So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread. Consider the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons! You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
1 Corinthians 10:14-22
Context is vital and the context here is idolatry in the church in Corinth. Paul is concerned that some of the believers are mixing up their practices and involving themselves in the worship of idols, something Paul says is demonic. Paul warns against sexual immorality and grumbling (not many churches make the latter as serious as the former but Paul does!) all the while trying to drive home the point that participation in evil (like grumbling!) is far more serious than we credit. And then he gets to the specific problem in Corinth; believers eating food that has been offered to idols.
Along the way Paul reveals a number of important things about the Lord’s Supper.
- The cup is a cup of blessing (v.16) (For a longer list of communion scriptures, see Scriptures for Communion.)
- Drinking the cup & eating the bread is a participation in the blood and body of Christ (v.16) just as eating a sacrifice is a participation with demons (v.20).
- The one bread is unifying. We who are many are one body. (v.17) (This covenant dimension is explored further in Bread & Wine as a covenant meal.)
- The Table is a place of submission. Paul says the cup and table are the Lord’s and the Lord does not, will not, tolerate split allegiance. Coming to the table we submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ. ‘You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons’. Not should not, must not, but cannot. Not possible. To do is to provoke the jealousy of our God. (v.21)
In terms of practice this passage does not tell us too much. The mention of the one bread here offers a clue to what is a more fitting symbol (a single loaf or little wafers for example) but it is suggestive not conclusive. Otherwise the focus is on things not to do (mix up your worship practices) rather than on how Christians should practice the table.
That being said the four principles here are worth exploring further and ensuring that those truths and principles become evident to the church as we come to the Table.
And I think that this passage alone teaches us that some form of ‘hedging the table’ is necessary. If the Table is a place where we receive the blessing of the body and the blood, where we participate in the life, death, suffering and hope of Christ, where we submit ourselves to Christ’s Lordship and where we are united into one body, then it cannot be for anybody even if it is for everybody.
The Table is both open and closed.
It is for those who are hungry for the food from heaven, for those who will humble themselves before the Lord, who will receive His blessing, who will join the communion of the saints. At a very basic level then the table is for Christians but it may also be a place where someone becomes Christian.
This is part of a series on communion. Explore more at the Communion hub.
Leave a Reply