communion with Him and His finished work on the cross (1 Corinthians 10:16). This communion is not with a mere physical altar, but with the living Christ, who is both the sacrifice and the High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). Thus, Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 10:18 serves to underscore the unique and exclusive nature of Christian communion, contrasting it sharply with any other form of spiritual allegiance, and directing all worship and fellowship to the one true God revealed in Jesus Christ.

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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10 verses 15–22

In this passage the apostle urges the general caution against idolatry, in the particular case of eating the heathen sacrifices as such, and out of any religious respect to the idol to whom they were sacrificed.

I. He prefaces his argument with an appeal to their own reason and judgment: "I speak to wise men, judge you what I say, Co1 10:15. You are great pretenders to wisdom, to close reasoning and argument; I can leave it with your own reason and conscience whether I do not argue justly." Note, It is no dishonour to an inspired teacher, nor disadvantage to his argument, to appeal for the truth of it to the reason and consciences of his hearers. It comes upon them with the greater force when it comes with this conviction. Paul, an inspired apostle, would yet, in some cases, leave it with the Corinthians to judge whether what he taught was not conformable to their own light and sense.

II. He lays down his argument from the Lord's supper: The cup which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Is not this sacred rite an instrument of communion with God? Do we not therein profess to be in friendship, and to have fellowship, with him? Is it not a token whereby we professedly hold communion with Christ, whose body was broken, and blood shed, to procure remission of our sins, and the favour of God? And can we be in alliance with Christ, or friendship with God, without being devoted to him? In short, the Lord's supper is a feast on the sacrificed body and blood of our Lord, epulum ex oblatis. And to eat of the feast is to partake of the sacrifice, and so to be his guests to whom the sacrifice was offered, and this in token of friendship with him. Thus to partake of the Lord's table is to profess ourselves his guests and covenant people. This is the very purpose and intention of this symbolical eating and drinking; it is holding communion with God, and partaking of those privileges, and professing ourselves under those obligations, which result from the death and sacrifice of Christ; and this in conjunction with all true Christians, with whom we have communion also in this ordinance. Because the bread is one, we, being many, are one body, for we are made partakers of one bread, or loaf (Co1 10:17), which I think is thus more truly rendered: "By partaking of one broken loaf, the emblem of our Saviour's broken body, who is the only true bread that came down from heaven, we coalesce into one body, become members of him and one another." Those who truly partake by faith have this communion with Christ, and one another; and those who eat the outward elements make profession of having this communion, of belonging to God and the blessed fraternity of his people and worshippers. This is the true meaning of this holy rite.

III. He confirms this from the Jewish worship and customs: Behold Israel after the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar, that is, of the sacrifice offered upon it? Those who were admitted to eat of the offerings were reckoned to partake of the sacrifice itself, as made for them, and to be sanctified thereby; and therefore surely to worship God, and be in alliance or covenant with him, even the God of Israel, to whom the sacrifice was made: this was a symbol or token of holding communion with him.

IV. He applies this to the argument against feasting with idolaters on their sacrifices, and to prove those that do so idolaters. This he does, 1. By following the principle on which they would argue it to be lawful, namely, that an idol was nothing. Many of them were nothing at all, none of them had any divinity in them. What was sacrificed to idols was nothing, no way changed from what it was before, but was every whit as fit for food, considered in itself. They indeed seem to argue that, because an idol was nothing, what was offered was no sacrifice, but common and ordinary food, of which they might therefore eat with as little scruple. Now the apostle allows that the food was not changed as to its nature, was as fit to be eaten as common food, where it was set before any who knew not of its having been offered to an idol. But, 2. He proves that the eating of it as a part of a heathen sacrifice was, (1.) A partaking with them in their idolatry. It was having fellowship with devils, because what the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to devils; and to feast with them upon these sacrifices was to partake in the sacrifice, and therefore to worship the god to whom it was made, and have fellowship or communion with him just as he who eats the Lord's supper is supposed to partake in the Christian sacrifice; or as those who ate the Jewish sacrifices partook of what was offered on their altar. But heathens sacrificed to devils: "Therefore do not feast on their sacrifices. Doing it is a token of your having fellowship with the demons to whom they are offered. I would not have you be in communion with devils." (2.) It was a virtual renouncing of Christianity: You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and the table of devils, Co1 10:21. To partake of this Christian feast was to have communion with Christ: to partake of the feasts made in honour of the heathen idols, and made of things sacrificed to them, was to have communion with devils. Now this was to compound contraries; it was by no means consistent. Communion with Christ, and communion with devils, could never be had at once. One must be renounced, if the other was maintained. He who held communion with Christ must renounce that with devils; he who held communion with devils must by that very deed renounce communion with Christ. And what a manifest self-contradiction must that man's conduct be that would partake of the Lord's table, and yet partake of the table of demons! God and mammon can never be served together, nor fellowship be at once had with Christ and Satan. Those who communicate with devils must virtually renounce Christ. This may also intimate that such as indulge themselves in gluttony or drunkenness, and by so doing make their own table the table of devils, or keep up fellowship with Satan by a course of known and wilful wickedness, cannot partake truly of the cup and table of the Lord. They may use the sign, but do not the thing signified thereby. For a man can never be at once in communication with Christ and his church and yet in fellowship with Satan. Note, How much reason have we to look to it that every sin and idol be renounced by us, when we eat and drink at the Lord's table.

V. He warns them, upon the whole, against such idolatry, by signifying to them that God is a jealous God (Co1 10:22): Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? It is very probable that many among the Corinthians made light of being at these heathen feasts, and thought there was no harm in it. But the apostle bids them beware. The reason with which the second commandment is enforced is, I am a jealous God. God cannot endure a rival in matter of worship; nor give his glory, nor suffer it to be given, to another. Those who have fellowship with other gods provoke him to jealousy, Deu 32:16. And, before this be done, persons should consider whether they are stronger than he. It is a dangerous thing to provoke God's anger, unless we could withstand his power. But who can stand before him when he is angry? Nah 1:6. This should be considered by all who continue in the love and liking of sin, and in league with it, while yet they profess to keep up communion with Christ. Is not this the way to provoke his jealousy and indignation? Note, Attention to the greatness of God's power should restrain us from provoking his jealousy, from doing any thing to displease him. Shall we rouse almighty wrath? And how shall we withstand it? Are we a match for God? Can we resist his power, or control it? And, if not, shall we arm it against us, by provoking him to jealousy? No, let us fear his power, and let this restrain us from all provocation.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–22. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on 1 Corinthians 24
"Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they which eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?"

Again, from the old covenant he leads them unto this point also. For because they were far beneath the greatness of the things which had been spoken, he persuades them both from former things and from those to which they were accustomed. And he says well, "according to the flesh," as though they themselves were according to the Spirit. And what he says is of this nature: "even from persons of the grossest sort ye may be instructed that they who eat the sacrifices, have communion with the altar." Dost thou see how he intimates that they who seemed to be perfect have not perfect knowledge, if they know not even this, that the result of these sacrifices to many oftentimes is a certain communion and friendship with devils, the practice drawing them on by degrees? For if among men the fellowship of salt and the table becomes an occasion and token of friendship, it is possible that this may happen also in the case of devils.

But do thou, I pray, consider, how with regard to the Jews he said not, "they are partakers with God," but, "they have communion with the altar;" for what was placed thereon was burnt: but in respect to the Body of Christ, not so. But how? It is "a Communion of the Lord's Body." For not with the altar, but with Christ Himself, do we have communion.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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