Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 10:22
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? ] i.e. as the Jews had done to their cost See note on last verse. Cf. also Numbers 14; Deuteronomy 1; Deu 32:21 (see note on 1Co 10:19 and observe that it was idol worship which provoked God); Psa 95:8; Heb 3:16. The same word is found, with the same translation, in Rom 10:19; Rom 11:11, and in 1Co 10:14 of that chapter it is translated provoke to emulation.
are we stronger than he? ] So as to be able to resist His wrath.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? – That is, shall we, by joining in the worship of idols, provoke or irritate God, or excite him to anger? This is evidently the meaning of the word parazeloumen, rendered provoke to jealousy. The word qaana’, usually rendered by this word by the Septuagint, has this sense in Deu 32:21; 1Ki 14:22; Ezr 8:3; Psa 78:58. There is a reference here, doubtless, to the truth recorded in EXO 20:5. That God is a jealous God, and that he regards the worship of idols as a direct affront to himself. The sentiment of Paul is, that to join in the worship of idols, or in the observance of their feasts, would be to participate in that which had ever been regarded by God with special abhorrence, and which more than anything else tended to provoke his wrath. We may observe, that any course of life that tends to alienate the affections from God, and to fix them on other beings or objects, is a sin of the same kind as that referred to here. Any inordinate love of friends, of property, of honor, has substantially the same idolatrous nature, and will tend to provoke him to anger. And it may be asked of Christians now, whether they will by such inordinate attachments provoke the Lord to wrath? whether they will thus excite his displeasure, and expose themselves to his indignation? Very often Christians do thus provoke him. They become unduly attached to a friend, or to wealth, and God in anger takes away that friend by death, or that property by the flames, or they conform to the world, and mingle in its scenes of fashion and gaiety, and forget God; and in displeasure he visits them with judgments, humbles them, and recalls them to Himself.
Are we stronger than he? – This is given as a reason why we should not provoke his displeasure. We cannot contend successfully with Him; and it is therefore madness and folly to contend with God, or to expose ourselves to the effects of His indignation.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?] All idolatry is represented as a sort of spiritual adultery; it is giving that heart to Satan that should be devoted to God; and he is represented as being jealous, because of the infidelity of those who have covenanted to give their hearts to him.
Are we stronger than he?] As he has threatened to punish such transgressors, and will infallibly do it, can we resist his omnipotence? A sinner should consider, while he is in rebellion against God, whether he be able to resist that power whereby God will inflict vengeance.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Jealousy is a violent passion in a man, not bearing a companion or a rival as to a thing or person which he loveth. It is in holy writ applied unto God, not to signify any such extravagancy, excess, or vehemence, as attendeth that passion in men, but only his just displeasure at the giving that homage to any creature which is due to him alone. It is most applied to God to express his anger against those who give Divine homage to idols; the worship of God being a great piece of his glory which he hath said he will not give to another, nor his praise to graven images, Isa 42:8. Hence divines observe, that jealousy is attributed to God in the second commandment, which concerns the more external worship of God, to deter men from the violation of it, Exo 20:5. So Exo 34:14; Deu 4:24; 5:9; 6:16, and in many other texts, it signifieth, that the worship of God is a thing that he is very tender of, and that his will is to endure no creature to share with him in it; and that his wrath shall flame against that man that offers to make any creature such a sharer. So that it is not safe for any to do any thing of that nature, unless he could fancy himself to be stronger than God; for he that doth it, must expect the power and strength of God to be engaged against him. Thus the apostle had dissuaded them from eating meat sacrificed to idols in the idols temple, from the impiety of it, it being a species of idolatry, against which God hath signally revealed his wrath. He returns in the following verses to an argument, by which he had before dissuaded it, 1Co 8:1-13, as it was against charity, and the duty of love, in which they were indebted to their brethren.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. Do we provoke the Lord tojealousy?by dividing our fellowship between Him and idols (Eze20:39). Is it our wish to provoke Him to assert His power? De32:21 is before the apostle’s mind [ALFORD],(Ex 20:5).
are we stronger?thatwe can risk a contest with Him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?…. As they do who are guilty of idolatry in any shape: nothing is more highly resented by God, or stirs him up more to wrath and fury, and to inflict punishment; he cannot bear, nor will he admit of a rival in religious worship; he is a God jealous of his own honour; nor will he give, or suffer to be given by others, his praise and glory to graven images:
are we stronger than he? to give into idolatrous practices, is to proclaim and enter into a war against God; and what madness must this be? who can be so sottish and stupid as to think of succeeding? when God is omnipotent, and man a poor feeble impotent creature, a worm, and but dust and ashes: thus the apostle dissuades from idolatry, and every species and branch of it; partly from its ill effect, in bringing men into fellowship with devils; and partly from the impossibility of practising it, in consistence with a true and real participation of the cup and table of the Lord; and from the absurdity and stupidity of it, and its dangerous consequence, in exposing men to the vengeance of an almighty incensed Being.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Provoke to jealousy (). The very word used in De 32:21 of the insolence of the old Israelites. Quoted in Ro 10:19. Such double-dealing now will do this very thing.
Stronger than he ( ). Comparative adjective followed by the ablative.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Do we provoke – to jealousy [ ] . The A. V. does not translate h or, and thus breaks the connection with what precedes. You cannot be at the same time in communion with the Lord and with demons, or will you ignore this inconsistency and provoke God ? For the verb, see on Rom 10:19.
Are we stronger. The force of the interrogative particle is, surely we are not stronger.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? (he parazeloumen ton kurion) “Do we dare agitate the Lord to jealousy?” Are we this ignoble? Paul would have the brethren ask themselves. To stir the Lord’s jealousy was to arouse or provoke his anger to wrath. Paul later expressed the love of God for his church as a separated people when he affirmed his jealousy over them as the espoused of the Lord, 2Co 11:1-4.
2) “Are we stronger than he?” (me ischuroteroi autou esemen) “We are not stronger than he, are we?” This too is a chiding rhetoric question, indicating the folly of “two-timing” God. As a wife should not flirt with, sit long with, insinuate equal interest with a man to whom she is not married, even so must members of the Lord’s church avoid religious union, cohabitation as equal participants of worship, with those of other faith, order, and systems of worship, such as ecumenism, Gal 6:7-8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
22. Do we provoke the Lord ? Having laid down the doctrine, he assumes a more vehement tone, from observing, that what was a most atrocious offense against God was regarded as nothing, or, at least, was looked upon as a very trivial error. The Corinthians wished the liberty that they took to be reckoned excusable, as there is not one of us that willingly allows himself to be found fault with, but, on the contrary, we seek one subterfuge after another, under which to shelter ourselves. Now Paul says, and not without reason, that in this way we wage war against God; for nothing does God more require from us than this — that we adhere strictly to everything that he declares in his word. Do not those, then, who use subterfuges, (591) in order that they may be at liberty to transgress the commandment of God, arm themselves openly against God? Hence that curse which the Prophet denounces against all those who call evil, good, and darkness, light (Isa 5:20.)
Are we stronger ? He warns them how dangerous a thing it is to provoke God — because no one can do this but to his own ruin. (592) Among men the chance of war, as they speak, is doubtful, but to contend with God is nothing short of voluntarily courting destruction. Accordingly, if we fear to have God as an enemy, let us shudder at the thought of framing excuses for manifest sins, that is, whatever stand opposed to his word. Let us, also, shudder at the thought of calling in question those things that he has himself pronounced upon — for this is nothing less than to rise up against heaven after the manner of the giants. (593) (Gen 11:4.)
(591) “ Qui ne veulent point venir au poinet;” — “Who are not willing to come to the point.”
(592) “ Ruine et condemnation;” — “Ruin and condemnation.”
(593) The reader will find the same incident in Sacred History referred to by our Author, and dwelt upon at considerable length, in the Harmony, vol. 1, p. 58. See also Calvin on Genesis, vol. 1, p. 328. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
22. Provoke the Lord As we have above intimated, St. Paul has in mind Deu 32:17-26, and this is an allusion to 1Co 10:21.
Stronger than he So as to meet all the threatenings of Deu 32:21-26.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?’
By not fleeing from idolatry they are provoking the Lord to jealously (the symmetry of the passage connects the two statements). He thus compares the act of eating in pagan temples with lovers seeking to make their partner jealous by consorting with another. Is that what they are trying to do, make God jealous? Do they really think that they are so mighty that they can treat God in that way?
Or perhaps in the light of Deu 32:17 he is simply pointing out that they are deliberately rebelling by approaching false gods even while they pretend to worship the true God, and thus stirring God’s ‘jealousy’, His concern that His people should only look to Him (Exo 20:5). For In Deu 32:17 we read, ‘they sacrificed to demons which were no God, to gods whom they knew not, whom your fathers did not fear’ and this is followed by (1Co 10:21), ‘they have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God, they have provoked me to anger with their vanities, and I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people, I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.’
These foolish Corinthians, he suggests, are behaving just like those foolish Israelites of old (compare 1Co 10:5-10) and may therefore bring on themselves the same judgment, that God will show favour to others who are not His chosen and not to them who think they are. They are thus choosing their own way in defiance of God and thereby giving the impression that they think themselves stronger than Him. While what they are really doing is flaunting God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Christian principles involved:
v. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
v. 23. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
v. 24. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. The apostle here mentions a thought that may have been found in the hearts of some of the Corinthians: Is it that we want to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Was that the idea which made them partake at both tables? Should Christians venture upon such a course? See Deu 32:21. They may be assured that the Lord would be apt to feel the most intense displeasure at such an evidence of adulterous love on their part. And: Are we stronger than He? Shall we presume to risk His displeasure to that extent? Can we avert the power of His wrath? The very fact that Paul included himself in the question was to encourage and admonish his readers to stand on his side and answer with an emphatic: Nevermore! But he also urges a consideration which he has brought once before: All things are in my power, but all things are not expedient, not advantageous, if the welfare of my neighbor is taken into account. Between having the right to do a certain thing and insisting upon making use of this right at all times and under all circumstances there is a great difference. And again: All things are in my power, but not do they all edify. An act which I know to be right and good may be considered highly improper by a weak brother, and therefore my doing it will result in his being offended instead of his being furthered in piety and righteous living. See chap. 6:12. To go ahead at all times without exercising charitable care, in conceited security, may result in endangering a fellow-Christian’s immortal soul. But a basic principle of Christian love is: Let no one seek his own interest or benefit, but rather that of the other, of his neighbor, of his Christian brother. To make one’s own enjoyment, one’s own rights, one’s own liberty the sole and paramount consideration, regardless of the good of others, is the essence of selfishness, a violation of the great law of love. Even things indifferent become sinful when they result in detriment to one’s neighbor.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
1Co 10:22. Do we provoke the Lord, &c.? This alludes to the idea under which idolatry is represented as a kind of spiritual adultery, which moved the jealousy of God; though every deliberate sin is, in effect, a daring of his omnipotent vengeance. See Doddridge and Locke.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 10:22 . Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? to prove that He will not suffer us to set Him on the same level with the demons? The connection is this: “ You cannot , etc., 1Co 10:21 , unless it were the case that we Christians were people whose business it is to provoke Christ to jealousy .” Hence the indicative , which should not be taken as deliberative, with Luther and others, including Pott, Flatt, and Rckert ( or would we defy the Lord ?), but: we occupy ourselves therewith, are engaged therein . Comp Bernhardy, Syntax , p. 370. The phrase, , however, should not be referred to God on the ground of the allusion undoubtedly made here to Deu 32:21 (so commonly , as by Ewald, Pott, Billroth, Rckert, Olshausen), but (as by de Wette and Hofmann), on account of 1Co 10:21 , to Christ .
. . . [1695] ] we are not surely stronger than He? i.e. we are not surely persons, whom His strength, which He would put forth against us to carry out the promptings of that jealousy, [1696] cannot get the better of? Comp Job 37:23 . Chrysostom already correctly notes the abductio ad absurdum , with which Paul winds up this part of his polemic against the eating of sacrificial meat.
[1695] . . . .
[1696] According to Hofmann, Paul means that strength, which men must suppose themselves to possess if they are confident that they can take part with impunity in the sacrificial feasts, whereas Christ can by no means endure the sight of such participation on their part without becoming jealous. But the idea, “ with impunity ,” would be arbitrarily imported into the passage. The greater strength, upon this view of it, would be in truth the capacity not existing in Christ to do what was morally impossible (ver. 21). Had this, however, been the apostle’s meaning, he would have needed, in order to be logical and intelligible, to reverse the order of his clauses, so that should have its sense determined by in ver. 21. According to the present order, the meaning of . is determined by to be the strength which could make head against that of the thus aroused.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
Ver. 22. Do we provoke the Lord ] As Caligula that dared his Jove to a duel; as the raging Turk at the last assault of Scodra most horribly blaspheming God. But who knoweth the power of his anger? Psa 90:11 . It is such as none can avert or avoid, avoid or abide. To such therefore as will needs provoke the Lord, we may well say, as Ulysses’ companions said to him, when he would needs provoke Polydamas;
” .
What mean’st thou, wretch, to enrage this cruel man?”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22. ] Or are we provoking (is it our wish to provoke, that He may assert His power) the Lord (Christ) to jealousy (by dividing our participation between Him and devils)? see ref. Deut., which evidently is before the Apostle’s mind: are we stronger than He (are we then such, that we can afford to defy His power to punish)?
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
provoke . . . to jealousy. Greek. parazelod. See Rom 10:15.
Lord. App-98.
are we, &c. This question is introduced by me, expecting a negative answer. Notice the vividness given to the apostle’s argument by the use of the Figure of speech Erotesis in verses: 1Co 10:10, 1Co 10:16, 1Co 16:18, 1Co 16:19, 1Co 16:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] Or are we provoking (is it our wish to provoke, that He may assert His power) the Lord (Christ) to jealousy (by dividing our participation between Him and devils)?-see ref. Deut., which evidently is before the Apostles mind:-are we stronger than He (are we then such, that we can afford to defy His power to punish)?
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 10:22. ) do we provoke to jealousy? namely, by idolatry, 1Co 10:7; Exo 20:5. The kindred word is , , to cause one a conflict, to weary out, Isa 7:13. So Deu 32:21,- , they have moved me to jealousy with that which is no god.-, stronger) so that we may flee from His jealousy when kindled? [The weaker party is provoked without danger; but it is different in the stronger.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 10:22
1Co 10:22
Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?-The comparison here is to a wife who would provoke her husband to jealousy by showing her affection for another man. Can we afford thus to treat Christ? [This illustration is the most effective that can be borrowed from human relations, and is often employed in Scripture to set forth the heinousness of the sin of idolatry.]
are we stronger than he?-If we arouse his jealousy, he will destroy us. [As he has threatened to punish such transgressors, it is therefore madness and folly to expose ourselves to the fury of his indignation.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
we provoke: Exo 20:5, Exo 34:14, Deu 4:24, Deu 6:15, Deu 32:16, Deu 32:21, Jos 24:19, Psa 78:58, Zep 1:18
are: Job 9:4, Job 40:9-14, Eze 22:14, Heb 10:31
Reciprocal: Exo 9:17 – General Exo 20:23 – General Num 5:14 – General Num 25:11 – that I Deu 4:25 – do evil Deu 29:20 – his jealousy 1Ki 14:9 – to provoke 1Ki 14:22 – they provoked 1Ki 18:21 – How long 2Ch 13:17 – five hundred Job 9:19 – he is strong Job 33:13 – strive Job 40:2 – Shall Job 41:10 – who Psa 76:7 – who Pro 6:34 – General Isa 1:4 – provoked Isa 3:8 – to provoke Isa 45:9 – unto him Jer 7:18 – children Jer 7:19 – they provoke Jer 36:29 – Thou hast Jer 44:8 – ye provoke Eze 8:3 – provoketh Eze 28:6 – Because Dan 4:35 – none Act 5:39 – to fight Act 9:5 – it is Act 23:9 – let Act 26:14 – hard 1Pe 5:6 – the Rev 18:8 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 10:22. To be jealous means to be fearful of losing something that may be obtained by another. Paul implies that men might give their devotion to idols and thereby cause God to be jealous, which would actually take place according to Exo 20:5. The Corinthians may not have been doing it for that purpose, but Paul shows them that their conduct implies it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 10:22. What? do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? The allusion is to Deu 32:21, and almost the words are from it. The word jealousy, as applied to God, seems to express the sense of slighted love in one of two wedded parties towards the other; an idea familiar to the Old Testament with reference to Jehovahs relation to His people Israel, and their treatment of Him. Here this idea is transferred to Christ; for since the table of the Lord certainly means Christs eucharistic table, the Lord, whom they provoked to jealousy by partaking both of it and of idol-feasts, must be the Lord Jesus. (And so, with true critical instinct, De Wette, Meyer, Stanley, and Alford understand it) In fact, as all the relations of Jehovah to His covenant people under the ancient economy were appropriated by our Lord to Himselfwho served Himself Heir to them allso our apostle, applying these to Him as a matter of course, puts the question, Mean ye to try how far His patience will go? Would ye try your strength against His?
This whole subject is now closed with a brief recapitulation of the principles applicable to it, and the proper application of them.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. That the worship of God is that which he is very tender and jealous of: never was husband so jealous of the chastity of his suspected wife, as God is jealous in point of worship; idolatry is a provoking God to jealousy.
Observe, 2. That such as worship idols, or are guilty of idolatrous worship in any kind or degree, must expect God a jealous revenger, and will find themselves not strong enough to contend with him. “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy, by joining devils in competition with him? Are we stronger than he? Who knows the power of his anger? The strength of God should make sinners tremble.”
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? [God does not permit a division of his worship (Mat 6:24). Any attempt to do this is said to arouse his jealousy, that passion which arises from wounded love (Isa 54:5; Eph 5:23-32; Exo 20:5). Paul doubtless has in mind the passage at Deu 32:17-26; which shows the necessity of obedience on the part of those not able to resist.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 22
Do we provoke? shall we provoke?
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
1Co 10:22. A third dissuasive, suggested by Deu 32:17 and Deu 32:21. Paul asks, What is the practical significance and effect of our conduct? For, to countenance idolatry, is to rouse the anger of Christ, who claims to be our sole Master. This solemn warning, 1Co 10:22 b supports by appealing to the greater strength of Him whom some were so carelessly provoking.
ARGUMENT. Paul wishes to dissuade from all contact with idolatry, and especially from attendance at idol-feasts. Even this might be thought allowable; since (1Co 8:4) idols have no real existence, and (Rom 14:14; Mat 15:11) no food can of itself defile. But Paul reminds us that upon eating and drinking hang great spiritual consequences; that a simple Christian feast is a condition of receiving individually the results of Christ’s death, and a means of maintaining the wonderful oneness of the church throughout the world, a result far from the thought of many who partake the feast. But a closer analogy is at hand.
They who partake the Mosaic feasts in the temple-court at Jerusalem are evidently, though most of them think nothing about it, supporting by their presence the Mosaic ritual and economy. Now, although idols have no existence, yet behind and beneath them is a real and superhuman and diabolical power. (Else, idolatry were harmless.) Therefore, as in the analogous case of the Jewish sacrificial feasts, all who join the idol-feasts lend by the presence aid to idolatry, and thus help demons to rule over men. Therefore, whatever pleasure comes from such feasts, since it is a result of sin, is a cup presented by evil spirits. From such a cup we may well draw back.
Again, Christ claims our sole allegiance, and will tolerate no rival. Therefore, to indulge in the pleasures offered by idolatry, is to forego the salvation which comes through the shed blood of Christ, which is solemnly set forth in the Christian feast and makes the sacramental cup to be a cup of praise to God. To attempt to mingle the pleasures of idolatry and the salvation of Christ, is but to attempt, in spite of God’s warning to ancient Israel, to call forth the jealous and irresistible anger of our Master, Christ.
This section is the stronghold of the Lutheran doctrine of CONSUBSTANTIATION, viz. that all who partake the Lord s Supper thereby receive Christ, though it depends upon themselves whether they receive Him to bless or to condemn. See note under 1Co 11:34. The argument is, that he who attends an idol-feast is said to become thereby even without or against his intention, a partner with demons, and that therefore by analogy we must suppose that he who partakes the Lord’s Supper becomes thereby, whatever be his state of heart, a sharer of the body and blood of Christ. But it is unsafe to build up an important doctrine not expressly taught in Scripture on its supposed necessity to give validity to one Scripture argument, an argument somewhat obscured by distance of time and total change of circumstances. Moreover, without assuming the Lutheran Doctrine, we have already felt the great force of Paul’s argument. Nay more. The Lutheran doctrine is inconsistent with 1Co 10:21. For, since outward attendance at idol-feasts involves, even against our will, spiritual partnership with demons, if in like manner material eating of the Lord’s Supper involved spiritual union with Christ, then it would be possible and easy to eat on the same day of the Lord’s table and the table of demons: which Paul declares to be impossible. We therefore infer that he refers to a spiritual reception of the results of Christ’s death which does not always accompany a reception of the bread and wine.
The argument of 18 was doubtless suggested by the matter of 21. The matters which come before him, Paul grasps so firmly that he instinctively makes various use of them: e.g. 1Co 9:13 f and 1Co 10:18.
This section teaches the solemn and far-reaching lesson that, if by our countenance we help forward anything of which the results are evil, we thereby become allies of those evil spirits who through the bad things of the world are seeking to destroy men; and that, if by the countenance thus given to evil we obtain pleasure or profit, we thereby accept and drink a cup which demons hold to our lips.
Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament
The Israelites provoked the Lord to jealousy by doing just such a thing when they joined in Moabite worship (Numbers 25; cf. Deu 32:17; Deu 32:21-22). We are to learn from their experiences. It would be folly to provoke the Lord unless we are stronger than He. If we provoke Him and are not, we can count on His chastening since He is a jealous God.
The Corinthians were arguing for the right to attend pagan religious meals. They even viewed attendance as a way of building their "weaker" brethren. Paul responded that attendance was wrong on two counts: it was unloving, and it was incompatible with life in Christ, which their participation in the Lord’s Table symbolized. He forbade any relationship with the demonic. The demonic is not as remote as some modern Western Christians would like to believe.