1Corinthians Study: Chapters 9-12

Click on the following links to jump to a areas within this study: Start of Book Study, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, God in 1Corinthians, Test of Spiritual Maturity.

1Corinthians Chapter 9 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

C9S1 (Verse 1), C9S2 (Verse 1), C9S3 (Verse 1), C9S4 (Verse 1), C9S5 (Verse 2), C9S6 (Verse 3-4), C9S7 (Verse 5), C9S8 (Verse 6), C9S9 (Verse 7), C9S10 (Verse 7), C9S11 (Verse 7), C9S12 (Verse 8), C9S13 (Verse 8), C9S14 (Verse 9), C9S15 (Verse 9), C9S16 (Verse 10), C9S17 (Verse 10), C9S18 (Verse 11), C9S19 (Verse 12), C9S20 (Verse 12), C9S21 (Verse 13), C9S22 (Verse 13), C9S23 (Verse 14), C9S24 (Verse 15), C9S25 (Verse 16), C9S26 (Verse 17), C9S27 (Verse 18), C9S28 (Verse 18), C9S29 (Verse 19), C9S30 (Verse 20-21), C9S31 (Verse 22), C9S32 (Verse 23), C9S33 (Verse 24), C9S34 (Verse 24), C9S35 (Verse 25), C9S36 (Verse 25), C9S37 (Verse 26-27)

The Chapter theme is: Paul’s answer to them that do examine me.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

The most used words in this chapter (with counts in parenthesis) are: HAVE (12), AS (10), LAW (10), thINGS (10), GOSPEL (9), ALL (8), IF (7).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides an outline for this chapter of:

1-6. He shows his liberty;
7-14. and that the minister ought to live by the Gospel;
15-17. yet that himself has of his own accord abstained,
18-21. to be either chargeable unto them,
22-23. or offensive unto any, in matters indifferent.
24-27. Our life is like unto a race.

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C9S1 (Verse 1) Am I not an apostle ?

Please see the summary of each sentence in the Chapter Outline and consider how each sentence fits within the context of the entire logical argument before looking at the details of any particular sentence.

Please see the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Apostle for the use of this word within the Bible. That Study has a note for every verse in the Bible which uses the word apostle(s) and lets us know that this claim makes Paul 'The highest human authority within the church below Christ'. It also explains that people who did not have this God given position were still claiming to be a greater authority in the things of God so that they could get these spiritually immature saved people to accept doctrinal error. Please also notes that 9:2 and 9:5 also use the word apostle and also have related notes in that Study.

This sentence is Paul's first evidence to them that do examine me. Within these first sentences we see some of the Biblical requirements for being a true apostle. However, these requirements are presented like the parables were presented. Those who opened their heart to God received the truth while those people who clung to religious traditions were deceived.

This is discussed, to some extent, in the general note at the beginning of the Word Study on Apostle. That note presents several things for consideration while trying to offend people who 'take a stand' for some of the doctrinal error that they have been taught.

The first few sentences of our chapter make it clear (to those with open minds) that Paul had seen the physical risen Lord Jesus Christ. This is a requirement for being a Biblical apostle that is ignored or denied by many people and religions today. In addition, what I have shown elsewhere but will not present the verses for here, is that Paul received 3.5 years of training from the risen Lord Jesus Christ, just like the other apostles received. After Paul was saved and tried preaching the gospel and had to be snuck out of the city and was rejected by the Jerusalem Church because of fear, he went into the desert where he received his personal training. After that he met with Peter and another then went to his home city until Barnabas brought him to Antioch.

The people alive at the time that this epistle was written would have known these things. They also would have known that these other people would not have had Paul's personal training and approval from our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is understandable if people today have trouble seeing the significance of these questions.

Please click on each of the links in the sentence outline above to see the notes related to that particular word. In general, when the word has a link within the sentence it is not included within the Word Studies at the end of the note for the sentence.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I not an. 1Co 9:2-3; 1:1; 15:8-9; Ac 9:15; 13:2; 14:4; 22:14-15; 16:17-18; Ro 1:1,5; 11:13; 2Co 11:5; 12:11-12; Ga 1:1,15-17; 2:7-8; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11; Tit 1:1-3'.

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C9S2 (Verse 1) am I not free?

This sentence is Paul's second evidence to them that do examine me. Evidence is something independent of what is being argued which supports one side of the argument and is used in a court of law. Paul's second evidence dealt directly with the opposition's main lie, which denied that he was an apostle. As noted above, Paul provides further evidence later in this chapter to support his claim while the opposition neither provided evidence to the contrary nor were they able to deny his evidence that he was an apostle.

Now Paul provides a second evidence which can not be denied. They lived in a time and society where slavery was commonly practiced by all known societies. The difference between a slave, a bond servant, and a free person were well-known and undeniable. The only person that Paul was a slave or a bond servant (Romans 1:1) to was Jesus Christ. Therefore, Paul's claim to be free among men was undeniable and was a truth that was basic to the society of that day. Thus, Paul proved that this claim of the others was a lie and from the devil (John 8:44). Paul was not ordered by any man to go to Corinth and bring them the gospel. He could not have done so if he was a slave. Their salvation was based upon the fact that Paul was free and he used that fact to willingly serve our Lord in the gospel.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 7:22 about the word free. The functional definition is: 'Being at liberty; not being under necessity or restraint, physical or moral; a word of general application to the body, the will or mind, and to corporations'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'am I not free. 1Co 9:19; Ga 5:1'.

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C9S3 (Verse 1) have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord ?

This sentence now brings in legal authorization to represent God. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. It explains the legality involved. Basically, Paul is saying that he saw the physical man who us Jesus Christ and that physical man is also our Lord. As Lord, He has the right to decide who will be His apostle. People do not have the right to take this position upon themselves. In addition, it is commonly accepted that one of the requirements to being an apostle is the see the physical risen Jesus Christ in the flesh and have Him personally give you the position of apostle. That position is too important to be given out with anything less than a personal face-to-face meeting. As explained elsewhere, Paul not only has seen Jesus Christ our Lord but received 3.5 years of personal training from Him.

Please see the note for 1:26 about the word see / seen / sight. The functional definition, which deals with the physical world, is: 'a physical sense which conveys information about the physical world to the brain'. However, when applied to abstract mental or spiritual things, the word see is better defined as: 'a process which conveys information and understanding to the person'. This word is often used symbolically for spiritual understanding. Please also see the note for John 6:40-LJC about the phrase see the Son. However, in this case Paul is talking about physically seeing the physical man in the flesh, which is one of the requirements to be an apostle. Our chapter started out with the assertion that Paul was an apostle.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'have. 1Co 15:8; Ac 9:3,5,17; 18:9; 22:6-8,14-21; 23:11; 26:16-18'.

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C9S4 (Verse 1) are not ye my work in the Lord ?

Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study which explains that ye my work in the Lord is dealing with their personally (ye) being able to claim legal spiritual salvation. Paul had personally done the work to bring them the message of salvation. If he did not have the legal right to represent out Lord, then their personal salvation was invalid. These people made the same mistake as people make all of the time. They accept a lie without considering the consequences of that lie.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 6:1 for links to every place in the New Testament where we find the word workers. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines worker as: 'n. One that works; one that performs.' please see the note for 3:14 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word work.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'are. 1Co 3:6; 4:14-15; Ac 18:8-11; 2Co 6:1 exp: 2Co 3:2'.

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C9S5 (Verse 2) this sentence is Paul's fifth evidence to them that do examine me.

Equivalent Section: Logical proof of Paul's apostleship.

If I be not an apostle unto others,
yet doubtless I am to you:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord..

Please see the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Apostle for the use of this word within the Bible. That Study has a note for every verse in the Bible which uses the word apostle(s) and lets us know that this claim makes Paul 'The highest human authority within the church below Christ'. It also explains that people who did not have this God given position were still claiming to be a greater authority in the things of God so that they could get these spiritually immature saved people to accept doctrinal error. Please also notes that 9:1 and 9:5 also use the word apostle and also have related notes in that Study.

in this sentence Paul is reminding the reader that apostle is a legally appointed position which can only be given by our Lord and not taken by anyone who wants it, nor given by man nor even given by the church. The note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study points the reader to two other notes in that Study. The first of those notes points out how this entire chapter uses legal terms and basically says that these things are controlled by God's court of law. Courts are notorious for coming down hard on someone who tries to usurp the authority of the court. Thus, Paul is saying 'here is the proof that I have legal authority behind me while these others do not'. The second note pointed to is the one earlier where we saw that receiving the position of apostle had to be done face-to-face to the physically raised Lord Jesus Christ. Paul not only had the claim of receiving this but their salvation also confirmed it because true Biblical salvation is a work of the Lord. These other people did not lead anyone to true Biblical salvation because they did not have the approval of our Lord and did not have Him doing His part for these people to show true Biblical salvation of anyone.

Please see the note for Romans 14:1 for links to every verse in the New Testament where we find forms of the word doubt along with a quote of the word and an explanation of how it is used within the context. There is also a definition from Webster's 1828 for the word doubtful. The basic definition is 'Dubious; not settled in opinion; undetermined; wavering; hesitating; applied to persons; as, we are doubtful of a fact, or of the propriety of a measure' and the word doubtless means that we remove (have less) of the attributes of doubt and what is left is a truth that you can rely upon. Please see the note for 2Corinthians 12:1 for links to every place in the Bible where we find the word doubtless mentioned. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines doubtless as: 'DOUBTLESS, a. Free from fear of danger; secure. Pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure.
DOUBTLESS, adv. Without doubt or question; unquestionably. The histories of Christ by the evangelists are doubtless authentic'.

We find forms of the word seal occurring 72 times in 58 verses of the Bible, 47 times in 32 verses of the New Testament, and only in this sentence within 1Corinthians. However, we find related messages in 2Corinthians 3:1-3 and 2Corinthians 12:12. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines seal as: 'n. L. sigillum. 1. A piece of metal or other hard substance, usually round or oval, on which is ingraved some image or device, and sometimes a legend or inscription. this is used by individuals, corporate bodies and states, for making impressions on wax upon instruments of writing, as an evidence of their authenticity. the king of England has his seal and his privy seal. Seals are sometimes worn in rings'. With this word we see the legal aspect brought in one more time. Paul had legal approval and these other people did not.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for seal as: '1Ki 21:8; Es 8:8; Jer 32:10; Da 6:17; Mt 27:66'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for seal as: '. A stamp used for signifying documents: Given as a pledge: Ge 38:18. Engraved: Ex 28:11,21,36; 39:6,14,30; 2Ti 2:19. Decrees signified by: 1Ki 21:8; Es 8:8. Documents sealed with. Ahab's letter: 1Ki 21:8. Covenants: Ne 9:38-10:1; Isa 8:16. Decrees: Es 8:8; Da 6:9. Deeds: Jer 32:10. Treasures secured by: De 32:34. Lion's den secured by: Da 6:17. The gravesite of Jesus: Mt 27:66. Circumcision was regarded as a seal of righteousness: Ro 4:11. FIGURATIVE: Of secrecy: Da 12:9; Re 5:1. Of certainty of divine approval: Joh 6:27; Ro 15:28; 2Co 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30; Re 7:3-4. 2. An amphibious animal: Skins of, according to the Revised Version, were used as a covering of the tabernacle: Ex 25:5; 26:14; 35:7,23; 36:19; 39:34; Nu 4:2'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'for. Joh 6:27; 2Co 3:1-3; 12:12 exp: 1Co 4:15. General references. exp: 2Co 12:12'.

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C9S6 (Verse 3-4) this sentence is Paul's first counter challenge to them that do examine me.

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
Have we not power to eat and to drink?.

In the Lessons on Hermeneutics, we first learn that there are three different ways to use our Bible and those three ways produce three different results. The first step in the way to correctly interpret the Bible is Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1John 4:1). When someone comes up with a doctrine that opposes what we have been taught from the Bible, we are to not examine the man because Peter taught doctrinal error and the ministers of Satan be transformed as the ministers of righteousness (2Corinthians 11:12-15). We also do not examine the doctrine because we can be fooled. But we are to examine the spirit behind the doctrine and see whether they are of God. A spirit that is of God does nor deny a brother the basics of life and does not deny a brother the things that all people in his position are allowed. These people were denying Paul the means to basic food and drink. Thus, they showed that their spirit was not of God and that they were false prophets.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:12 about the word answer. The functional definition is: 'To speak in return to a call or question, or to a speech, declaration or argument of another person'.

The only places where we find examine is Ezra 10:16; Psalms 26:2; our current sentence; 11:28; and 2Corinthians 13:5. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines examine as: 'v.t. egzam'in. L. examino, from examen. 1. to inspect carefully, with a view to discover truth or the real state of a thing; as, to examine a ship to know whether she is sea-worthy, or a house to know whether repairs are wanted. 2. to search or inquire into facts and circumstances by interrogating; as, to examine a witness. 3. to look into the state of a subject; to view in all its aspects; to weigh arguments and compare facts, with a view to form a correct opinion or judgment. Let us examine this proposition; let us examine this subject in all its relations and bearing; let us examine into the state of this question. 4. to inquire into the improvements or qualifications of students, by interrogatories, proposing problems, or by hearing their recitals; as, to examine the classes in college; to examine the candidates for a degree, or for a license to preach or to practice in a profession. 5. to try or assay by experiments; as, to examine minerals. 6. to try by a rule or law. Examine yourselves whether ye are in the faith. 2 Cor.13. 7. In general, to search; to scrutinize; to explore, with a view to discover truth; as, to examine ourselves; to examine the extent of human knowledge'. Once more we see a word in this chapter linked to 'trial by law'.

Please see the note for Romans 8:38-39 which has links to verses in the New Testament that use the word power for spiritual power. Please also see the note for Romans 13:1 which has links to verses in Romans that use the word power for any reason and provides additional links from commentators. Please also see the note for Ephesians 6:12 which has links to verses in Ephesians that use the word power. Please also see the note for Romans C13-S2 which provide links to notes about powers, which includes a dictionary definition and links from other commentators. The functional definition is: ' the faculty of doing or performing anything; the faculty of moving or of producing a change in something; ability or strength. Power might be physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, religious or of some other nature'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C11S37 about the word eat. The functional definition is: 'Besides the common use of this word, it is employed symbolically for to 'consume, destroy:' they "eat up my people as they eat bread." Ps 14:4; cf. Pr 30:14; Hab 3:14; 2Ti 2:17. Also for receiving, digesting, and delighting in God's words'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'answer. Ac 22:1; 25:16; Php 1:7,17; 2Ti 4:16 (Gr) them. 1Co 14:37; 2Co 10:7-8; 12:16-19; 13:3,5,10
we. 1Co 9:7-14; Mt 10:10; Lu 10:7; Ga 6:6; 1Th 2:6; 2Th 3:8-9; 1Ti 5:17-18 General references. exp: Le 22:7'.

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C9S7 (Verse 5) this sentence is Paul's second counter challenge to them that do examine me.

Have we not power to lead about a sister,
a wife,
as well as other apostles,
and as the brethren of the Lord,
and Cephas?.

Please see the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Apostle for the use of this word within the Bible. That Study has a note for every verse in the Bible which uses the word apostle(s) and lets us know that this claim makes Paul 'The highest human authority within the church below Christ'. It also explains that people who did not have this God given position were still claiming to be a greater authority in the things of God so that they could get these spiritually immature saved people to accept doctrinal error. Please also notes that 9:1 and 9:2 also use the word apostle and also have related notes in that Study.

Please see the note for Romans 16:1 which has links to everywhere that the New Testament uses any form of the word sister along with a definition.

Please see the note for 5:1 about the word wife / wives. The functional definition is: 'The lawful consort of man; a woman who is united to man in the lawful bonds of wedlock; the correlative of husband'.

Please see the note for 2:1 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brethren or brother or sister is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see the note for 6:6 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brother is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'other saved people within the church'.

Please see the note for Galatians 2:11 about Peter. The functional definition is: 'pebble or little rock. Also, the head apostle and example of Christ'. Cephas is another name for Peter. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 1:12 about Cephas. The functional definition is: 'A name given to Peter by Jesus which is used symbolically and means a small stone'. Simon is another name for Peter. Please see the note for 2Peter 1:1 about Simon. Simon is used when Peter is acting in his flesh.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'to lead. 1Ti 3:2; 4:3; Tit 1:6; Heb 13:4 a sister. 1Co 7:15,39; Song 4:9-10,12; 5:1-2; Ro 16:1; 1Ti 5:2 wife. or, woman. The brethren. Mt 12:46-50; 13:55; Mr 6:3; Lu 6:15; Joh 2:12; Ac 1:14; Ga 1:19 Cephas. 1Co 1:12; Mt 8:14; Mr 1:30; Joh 1:42 exp: 1Co 15:5'.

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C9S8 (Verse 6) this sentence is Paul's third counter challenge to them that do examine me.

Or I only and Barnabas,
have not we power to forbear working?.

This sentence, and other sentences later in this chapter, deal with a truth that only see among saved people. That is a resentment of the support given to religious workers. In my experience, such people are very quick to scream about their own compensation while complaining about others receiving the same. This is pure sinful jealousy because the same principal (the workman is worthy of his meat [Matthew 10:10 ]) that supports his own claim for wages also supports the claim for the religious worker to receive wages. We see this principal accepted without argument in all ages and all cultures and for all religions except with some Christians. These Christians have been deceived through their own spiritual immaturity.

I had a friend who was caught up in this error and switched to the 'Home Church Movement' because they took a doctrinal stand against supporting pastors or any other religious workers. This modern day error is the same as Paul is dealing with in this chapter where religious 'know it all', who do not win souls but steal members from another church, use the lust of money to lure ignorant people into error that will hurt them. As with this brother that I dealt with, he rejected anything told to him by religious leaders because he believed 'they are only trying to protect their immoral leaching off of people'. He had to admit that I received no money from any church and that I put a lot of money into the church and that what I showed him in the Bible clearly showed that the support of the church and of church workers was ordered by God. However, like many self-deceived fools, he promptly forgot what was showed to him because his pride would not allow him to admit error.

There are missionaries in countries that do not allow foreigners to work and do not allow the gospel to be openly presented. The people in those countries would not have any chance of salvation if these missionaries were not provided financial support by others. This 'Home Church Movement' is only one lie of the devil that is aimed at destroying missions. However, there is a more basic principal at work here which Satan wants to destroy.

I grew up in the worst ghetto in the U.S. at that time. I currently live in what is considered to be a 'bad neighborhood' in a third-world country so that I can give more to missions. I have lived and worked in several ghettos and several 'good neighborhood' throughout my life. I can say for a fact, based upon a lot of personal experience as well as from Biblical principles, that the amount of money that someone has is totally unrelated to if they are controlled by the lust of money. Many people with no money lust it and many people with money lust having more even when they can not spend what they already have. It is this lust of money that is at the root of complaints against religious people receiving financial support.

The fact is that it is a lot easier, and the probability of success is higher, when a person trying to start a ministry for the Lord can concentrate on that work and not worry about providing material needs. There are a lot of reasons why this is true, with the reason varying with circumstances, but the truth remains regardless of circumstances involved. Paul explains why he choose to not receive financial support, but his choice does not remove his right to receive that support, as he explains later in this chapter. Complaints against religious leaders receiving financial support are all started by a devil who is trying to cripple or kill the work of God in whatever area that they can do such. Anyone who makes this complaint is following a doctrine of a devil that is using a lust of the flesh to convince people that this doctrinal error is OK. Jeremiah 22:13 promises a curse from God for people who want to reap the blessings of the work of religious workers without paying them a wage.

Plain and simple, anyone who says that a preacher or other Christian worker must devote their life to the ministry 24/7 with no compensation is not following the God of the Bible bur is following their own fleshly lust and the doctrine of a devil.

Please see the following notes about Barnabas: Acts 4:36; 9:27, 9:29;11:8, 11:23, 11:23; 13:2, 13:10, 13:11, 13:12, 13:47; 14:3, 14:23; 15:26, 15:35, 15:36; 16:14, 16:32; 18:28; 25:19; Galatians 1:13; 2:1; 2:2; 2:6-9; 2:13 and Colossians 4:10-11. While we find the name of Barnabas in a couple of verses not mentioned here, these notes should tell the reader most of what is known about this man of God. His name supposedly means 'son of consolation' and the main spiritual trait that we see about this man was that he was a peacemaker.

Please see the note for Colossians 3:11 about the word forbearing. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines Forbearing as: 'ppr. 1. Ceasing; pausing; withholding from action; exercising patience and indulgence. 2. a. Patient; long suffering.
FORBEARING, n. A ceasing or restraining from action; patience; long suffering.'

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Barnabas. Ac 4:36; 11:22; 13:1-2,50; 14:12; 15:36-37 exp: Ac 9:27; Ga 2:1. have. 1Co 4:11-12; Ac 18:3; 20:34-35; 1Th 2:9; 2Th 3:7-9'.

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C9S9 (Verse 7) Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?

There is a spiritual war going on between God and the forces of Satan. Satan promises to fulfill the lusts of the flesh for people if they will support his side in this spiritual war. As mentioned in the note above, there are devils behind this complaint who are trying to hurt God in this spiritual war by preventing Godly workers from doing their job. The only way to correct this sin is to look at the spiritual perspective and what the lusts of the flesh actually does to each side in this spiritual war.

Here we see another simple truth. A soldier who trains only part time and is a 'weekend warrior' is rarely a match against a professional in a fight. Paul and Barnabas were the exception who could support themselves and still win the spiritual warfare. However, most warriors need to be taken care of while they prepare for battle and while they are engaged in active duty and also need some assurance that their family will be cared for if they die or suffer permanent damage in the war. These people who examined Paul expected to receive the very support that they said that Paul and Barnabas should not get. One way to know that a person is not following he God of the Bible is that they have one set of rules for themselves and their close supporters while they apply a different set of rules to other people.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:3-6 about the word war/ warfare. The functional definition is: 'Military service; military life; war'.

Please see the note for 1Timothy 1:3-4 about the word charge. The functional definition is: 'A superior authority gives a formal and legal command to a subordinate which includes the necessary rights and responsibilities to accomplish the assigned task'. Please also see the Message called A Pastoral Charge about the seven charges, that are in 1Timothy. Please also see the note for Luke 21:34 about the word overcharge. Please also see the note for Mark 6:25 about the word charger.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'goeth. 2Co 10:4-5; 1Ti 1:18; 6:12; 2Ti 2:3-4; 4:7'.

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C9S10 (Verse 7) this sentence is Paul's fifth counter challenge to them that do examine me.

who planteth a vineyard,
and eateth not of the fruit thereof?.

Here we see that Paul did not use husbandman, which is the Biblical name for a farmer, but he uses a vineyard. You could use slaves to raise some crops like grains, but it was too easy to destroy a vineyard due to neglect or error if the person maintaining it did not have sufficient knowledge and loving care. Therefore, almost all vineyards were planted by free men and the rule of this sentence was pretty much absolute.

This sentence is also referring back to what Paul taught in 3:6-8. It is also a quote from Deuteronomy 20:6 and matches the lesson from Proverbs 27:18.

This fits exactly with John 15 (I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.) and other teachings about vineyards and fruit. We can plant a vile and care for it but it is God Who causes it to produce good fruit. Ask any barren couple if they can force fruit of the body when God says 'No'. Thus, we see that God had produced spiritual fruit from the efforts of Paul and Barnabas at Corinth, but God had not produced fruit from the work of those who examined Paul. Thus, we also have the message that even if Paul did not take support while building the work, he still had a right to support even after he left and these people who were saying that Paul had no right were thieves trying to steal what was rightfully Paul's. Thus, even if Paul took no financial support, they were still thieves for stealing the loyalty due to Paul.

Please notice the th on planteth and eateth, which means that the person 'keeps on keeping on' doing these things. I had a property which had wild grapes on it because the vine was abandoned after being initially planted. The fruit was only fit for birds. A vine needs constant attention and maintenance. This is a lifestyle form of farming, which is why Jesus said I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (John 15:1) and used that as the basis for His lesson on abide in Me.

Please see the note for Luke 13:6 about the word planted. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'pp. Set in the earth for propagation; set; fixed; introduced; established. 1. Furnished with seeds or plants for growth; as a planted field. 2. Furnished with the first inhabitants; settled; as territory planted with colonists. 3. Filled or furnished with what is new. A man in all the world's new fashion planted. See Def.3'. Please also see the note for Matthew 15:13 about the word plant.

We find forms of the word vineyard occurring 114 times in 102 verses of the Bible, 24 times in 22 verses of the New Testament in Matthew 20 and 21; Mark 12; Luke 13:7, Luke 20; and our current sentence in 1Corinthians. We find forms of the word vine or vinedresser occurring 66 times in 60 verses of the Bible and in the New Testament in: Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18; John 15:1, 4-5; James 3:12; Revelation 14:18-19. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines vine as: 'n. L. vinca. See Wine. 1. A plant that produces grapes, of the genus Vitis, and of a great number of varieties. 2. the long slender stem of any plant, that trails on the ground, or climbs and supports itself by winding round a fixed object, or by seizing any fixed thing with its tendrils or claspers. thus, we speak of the hop vine, the bean vine, the vines of melons, squashes, pumpkins, and other encurbitaceous plants'.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides links for vine as: ' Ge 49:10-11; Ps 80:8-19; Isa 4:2; 5:1-7; Jer 2:21; 12:10; Eze 15:2-6; Ho 10:1; Zec 3:8; Mt 21:33; Lu 13:6'. It also provides links for husbandman as: 'Song 7:12; 8:11-12; Isa 27:2; 60:21; 61:3; Mt 20:1; Mr 12:1; 1Co 3:9'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for Vineyards as: 'Origin and antiquity of: Ge 9:20. The design of planting: Ps 107:37; 1Co 9:7. Frequently walled or fenced with hedges: Nu 22:24; Pr 24:31; Isa 5:2,5. Cottages built in, for the keepers: Isa 1:8. Provided with the apparatus for making wine: Isa 5:2; Mt 21:33. The stones carefully gathered out of: Isa 5:2. LAWS RESPECTING;. Not to be planted with different kinds of seed: De 22:9. Not to be cultivated in the sabbatical year: Ex 23:11; Le 25:4. The spontaneous fruit of, not to be gathered during the sabbatical year: Le 25:5,11. Compensation in kind to be made for injury done to: Ex 22:5. Strangers entering, allowed to eat fruit of, but not to take any away: De 23:24. The gleaning of, to be left for the poor: Le 19:10; De 24:21. The fruit of new, not to be eaten for three years: Le 19:23. The fruit of new, to be holy to the Lord in the fourth year: Le 19:24. The fruit of new, to be eaten by the owners from the fifth year: Le 19:25. Planters of, not liable to military service till they had eaten of the fruit: De 20:6. Frequently let out to husbandmen: Song 8:11; Mt 21:33. Rent of, frequently paid by part of the fruit: Mt 21:34. Were often mortgaged: Ne 5:3-4. Estimated rent of: Song 8:11; Isa 7:23. Estimated profit arising from, to the cultivators: Song 8:12. The poor engaged in the culture of: 2Ki 25:12; Isa 61:5. Members of the family often wrought in: Song 1:6; Mt 21:28-30. Mode of hiring and paying laborers for working in: Mt 20:1-2. Of the kings of Israel superintended by officers of state: 1Ch 27:27. ThE VINTAGE OR INGATHERING OF. Was a time of great rejoicing: Isa 16:10. Sometimes continued to the time of sowing seed: Le 26:5. Failure in, occasioned great grief: Isa 16:910. Of red grapes particularly esteemed: Isa 27:2. The produce of, was frequently destroyed by enemies: Jer 48:32. The whole produce of, often destroyed by insects, etc: De 28:39; Am 4:9. In unfavorable seasons produced but little wine: Isa 5:10; Hag 1:9,11. The wicked judicially deprived of the enjoyment of: Am 5:11; Zep 1:13. The Rechabites forbidden to plant: Jer 35:7-9. Of the slothful man neglected and laid waste: Pr 24:30-31. ILLUSTRATIVE: Of the Jewish Church: Isa 5:7; 27:2; Jer 12:10; Mt 21:23. (Failure of,) of severe calamities: Isa 32:10. (Gleaning grapes of,) of the elect: Isa 24:13'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for Vineyards as: 'Huts (R. V., booths) in: Isa 1:8. Towers in: Isa 5:2; Mt 21:33; Mr 12:1. Winepress in: Isa 5:2. Pools in: Ec 2:4,6. Leased: Song 8:11-12; Isa 7:23; Mt 21:33-39. Of kings: 1Ch 27:26-28. Neglected: Pr 24:30-31. Plain of the: Jg 11:33. Parables of: Isa 5:1-7; 27:2-3; Jer 12:10; Mt 20:1-16; 21:28-31,33-41; Lu 13:6-9. See VINE: [VINE]: See WINE : [WINE]: Also see ABSTINENCE'. Nave's Topical Bible also provides links for vine as: 'Degeneracy of: Jer 2:21. Fable of: Jg 9:12-13. Pruned: Isa 5:6; Joh 15:1-5. Parables of: Ps 80:8-14; Eze 17:6-10; 19:10-14. SYMBOLICAL: Joh 15:1-5'.

Smith's Bible Dictionary provides links for vine as: 'the well-known valuable plant (vitis vinifera) very frequently referred to in the Old and New Testaments, and cultivated from the earliest times. the first mention of this plant occurs in: Ge 9:20-21. That it was abundantly cultivated in Egypt is evident from the frequent representations on the monuments, as well as from the scriptural allusions. Ge 40:911; Ps 78:47. The vines of Palestine were celebrated both for luxuriant growth and for the immense clusters of grapes which they produced, which were sometimes carried on a staff between two men, as in the case of the spies,: Nu 13:23. and as has been done in some instances in modern times. Special mention is made in the Bible of the vines of Eshcol,: Nu 13:24; 32:9. of Sibmah, Heshbon and Elealeh: Isa 16:8-9,10; Jer 48:32. and of Engedi. Song 1:14. From the abundance and excellence of the vines, it may readily be understood how frequently this plant is the subject of metaphor in the Holy Scriptures. to dwell under the vine and tree is an emblem of domestic happiness and peace,: 1Ki 4:25; Ps 128:3; Mic 4:4. The rebellious people of Israel are compared to "wild grapes," "an empty vine," "the degenerate plant of a strange vine," etc. Isa 6:2,4; Jer 2:21; Ho 10:1. It is a vine which our Lord selects to show the spiritual union which subsists between himself and his members. Joh 15:1-6. The ancient Hebrews probably allowed the vine to go trailing on the ground or upon supports. this latter mode of cultivation appears to be alluded to by Ezekiel. Eze 19:11-12. The vintage, which formerly was a season of general festivity, began in September. the towns were deserted; the people lived among the vineyards in the lodges and tents. Comp. Jg 8:27; Isa 16:10; Jer 25:30. The grapes were gathered with shouts of joy by the "grape gatherers,": Jer 25:30. and put into baskets. See: Jer 6:9. They were then carried on the head and shoulders, or slung upon a yoke, to the "wine-press." those intended for eating were perhaps put into flat open baskets of wickerwork, as was the custom in Egypt. In Palestine, at present, the finest grapes, says Dr. Robinson, are dried as raisins, and the juice of the remainder, after having been trodden and pressed, "is boiled down to a sirup, which, under the name of dibs, is much used by all classes, wherever vineyards are found, as a condiment with their food." the vineyard, which was generally on a hill,: Isa 5:1; Jer 31:5; Am 9:13. was surrounded by a wall or hedge in order to keep out the wild boars,: Ps 80:13. jackals and foxes. Nu 22:24; Ne 4:3; Song 2:15; Eze 13:4-5; Mt 21:33. Within the vineyard was one or more towers of stone in which the vine-dressers lived. Isa 1:8; 5:2; Mt 21:33. The vat, which was dug,: Mt 21:33. or hewn out of the rocky soil, and the press, were part of the vineyard furniture. Isa 5:2'.

We find forms of the word fruit occurring 325 times in 289 verses of the Bible, 98 times in 87 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: our current sentence; 14:14; 15:20; 15:23 and 16:15. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines fruit as: ' n. L. fructus. the Latin word is the participle of fruor, contracted from frugor, or frucor, to use, to take the profit of. 1. In a general sense, whatever the earth produces for the nourishment of animals, or for clothing or profit. Among the fruits of the earth are included not only corn of all kinds, but grass, cotton, flax, grapes and all cultivated plants. in this comprehensive sense, the word is generally used in the plural. 2. In a more limited sense, the produce of a tree or other plant; the last production for the propagation or multiplication of its kind; the seed of plants, or the part that contains the seeds; as wheat, rye, oats, apples, quinces, pears, cherries, acorns, melons, etc. 3. In botany, the seed of a plant, or the seed with the pericarp. 4. Production; that which is produced. The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. Eph. 5. 5. the produce of animals; offspring; young; as the fruit of the womb, of the loins, of the body. 6. Effect or consequence. They shall eat the fruit of their doings. Is. 3. 7. Advantage; profit; good derived. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Rom 6. 8. Production, effect or consequence; in an ill sense; as the fruits of sin; the fruits of intemperance'. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines fruit as: 'a word as used in Scripture denoting produce in general, whether vegetable or animal. the Hebrews divided the fruits of the land into three classes:, (1.) the fruit of the field, "corn-fruit" (Heb dagan); all kinds of grain and pulse. (2.) the fruit of the vine, "vintage-fruit" (Heb tirosh); grapes, whether moist or dried. (3.) "Orchard-fruits" (Heb yitshar), as dates, figs, citrons, etc. Injunctions concerning offerings and tithes were expressed by these Hebrew terms alone (Nu 18:12; De 14:23). this word "fruit" is also used of children or offspring (Ge 30:2; De 7:13; Lu 1:42; Ps 21:10; 132:11); also of the progeny of beasts (De 28:51; Isa 14:29). It is used metaphorically in a variety of forms (Ps 104:13; Pr 1:31; 11:30; 31:16; Isa 3:10; 10:12; Mt 3:8; 21:41; 26:29; Heb 13:15; Ro 7:4-5; 15:28). The fruits of the Spirit (Ga 5:22-23; Eph 5:9; Jas 3:17-18) are those gracious dispositions and habits which the Spirit produces in those in whom he dwells and works'. The functional definition for this word is: 'The word is used symbolically for effect or consequence. It is new life or the offspring of any type of life'. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:9-11 and James 3:18 about the phrase fruit of righteousness. Please also see the note for Romans C8S21 about the word firstfruits.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for fruit as: 'Fruit Test: Mt 3:8; 7:16,20; Lu 13:7; Joh 15:8; Php 4:17.
Natural: General References to: Ge 1:11; 2Sa 16:1; Am 8:1; Mt 21:19; Mr 12:2. Varieties of: Apples: Pr 25:11; Song 2:5; Joe 1:12. Figs: Nu 13:23; 1Sa 25:18; 2Ki 20:7; Ne 13:15; Isa 34:4. Grapes: Le 19:10; Nu 6:3; De 23:24; 24:21; Jer 31:29; Eze 18:2; Ho 9:10; Mt 7:16; Lu 6:44. Pomegranates: Ex 28:33; 39:24; Nu 13:23; 20:5; 1Sa 14:2; 1Ki 7:20; 2Ch 3:16.
Sinful: Bitter: De 32:32. Natural: Isa 5:2. Selfish: Ho 10:1. Deceitful: Ho 10:13. Corrupt: Mt 7:17. Fleshly: Ga 5:1920,21.
Spiritual: General References to: Produced in All Periods of Life: Ps 92:13-14. Perennial: Eze 47:12. Grown only upon Good Ground: Mt 13:8. Many Varieties of: Ga 5:22-23. Without Defect: Eph 5:9; Php 1:11. The Product of Heavenly Wisdom: Jas 3:17. See Fruit, Spiritual; Demanded. See Tree of Life. Conditions of Fruit-bearing: Contact with Living Water: Ps 1:3. Spiritual Receptivity: Mt 13:23. Death of the Old Life: Joh 12:24. Chastening, or Pruning: Joh 15:2. Abiding in Christ: Joh 15:5; Ro 6:22; Heb 12:11. Christian Graces exemplify: Ro 5:3-4; 2Co 6:6; 8:7; 2Pe 1:5-6,7. Demanded: Mt 3:8; Joh 15:16; Ro 7:4; 2Co 9:10; Php 1:11; 4:17; Col 1:10.
Fruitful Land: Ex 3:8; Nu 13:27; De 8:8; 11:9; Jer 2:7.
Fruitfulness: Spiritual, enjoined: Mt 3:8; Joh 15:16; Ro 7:4; 2Co 9:10; Php 1:11; 4:17; Col 1:10. See Fruitful Land: Degrees of: Da 4:12; Mt 13:8; Joh 15:2; Jas 3:17; Re 22:2.
Fruitfulness-Unfruitfulness: FRUITFULNESS, Spiritual, enjoined: Mt 3:8; Joh 15:16; Ro 7:4; 2Co 9:10; Php 1:11; 4:17; Col 1:10. SPIRITUAL FRUIT: General References to: Produced in All Periods of Life: Ps 92:13-14. Perennial: Eze 47:12. Grown only upon Good Ground: Mt 13:8. Many Varieties of: Ga 5:22-23. Without Defect: Eph 5:9; Php 1:11. The Product of Heavenly Wisdom: Jas 3:17. Conditions of Fruit-bearing: Contact with Living Water: Ps 1:3. Spiritual Receptivity: Mt 13:23. Death of the Old Life: Joh 12:24. Chastening, or Pruning: Joh 15:2. Abiding in Christ: Joh 15:5; Ro 6:22; Heb 12:11. Christian Graces exemplify: Ro 5:3-4; 2Co 6:6; 8:7; 2Pe 1:5-6,7. UNFRUITFULNESS, general references to: Isa 5:2. Divine Judgment Visited Upon: Mt 3:10. Worldliness a Cause of: Mt 13:22. Results in the Master's Disappointment: Lu 13:6. Failure to Invest Life's Resources: Lu 19:20; Joh 15:2. Ends in Spiritual Rejection: Heb 6:8. SIN'S FRUIT: Bitter: De 32:32. Natural: Isa 5:2. Selfish: Ho 10:1. Deceitful: Ho 10:13. Corrupt: Mt 7:17. Fleshly: Ga 5:1920,21.
Fruitless Labour: Ec 1:3,14; 2:11; 4:8; 5:16; Isa 55:2; Hab 2:13; Joh 6:27'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for fruit as: 'FIRST FRUITS: First ripe of fruits, grain, oil, wine, and first of fleece, required as an offering: Ex 22:29; Le 2:12-16; Nu 18:12; De 18:4; 2Ch 31:5; Ne 10:35,37,39; Pr 3:9; Jer 2:3; Ro 11:16. Offerings of, must be free from blemish: Nu 18:12. Presented at the tabernacle: Ex 22:29; 23:19; 34:26; De 26:3-10. Belonged to the priests: Le 23:20; Nu 18:12-13; De 18:3-5. Freewill offerings of, given to the prophets: 2Ki 4:42. Wave offering of: Le 23:10-14,17. As a heave offering: Nu 15:20; Ne 10:37; Eze 44:30. Tobe offered as a thank-offering upon entrance into the Land of Promise: De 26:3-10. FIGURATIVE: Ro 8:23; 11:16; 1Co 15:20,23; Jas 1:18'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for fruit as: 'The produce of corn, etc: De 22:9; Ps 107:37. The produce of trees: Ge 1:29; Ec 2:5. CALLED thE: Fruit of the ground: Ge 4:3; Jer 7:20. Fruit of the earth: Isa 4:2. Increase of the land: Ps 85:12. Given by God: Ac 14:17. Preserved to us by God: Mal 3:11. REQUIRE: A fruitful land: Ps 107:34. Rain from Heaven: Ps 104:13; Jas 5:18. Influence of the sun and moon: De 33:14. Produced in their due seasons: Mt 21:41. First of, devoted to God: De 26:2. DIVIDED INTO: Hasty or precocious: Isa 28:4. Summer fruits: 2Sa 16:1. New and old: Song 7:13. Goodly: Jer 11:16. Pleasant: Song 4:16. Precious: De 33:14. Evil or bad: Mt 7:17. Tobe waited for with patience: Jas 5:7. Often sent as presents: Ge 43:11. OFTEN DESTROYED: In God's anger: Jer 7:20. By blight: Joe 1:12. By locusts, etc: De 28:38-39. By enemies: Eze 25:4. By drought: Hag 1:10. ILLUSTRATIVE: Of effects of repentance: Mt 3:8. Of works of the Spirit: Ga 5:22-23. Of doctrines of Christ: Song 2:3. Of good works: Mt 7:17-18. Of a holy conversation: Pr 12:14; 18:20. Of praise: Heb 13:15. Of the example, etc. of the Godly: Pr 11:30. Of effects of industry: Pr 31:16,31. Of the reward of saints: Isa 3:10. Of the reward of the wicked: Jer 17:910. Of converts to the church: Ps 72:16; Joh 4:36. (Bad,) of the conduct and conversation of evil men: Mt 7:17; 12:33'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'planteth. 1Co 3:6-8; De 20:6; Pr 27:18; Song 8:12'.

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C9S11 (Verse 7) this sentence is Paul's sixth counter challenge to them that do examine me.

or who feedeth a flock,
and eateth not of the milk of the flock?.

Once more we see God use basic concepts to teach us about spiritual things. People raise chickens for eggs and meat. People raise herd animals for milk, transportation and meat. Yes, people raise pets for emotional rewards but, with the exception of the young, herd animals aren't used as pets and the word flock is used for herd animals.

We see God refer to His people as sheep and as a flock many places. Yes, there are many spiritual lessons related to these terms but part of those truths is that God expects to get something out of His saving us and God's workers are to also get something for their part in serving God. Our sentence specifically mentions milk. While people can argue about other things that people raise a flock for, they can not deny that our sentence says that the workers should get at least the milk. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C3S2 for links to where the New Testament uses the word milk along with a quick note on each verse, the definition, and links from other commentators.

We find forms of the word flock occurring 191 times in 172 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in Matthew 26:31; Luke 2:8; 12:32; Acts 20:28-29; our current sentence and 1Peter 5:2-3. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines flock as: ' n. L. floccus. It is the same radically as flake, and applied to wool or hair, we write it lock. See Flake. 1. A company or collection; applied to sheep and other small animals. A flock of sheep answers to a herd of larger cattle. But the word may sometimes perhaps be applied to larger beasts, and in the plural, flocks may include all kinds of domesticated animals. 2. A company or collection of fowls of any kind, and when applied to birds on the wing, a flight; as a flock of wild-geese; a flock of ducks; a flock of blackbirds. in the United States, flocks of wild-pigeons sometimes darken the air. 3. A body or crowd of people. little used. Gr. a troop. 4. A lock of wool or hair. Hence, a flockbed. FLOCK, v.i. to gather in companies or crowds; applied to men or other animals. People flock together. they flock to the play-house. Friends daily flock'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C3S2 about the word milk. The functional definition is: 'A white fluid or liquor, secreted by certain glands in female animals, and drawn from the breasts for the nourishment of their young'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'or. Jer 23:2-3; Joh 21:15-17; Ac 20:28; 1Pe 5:2 eateth not of the milk. Pr 27:27; Isa 7:22'.

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C9S12 (Verse 8) Say I these things as a man?

This entire chapter is a single logical argument where one sentence builds upon what came before it and must support what comes after it. Please see the summary of each sentence in the Chapter Outline and consider how each sentence fits within the context of the entire logical argument before looking at the details of any particular sentence. Paul's seventh counter challenge to them that do examine me. Paul challenges them to think about where precepts come from. Although presented as a question, Paul is making it clear that this is not his own opinion. In addition, this question together with the next is a reference to the first three chapters where Paul made a very clear distinction between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God.

Please see the notes for Romans C15S15 and 2Corinthians 2:17 about the word speak. The functional definition is: 'To utter words or articulate sounds, as human beings; to express thoughts by words'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 3:12-14 about the word speech. Please see the note for Ephesians C4S15 about the phrase evil speaking. Please see the note for Romans 11:1 about the phrase I say.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'as. 1Co 7:40; Ro 6:19; 1Th 2:13; 4:8'.

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C9S13 (Verse 8) or saith not the law the same also?

This sentence is Paul's eighth counter challenge to them that do examine me. Please see the note for 1:10, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word judge along with other considerations of this important doctrine. Please also see the note for 6:1, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word law along with other considerations of this important doctrine.

We see similar reasoning in 7:40; Romans 6:19; 1Thessalonians 2:13; 4:8.

Here Paul is referring to the Mosaic Law in particular because our next sentence starts with the word For ('Here's why') and it directly references the law of Moses. However, this truth is also a principal that is in all righteous laws of man. Therefore, the application of this principal applies to all righteous laws and any law which denied these principles are not righteous.

Please also see the note for 6:1, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word law along with other considerations of this important doctrine. Please also see the notes for Galatians C2-S10 and Psalms 119 about the phrase Law defined. Please also see the notes for Romans C3S31 and 1Corinthians 9:21-LJC about the phrase kinds of laws that apply to us tday. Further, the note for 9:20-21, in this book Study, has a lot on applying various laws while maintaining our personal relationship with God. Please also see the note for Romans C3S27 about the phrase law of works. Please also see the note for Romans C3S25 about the phrase Law and faith. Please also see the note for Galatians C3S22 about the phrase Mosaic Law added. Please also see the note for Hebrews 10:28-29 about the phrase New Testament replaces only the religious part of the Mosaic Law. Please also see the note for Hebrews 19:29-LJC about the phrase religious part of Mosaic Law. Please also see the note for Ephesians 4:7-LJC about the phrase righteousness of the Law.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'or. 1Co 14:34; Isa 8:20; Ro 3:31'.

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C9S14 (Verse 9) this sentence provides scripture to back Paul's counter challenges.

For it is written in the law of Moses,
Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn..

This sentence quotes Deuteronomy 25:4 and matches the lesson from 1Timothy 5:18. With the lesson also seen in the New Testament, there should be no argument about it applying to today.

Since this sentence starts with the word For ('Here's why'), it is telling us why the precept in the prior sentence is true. It is giving us a quote from scripture and, while this quote comes from the law of Moses, it is not part of the religious law ('How we are to deal with God as a group') but is part of the moral law ('How we are to deal with God within a personal relationship'). Therefore, this precept was not replaced with the New Testament. Further, as explained in the note above, this precept is applied in all righteous laws of man.

Please see the note for 1:19 about the word write / written. The functional definition is: 'To form by a pen on paper or other material, or by a graver on wood or stone; as, to write the characters called letters; to write figures'. Please also see the notes for Romans C15S13; 2Corinthians 1:13-14; Galatians C3-S12 and John 20:31-LJC about the word write. Please also see the notes for Prove; Ephesians C1S3 and Romans C3S15 about the phrase it is written. Please also see the note for Romans 4:23-25 about the word written. In addition, please see the note for John 6:45 for links to where we find the phrases It is written or have ye not read.

Please see the note for Hebrews 3:1 for how Moses is used in that epistle. The functional definition is: 'While this name is often used for the physical man, it is also used in the Bible to refer to the Law that God gave to His people through the man. In the New Testament, the Law for the saved comes from the Lord Jesus Christ'. Please see the note for Hebrews 19:29-LJC about the religious part of Mosaic Law. Please see the note for Galatians C3S22 about the Mosaic Law added.

Please see the note for Luke 1:64 about the word mouth. The American Tract Society Dictionary defines this word as: 'Is sometimes used in Scripture for speaker, Ex 4:16; Jer 15:19. God spoke with Moses "mouth to mouth," Nu 12.8, that is, condescendingly and clearly. the law was to be "in the mouth" of the Hebrews, Ex 13:9, often rehearsed and talked of. "The rod of his mouth," Isa 11:4, and the sharp sword, Re 1:16, denote the power of Christ's word to convict, control, and judge; compare Isa 49:2; Heb 4:12. the Hebrew word for mouth is often translated "command," Ge 45:21; Job 39:27; Ec 8:2; and the unclean spirits out of the mouth of the dragon, Re 16:14, are the ready executors of his commands'.

We find forms of the word muzzle in: Deuteronomy 25:4; 1Corinthians 9:9; 1Timothy 5:18. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Grain in the East is usually thrashed by the sheaves being spread out on a floor, over which oxen and cattle are driven to and fro, till the grain is trodden out. Moses ordained that the ox was not to be muzzled while thrashing. It was to be allowed to eat both the grain and the straw (De 25:4)'.

Please see the note for Luke 13:15 about the word ox. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'There was no animal in the rural economy of the Israelites, or indeed in that of the ancient Orientals generally, that was held in higher esteem than the ox and deservedly so, for the ox was the animal upon whose patient labors depended all the ordinary operations of farming. Oxen were used for ploughing: De 22:10; 1Sa 14:14. etc.; for treading out corn: De 25:4; Ho 10:11. etc.; for draught purposes, when they were generally yoked in pairs: Nu 7:3; 1Sa 6:7. etc.; as beasts of burden: 1Ch 12:40. Their flesh was eaten: De 14:4; 1Ki 1:9. etc.; they were used in the sacrifices; cows supplied milk, butter, etc: De 32:14; 2Sa 17:29; Isa 7:22. Connected with the importance of oxen in the rural economy of the Jews is the strict code of laws which was mercifully enacted by God for their protection and preservation. the ox that threshed the corn was by no means to be muzzled; he was to enjoy rest on the Sabbath as well as his master: Ex 23:12; De 5:14. The ox was seldom slaughtered: Le 17:1-6. It seems clear from: Pr 15:17. and 1Kin 4:23 that cattle were sometimes stall-fed though as a general rule it is probable that they fed in the plains or on the hills of Palestine. the cattle that grazed at large in the open country would no doubt often become fierce and wild, for it is to be remembered that in primitive times the lion and other wild beasts of prey roamed about Palestine. Hence the force of the Psalmist's complaint of his enemies: Ps 22:13'.

Please see the note for Luke 6:1 about the word corn. The functional definition for this word is: 'Various Hebrew words are translated 'corn,' and usually signify any kind of grain'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Thou. De 25:4; 1Ti 5:18'.

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C9S15 (Verse 9) Doth God take care for oxen?

The Bible has many places which tell us about God providing for animals including: Numbers 22:28-35; Deuteronomy 5:14; Psalms 104:27; Psalms 145:15; Psalms 147:8-9; John 4:12; Matthew 6:26-30; Luke 12:24-28.

Please see the note for 7:32 about the word care. The functional definition is: 'Concern; anxiety; solicitude; nothing some degree of pain in the mind, from apprehension of evil. Caution; a looking to; regard; attention, or heed, with a view to safety or protection, as in the phrase, take care of yourself'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Doth. Nu 22:28-35; De 5:14; Ps 104:27; 145:15-16; 147:8-9; Jon 4:11; Mt 6:26-30; Lu 12:24-28 General references. exp: 1Ki 7:25; Mt 10:31; Ga 6:6'.

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C9S16 (Verse 10) Or saith he it altogether for our sakes?

This sentence must be considered with the prior sentence and the next sentence, as a minimum, to proper understanding it. The prior sentence was talking about dumb animals. The next sentence tells us why (For) this sentence makes the point that it does. Paul asks the question that he does to make people think. Many places in the Bible we find that God reveals things to people who use their brain while hiding those same things from people who refuse to use their brain. That was the case with the parables and similar things in the Bible.

God wants us to think about His character. Proverbs 12:10 says, A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. God is righteous. Since God regardeth the life of his beast, and we are worth much more than any beast, we can be sure that God will regard our needs. That is what our next sentence tells us. Our current sentence is here to get out attention and to make the reader pay attention so that they will think about the next sentence and what it means to God's children.

We see forms of the word sake 316 times in 295 verses of the Bible, 84 times in 79 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 4:6; 4:10; our current sentence and the next sentence, 9:23; 10:25, 10:27, 10:28. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines sake as 'n. Heb. to press or oppress. the primary sense is to strain, urge, press or drive forward, and this is from the same root as seek, essay and L. sequor, whence we have pursue and prosecute. We have analogous words in cause, thing, and the L. res. 1. Final cause; end; purpose; or rather the purpose of obtaining. I open a window for the sake of air, that is, to obtain it, for the purpose of obtaining air. I read for the sake of instruction, that is, to obtain it. Sake then signifies primarily effort to obtain, and secondarily purpose of obtaining. the hero fights for the sake of glory; men labor for the sake of subsistence or wealth. 2. Account; regard to any person or thing. I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake. Gen. 8. Save me for thy mercies' sake. Ps. 6.' please also see the notesRomans C15S25 and 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about this word. The functional definition is: ' Final cause; end; purpose; or rather the purpose of obtaining'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:29-30 about the phrase for His sake.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links to sake as 'For Christ's Sake: (some trials believers may be called upon to endure) General references to: Ac 5:41; 9:16; Ro 8:17,36; 2Co 1:7; 11:23; Php 3:10; 2Ti 2:12; Heb 11:25; Jas 5:10; 1Pe 2:20; 3:14; 4:16; 5:10. Persecution: Mt 5:11. Hatred: Mt 10:22. Loss of Life: Mt 10:39. Renunciation of Worldly Treasures: Mt 19:29. Suffering: Ac 9:16. Loss of Reputation: 1Co 4:10; 2Co 4:5. Death: 2Co 4:11; 12:10; Php 1:29.'

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C9S17 (Verse 10) Application of prior quoted scripture.

Equivalent Section: God's reason for including the prior quote.

For our sakes,
no doubt,
this is written:.

Equivalent Section: Our application of the prior quote.

that he that ploweth should plow in hope;
and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope..

We see two Equivalent Sections in this sentence and knowing that they are equivalent (have same message looked at from different perspectives) makes it easier to understand each Section. God wrote His Word. Thus, when Paul says This is written, he is telling us what God did. When Paul says For our sakes, no doubt, he is telling us that 'there can be no doubt about God writing the prior quote for the reason in the Second Equivalent Section'. In the Second Equivalent Section we see hope is used 3 times to be sure that we understand that is the primary reason and so that we know that this is the basis for doctrine that everyone is to believe. Our sentences before this, within this chapter, have been showing us the difference between the character of God that is displayed by true doctrine and which can be contrasted to the false character that is displayed by false doctrine. In our current sentence we see the doctrine that God wrote certain things in His Word specifically to increase the hope of believers. Now we see that God followed that up by having Paul explain these things and, thereby, show us how to do the same thing with other scriptures.

Several places on this web site explain that hope and faith are both action words which require us to do some action for the purpose of proving that we want God to work in and through our life and that we are using our free will to give this permission. The difference is that faith is based upon a promise of God found in God's Word and hope is based upon the character of God. When a farmer plows he has no guarantee of a crop, much less of a good crop. But, as our sentence says, he should plow in hope. Threshing is done after the harvest and is completing the work started with plowing. Threshing is the reward of the work of hope done in plowing.

Likewise, the ox pulled the plow in hope of getting food. His reward for that hope is the corn that he eats while he treadeth out the corn. Just as the ox works in the plowing with the hope of being fed, so also are we to do spiritual work with the hope of reward from God. This precept that Paul explains here is the basis for what he said in 3:6-8.

The secondary reason for Paul explaining this precept, and the reason that it is in this chapter, is that Paul is explaining that he, Barnabas and Apollos had a Godly reason to hope for reward from God due to the salvation of the people in the Corinthian Church. However, these spiritual thieves, who were examining Paul, had no basis for such a hope. These spiritual thieves were also teaching the saved people at Corinth to engage in spiritual thievery, which would destroy any hope for reward from God that they had. Paul wanted them to keep their hope and the basis of their hope. Therefore, he took the time to explain these things in the middle of a chapter which is explaining legal rewards that God gives. They will keep their hope of reward from God if they do things in a legal manner but they will have no hope of reward from God if they break God's law, like the false teachers are trying to teach them to do.

Please see the note above for links to every place in 1Corinthians that uses the word sake along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from Thompson Chain Topics about 'For Christ's sake'. Please also see the notes for Romans C15S25 and 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about this word. The functional definition is: ' Final cause; end; purpose; or rather the purpose of obtaining'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:29-30 about the phrase for His sake.

Please see the note for Romans C14S1 about the word doubt. The functional definition is: 'Dubious; not settled in opinion; undetermined; wavering; hesitating; applied to persons'. Please also see the note for 9:2 about the word doubtless.

Please see the note for Luke 9:62 about the words plough / plow. The functional definition for this word is: 'In agriculture, an instrument for turning up, breaking and preparing the ground for receiving the seed. It is drawn by oxen or horses and saves the labor of digging; it is therefore the most useful instrument in agriculture'.

Please see the note for 13:13 which has links to every sentence in this epistle that uses any form of the word hope along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. Please also see the note for Romans 4:18 which has links to sentences within Romans which use any form of the word hope. Many places on this site have explained that hope is an action word that is just like faith. However, where faith is based upon a promise of God found in the word of God, hope is based upon the character of God.

Please see the note for Romans 15:27 for links to every verse in the Bible which uses any form of the word partake along with a division between the things that we should partake in and those things that we should not partake in. Please also see the note for Ephesians C5S5 about the word partaker. The functional definition is: 'One who has or takes a part, share or portion in common with others; a sharer; a participator; usually followed by the word "of"'. Please see the note for 9:10 for links to every place in 1Corinthians where We find this word.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'For. Mt 24:22; Ro 15:4; 2Co 4:15 that ploweth. 1Co 3:9; Lu 17:7-8; Joh 4:35-38; 2Ti 2:6 General references. exp: Nu 35:2; Mt 10:31; Ro 4:23; Ga 6:6'.

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C9S18 (Verse 11) Application of doctrine just taught.

If we have sown unto you spiritual things,
is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?.

This sentence is Paul's first challenge to make the reader think about the application of the doctrine that he just taught. One very important basis of this question is the assumed understanding that spiritual things are far more valuable than physical things (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25).

see this same truth taught in Malachi 3:8-9; Matthew 10:10; Romans 15:27; Galatians 6:6.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 9:8-11 about the word sower. The functional definition is: 'The that scatters seed for propagation. One who scatters or spreads; as a sower of words'. Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 9:5; Galatians C6S7 and Colossians C3S17 about sowing and reaping. We find forms of this word, in 1Corinthians, in: 9:11; 15:36-37 and 15:42-44.

Please see the note for Galatians 6:1 in Word Study on Spirit about the word spiritual. The functional definition is: 'A qualifier for a person, place or thing which is strongly influenced, and possibly controlled, by a spirit from Satan or by the Holy Spirit'. Please also see the notes for Romans C8S40 and Ephesians C6S8 about the phrase spiritual powers. Please also see the note for 1Peter C1S11 about the phrase spiritual verses physical. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive.

Please see the note for Romans 8:6 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses the word carnal along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and further notes. The functional definition for the word carnal is: 'According to the flesh; in a manner to gratify the flesh or sensual desire'. The application, in our sentence, is that spiritual things are far more valuable than carnal things. Therefore, since these people were receiving spiritual things, they would be ahead even as they provided for the carnal needs of the preacher.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'sown. Mal 3:8-9; Mt 10:10; Ro 15:27; Ga 6:6 a great. 2Ki 5:13; 2Co 11:15 General references. exp: Nu 35:2; Ga 6:6'.

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C9S19 (Verse 12) Paul has a greater claim than anyone else.

If others be partakers of this power over you,
are not we rather?.

This sentence is Paul's second challenge to make the reader think about the meaning of the new scripture.

in this sentence, the power that Paul is talking about is the power from the prior sentences. Context is very important in this chapter and here we see that the prior sentence tells us that Paul is talking about the power to reap your carnal things. Here in this sentence we see that the people in the Corinthian Church were financially supporting these false teachers because Paul says If others be partakers of this power over you and in most cases where the Bible uses if it is a case of it happening and the sentence is providing a result (then) that is based upon the if condition being fulfilled. This sentence, in combination with others in this chapter, let us know that these people who had no right to reap (their) carnal things were doing that even while they examined Paul to try and discredit him and claim that Paul did not have any right to the things that he shows us he did have a right to.

The context of this chapter has Paul giving them, in all of the sentences before this, all of the reasons why he had the rights that these religious thieves tried to say that he did not have. Then starting in the next sentence we see Paul explaining why he did not exercise the rights that he had. Thus, this sentence is pivotal within this chapter with Paul switching from pointing out their error to Paul explaining how they can be more righteous than the average saved person.

Please see the note for Luke 12:31 about the word rather. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'The use is taken from pushing or moving forward. L. ante, before. But he said, yea rather, happy are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Luke 11. 1. More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice. My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. Job. 7. Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3. Ps. 84. 2. In preference; preferably; with better reason. Good is rather to be chosen than evil. See acts 5. 3. In a greater degree than otherwise. He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, and no where finding, rather fear'd her slain. 4. More properly; more correctly speaking. This is an art which does mend nature, change it rather; but the art itself is nature. 5. Noting some degree of contrariety in fact. She was nothing better, but rather grew worse. Mark 5. Matt. 27. The rather, especially; for better reason; for particular cause. You are come to me in a happy time, the rather for I have some sport in hand. Had rather, is supposed to be a corruption of would rather. I had rather speak five words with my understanding - 1Cor. 14. This phrase may have been originally, "I'd rather," for I would rather, and the contraction afterwards mistaken for had. Correct speakers and writers generally use would in all such phrases; I would rather, I prefer; I desire in preference'.

Please see the note for Matthew 6:26 about the word reap. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'to cut grain with a sickle; as, to reap wheat or rye. When ye reap the harvest, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field. Lev. 19. 2. to clear of a crop by reaping; as, to reap a field. 3. to gather; to obtain; to receive as a reward, or as the fruit of labor or of works; in a good or bad sense; as, to reap a benefit from exertions. He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. Gal. 6. Ye have plowed wickedness; ye have reaped iniquity. Hos. 10.
REAP, v.i. 1. to perform the act or operation of reaping. In New England, farmers reap in July and August. 2. to receive the fruit of labor or works. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. Ps. 126.'. Please also see the notes for 2Corinthians 9:6; Galatians C6S7; Colossians C3S17 about sowing and reaping.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 9:6; Galatians C6S7 and Colossians C3S17 about the phrase sowing and reaping. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:8-11 about the word sower. The functional definition for this word is: ' He that scatters seed for propagation'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'others. 2Co 11:20 are not. 1Co 9:2; 4:14-15 exp: 1Co 6:12'.

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C9S20 (Verse 12) Paul explains why he did not exercise his rights.

First Step: Lack of using a power does not does not reduce the right to that power.

Nevertheless we have not used this power;.

Second Step: Realize that there is a reason to not use all that is available.

but suffer all things,
lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ..

This sentence starts with Nevertheless to let us know that Paul's lack of acting upon his rights will never lessen his owning those rights. We are not forced to use a right just because we own it

In our Second Step Paul explains why he choose to not exercise the rights that he owned. Sentences following this one give further explanation. Simply put, Paul passed up receiving physical things, that he had a right to, so that he could increase his spiritual reward

Please see the note for 4:11-13 for every verse in 1Corinthians which uses the word suffer along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. Please also see the note for Romans C8S17 about this word. The functional definition is: 'To feel or bear what is painful, disagreeable or distressing, either to the body or mind; to undergo'. Please also see the note for Romans 9:22 about the word longsuffering. Please also see the Study called Significant Gospel Events, for references to verses related to the suffering of Jesus Christ.

Please see the note for Romans C15S17 about the word hinder. The functional definition, as a verb, is: 'to hold back from going a different way as when someone is put in the back of a wagon and has no say in where the driver takes them'. The note in Romans has links to every palace in the Bible where we find forms of this word along with the full definition from Webster's 1828 .

Please see the note for 4:15 for links to every place in 1Corinthians where the word gospel is used. Please see the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Gospel for the use of this word within the Bible. Please also see the Gospel Flowchart to understand the difference, and the relationship, between various gospel that we find in the Bible. in this instance. Paul uses the gospel of Christ for 'the good news that God can change you after your initial profession'. While the gospel of Christ includes God's plan on how to get saved, the emphasis is on the changes that God makes after our initial profession and God's initial plan is presented as the basis for further spiritual growth. The gospel of Christ is never preached to lost people but is only preached to saved. Unfortunately, many saved people refuse to listen and consider the gospel of Christ and end up losing the blessings that only come from obeying it. Please also see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for why Christ is used here by itself and without any of the other roles of the Son of God.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Nevertheless. 1Co 9:15,18; Ac 20:31-34; 2Co 11:7-10; 12:13-14; 1Th 2:6-9; 2Th 3:8-9 but. 1Co 4:11-12; 6:7 hinder. Ge 24:56; Ne 4:8; Lu 11:52; Ro 15:22; 2Co 11:12 General references. exp: Nu 35:2; Ac 20:33; 2Co 6:3; Ga 6:6'.

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C9S21 (Verse 13) Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple?

In the beginning of this chapter Paul pointed out the error of their thinking. You can't correct someone's thinking until after you get rid of the wrong thinking. This is a pattern that we see consistently used within the Bible. Failing to get rid of error first only results in arguments as the person tries to fit what you say into the wrong thinking and finds that the two ways of thinking are not compatible.

After Paul showed them the error of the way they were thinking, he uses truths that are consistent throughout the world, and not limited to the arguments and narrow focus of religion, to show the reader the proper way of thinking. That is what Paul is currently doing. Once he has the reader using the correct (Godly) way of thinking as their basis, then he will explain his actions.

Within the order of this chapter, we are still seeing Paul give broad truths which are true everywhere and not limited to the narrow focus of a religious thought. Thus, when Paul says they which minister about holy things, he is not limiting his comments to Christians but is stating a truth which can be seen in all religions, all societies, among people of all languages and seen throughout all of history. Those people who examined Paul had convinced these believers that they should treat Paul special in that they were to deny him the basic things that all men receive who do the work that Paul did. However, in the process the people of this church were creating a precedent which would allow future generations to do the same to other ministers and, thereby, assure that no one ministered in the things of God. This is the plan of Satan and he is willing to let a few selfish people justify the lustful desires of the flesh so long as they destroy something from God.

This is the same basic reasoning of communism and socialism. You get a lot of young people who don't have things and are dissatisfied. You tell them how unfair it is for some old people to have all of this stuff and convince them that they should force the people who have to share. All of the lazy have-nots take from those who have because they worked and they enjoy things until everything is gone. Then they find out that the workers got lazy and no one is willing to work because the fruit of their labor will be stolen. Society breaks down and you have a lot of people starving and no one willing to work while a few bullies steal what little there is left. This is Satan's plan on a spiritual level. He convinced people to hot support the people who minister for God and, thereby, assured that no one would go into the ministry of God so that the church would be destroyed.

Paul points out a universal truth so that people will consider the long-term effects and not just their present day selfish motives.

Please see the notes for Romans C10S25; 1Corinthians C1S11; Galatians C3-S9 and know in 1John about the word know. The functional definition is: 'A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; and the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement between various truths and acts. Within the Biblical usage is the knowledge that comes only from personal intimate experience'. Please see the notes for 2Peter 1:2-LJC; 2Peter 2:20-LJC and Philippians 1:9-11 about the word knowledge. Please see the note for Romans C11S4 about the word foreknow. The note for Romans 6:3 has links to every place in the Bible which uses the phrase Know ye not and which (effectively) asks 'How could you not know something that is so obvious?'. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C16S17 about the word acknowledge. There are different levels of knowledge which can vary based upon their source, how the knowledge is obtained and more. True Biblical knowledge includes the most intimate and personal type of knowledge which comes from personal experience.

Please see the note for 3:5 which has links to every verse in 1Corinthians which uses a form of the word minister along with links to other notes which provide several more links. The functional definition is: 'Properly, a chief servant; hence, an agent appointed to transact or manage business under the authority of another; in which sense, it is a word of very extensive application'.

Please see the note for Romans 7:12 for Webster's 1828 definition of the word holy along with links to sentences in Romans which use a form of the word holy. Please see the note for 3:17 for links to verses within 1Corinthians which use forms of the word holy.

We find forms of the word life / live occurring 1035 times in 937 verses of the Bible, 338 times in 301 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 3:25; 6:3; 6:4; 7:39; 9:13; 14:7; 15:19 and 15:45. Please see the note for Philippians 1:19-20 about the word life. That note has the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. Please also see the notes for Life in 1John about the word life. Please see the notes for Hebrews 1:8-LJC and Philippians 1:27-LJC about the phrase life everlasting. We find the phrase eternal life in: 6:12 and 6:19. Please see the note for Romans C10S15 about the phrase belief changes life.

Please see the note for 3:16 for links to notes which deal with the word temple. The functional definition is: 'first used of the tabernacle, which is called "the temple of the Lord" (1Sa 1:9). In the New Testament the word is used figuratively of Christ's human body (Joh 2:19,21). Believers are called "the temple of God" (1Co 3:16-17). the Church is designated "an holy temple in the Lord" (Eph 2:21). Heaven is also called a temple (Re 7:5). We read also of the heathen "temple of the great goddess Diana" (Ac 19:27). this word is generally used in Scripture of the sacred house'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'they. 1Co 10:18; Le 6:16-18,26; 7:6-8; Nu 5:9-10; 18:8-20; De 10:9; 18:1-5; 1Sa 2:28 live. or, feed'.

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C9S22 (Verse 13) and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

This sentence is added ( and) to the prior sentence. Here we see that this truth does not just apply to the religious leaders but also applies to religious workers. We might expect some religious leaders to put up with starvation wages, and some religious workers might work for a lower scale. Some might do this because of the expected reward from their god. However, most workers will go some place else for better wages, especially if you tell them they have to work with no support whatsoever. Even the most short-sighted person can see the destruction from such a program. While selfish people might not want to give religious workers a just wage, they can not deny that the workers must have some wage or there will be no workers. If they agree to a wage, then there must be a way to provide for that wage.

These religious liars had not argued that Paul received an excessive wage but had convinced the people that Paul deserved NO wage. Paul is pointing out that such an argument is completely out of line with the rest of the world and, indirectly, pointing out their own future destruction if they continue with that selfish reasoning.

Please see the note for Luke 2:25 about the word waiting. Please also see the note for Acts 1:1 about the word wait. Webster's 1828 defines this word as 'ppr. Staying in expectation. Waiting on, attending; accompanying; serving. Waiting for, staying for the arrival of. Waiting at, staying or attending at in expectation or in service. In waiting, in attendance'.

We find forms of the word altar occurring 433 times in 364 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 23:18; Matthew 23:19; Matthew 23:20; Matthew 23:35; Luke 1:11; Luke 11:51; Acts 17:23; Romans 11:3; 1Corinthians 9:13; 1Corinthians 10:18; Hebrews 7:13; Hebrews 13:10; James 2:21; Revelation 6:9; Revelation 8:3; Revelation 8:5; Revelation 9:13; Revelation 11:1; Revelation 14:18; Revelation 16:7. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines altar as: '(Heb. mizbe'ah, from a word meaning "to slay"), any structure of earth (Ex 20:24) or unwrought stone (Ex 20:25) on which sacrifices were offered. Also used symbolically for a heart attitude of dedicating a life to the service of God. Used in Heb 13:10 for the sacrifice offered upon it--the sacrifice Christ offered. Paul found among the many altars erected in Athens one bearing the inscription, "To the unknown God" (Ac 17:23), or rather "to an [i.e., some] unknown God." the reason for this inscription cannot now be accurately determined. It afforded the apostle the occasion of proclaiming the gospel to the "men of Athens." the first altar we read of is that erected by Noah (Ge 8:20). Altars were erected by Abraham (Ge 12:7; 13:4; 22:9), by Isaac (Ge 26:25), by Jacob (Ge 33:20; 35:1,3), and by Moses (Ex 17:15, "Jehovah-nissi"). In the tabernacle, and afterwards in the temple, two altars were erected. (1.) the altar of burnt offering (Ex 30:28), called also the "brasen altar" (Ex 39:39) and "the table of the Lord" (Mal 1:7). This altar, as erected in the tabernacle, is described in Ex 27:1-8. It was a hollow square, 5 cubits in length and in breadth, and 3 cubits in height. It was made of shittim wood, and was overlaid with plates of brass. Its corners were ornamented with "horns" (Ex 29:12; Le 4:18). In Ex 27:3 the various utensils appertaining to the altar are enumerated. they were made of brass. (Comp. 1Sa 2:13-14; Le 16:12; Nu 16:6-7.) In Solomon's temple the altar was of larger dimensions (2Ch 4:1. Comp. 1Ki 8:22,64; 9:25), and was made wholly of brass, covering a structure of stone or earth. this altar was renewed by Asa (2Ch 15:8). It was removed by Ahaz (2Ki 16:14), and "cleansed" by Hezekiah, in the latter part of whose reign it was rebuilt. It was finally broken up and carried away by the Babyloni and (Jer 52:17). After the return from captivity it was re-erected (Ezr 3:3,6) on the same place where it had formerly stood. (Comp. 1 Macc. 4:47.) When Antiochus Epiphanes pillaged Jerusalem the altar of burnt offering was taken away. Again the altar was erected by Herod, and remained in its place till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (70 A.D.). The fire on the altar was not permitted to go out (Le 6:9). In the Mosque of Omar, immediately underneath the great dome, which occupies the site of the old temple, there is a rough projection of the natural rock, of about 60 feet in its extreme length, and 50 in its greatest breadth, and in its highest part about 4 feet above the general pavement. this rock seems to have been left intact when Solomon's temple was built. It was in all probability the site of the altar of burnt offering. Underneath this rock is a cave, which may probably have been the granary of Araunah's threshing-floor (1Ch 21:22). (2.) the altar of incense (Ex 30:1-10), called also "the golden altar" (Ex 39:38; Nu 4:11), stood in the holy place "before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony." On this altar sweet spices were continually burned with fire taken from the brazen altar. the morning and the evening services were commenced by the high priest offering incense on this altar. the burning of the incense was a type of prayer (Ps 141:2; Re 5:8; 8:3-4). Illustration: Brazen and Golden Altars this altar was a small movable table, made of acacia wood overlaid with gold (Ex 37:25-26). It was 1 cubit in length and breadth, and 2 cubits in height. In Solomon's temple the altar was similar in size, but was made of cedar-wood (1Ki 6:20; 7:48) overlaid with gold. In Eze 41:22 it is called "the altar of wood." (Comp. Ex 30:1-6.) In the temple built after the Exile the altar was restored. Antiochus Epiphanes took it away, but it was afterwards restored by Judas Maccabaeus (1 Macc. 1:23; 4:49). Among the trophies carried away by Titus on the destruction of Jerusalem the altar of incense is not found, nor is any mention made of it in Heb 9. It was at this altar Zacharias ministered when an angel appeared to him (Lu 1:11). It is the only altar which appears in the Heavenly temple (Isa 6:6; Re 8:3-4)'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for altar as: 'Built by Noah: Ge 8:2. Built by Abraham: Ge 12:7-8; 13:18; 22:9. Built by Isaac: Ge 26:25. Built by Jacob: Ge 33:20; 35:1-7. Built by Moses: Ex 17:15; 24:4. Built by Balaam: Nu 23:1,14,29. Built by Joshua: De 27:4-7; Jos 8:30-32. Built by the Reubenites and Gadites: Jos 22:10,34. Built by Gideon: Jg 6:26-27. Built by Samuel: 1Sa 7:17. Built by Saul: 1Sa 14:35. Built by David: 2Sa 24:18-19. Built by Elijah: 1Ki 18:31-32. Mosaic commandments prescribing the construction of: Ex 20:24-26; De 27:5-7; Jos 8:30-31. See: Eze 43:13. Used in idolatrous worship: Jg 6:25; 1Ki 12:32; 16:32; 18:26; 2Ki 16:10; 23:12,15; Isa 27:9; 65:3; Ho 8:11; Ac 17:23. Called BRAZEN ALTAR: Ex 39:39; 1Ki 8:64. Called ALTAR OF GOD: Ps 43:4:. Called ALTAR OF thE LORD: Mal 2:13. Pattern of: Ex 27:1-8:. Constructed by Bezaleel: Ex 38:1-7; 37:1:. Location of: Ex 40:6,29; Eze 8:16; Mt 23:35:. Furniture of: Ex 27:3-7; 38:3-7; 1Sa 2:13-14:. Horns of: Ex 27:2:. Uses of the horns: Ps 118:27:. How sanctified: Ex 29:36-37,44; 30:26-28; 40:10; Le 8:10-11; Nu 7:. See: Eze 43:18-27:. Sanctified everything that touched it. Ex 29:37; 30:29; Mt 23:18-19:. A place of refuge: Ex 21:14; 1Ki 1:50; 2:28. IN SOLOMON'S TEMPLE:. Description of: 2Ch 4:1:. Renewed by Asa: 2Ch 15:8:. Removed by Ahaz, and one of idolatrous fashion substituted: 2Ki 16:14-17:. Cleansed by Hezekiah: 2Ch 29:18-24:. Repaired by Manasseh: 2Ch 33:16:. Furniture of, taken to Babylon: 2Ki 25:14:. IN SECOND TEMPLE: Ezr 3:1-6:. EZEKIEL'S VISION OF: Eze 43:13-27:. Called the GOLDEN ALTAR: Ex 39:38; Nu 4:11:. ALTAR OF SWEET INCENSE: Le 4:7:. ALTAR BEFORE thE LORD: Le 16:18:. Pattern of: Ex 30:1-5:. Constructed: Ex 37:25-28:. Location of: Ex 30:6; 40:5,26:. A cover made for, of the censers of Korah: Nu 16:36-40:. Uses of: Ex 30:7-10,26-27; 40:27; Le 4:7,18; 8:15; 9:9; 16:12,18:. How prepared for carrying: Nu 4:4-15:. Carried by Kohathites: Nu 3:27-31:. In Solomon's temple: 1Ki 6:1920; 7:48; 1Ch 28:18. Seen in John's vision: Re 8:3; 9:13'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. exp: Le 7:32; 22:7; Nu 35:2; Ga 6:6'.

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C9S23 (Verse 14) Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

This is Paul's third reasoning with them based upon common religious practices. Now he tells them that this is a law of our Lord and that their rejecting of it is a direct challenge to the authority of our Lord. That is a good way to bring the judgment of the Lord upon yourself and your followers.

Please see the notes for 7:17 for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word ordain / ordinance along with links to notes in other studies. Please see the notes for Romans C7S14; Romans C13S3 about this word. The functional definition is: 'Properly, to set; to establish in a particular office or order; hence, to invest with a ministerial function or sacerdotal power; to introduce and establish or settle in the pastoral office with the customary forms and solemnities; as, to ordain a minister of the gospel'. Please see the note for Colossians C2-S3 about the word order.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 15:1 for links to every place in this epistle which use the forms of the word preach. Please see the note for Romans C10S17 which has links to every verse in the Bible where we find the word preacher along with a short note for each verse. Please see the note for Romans C16S33 which has links to every verse in Romans where we find forms of the word preach. Webster's 1828 devines this word as: 'v.i. L. proeco, a crier; precor. 1. to pronounce a public discourse on a religious subject, or from a subject, or from a text of Scripture. the purpose of preaching is to get people to obey God's word. this is the modern sense of preach. 2. to discourse on the gospel way of salvation and exhort to repentance; to discourse on evangelical truths and exhort to a belief of them and acceptance of the terms of salvation. this was the extemporaneous manner of preaching pursued by Christ and his apostles. Matt.4. 10. Acts 10. 14.
PREACH, v.t. to proclaim; to publish in religious discourses. What ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the house-tops. Matt.10. the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. Is.61. 1. to inculcate in public discourses. I have preached righteousness in the great congregations. Ps.40. He oft to them preach'd Conversion and repentance. to preach Christ or Christ crucified, to announce Christ as the only Savior, and his atonement as the only ground of acceptance with God. 1 Cor.1. to preach up, to discourse in favor of. Can they preach up equality of birth?'. Please see the note for 2Timothy 4:1-LJC which has a discussion of the details of what is required in preaching.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'ordained. 1Co 9:4; Mt 10:10; Lu 10:7; Ga 6:6; 1Ti 5:17 General references. exp: Le 7:32; 22:7; Nu 35:2; Ga 6:6'.

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C9S24 (Verse 15) Paul explains why he didn't take what was rightfully his.

Equivalent Section: Paul didn't take what was rightfully his.

But I have used none of these things:.

Equivalent Section: Paul wasn't asking for what was rightfully his.

neither have I written these things,
that it should be so done unto me:.

Equivalent Section: Why Paul didn't take and didn't want what was rightfully his.

for it were better for me to die,
than that any man should make my glorying void..

in this sentence through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

While further sentences in this chapter provide further details on why Paul didn't take advantage of common religious support practices, this sentence provides the basic reasoning that Paul used for this choice. Paul did not want that any man should make my glorying void. This is the same reasoning that Abraham used in Genesis 14.

In Genesis Abraham rescued Lot and all of the people with him. The king of Sodom offered, to Abraham, all of the goods that Abraham also rescued. Abraham refused by saying and Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of Heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion. (Genesis 14:22-24). Thus, we see a wicked liar trying to claim glory (making Abraham rich) for what God did. While Abraham had every right to take all of the spoil as conqueror, he refused what was rightfully his so that another could not steal God's glory.

Now we see Paul in the same position and following the example of Abraham. First of all, if Paul took even the smallest amount of support then people would claim that they provided all of Paul's support, and have people believe their claim, even when that would be a lie. By Paul refusing all support, he gives them no basis for their lie. Further, he tells us that he did this that any man should make my glorying void.

The note for Romans 3:27 has links to every place that the Bible uses any form of the word boast. Forms of the word boast occur 39 times in the Bible and 24 times in the New Testament. 1/3 of those tell us that we are to boast about what God does in and through toe lives of people but not to boast about anything else. Since Paul was a Godly man, we can be sure that the glorying that he is talking about here is how God provided for his physical needs and how God worked through his life to start this church and see these people saved. No one was going to claim that Paul was just a hired preacher doing what he was paid to do and that all of the glory should go to the person who paid him. While there are people who would deny this, many of us have heard voiced opinions that ministers are nothing special because they are only doing the job that they are paid to do. Neither Abraham nor Paul were going to give liars any basis for making such a claim about their ministries.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 15:26 for links to every place in this epistle which use the forms of the words die /dead /death along with links to notes in other epistles. The Bible uses forms of these words for 'separation from the source of life'. The Bible uses forms of these words, in respect to the physical body, for 'the ongoing process of corruption that starts at conception and continues past the time that the spirit and soul depart from the body'.

Please see the note for Romans 15:17 for Webster's 1828 definition of glory along with links to every verse in Romans that uses any form of the word glory. That note also has several notes from commentators about the use of glory within the Bible. The note for Ephesians 1:2 explains that God gives us grace so that we can give Him glory. That note also has links to every verse in Ephesians that uses grace or glory. Then the note for #Corinthi and 10:14-LJC has links to every verse in that epistle that uses glory. That note explains that we are only to glory in what our Lord gives us to glory in and we are to give glory to our Lord. While the notes for further sentences within this chapter will provide more details, what we will find is that Paul's glorying matches exactly with what we find in those other epistles.

Please see the note for 15:40 for links to every place that this epistle uses any form of the word glory along with links to notes within other epistles which have further links to every place where those epistles use forms of the word glory along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. If the reader follows these links they will find that our epistle tells us t:

Never glory in men or the flesh.
Always glory in God and things that God does in and through men.
How much glory we each personally have for eternity is directly dependent upon how much glory we give the God while in this flesh.

please also see the notes for Romans C15S14; 1Corinthians C15S36; Ephesians C1S2; 2Corinthians 10:14-LJC and Colossians C1S6 about this word.

We find forms of the word void occurring only 24 times in 23 verses of the Bible, and only in this sentence of 1Corinthians. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines void as: 'a. L. viduus, divido. Gr. 1. Empty; vacant; not occupied with any visible matter; as a void space or place. 1Kings 22. 2. Empty; without inhabitants or furniture. Gen. 1. 3. Having no legal or binding force; null; not effectual to bind parties, or to convey or support a right; not sufficient to produce its effect. thus, a deed not duly signed and sealed, is void. A fraudulent contract is void, or may be rendered void. My word shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I Please. Is. 55. I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place. Jer. 19. 4. Free; clear; as a conscience void of offense. Acts 24. 5. Destitute; as void of learning; void of reason or common sense. He that is void of wisdom, despiseth his neighbor. Prov. 11. 6. Unsupplied; vacant; unoccupied; having no incumbent. Divers offices that had been long void. 7. Unsubstantial; vain. Lifeless idol, void and vain. Void space, in physics, a vacuum. 1. to make void; to violate; to transgress. They have made void thy law. Ps. 119. 2. to render useless or of no effect. Rom. 4. VOID, n. An empty space; a vacuum. Pride, where wit falls, steps in to our defense, and fills up all the mighty void of sense'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I have. 1Co 9:12; 4:12; Ac 8:3; 20:34; 1Th 2:9; 2Th 3:8 neither. 2Co 11:9-12; 12:13-18 for. Mt 18:6; Ac 20:24; Php 1:20-23 exp: Jon 4:3. General references. exp: Ac 20:33'.

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C9S25 (Verse 16) Paul explains his commission from God.

Equivalent Section: Paul gets no personal glory from preaching.

For though I preach the gospel,
I have nothing to glory of:.

Equivalent Section: Paul is required to preach.

First Step: God required Paul to preach.

for necessity is laid upon me;.

Second Step: God warned Paul of the consequences of disobedience.

yea,
woe is unto me,
if I preach not the gospel !.

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

This sentence gives us the reason (For) why, in the prior sentence, Paul said for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. This might not be obvious at first glance, if people do not consider the context and the precepts involved here. In the prior sentence Paul said that he was glorying yet here he says that I have nothing to glory of. Therefore, as explained in the note above, Paul was not glorying about himself but his glorying was giving glory to God for how God worked through Paul's life in the gospel. In a couple more sentences (C9S27-28) Paul says What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. Simply put, if Paul abuses (his) power in the gospel, by taking glory to himself for the work done, then he loses his reward. But if he is careful to point all glorying towards God, then he increases his reward in eternity.

Thus, if people could claim that Paul preached the gospel because he was paid to do so by man, then they would make him like any other man doing a job for money and would make (his) glorying void. However, if Paul received all of his support from God and pointed all of the glory back towards God as the Being who enabled Paul and Who worked through Paul's life, then Paul could expect an eternal reward. So to enhance his eternal reward, he did not let any man provide for his physical needs and, thereby, enable any man to steal God's glory by claiming that he, and not God, enabled Paul to preach the Gospel.

However, as our current sentence tells us, Paul had a second motivation. God gave Paul the ability to preach the gospel and God gave him an order to preach it and God promised him punishment if he disobeyed. This sentence and our next sentence tell us what we see all throughout the Bible. God gives us a choice and promises rewards for obeying and punishment for disobeying. Paul is telling us that this same precept was applied to his preaching the gospel. With the 'Great Commission', we also have the same promise of reward and of punishment. (Please see Go Ye in the Study called 'Application of God's Word to our Personal Life'.)

Please see the note for 4:15 for links to every place in 1Corinthians where the word gospel is used. Please see the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Gospel for the use of this word within the Bible. Please also see the Gospel Flowchart to understand the difference, and the relationship, between various gospel that we find in the Bible. in this instance, as explained in that Study, this chapter deals with the gospel of Christ and with the gospel of your salvation. Therefore, the gospel spoken of here deals with all of the roles of the Son of God (Lord Jesus Christ) and the 'good news' that He not only provides our initial salvation but that he also provides spiritual growth and sanctification through the ongoing personal relationship that occurs between out initial profession and our death.

Never glory in men or the flesh.
Always glory in God and things that God does in and through men.
How much glory we each personally have for eternity is directly dependent upon how much glory we give the God while in this flesh.

please also see the notes for Romans C15S14; 1Corinthians C15S36; Ephesians C1S2; 2Corinthians 10:14-LJC and Colossians C1S6 about this word.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 12:22 about the word necessary. The note for that verse has links to every place in the Bible where we find forms of this word along with the full definition from Webster's 1828 . The functional definition is: 'That must be; that cannot be otherwise; indispensably requisite. It is necessary that every effect should have a cause'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I have. Ro 4:2; 15:17 for. Jer 1:17; 20:7,9; Am 3:8; 7:15; Ac 4:20; 9:6,15; 26:16-20; Ro 1:14 woe. Isa 6:5; Lu 9:62; Col 4:17 exp: Jer 4:31; Eze 13:3. General references. exp: Lu 17:10'.

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C9S26 (Verse 17) Paul explains the consequences of his choice.

Equivalent Section: Reward for obedience.

For if I do this thing willingly,
I have a reward:.

Equivalent Section: Punishment for disobedience.

but if against my will,
a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me..

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

Here we see a precept that is said many times and many places in the Bible. God blesses obedience and curses disobedience. That is what we literally see in this sentence and in other places within the Bible such as: Genesis 12:3, 27:29; Deuteronomy 11:26-29, 30:1, 30:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 37:22; Proverbs 3:33; 11:26; Zechariah 8:13; Malachi 2:2. It is within this context that we have this word dispensation. in this sentence we see that dispensation is used for 'how God dispenses His gospel to man'.

However, we have this teaching about dispensation that does not match how the Bible literally uses this word. It is commonly taught that in different dispensations of time God saved people different ways. But God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Therefore, God's method of salvation does not change. What actually changes is the man that God chooses to work through and this changes because we die and God must choose a new person when the prior dies.

There are only 4 times that the Bible uses the word dispensation.

Our current sentence tells us that God decided to 'hand out' His gospel to the Gentiles through Paul. Within the context we see that Paul has a responsibility with a reward for obedience and a punishment (woe) for disobedience.
Ephesians 1:7-12 gives the theme of that epistle, which is what is available to saved people who are in Christ and denied to saved people who refuse to stay in Christ. This single sentence uses in whom. in Christ, even in him, in whom, and in Christ a second time. Please see the note for Ephesians 1:7-12 in the Book Study on Ephesians for more details. in this sentence we read That in the dispensation ('the result of God's handing out') of the fulness of times ('with the results belonging to the fulness / finish of times') he might gather together in one all things in Christ ('God is going to gather all things into Christ'). This basically means that what God is doing in Christ is not seen in a single event but is seen in all that God 'hands out' over time.
Ephesians 3:2 tells us that God 'handed out' the mystery of Gentiles being saved (the grace of God which is given me to youward / That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel) through Paul. Once more we see that the Bible literally says that this dispensation was given to a single man named Paul. We do not see God dispensing salvation to all men. We also see, in this same sentence, that Paul was made the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles as part of this dispensation. This is not true for all men living in the so-called 'Church Dispensation / Age'. Please see the note for Ephesians 3:2 in the Book Study on Ephesians for more details.
Colossians 1:21-29 literally says Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God. Once more we see that the Bible literally says that this dispensation was given to a single man named Paul. We do not see God dispensing salvation to all men. We also see, in this same sentence, that Paul was made a minister...to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. Thus, once more we see that the dispensation is God 'handing out' the gospel to Gentiles through Paul. .Please see the note for Colossians 1:21-29 in the Book Study on Ephesians for more details.

Thus, we see that in 3 out of 4 times that the Bible uses the word dispensation, it literally says that the dispensation is given to a single man named Paul and it is not given to all men of an age. The fourth time says that we will see the result of what is in Christ through what God dispenses over time to people who are in Christ. None of these verses support the claim that God has a different plan of salvation in different ages or any of the other things which are taught as 'Bible Dispensations'. Yes, we do see that God requires men to provide evidence of their personal salvation and that evidence, which God requires, is different in different ages of time. However, that Biblical truth is not supported by the Biblical use of the word dispensation. Therefore we see, one more time, the need to verify the doctrine that we are taught against what the Bible literally says.

in this sentence, we have a colon followed by but, which makes the Equivalent Section with the dispensation the polar opposite of the Equivalent Section with reward. These two phrases are polar opposite because the other phrases in each Equivalent section (For if I do this thing willingly / but if against my will) are also polar opposites. That means that even if Paul isn't willing to be used the bring the gospel to the Gentiles, he still has to do it (committed unto me) or receive the polar opposite of a reward, which is a whole lot of pain.

We find forms of the word reward occurring 112 times in 107 verses of the Bible, 38 times in 36 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 3:8 3:14; our current sentence and our next sentence. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines reward as: 'n. 1. Recompense, or equivalent return for good done, for kindness, for services and the like. Rewards may consist of money, goods or any return of kindness or happiness. The laborer is worthy of his reward. 1Tim. 5. Great is your reward in Heaven. Matt. 5. Rewards and punishments presuppose moral agency, and something voluntarily done, well or ill; without which respect, though we may receive good, it is only a benefit and not a reward. 2. the fruit of men's labor or works. The dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward. Eccles. 9. 3. A bribe; a gift to pervert justice. Deut. 27. 4. A sum of money offered for taking or detecting a criminal, or for recovery of anything lost. 5. Punishment; a just return of evil or suffering for wickedness. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Ps. 91. 6. Return in human applause. Matt. 6. 7. Return in joy and comfort. Ps. 19'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for reward as: 'For Spiritual Service: the Soul-winners: Da 12:3. Humble Servants: Mt 10:42. The Faithful Stewards: Mt 25:23. The Benevolent: Lu 6:35; Joh 4:36. The Good of All Nations: Ro 2:10; 1Co 3:8. All Ranks and Stations: Eph 6:8; Col 3:24. ForSuffering Endured: Mt 5:11-12; Ro 8:17; 2Ti 2:12; Heb 10:34; 11:26; Re 20:4. General References to: Ge 15:1; Ps 19:9,11; 58:11; Isa 40:10; 62:11; Jer 31:16; Mt 6:4; 1Co 9:17; 2Jo 1:8; Re 22:12. Spiritual Crowns: the Incorruptible Crown: 1Co 9:25. The Crown of Righteousness: 2Ti 4:8. The Crown of Life: Jas 1:12. The Crown of Glory: 1Pe 5:4; Re 2:10. Tobe Guarded: Re 3:11. Cast at Jesus' Feet: Re 4:10. Earthly, a Source of Temptation: Nu 22:7,17; De 16:19; 1Ki 13:7; 2Ki 5:15; Isa 1:23; Da 5:17; Mic 3:11; 7:3. Refused. See Men of God. ForObedience. See Blessings, God's . Uprightness. See Promises, Divine; to the Upright. Of the Wicked. See Recompense. ForObedience: See Blessings. ForRighteousness: See Recompense. ForUprightness: Ps 7:10; 32:11; 37:37; 49:14; 64:10; 97:11; 112:4; Pr 2:7,21; 10:9; 14:11; 28:6. Of the Wicked: See Recompense. Proportionate to Service Rendered: Great Soul-winners Radiant: Da 12:3. At the Coming of Christ: Mt 16:27. Even in the Present Life: Lu 18:30. In the Lord's Vineyard: 1Co 3:8. Reaping according to the amount of Seed Sown: 2Co 9:6. Assigned by the Lord: Re 22:12'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for reward as: 'A MOTIVE to FAITHFULNESS: Ex 20:6,12; Le 25:18-19; 26:3-45; De 4:40; 6:3,18; 11:13-16,18-21,26-29; 15:911; 22:7; 24:19; 25:15; 27:12-26; Jos 8:33; Isa 1:16-20; 3:10; 40:10-11; Jer 17:24-26; 22:3-4; Mt 10:32; 16:24-27; 20:1-16; 25:34-46; Mr 10:21; 13:13; Lu 6:22-23,35; 12:8; Ac 26:18; Ro 2:10; 1Co 3:8; Eph 6:1-3; Heb 10:34,36; 11:26; 12:1-2,28; 1Pe 3:912; 2Pe 1:10-11; Re 2:10,17,25-28; 7:14-17; 22:12'.

We find forms of the word commit occurring 189 times in 170 verses of the Bible, 63 times in 55 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 6:18; our current sentence and 10:8. Please use the following links to see where this word is used in other Bible books: Matthew 5:27; Mark 10:11; Luke 12:48; John 2:24; Acts 8:3; Romans 1:32; 2Corinthians 5:19; Galatians 2:7; 1Timothy 1:11; 2Timothy 1:14; Titus 1:3; James 2:9; 1Peter 2:23; 1John 3:4; Revelation 2:14. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines commit as: 'v.t. Literally, to send to or upon; to throw, put or lay upon. Hence, 1. To give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust; with to. Commit thy way to the Lord. Ps. 37. The things thou hast heard of me, commit to faithful men. 2 Tim. 2. 2. to put into any place for preservation; to deposit; as, to commit a passage in a book to memory; to commit the body to the grave. 3. to put or sent to, for confinement; as, to commit an offender to prison. Hence for the sake of brevity, commit is used for imprison. the sheriff has committed the offender. These two were committed, at least restrained of their liberty. 4. to do; to effect or perpetrate; as, to commit murder, treason, felony, or trespass. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Ex. 20. 5. to join or put together, for a contest; to match; followed by with; a latinism. How does Philopolis commit the opponent with the respondent. 6. to place in a state of hostility or incongruity. Committing short and long words. But this seems to be the same signification as the foregoing. 7. to expose or endanger by a preliminary step or decision which cannot be recalled; as, to commit the peace of a country by espousing the cause of a belligerent. You might have satisfied every duty of political friendship without committing the honor of your sovereign. 8. to engage; to pledge; or to pledge by implication. The general--addressed letters to Gen. Gates and to Gen. Heath, cautioning them against any sudden assent to the proposal, which might possibly be considered as committing the faith of the United States. And with the reciprocal pronoun, to commit ones self, is to do some act, or make some declaration, which may bind the person in honor, good faith, or consistency, to pursue a certain course of conduct, or to adhere to the tenor of that declaration. 9. to refer or entrust to a committee, or select number of persons, for their consideration and report; a term of legislation; as, the petition or the bill is committed. Is it the pleasure of the house to commit the bill?'. The functional definition for this word is: 'To do a premeditated act or to trust another to do it; with no possibility of taking the thing back'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 1:1 about the word will. The functional definition is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. The meaning of the word wilt, does not match what is found in a man-written dictionary. The true Biblical meaning is: 'The will applied at a lifestyle level. That is: a decision of will which does not change throughout the life.'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 2:15 about the phrase will of God. That note has links to every place in the Bible where we find this phrase along with notes on each reference. In particular, that note explains that the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God are not three different levels of the will of God but, in fact, are three attributes of the single will of God. As that note explains, there is only one will of God for each circumstance in life but we receive variable rewards or punishment based upon how well we obey the will of God or how much we disobey the will of God. Please also see the Message called The Will of God for the application of these verses in the life of the believer.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'if I. 1Ch 28:9; 29:5,9,14; Ne 11:2; Isa 6:8; 2Co 8:12; Phm 1:14; 1Pe 5:2-4 have. 1Co 3:8,14; Mt 10:41 against. Ex 4:13-14; Jer 20:9; Eze 3:14; Jon 1:3; 4:1-3; Mal 1:10 dispensation. 1Co 9:16; 4:1; Mt 24:25; Lu 12:42; Ga 2:7; Eph 3:2-8; Php 1:17; Col 1:25; 1Th 2:4; 1Ti 1:11-13 General references. exp: Lu 17:10'.

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C9S27 (Verse 18) What is my reward then?

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

Please see the note above for links to all of the verses in 1Corinthians which use the word reward along with the definition and more. Please see the notes for Romans 4:1 and 11:7 for places where the Bible asks a form the question What then?.

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C9S28 (Verse 18) Paul explains his reward.

Verily that,
when I preach the gospel,
I may make the gospel of Christ without charge,
that I abuse not my power in the gospel..

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

This sentence starts with Verily. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines verily as: 'adv. from very. 1. In truth; in fact; certainly. 2. Really; truly; with great confidence. It was verily thought the enterprise would succeed'. Thus, this sentence is telling us that we can have 'great confidence ' that this is Paul's reward, since our sentence answers the question of the prior sentence. As explained in the note for this sentence within the Word Study on Gospel, the gospel of Christ is the 'good news that Christ can change your life after your initial profession'. Christ never deals with lost people but only deals with saved people after their initial profession. (Please see the Lord Jesus Christ Overview for the detailed explanation.) the gospel of Christ is only preached to saved people and some saved people are more ready than others to accuse religious leaders of wrong.

I've mentioned elsewhere that I had a friend who went into doctrinal error because of his own love of money. He didn't have a lot of money but still loved it and listened to lies from devils about the support of religious leaders. He refused to let them show him the truth of the Bible because he was positive they were lying in order to preserve their own pay check. He admitted to seeing the truth when I showed it to him because I did not receive a pay check. After meeting me he let a devil steal the truth from him and he went back to the doctrinal lies.

It is often easier to keep someone from doctrinal lies if they have hot already accepted those lies in their heart. By Paul not accepting financial support and by his relying upon God for his needs, these new converts would know that someone was lying if they claimed that Paul preached for money. Thus, he avoided these people accepting this lie into their heart. The fact that they accepted other doctrinal lies shows that Paul was right to be concerned in the first place. Further, by taking nothing Paul avoided accusations that he abused (his) power in the gospel by taking too much support. Yes, a preacher can take starvation wages and still have people claim that he is paid too much. Our sentence explains that Paul avoided all of these lies by taking nothing.

Please see the note for 4:15 for links to every place in 1Corinthians where the word gospel is used. Please also see the Gospel Flowchart to understand the difference, and the relationship, between various gospel that we find in the Bible.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 7:31 about the word abuse. the functional definition for this word is: 'To use ill; to maltreat; to misuse; to use with bad motives or to wrong purposes'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'when. 1Co 9:6-7; 10:33; 2Co 4:5; 11:7-9; 12:13-18; 1Th 2:6; 2Th 3:8-9 that I. 1Co 7:31; 8:9; Ro 14:15 General references. exp: Ac 20:33'.

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C9S29 (Verse 19) Why Paul followed the prior doctrine.

For though I be free from all men,
yet have I made myself servant unto all,
that I might gain the more..

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

Our sentence starts with For and explains why he believed that he would have more of a reward by not accepting the support from the church that he could have received. That explanation is in the last phrase of that I might gain the more. There are people who are so suspicious that they are sure that everyone is trying to take advantage of them. When they think they have figured out how someone is trying to take advantage of them, they stop listening to what they are sure are lies. These people figure that all religious people are running a scam and are in it for the money. When they find our Paul isn't getting money, then they are challenged to try and figure out what his scam is and they keep listening in order to figure it out. So long as they are listening, God has a chance to reach their heart with the truth. Thus, we see that Paul gains more souls for Heaven by doing whatever it takes to get people to keep listening to the gospel and give God a chance to work on their heart.

Because Paul was free from all men he did not have to be their servant who worked for no wage. (This was explained at the start of this chapter in the note for C9S2.) Yet he choose to be a servant and to work for no wages that I might gain the more. Specifically, Paul did not receive wages from men but relied upon God to provide for his needs and to put any 'wages', that he earned but did not use, into his eternal account in Heaven. Thus, we see that this phrase of that I might gain the more means that Paul would gain more souls to God's salvation and to God's sanctification and that Paul would also gain more in his personal Heavenly reward account.

Now that we know what Paul is getting, we can look at the first two phrases of this sentence to see how he pl and on doing that. Paul says that he was not a slave to anyone (though I be free from all men). Yet he choose to act like a slave by becoming a servant unto all and not getting any pay for his service. Here we see faith in action. Paul worked without pay so that God could save souls and Paul did it in faith that God would give him eternal rewards instead of men giving him physical pay.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 7:21 about the word free. The functional definition is: 'Being at liberty; not being under necessity or restraint, physical or moral; a word of general application to the body, the will or mind, and to corporations'.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S4; 1Corinthians C7S27 and Ephesians C6S4 about the word servant. The functional definition is: ' person, male or female, that attends another for the purpose of performing menial offices for him, or who is employed by another for such offices or for other labor, and is subject to his command'. Please also see the notes for Romans C16S21 and 2Timothy C1-S2 about the word serve. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:17 about the word service.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:21 about the word gain. The functional definition is: ' to obtain by industry or the employment of capital; to get as profit or advantage; to acquire'. We find forms of this word, in 1Corinthians, in: 9:19; 9:20-21 and 9:22. Please also see the note for Revelation 1:8 about the word saith. Please also see the note for Romans C10S28 about the word gainsaying.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I be. 1Co 9:1; Ga 5:1 I made. 1Co 10:33; Mt 20:26-28; Joh 13:14-15; Ro 1:14; 15:2; 2Co 4:5; Ga 5:13 that. 1Co 9:20-22; 7:16; Pr 11:30; Mt 18:15; Ro 11:14; 1Ti 4:16; 2Ti 2:10; Jas 5:19-20; 1Pe 3:1 General references. exp: Mt 23:11; Lu 11:37; Ro 15:2; 1Co 10:33'.

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C9S30 (Verse 20-21) Paul explains his plan of action.

Parts of sentence below are steps.

First Step: How Paul dealt with culture.

and unto the Jews I became as a Jew,
that I might gain the Jews;.

Second Step: How Paul dealt with religion.

to them that are under the law,
as under the law,
that I might gain them that are under the law;.

Third Step: How Paul dealt with non-believers.

to them that are without law,
as without law,
(See Below),
that I might gain them that are without law..

Below is the part of the sentence from the parenthesis.

(being not without law to God,
but under the law to Christ).

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

I saw a movie once on the missionary from England who is attributed with bringing Christianity to China. He was heavily criticized by other missionaries to China, and even called a heretic, because he adopted the ways of the Chinese culture. The other missionaries were positive that Christianity was part of the English culture and that heathenism was part of the Chinese culture. Therefore, they believed they had a God given mandate to change the Chinese culture. They were failing miserably in their self-righteousness.

One of the problems that missionaries face is making a distinction between idolatry and cultural differences. This is because religion is wove all through cultures. The Catholic church is known for adopting the religious parts of a culture and by making a minor change to the religious practice and then calling it a Catholic practice. Thus, we get 'Mary worship' from the absorption of cultures that worshipped of the queen of Heaven (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-19, 25).

from this practice we can see that it is possible to accept too much of a local religion while trying to convert them and it is possible to reject too much. The correct amount to accept or reject is seen in properly understanding this sentence and the next sentence within the context of this chapter.

Paul had authority from God as an apostle. All through this epistle we have seen Paul making the distinction between our personal relationship with God and what man or religion or the world says. Thus, the first question is if a given practice interferes with our personal relationship with God. 'Mary worship' and worshipping the queen of Heaven, instead of worshipping God, definitely do. A preacher not taking support that is rightfully his does not. We also see reasoning in this chapter where Paul points out certain things that are common to all cultures such as the right of a man to get married and his right to receive a wage. Thus, when a local culture has a different way of doing what is common to all cultures then it is OK to accept the way that this thing is done within the local culture. When a religious rule says that you can't do what is done in all cultures (with only minor variations on how the thing is done(, then you can be sure that this religious rule came from men and not from God. For example, the missionary to China was criticized for adopting local modest forms of dress. He was not wrong in doing this in order to help him gain some. However, a missionary dressing only in a loin cloth, because that is the cultural norm, is not OK because nakedness is taught by devils and encourages lust of the flesh and sin.

Hopefully these rules for how to decide on a local practice are clear enough and we can look at the specifics that Paul mentions here.

Please read the good sized note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study before continuing with this note as it covers significant points that will not be repeated here. In particular, it mentions 22 different laws that apply to saved people during the church age and provides links to notes (or Bible references) for all of them. Thus, there is considerable reference material available about what the Bible tells the saved person concerning the law. In addition, the doctrinal difference between the law of Christ and the law to Christ is explained. Further, the law to Christ (which is in our current sentence) is defined as 'God ordained method that encompasses all of the other aspects of a legal system and allows a person to reach a personal relationship with God that the Bible describes as Christ'. Since that is what our sentence is dealing with, we need to look at what this sentence says and the context to see how they match this definition.

The entire context of our chapter is Paul answering people who examined him. They made a detailed legal examination of him and of his legal rights and argued that he did not have the rights that everyone else had. Their arguments were based upon their fleshly religious rules which would allow them to steal everything that was rightfully Paul's.

Paul provided a detailed answer that would hold up in court with evidence taken from God's law, nature's law, common human social laws, common religious laws and more. In addition, Paul pointed out the spiritually discerned differences between what these others claimed and what Paul showed them from all of these different laws. In particular, Paul pointed out how the readers would personally lose blessings from God if they turned away from what Paul said. Further, Paul pointed out that his not taking what was rightfully his did not mean that he lost the right to what was his. Then in the prior sentence he explained that he did not take physical things, which were rightfully his, because by not taking those things he increased the spiritual results for God and increased his own personal Heavenly reward account. (Please see the note above for the details of this claim.) Now he is adding (by starting the sentenced with and) this sentence to what was just said in the prior account. Thus, the context of this sentence is increasing spiritual results for God and increasing personal Heavenly reward account by giving up fleshly rights.

So, the first of these fleshly rights that we have freedom from is restrictive religious rules. when Paul says unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews he is saying that he gave up the true liberty that is in Christ and lived under restrictive religious rules so that he could shows Jews that they could be saved and still remain a Jew. (Please see the note for 1Corinthians 8:9 for links to all the verses in the Bible which use the word liberty along with a definition and links from other commentators.) Just look at the argument in Matthew 15 about washing hands. The Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) showed that God had put aside the religious part of the Mosaic Law and God's vision to Peter (Acts 11) showed that God had put aside all of the religious additions from the religion of the Jews. Yet Paul lived within these restrictions that I might gain the Jew.

Now some will try to argue that this only applies to the Jews but the context of this chapter, and the fact that Paul is giving us examples for a general precept, show us that this applies to any restrictive rule from any religion which does not require us to sin. The other side of this is the argument that we should all do this all of the time. However, even though Paul gained (some) Jews, he offended others by not going along with their religious rules which would require him to sin by replacing his personal relationship that was in Christ with keeping the religious rules of their law. It was this very thing which caused the lies told in Acts 21 which led to Paul's arrest and beheading. Therefore, the child of Gods needs to pray for God's personal guidance in each similar situation because sometimes it does not matter what accommodation you provide, the religious person will not be satisfied with anything less than your active and constant support for their sinful religious lie.

When Paul says to them that are under the law, it can be argued that this means the Mosaic Law but the context allows for application to any law. (I will deal with the application and not argue about a restrictive interpretation.) the point being that there are instances, such as Communist China, where true worship is illegal in public. Many people fought the government and claimed 'persecution' when all that they had to do was not openly oppose the government. Other people did as Paul says here and lived under the restriction of the law and showed people how to meet in private and have 'underground house churches' which were tolerated so long as they did not become too obvious and openly supported the government's right to rule. Paul would not have been protesting on the world stage but would have been quietly helping to start several small home churches.

When we read To them that are without law we need to keep in mind the qualified that basically says 'not including lawless criminals but those people who reject unnecessary laws'. Think about the lesson about meats in the prior chapter. Among other things, Paul told them that are without law which restricts eating meats, 'Here's how you do it without causing unnecessary offence'.

Within our included section we read being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ. The phrase but under the law to Christ was dealt with in the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. In addition, that note explained that the word to 'links a destination with the method for reaching that destination'. Thus, the phrase not without law to God means 'you can't throw away laws which point people to God'.

Basically, this whole set of instructions are finished in the next sentence with the phrase that says I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. God wants us to do anything that we can, while avoiding sin and maintaining out personal relationship with Him, to get people to have a personal relationship with God. Yes we have to swallow our pride at times, but that is what God blesses.

Please see the note for Galatians C2-S9 about the word Jew. The functional definition is: 'A name for God's chosen people who followed the Mosaic Law'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:21 about the word gain. The functional definition is: ' to obtain by industry or the employment of capital; to get as profit or advantage; to acquire'. Please also see the note for Revelation 1:8 about the word saith. Please also see the note for Romans C10S28 about the word gainsaying.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'unto. Ac 16:3; 17:2-3; 18:18; 21:20-26 are under. Ro 3:19; 6:14-15; Ga 4:5,21; 5:18 General references. exp: Lu 11:37; Ro 15:2; 1Co 10:33; Ga 2:3.
them. Ac 15:28; 16:4; 21:25; Ro 2:12,14; Ga 2:3-4,12-14; 3:2 not. 1Co 7:19-22; Ps 119:32; Mt 5:17-20; Ro 7:22,25; 8:4; 13:8-10; Ga 5:13-14,22-23; Eph 6:1-3; 1Th 4:1-2; Tit 2:2-12; Heb 8:10 General references. exp: Mt 12:8; Lu 11:37; Ro 15:2; 1Co 10:33; Ga 2:3; 1Th 4:2'.

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C9S31 (Verse 22) More on Paul's plan of action.

Equivalent Section: How to deal with weak people.

To the weak became I as weak,
that I might gain the weak:.

Equivalent Section: General rule for dealing with all people.

I am made all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some..

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

This sentence is added to the prior by the context even though it does not start with a connecting word. The note above has a lot of explanation about the general precept behind these sentences. Basically, the prior sentence and this one is a set of instructions that are summarized with the phrase that says I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. God wants us to do anything that we can, while avoiding sin and maintaining out personal relationship with Him, to get people to have a personal relationship with God. Yes we have to swallow our pride at times, but that is what God blesses. That is what our First Equivalent Section is telling us. The weak are often ignored or looked down upon and they try to not be noticed so that people will not take advantage of them. They also are often sure that stronger people have no idea what it is like to be weak. However, (almost?) everyone has had times when they were weak or sick or experienced other things that our pride tells us to not admit having experienced. But to gain the weak we must became as weak so that they will trust us and believe that we really are interested in them. That is, we must act like the Son of God did when He set aside all of His personal power to live like a weak human person.

Please see the note for 4:10 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word weak. The functional definition is: 'Not able to bear a great weight'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:21 about the word gain. The functional definition is: ' to obtain by industry or the employment of capital; to get as profit or advantage; to acquire'. Please also see the note for Revelation 1:8 about the word saith. Please also see the note for Romans C10S28 about the word gainsaying.

Please see the note for Luke 5:18 about the word means (plural). The functional definition for this word is: 'Means, in the plural, income, revenue, resources, substance or estate, considered as the instrument of effecting any purpose. He would have built a house, but he wanted means'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:19-20 for links to every place in that epistle where we find the word salvation along with definitions from three different dictionaries and links from other commentators. Please see the note for Main Menu item for Salvation about the word save. The functional definition is: 'to exclude. When used spiritually, it means to exclude from the damned by having God's life in you. When used physically, it means to exclude from what is endangering physical life' .

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'To the weak. 1Co 8:13; Ro 15:1; 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:1 I am. 1Co 10:33 that I might by. 1Co 9:19; 7:16; Ro 11:14 General references. exp: Lu 11:37; Ro 15:2; 1Co 10:33; 2Co 6:3'.

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C9S32 (Verse 23) Why Paul did what he reported in the prior two sentences.

and this I do for the gospel's sake,
that I might be partaker thereof with you..

In C9S24 through C9S29 Paul explains the doctrinal basis for his actions. In C9S30 through C9S31 Paul explains how he acted upon that doctrine and in C9S32 he explains why.

This sentence is added to the prior sentences by starting with an and. Here Paul wanted to make sure that the reader understood that this reason was directly attached to the prior sentences. Paul would not have done what he said that he did in those sentences for any reason other than the reason stated here.

Most preaching is actually done to saved people and everything in this chapter was written to saved people who were being led away from personal sanctification into religious error. Throughout this epistle we can see how Paul was all of the things that he mentioned in the last two sentences and he was that way so that these saved people could be truly sanctified. We also see in this sentence and in the context of this sentence that Paul would not have gone through what he did for anything less than bringing these people to God and bringing them into a closer relationship with God.

There is a saying of: 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a life.' there is a truth in the phrase of this sentence that says that I might be partaker thereof with you. When Paul uses the word partaker he is saying that he gets part of the credit, in his Heavenly account, for what these people do for God after he taught then to do it and how to do it. The concept of what people call 'pyramid schemes' actually fits here. Yes, God gives you credit for what you do for Him in the gospel. However, if you enable another person to work for God in the gospel, God gives you a small portion of the credit for what that person does. The truth of this phrase is that the more people that you enable and encourage to work for God in the gospel, the greater is your personal Heavenly reward.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'for. 1Co 9:12; Mr 8:35; 2Co 2:4; Ga 2:5; 2Ti 2:10 exp: Mr 10:29; 1Co 4:6; 1Th 1:5. That. 1Co 9:25-27; 2Ti 2:6; Heb 3:1,14; 1Pe 5:1; 1Jo 1:3 General references. exp: Lu 11:37; 1Co 10:33'.

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C9S33 (Verse 24) the spiritual truth of this sentence should be obvious.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all,
but one receiveth the prize?.

Some people look at this sentence and say 'I can't be number one so why bother running at all?' But the fact is that even the last person in a marathon receives a prize that the people on the sidelines do not receive. No, they may not get the prize for being first, but they still get a prize.

You might not get to be the CEO of a company but you could compete to be the head of your work-group instead of the flunky that everyone orders around. And, yes, there will be only one head of a work-group. Therefore, on that scale you can be first.

In addition, this sentence directly disputes the doctrinal lie of a Communistic Heaven (all get mansions, all have eternal bliss). It supports the truth taught elsewhere that God's structure is a hierarchy. Our position in that hierarchy is fixed for all eternity once we leave this life. Therefore, the lesson here is to do all that you can to enhance your own personal position in eternity. Even if you are only the head of a work-group, that is still better than being bottom flunky.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the Bible says the race is not to the swift. We only find the word race is used 4 times in the Bible and it is not used for a short run but for what we think of as a marathon. Those verses warn us to not worry when someone else seems to be getting ahead because there are many who run fast at first but then burn out or get distracted or quit for many different reasons. Think about the tale of the race between the turtle and the hare that the turtle won because it was consistent. That is the lesson of these verses. The word race is used in: Psalms 19:5; Ecclesiastes 9:11; our current sentence; Hebrews 12:1.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'they. Ho 12:10 run in. Ps 19:5; Ec 9:11; Jer 12:5'.

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C9S34 (Verse 24) Challenge to the reader.

So run,
that ye may obtain..

This entire chapter is a single logical argument where one sentence builds upon what came before it and must support what comes after it. Please see the summary of each sentence in the Chapter Outline and consider how each sentence fits within the context of the entire logical argument before looking at the details of any particular sentence. 9:24 through the end of the chapter have Paul's summary of the chapter. These sentences have Paul's reasons why we should consider using Paul's plan of action. Here we see the challenge for what we should personally do based upon all that Paul has said in this chapter. Paul starts his challenge with a general truth then tells us how to act upon that truth in this sentence.

Please also note the use of ye. That means that we each will personally obtain our reward based upon how well we each personally run.

Thus, we see that Paul tells us to run based upon the logic of the prior sentence (So) that ye may obtain with what we will obtain being the reward that Paul talked about previously within this chapter. That reward was an increase in our eternal Heavenly account based upon our serving God and the gospel in this current world and time. Therefore, our command tells us how to live by faith with us doing all that we can to produce the best results with the full knowledge that our eternal position within God's hierarchy depends directly upon our current efforts for a best placement in this race to serve God. In addition, while we do this we need to keep in mind that the note above pointed out that the Bible uses race for a marathon. As pointed out in the note above, the race is not to the swift but is to the diligent who let nothing distract them from their life-long duty to God.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'so run. 1Co 9:26; Ga 2:2; 5:7; Php 2:16; 3:14; 2Ti 4:7-8; Heb 12:1; Jas 1:12; Re 3:11'.

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C9S35 (Verse 25) and every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.

This entire chapter is a single logical argument where one sentence builds upon what came before it and must support what comes after it. Please see the summary of each sentence in the Chapter Outline and consider how each sentence fits within the context of the entire logical argument before looking at the details of any particular sentence. 9:24 through the end of the chapter have Paul's summary of the chapter. These sentences have Paul's reasons why we should consider using Paul's plan of action. Here we see the challenge for what we should personally do based upon all that Paul has said in this chapter. Paul starts his challenge with a general truth, then tells us what to do based upon that truth. Now, in this sentence, he gives us the requirement of the challenge. In particular, as already noted in the note above and the one before that, the main requirement of this race is diligence. That is why our current sentence tells us how to avoid distractions which would keep us from being diligent.

Please see the note for Romans 15:30-32 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses the word strive along with the definition from Webster's 1828 , which is 'to endeavor with earnestness; to labor hard'. That note in Romans also has links to every place where this word is used within the Bible. In addition, to that note and those verses, please also look at the following verses which apply directly to the doctrine taught here: Ephesians 6:12-18; 1Timothy 6:12; 2Timothy 2:5; 4:7; Hebrews 12:4.

Please notice the th in the word striveth. This means that Paul is talking about someone who 'keeps on keeping on striving'. Many people will strive but give up and quit by only giving partial effort or stopping altogether. Hebrews 11:6 says, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Many people may strive but they do not striveth and fail to meet God's requirement to receive the reward.

We find forms of the word master occurring 219 times in 195 verses of the Bible, 94 times in 87 verses of the New Testament, but the word mastery only occurs in: Exodus 32:18; Daniel 6:24 and our current sentence. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines mastery as: 'n. Dominion; power of governing or commanding. If divided by mountains, they will fight for the mastery of the passages of the tops-- 1. Superiority in competition; preeminence. Every man that striveth for the mystery, is temperate in all things. 1 Cor.9. 2. Victory in war. It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery. Ex.32. 3. Eminent skill; superior dexterity. He could attain to a mastery in all languages. 4. Attainment of eminent skill or power. The learning and mastery of a tongue being unpleasant in itself, should not be cumbered with other difficulties'.

We find forms of the word temperate occurring in: Exodus 29:2; 30:35; Ezekiel 46:14; Acts 24:25; our current sentence; 1Corinthians 12:24; Galatians 5:23; Titus 1:8; 2:2; 2Peter 1:6. Please also see the note for 2Peter 1:6 for more application of this word. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines temperate as: 'a. L. temperatus. Moderate; not excessive; as temperate heat; a temperate climate; temperate air. 1. Moderate in the indulgence of the appetites and passions; as temperate in eating and drinking; temperate in pleasures; temperate in speech. Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy. 2. Cool; calm; not marked with passion; not violent; as a temperate discourse or address; temperate language. 3. Proceeding from temperance; as temperate sleep. 4. Free from ardent passion. She is not hot, but temperate as the morn. Temperate zone, the space on the earth between the tropics and the polar circles, where the heat is less than in the tropics, and the cold less than in the polar circles'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for Temperance as: '(Select Readings): Pr 23; Isa 5; 28; Da 1. General References to: Pr 21:17; 23:1-2; 25:16; Ac 24:25; 1Co 9:25; Ga 5:23; Tit 2:2; 2Pe 1:6. Total Abstinence from Strong Drink: Enjoined upon the Priests: Le 10:9. Law from the Nazarites: Nu 6:3; De 29:6; Jg 13:4. The Wise Man's Injunction: Pr 23:31. Rule for Kings: Pr 31:4. The Law of the Rechabites: Jer 35:6. Daniel's Temperance Principles: Da 1:8; 10:3; Mt 11:18. John the Baptist a Total Abstainer: Lu 1:15. Brotherly Love Demands: Ro 14:21; 1Co 8:13. in Relation to food. See Appetites; Restrained. in Relation to speech. See Tongue Restrained. Appetites to be Restrained: Pr 23:1-2,20; 25:16; Lu 12:22; 21:34; 1Co 9:27. Drunkards: Examples of: Noah: Ge 9:21. Nabal: 1Sa 25:36. Uriah: 2Sa 11:13. Elah: 1Ki 16:9. Ben Hadad: 1Ki 20:16. Ahasuerus: Es 1:10. Watchmen of Israel: Isa 56:12. Kings of Israel: Ho 7:5. Other examples: Joe 3:3; Lu 12:45; 1Co 11:21. General References to: Pr 26:9; Isa 5:22; 28:3; Joe 1:5; Na 1:10. Drunkenness, Warnings against: De 21:20; Pr 20:1; 23:20,2931; Ec 10:17; Isa 5:11; 28:1; Na 1:10; Hab 2:15; Lu 21:34; Ro 13:13; 1Co 6:10; Eph 5:18; 1Th 5:7. Excess, General References to: Pr 23:30; 28:7; Da 5:1; Lu 15:13; Ga 5:21; Eph 5:18; 1Pe 4:3; 2Pe 2:13. In Eating: Ps 141:4; Pr 23:1-2; 25:27; Lu 10:8; 12:22; 1Co 10:25,31; 1Ti 4:4. In Speech: See Tongue Restrained. Self-control, Duty of: Over the Spirit: Pr 16:32; 25:28. Over the Life: Ac 24:25. Over the Lusts of the Flesh: Ro 6:12; 1Co 6:12. Over the Tongue: Jas 3:2. A Cardinal Virtue: 2Pe 1:5-7. Wine, Warnings concerning Use of: Pr 20:1; 21:17; 23:31; 31:4; Isa 5:11; 28:1,7; 56:12; Ho 4:11; Hab 2:5; Eph 5:18'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for Temperance as: 'General scriptures concerning: Es 1:7-8; Pr 23:1-3; 25:16; Da 1:8,12-16; Ro 13:14; 1Co 9:25,27; Php 4:5; 1Th 5:6-8; 1Ti 3:2-3,8; Tit 1:7-8; 2:2-3,12; 2Pe 1:5-6'.

Putting all of this together, what we see is that if you want to obtain the best possible eternal reward then you are going to have to master yourself so that you are temperate ('moderate in your reaction to temptations').

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'striveth. Eph 6:12-18; 1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 2:5; 4:7; Heb 12:4 temperate. Ga 5:23; Tit 1:8; 2:2; 2Pe 1:6 General references. exp: Lu 22:29'.

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C9S36 (Verse 25) the difference between lost people and saved.

Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown;
but we an incorruptible..

This entire chapter is a single logical argument where one sentence builds upon what came before it and must support what comes after it. Please see the summary of each sentence in the Chapter Outline and consider how each sentence fits within the context of the entire logical argument before looking at the details of any particular sentence. 9:24 through the end of the chapter have Paul's summary of the chapter. These sentences have Paul's reasons why we should consider using Paul's plan of action. Here we see the challenge for what we should personally do based upon all that Paul has said in this chapter. Paul starts his challenge with the general truth, then tells us what to do and what to be careful about. Now he gives us the perspective to keep so that we will continue to the end in spite of everything that will make us want to quit.

There have been several important words in this chapter which tie this chapter to other chapters where we see more details. That is because God's law, and how we will be personally judged as a result of our doing things legally or not, affects all of our knife testimony.

The basic message in this sentence is that if these people can do these things to win a corruptible crown then we have no real excuse for not doing at least as much in order to win an incorruptible (crown). Some important verses which match the doctrine of this verse include: 1Corinthians 15:54; 2Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 12:28-LJC; James 1:12; 1Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; 3:11; 4:4, 10.

Please see the note for Romans 11:30-31 for links to where the Bible deals with forms of the word obtain. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines obtain as: 'pp. Gained; procured; acquired'. The note in Romans has links to every verse in the Bible that uses this word. Please see the note for James 1:12 for links to where the New Testament deals with forms of the word crown. The definition from Webster's 1828 is also provided along with info from some commentators. What should be obvious is that not all of the saved people will receive a crown because many will be followers instead of being leaders and most people will not do what these sentences are telling us to do in order to obtain an incorruptible crown.

We find forms of the word corrupt occurring 79 times in 76 verses of the Bible, 40 times in 38 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: our current sentence; 1Corinthians 15:33; 1Corinthians 15:42; 1Corinthians 15:50; 1Corinthians 15:52; 1Corinthians 15:53 and 1Corinthians 15:54. Please also see the notes at the following linksto find where this word is used in other Bible books: Matthew 6:19; Luke 6:43; Acts 2:27; Romans 1:23; 2Corinthians 2:17; Galatians 6:8; Ephesians 4:22; 1Timothy 6:5; James 5:2; 1Peter 1:18; 2Peter 1:4; Jude 1:10; Revelation 19:2. The functional definition for this word is: 'To change from a sound to a putrid or putrescent state; to separate the component parts of a body, as by a natural process, which accompanied by a fetid smell'.

In addition, to this word, we also need to consider the opposite words. We find forms of the word uncorruptible in: Romans 1:23; Titus 2:7. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'that cannot be corrupted. But incorruptible is the word now used'. We find forms of the word incorruptible in: 1Corinthians 9:25; 1Corinthians 15:42; 1Corinthians 15:50; 1Corinthians 15:52; 1Corinthians 15:53; 1Corinthians 15:54; 1Peter 1:4; 1Peter 1:23. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'a. 1. that cannot corrupt or decay; not admitting of corruption. thus gold, glass, mercury, etc., are incorruptible. Spirits are supposed to be incorruptible. Our bodies shall be changed into incorruptible and immortal substances. 2. that cannot be bribed; inflexibly just and upright'.

This is one word which it is well worth the reader's time to look at every verse where forms of the word are used within the Bible. Those verses convey the true meaning far better than any dictionary definition could because those verses allow us the see the long-tern effects that can be easily ignored when someone is only looking at the initial effects. For example, consider the child version of people who murdered millions of people when they became adults. Or consider how much this world has been changed since Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, as the first verse in the Bible to use this word, talks about. In deed, the end of our current chapter tells us that we have to physically die and God has to create a completely new body for us in order to remove the effects of corruption. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines corrupt as: 'v.t. L., to break. Literally, to break, separate or dissolve. Hence, 1. to change from a sound to a putrid or putrescent state; to separate the component parts of a body, as by a natural process, which accompanied by a fetid smell. 2. to vitiate or deprave; to change from good to bad. Evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15. 3. to waste, spoil or consume. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt. Matthew 6. 4. to defile or pollute. Exodus 32. 5. to entice from good and allure to evil. 2 Corinthi and 11. 6. to pervert; to break, disobey or make void. Malachi 2. 7. to pervert or vitiate integrity; to bribe; as, to corrupt a judge. 8. to debase or render impure, by alterations or innovations; as, to corrupt language. 9. to pervert; to falsify; to infect with errors; as, to corrupt the sacred text.
CORRUPT, v.i. 1. to become putrid; to putrefy; to rot. Animal and vegetable substances speedily corrupt in a warm and moist air. 2. to become vitiated; to lose purity.
CORRUPT, a. L. 1. Changed from a sound to a putrid state, as by natural decomposition. 2. Spoiled; tainted; vitiated; unsound; as corrupt air, or bread. 3. Depraved; vitiated; tainted with wickedness. They are corrupt; they have done abominable works. Psalm 14. The earth was corrupt before God. Genesis 6. 4. Debased; rendered impure; changed to a worse state; as corrupt language. 5. Not genuine; infected with errors or mistakes. the text is corrupt'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for corruption as: 'Of the Body after Death: Ge 3:19; Job 17:14; 19:26; 21:26; Ps 49:9; 104:29; Ec 3:20; 12:7; Joh 11:39; Ac 13:36; 1Co 15:42. Moral: Ge 6:12; Isa 28:8; Jer 5:28; Eze 7:23; Mic 6:12; Mt 23:28; Lu 11:39; Ro 1:29. General References to: Ge 6:5; Job 15:16; Ps 14:3; Isa 1:6; 59:3; 64:6; Jer 16:12; Mic 7:3; Mt 23:27; Mr 7:21; Ro 1:24; 1Pe 2:12. Evil Time:. Ge 6:12; 1Ki 19:10; Ps 12:1; 14:1; Isa 57:1; 59:14; Jer 5:1; Mic 7:2; Eph 5:16; 2Ti 3:1-2; 4:3. The Prevalence of Violence: Ge 6:13; Job 24:2; Ps 55:9; 73:6; Pr 4:17; Isa 59:6; Jer 6:7; Eze 8:17; Am 3:10; Mic 2:2; 6:12'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for corruption as: 'PHYSICAL DECOMPOSITION: Le 22:25. After death: Ge 3:19; Job 17:14; 21:26; 34:15; Ps 16:10; 49:9; 104:29; Ec 3:20; 12:7; Jon 2:6; Ac 2:27,31; 13:34-37; 1Co 15:42,50. Of sin: Isa 38:17; Ro 8:21; Ga 6:8; 2Pe 1:4; 2:12,19. Mount of: 2Ki 23:13'.

Please see the note for James 1:12 about the word crown. The functional definition is: ' Crowns show that the person wearing them has authority and a special position. 2. A wreath or garland. 3. Crowns show that the person wearing them has authority and a special position'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'but. 1Co 15:54; 2Ti 4:8; Heb 12:28; Jas 1:12; 1Pe 1:4; 5:4; Re 2:10; 3:11; 4:4,10 General references. exp: Lu 22:29'.

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C9S37 (Verse 26-27) the action that Paul took and that he challenges us to take.

Equivalent Section: Extraordinary effort is done.

First Step: Illustration of the race.

I therefore so run,
not as uncertainly;.

Second Step: Illustration of a fighter.

so fight I,
not as one that beateth the air:.

Equivalent Section: Extraordinary control is required.

But I keep under my body,
and bring it into subjection:.

Equivalent Section: Real possible consequences.

lest that by any means,
when I have preached to others,
I myself should be a castaway..

This entire chapter is a single logical argument where one sentence builds upon what came before it and must support what comes after it. Please see the summary of each sentence in the Chapter Outline and consider how each sentence fits within the context of the entire logical argument before looking at the details of any particular sentence. 9:24 through the end of the chapter have Paul's summary of the chapter. These sentences have Paul's reasons why we should consider using Paul's plan of action. Here we see the challenge for what we should personally do based upon all that Paul has said in this chapter. This sentence tells us what Paul did, based upon the doctrine of this chapter, and what he challenges us to do.

This sentence provides the conclusion of the entire chapter and it starts with the words I therefore because Paul is using his own life as an example which we should follow. Please see the note for Romans intro about the word therefore. The functional definition is: 'what follows the therefore is a future result that is based upon what came before the therefore and only seen there'.

in this sentence we see three Equivalent Section. Probably the most important is the last because keeping it in mind will keep us going on the other two when everything around us and everything within us is telling us to quit. Satan hates us and if he can't take us to the lake of fire, then he wants to keep us from being used by God and, if possible, he wants us so broken, spiritually speaking, that God doesn't even try to use us. That is what Paul means by should be a castaway.

Our current sentence is the only place in the Bible where we find castaway as a single word. However, we find forms of the combination of cast and away in 50 verses of the Bible. The note for Romans 11:15 has links to every place in the New Testament where these words are both used and also has a note for how they are used within each of those verses. The conclusion from that note is: we see that cast away it is not destroyed. When we are cast away by God we lose all of the blessings and end up weeping and gnashing (our) teeth. We also see that we need to cast away any association with the devil and anything that hinders us from serving God if we wand to avoid loss. However, Romans 11:15 indicates that even if someone has been cast away they might be restored to some extent if they truly turn to God. Further, Paul is going to argue that this is a way for us to get increased rewards from God. At the bare minimum, our working to restore the Jews will help us to avoid the same fate.

In addition, to the links available at the notes mentioned above, please also see: Psalms 50:16; Jeremiah 6:30; Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:25; 12:45-47; 13:26-27; Acts 1:25; 1Corinthians 13:1-3; 2Corinthians 13:5-6; 2Peter 2:15 in relationship to being castaway.

In addition, to that note, the note for Romans 11:1 that 'God will not cast away his people'. However, we need to keep a couple of things in mind or we will not apply this doctrine correctly. First, we need to recognize that this promise is to the Jews and not necessarily to the church. In addition, this promise is to the entirety and not to the individual. Therefore, God can castaway any one or more of us and still keep His promise if He keeps only one of His people. Therefore, we each need to personally do what Paul said that he did if we personally want to avoid becoming a castaway.

In our sentence we see that we need to do two things if we want to avoid becoming spiritually broken and becoming a castaway. These two things match exactly with the mail two reasons why God saved people before the moment of their death. God wants us to 'Stop our Sinning' and to let Him work through our personal life to minister to other people. In order to 'Stop our Sinning', Paul says I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. In order to let God minister to others through our personal lives, Paul says I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. We will look at the details of each of these Equivalent Sections. However, we must first recognize that they all are equivalent. That means that they are each a different perspective of the same truth. As a result, we can not do one or two of these Equivalent Sections unless we do all three.

Our first phrase says I therefore so run with the therefore letting us know that this First Step is a direct result of the prior sentences where we were told to run a race. (Please see the notes for C9S33 and C9S34.) the so means 'matching what was said before' (in the prior 3 notes). Of course, the I makes this personal and Paul ran the way that he said and for the reason that he said and without regard for what anyone else said or did.

When Paul says not as uncertainly, he means that he did not act like someone who is uncertain. He would not have been certain about all of the details related to low our Lord led him because he had to live by faith. However, he would have been certain that he was being led along a path that would bring God glory and would be for his good. Therefore, he would have been certain about the characteristics of our Lord and would have not worried about the rest. We can see the doctrine of what I just said in the following verses: 2Corinthians 5:1, 8; Philippians 1:21; 2Timothy 1:12; 2:5; Hebrews 4:1; 1Peter 5:1; 2Peter 1:10.

In our Second Step we see Paul using an illustration of a fighter. There are many preachers who can do a better job of explaining this illustration than I can, so I will only provide references. We find forms of the word fight occurring 115 times in 111 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: John 18:36; Acts 5:39; 23:9; our current sentence; 2Corinthians 7:5; 1Timothy 6:12; 2Timothy 4:7; Hebrews 10:32; 11:34; James 4:1-2; Revelation 2:16. In addition, to these verses, we see similar teachings when we search for words like wrestle and strive. Please see the note for Romans 15:30-32 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses the word strive along with the definition from Webster's 1828 , which is 'to endeavor with earnestness; to labor hard'.

In these two Steps we see that we are to first act based upon the certainty that our Lord knows best and that the best results for us is to follow Him without challenge to what He tells us to do. In our second step we see that we are in a spiritual fight and we are not just swinging to look good but to be effective no matter how 'not good' we may appear to be. Our First Equivalent Section is titled 'Extraordinary effort is done' because such devotion to 'trust and obey' is well beyond what the 'ordinary' saved person does.

So now we are left with our Second Equivalent Section as the only part of this sentence that has not yet been dealt with. Basically, Paul says I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection because making the body feel good is the main way that our flesh and the world tempt us. These temptations are eventually bad for the body but sin makes the body feel good at first. Paul says that he does what he does so that the demands of the body, for the temptations of sin, do not overcome him.

Please see the note for Matthew 6:26 about the word air. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'the atmosphere, as opposed to the higher regions of the sky (1Th 4:17; Re 9:2; 16:17). this word occurs once as the rendering of the Hebrew ruah (Job 41:16); elsewhere it is the rendering of shamaiyim, usually translated "heavens." the expression "to speak into the air" (1Co 14:9) is a proverb denoting to speak in vain, as to "beat the air" (1Co 9:26) denotes to labour in vain'.

Please see the note for Matthew 28:3-4 about the word keeper. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'of anything. 1. One who retains in custody; one who has the care of a prison and the custody of prisoners. 2. One who has the care of a park or other inclosure, or the custody of beasts; as the keeper of a park, a pound, or of sheep. 3. One who has the care, custody or superintendence of anything. In Great Britain, the keeper of the great seal, is a lord by his office, and one of the privy council. All royal grants, commissions and charters pass through his hands. He is constituted lord-keeper by the delivery of the great seal. the keeper of the privy seal is also a lord by his office, and a member of the privy council.'. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 5:22 about the word keep. Please see the note for 1John about the phrase keep his commandments. The functional definition is: 'To hold; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose or part with; as, to keep a house or a farm; to keep anything in the memory, mind or heart. 2. to have in custody for security or preservation'.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note says the exact same doctrine as this sentence but has a different application. It has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

In addition, to those notes, Romans C7S30 and Ephesians 4:5-LJC provide further notes and links for the word body. Also, Ephesians C3S1; Colossians C1S6 provide further notes and links for the word body of Christ. Several of these notes are good sized and provide a lot of explanation and links to other notes for further study.

Please see the note for Hebrews 2:5 about the word subjection. The functional definition is: 'The act of subduing; the act of vanquishing and bringing under the dominion of another'. Please also see the note for Romans 13:1 about the word subject. Please see the note for Romans C4S13 for links to where the Romans mentions and subjection along with a short note on each verse. Please also see the notes for Romans C13S1 and Colossians 3:18 about the word submit. What has been put into subjection has been forced to submit. In addition, please also see these other verses which deal with similar doctrine: 1Corinthians 4:11; 6:12; 8:13; Romans 6:18-19; 8:13; 2Corinthians 6:4; 11:27; Colossians 3:5; 2Timothy 2:22; 1Peter 2:11.

Please see the note for Romans 13:1 for links to verses in the Bible where the word subject is used along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . It also has links to verses in the Bible where the word submit is used. When we keep under (our) body, and bring it into subjection we are making it submit to God's spiritual commands. Please see the notes for Hebrews 2:5 and Romans C4S13 about the word subjection.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'not. 2Co 5:1,8; Php 1:21; 2Ti 1:12; 2:5; Heb 4:1; 1Pe 5:1; 2Pe 1:10 so. Mt 11:12; Lu 13:24; Eph 6:12; Col 1:29 General references. exp: 2Ch 14:12.
I keep. 1Co 9:25; 4:11-12; 6:12-13; 8:13; Ro 8:13; 2Co 6:4-5; 11:27; Col 3:5; 2Ti 2:22; 1Pe 2:11 and. Ro 6:18-19 lest. 1Co 13:1-3; Ps 50:16; Mt 7:21-23; Lu 12:45-47; 13:26-27; 2Pe 2:15 a castaway. Jer 6:30; Lu 9:25; Ac 1:25; 2Co 13:5-6 General references. exp: Pr 23:2'.

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1Corinthians Chapter 10 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

C10-S1 (Verse 1-4), C10-S2 (Verse 5), C10-S3 (Verse 6), C10-S4 (Verse 7), C10-S5 (Verse 8), C10-S6 (Verse 9), C10-S7 (Verse 10), C10-S8 (Verse 11), C10-S9 (Verse 12), C10-S10 (Verse 13), C10-S11 (Verse 14), C10-S12 (Verse 15), C10-S13 (Verse 16), C10-S14 (Verse 16), C10-S15 (Verse 17), C10-S16 (Verse 18), C10-S17 (Verse 19), C10-S18 (Verse 19), C10-S19 (Verse 20), C10-S20 (Verse 21), C10-S21 (Verse 22), C10-S22 (Verse 22), C10-S23 (Verse 23), C10-S24 (Verse 24), C10-S25 Verse 25-26), C10-S26 (Verse 27), C10-S27 (Verse 28-29), C10-S28 (Verse 30), C10-S29 (Verse 31), C10-S30 (Verse 32-33).

The Chapter theme is: We are to be willing to give up 'our rights' in order to reach the lost and carnal saved person.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

The most used words in this chapter (with counts in parenthesis) are: ALL (14), YE (12), AS (9), thINGS (9), thEM (8), EAT (7), WERE (7).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides an outline for this chapter of:

1-6. the sacraments of the Jews are types of ours;
7-10. and their punishments,
11-12. examples for us.
13-20. We must flee from idolatry.
21-23. We must not make the Lord's table the table of devils;
24-33. and in things indifferent we must have regard of our brethren.

Start of web page, Chapter Summary

C10-S1 (Verse 1-4) Beyond the reasoning of the prior chapter we have an example in scripture to teach us the same thing.

Equivalent Section: Paul tells us that he is giving us information that may be new to us.

First Step: God's people were saved.

Moreover,
brethren,
I would not that ye should be ignorant,
how that all our fathers were under the cloud,
and all passed through the sea;.

Second Step: God's people were identified with the man of God.

and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;.

Third Step: God's people were provided what they needed to grow spiritually.

and did all eat the same spiritual meat;.

Fourth Step: God's people were provided what they needed to stop sinning.

and did all drink the same spiritual drink:.

Equivalent Section: Why Paul can make this claim.

for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them:.

Equivalent Section: Christ provided all of these things.

and that Rock was Christ..

Please notice the links in the sentence outline above. Those links will take the reader to notes in other studies which have doctrine that is critical to properly understanding this sentence. The details of those notes will not be repeated here but only the summary of the notes provided here. Please follow the links for those details.

Our sentence has three Equivalent Sections which tell us about Christ being the Rock. The symbolism involved in saying that that Rock was Christ is dealt with in the note for this sentence within the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

In the First Equivalent Section we are told details about how Christ provided for the spiritual needs of God's people. That First Equivalent Section has four Steps that Christ did. He saved them. He identified them with the man of God for their sanctification. He provided spiritual food for their spiritual growth and physical needs. He provided spiritual water for their spiritual cleansing. We are told later in this chapter that the people failed to respond properly. However, that does not diminish the provision which was provided by Christ.

Our sentence starts with Moreover any tells us more about the subject of the prior chapter while going beyond (over) what was said there. Where the prior chapter told us about how Paul personally acted to get the blessings of God and to avoid the cursing's of God, our current chapter will apply these same precepts to God's people in general.

That First Equivalent Section also tells us that the spiritual meat provided by Christ to all our fathers was manna. The spiritual meat provided by Christ to us is bread which we break (10:16) and body of Christ (10:16). Just as God destroyed our fathers for eating His spiritual meat and then acting like devils, Paul is warning that our Lord Who never changes will do the same to us.

In the Second Equivalent Section we are told that the spiritual drink provided by Christ to all our fathers was water from the Rock ( and that Rock was Christ). In 10:21 we are warned Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils. The spiritual drink provided by Christ to us is blood of Christ (10:16) and the cup of the Lord (10:21). Just as God destroyed our fathers for drinking His spiritual drink and then acting like devils, Paul is warning that our Lord Who never changes will do the same to us. The term spiritual is 'applied to physical things which are, or should be, controlled by the spiritual reality. These things are almost always controlled by God and used to teach us lessons about the spiritual reality'. This spiritual drink is symbolic of the Holy Spirit and the cleansing that Christ provides when we truly Biblically repent and confess our sin and stop doing the sin. However, as our chapter tells us, the Jews continued their sin and refused to Biblically repent. Thus, they were not spiritually cleansed and God destroyed them instead. Our chapter warns us that God will do the same to us if we refuse to let Christ cleanse us from sin.

In our third Equivalent Section we are told plainly and that Rock was Christ. This Equivalent Section is added ( and) to the information given in the prior Sections of the sentence because those prior Sections provide the details which support the assertion of this Section. As seen in the Overview document of the Lord Jesus Christ Study, Christ is the role of the Son of God which provides our spiritual maturing and other things after our initial profession. Within this sentence and the rest of this chapter we see that God did the same role for the Jews through that Rock. Thus, this statement (that Rock was Christ) makes complete sense once we look at what God provides through each role. The only difference is that the Rock dealt with the Jews under the Old Testament and Christ deals with the Church under the New Testament. With these general explanations in mind, we will return to the start of our sentence and look at it from a more detailed point of view.

Please notice that this sentence starts with moreover. That means that within this chapter Paul is going to give us more on the subject that Chapter 9 dealt with and he is going to go to a higher (over) level of revelation by taking the doctrine that he taught in the prior chapter and apply it to God's people. Within this chapter Paul tells us what happened to the Jews who ignored the spiritual lessons provided to them. Since people in the Church Age have the indwelling Holy Spirit, which the Jews did not have, Paul warns us that what can happen to us can be far worse. We have a greater help in learning spiritual lessons and, therefore, a greater responsibility to learn them. (For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: [Luke 12:48 ]).

Next notice that this sentence is directed to brethren and not to the lost. God treats saved and lost people differently. Please see the note for 2:1 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brethren or brother or sister is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see the note for 6:6 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brother is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.

Within our First Equivalent Section we see four Steps with the First Step telling us of salvation when Paul says that God's people were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. The cloud provided protection from the desert sun and was also a pillar that protected them from their enemies (Exodus 13:21). We are also told that the pillar of cloud became a pillar of flame at night to provide light and step provide a visible protection from their enemies. In addition, to the cloud, God had them pass through the Red Sea where it is very deep and then destroyed the Egyptian Army when they tried to follow. (Parts of chariots are still on the floor of the sea so there is question about where they crossed the Red Sea.) thus, we see that God provides salvation to His people that He denies to lost people and that God destroys the enemies of His people and destroys those lost people who try to claim God's salvation while refusing to become part of God's people.

That was only the First Step of God's salvation. We have three more Steps involved in God's salvation. Many people are like the Jews in that they want to claim the First Step while refusing the other Steps. Our chapter explains that God destroyed them for that attitude and that God will also destroy us for the same attitude.

In our Second Step we are told and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Please use the link in the sentence outline, above, the access the Word Study on Baptism. It provides links to every place in the Bible where baptism is used along with notes on those places in the Bible. That note gives the true Biblical doctrine for baptism. The basic doctrinal meaning of baptism is 'identified with'. While baptism is part of God's plan of salvation, it is not all of it. Further, these people were 'identified with' Moses, which means that they followed Moses through the sea and, thereby, agreed to follow him for the rest of their life. When they refused to do so God did not send them back to Egypt, which would be the equivalent of losing our salvation, but God Himself destroyed them. So people who claim God's salvation but refuse to be baptized or to follow their God given spiritual leader are not risking losing their salvation (if they were truly saved in the first place) but they are risking being destroyed by God. All of this is explained in the next few sentences of this chapter in 1Corinthians.

Returning to our Second Step, we see that they were 'identified with' Moses through their baptism. Moses is known as the person through whom God provided the Mosaic Law. When these people were all baptized unto Moses, they agreed to obey God by keeping the Mosaic Law. If they were not willing to do that they did not have to follow Moses into the sea. No, God does not accept you making a vow because you are desperate and then using the fact that you were desperate to claim that the vow is invalid. Toaccept the benefit of a contract while refusing to keep your part is fraud. That makes you a liar and what is worse, you give that lie one while you are making a spiritual contract with God (with the vow). Likewise, when someone gets saved today they vow to accept the Son of God as their personal Lord. God 'identifies us with' Jesus Christ. If we refuse to follow Him, God will also destroy us. Thus, we see that baptism is truly a public ceremony that 'identifies us with' Jesus Christ. Our refusal to obey Him as our personal Lord, after accepting His salvation, is our openly challenging God the destroy us.

Our third Step tells us and did all eat the same spiritual meat. (They accepted the provision of God. People come to the church and ask for prayers. They ask for counsel and comfort and for help with their children and for ceremonies recognizing special occasions such as marriage. Many people come to the church for these things and then object when asked to help with the costs or to become involved and help provide to others what they received in their time of need. Our churches are full of people who want God's provision but don't want to grow up spiritually and start to help with the needs of others. As our chapter warns us, that is daring God to destroy us.

We are left with the Fourth Step of God's plan of salvation where we are told and did all drink the same spiritual drink. I'm not going to go into all of the verses that support this assertion but simply say that this is a symbolic agreement to accept cleansing. Water, blood and oil are all liquids and used symbolically within the Bible to represent the spiritual cleansing provided by God. God does not just take away the consequences of our sin. Neither does God simply take away our sin. God removes the stain of our sin, which means He removes our addiction to that sin. However, not even God can do that while we continue to willfully do that sin. Thus, this step symbolically represents our agreement to 'stop our sinning'. Once more, we see that if we fail to 'stop our sinning', after God provides the means for us to do so, is an open challenge to God whereby we dare Him to destroy us.

In our Second Equivalent Section we see why (for) God provides the plan of salvation that He does. Here we read for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them. The Rock followed them to continue to provide ongoing spiritual cleansing. The details and doctrine of this spiritual cleansing have already been provided earlier within this note. In addition, the details for our third Equivalent Section were provided in the note for this sentence within the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S42 and 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about the word ignorant. The functional definition is: 'a lack of knowledge'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'. We see the truth of this definition because while Paul was not their physical father, he was their spiritual father in as much as he passed on his personal relationship to God which is in true Biblical salvation.

Please see the note for Luke 9:34 about the word cloud. The functional definition for this word is: '"A covering," because clouds cover the sky. The word is used as a symbol of the Divine presence'.

Please see the notes for Baptism; Romans C6S5; Colossians C2S7 and John 1:25-LJC about the word baptism. That Word Study has links to every place in the Bible where we find forms of this word and those links are separated by application. The functional definition for this word is: 'identified with'. Please also see the Messages called Basic doctrine of Baptism and Baptism Gets God's Mercy. This word is used for 'identified with' in the way that these people were claiming to be 'identified with' various preachers. This 'identity' also included obedience and recognition of the person who they were 'identified with' as their personal Lord.

Please see the note for 11:33 for links to where this epistle uses forms of the word eat. The functional definition is: 'Besides the common use of this word, it is employed symbolically for to 'consume, destroy:' they "eat up my people as they eat bread." Ps 14:4; cf. Pr 30:14; Hab 3:14; 2Ti 2:17. Also for receiving, digesting, and delighting in God's words'.

Please see the note for 6:13 for every verse in 1Corinthians which uses any form of the word meat along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and additional info. The functional definition is: 'Food in general; anything eaten for nourishment, either by man or beast'. While most of the Bible references are talking about physical meat, the word is also used, in 1Corinthians, to represent 'spiritual solid food'.

Please see the note for Luke 6:47-48 about the word rock. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines this word as: 'Having a spiritual significance: supernatural, manifesting the power of the Divine Spirit; allegorically applied to Christ as fulfilling the type in the smitten rock in the desert, from which water miraculously burst forth to nourish the Israelites. A tradition current among the Jews affirms that this rock followed the people in their journeyings and gave forth a living stream for their supply. Paul made this ever-flowing rock a beautiful and accurate symbol of Christ: "The rock was Christ" (1Co 10:4).

Without the characterizing word "spiritual," this figurative term, with the same significance, is common to the Scriptures; applied (1) to Yahweh, God: "Rock of his salvation," "their rock is not as our Rock" (De 32:15,31); "Yahweh is my rock" (Ps 18:2; compare Isa 26:4; 32:2; 1Sa 2:2; 2Sa 22:2); (2) to the foundation-stone of Christian confession and testimony (Mt 16:18; compare Eph 2:20; 1Co 3:11; 1Pe 2:6-8), and thus to Christ Himself; (3) in Christian hymnology to Jesus crucified and spear-pierced: "Rock of ages, cleft for me."'. Please also see the note for John 1:42-LJC about the phrase Rock is Christ. The Roman Catholic Church likes to claim that this word refers to Peter. However, that goes against the Old Testament usage of it for God and directly opposes 1Corinthians 10:4, which says: that Rock was Christ. Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section in the Significant Gospel Events Study for links to places in the Bible where we find references to this truth.

Please see the note for 4:16 for every verse in 1Corinthians which uses any form of the word follow along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and additional info.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I would. 1Co 12:1; 14:38; Ro 11:21 exp: Ro 11:25; 1Th 4:13. our. Joh 4:20; Ro 4:11; Ga 3:29 were. Ex 13:21-22; 14:19-20; 40:34; Nu 9:15-22; 14:14; De 1:33; Ne 9:12,19; Ps 78:14; 105:39 and all. Ex 14:19-22,29; Nu 33:8; Jos 4:23; Ne 9:11; Ps 66:6; 77:16-20; 78:13,53; 106:7-11; 114:3-5; 136:13-15; Isa 58:11-13; Heb 11:29; Re 15:2-3 General references. exp: Ex 13:21; Nu 9:16; Mt 25:2.
General references. 1Co 1:13-16; Ex 14:31; Joh 9:28-29; Heb 3:2-3 exp: Ex 13:21; Mt 25:2.
General references. Ex 16:4,15,35; De 8:3; Ne 9:15,20; Ps 78:23-25; 105:40; Joh 6:22-58exp: Mt 25:2.
did. Ex 17:6; Nu 20:11; Ps 78:15,20; 105:41; Isa 43:20; 48:21; Joh 4:10,14; 7:37; Re 22:17 followed them. or, went with them. De 9:21 that Rock. 1Co 11:24-25; Ge 40:12; 41:26; Eze 5:4-5; Da 2:38; 7:17; Mt 13:38-39; 26:26-28; Ga 4:25; Col 2:17; Heb 10:1 General references. exp: Ge 40:18; Ps 78:15; 114:8; Mt 25:2'.

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C10-S2 (Verse 5) Many of God's people did not please God even though God provided for them.

Equivalent Section: the people did not keep their part of the covenant.

But with many of them God was not well pleased:.

Equivalent Section: Why we know that this was true.

for they were overthrown in the wilderness..

Our sentence starts with But, which means it has the same subject as the prior sentence while going another way. In the prior sentence we saw how God provided all that His people would need so that they could serve Him and receive blessings as a result of that service. Instead, our current sentence says that they were overthrown in the wilderness. Further, this result is why (for) Paul says that with many of them God was not well pleased. In the next few sentences we see God kill those people whom He was not well pleased with. Further on in our chapter Paul warns us that we can expect the same result if God is not well pleased with our service.

This sentence is explained in much more detail in Hebrews 3 and Hebrews 4. Please see those chapters, and their related notes in the Book Study, for more details on the difference between God's people who pleased Him and God's people who did not pleas Him. In addition, those chapters tell us about the results received by each group of God's people. Further, please see the links provided by the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (below) for the Old Testament accounts that this sentence is referencing.

Please see the note for 1:21 about the word please. The functional definition is: ' to excite agreeable sensations or emotions in; to gratify; as, to please the taste; to please the mind'.

In the New Testament we read that God was well pleased with His Son in Matthew 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22 and 2Peter 1:17. We read that God is well pleased with obedience of children (Colossians 3:20), servants (Titus 2:9), and all of us (Hebrews 13:16). Our current sentence is the only place in the new Testament where we see well pleased attached to a not.

We find forms of the word overthrown in 16 verses of the Bible (Exodus 15:7; Judges 9:40; 2Samuel 17:9; 2Chronicles 14:13; Job 19:6; Psalms 141:6; Proverbs 11:11; 12:7; 14:11; Isaiah 1:7; Jeremiah 18:23; Lamentations 4:6; Daniel 11:41; Amos 4:11; Jonah 3:4 and our current sentence) with our current sentence being the only place that this word is used in the New Testament. In addition, we find forms of the present-tense word, overthrew in 12 verses of the Bible in: Genesis 19:25; Genesis 19:29; Exodus 14:27; Deuteronomy 29:23; Psalms 136:15; Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 20:16; Jeremiah 50:40; Amos 4:11; Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:15. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines overthrow as: ' v.t. See throw. 1. to turn upside down. His wife overthrew the table. 2. to throw down. 3. to ruin; to demolish. When the walls of thebes he overthrew. 4. to defeat; to conquer; to vanquish; as, to overthrow an army or an enemy. 5. to subvert; to destroy; as, to overthrow the constitution or state; to overthrow religion'. In addition, Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides references to this happening as: Numbers 14:11-12, 28-35; 26:64-65; Deuteronomy 1:34; 2:15-16; Psalms 78:32-34; 90:1, 7; 95:11; 106:26; Hebrews 3:17; Jude 1:5.

In addition, to the teaching on overthrown, we have the teaching on being a castaway, the critical difference between these two words is that God destroyed people when they were overthrown but He did not destroy them when He made them a castaway. Please see the note for 9:26-27 about the word castaway.

The word wilderness occurs 305 times in 294 verses of the Bible and in 35 verses of the New Testament. John the Baptist and others lived in the wilderness. In the Bible, the wilderness is used to represent a place that is hard to live in.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Nu 14:11-12,28-35; 26:64-65; De 1:34-35; 2:15-16; Ps 78:32-34; 90:1 (title) Ps 90:7-8; 95:11; 106:26; Heb 3:17; Jude 1:5 exp: Eze 20:36; Mt 25:2'.

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C10-S3 (Verse 6) God wrote about sin and punishment in the Bible to give us a warning.

Now these things were our examples,
to the intent we should not lust after evil things,
as they also lusted..

In our verse we are told that we should not lust after evil things. We also read in Galatians 5:17 that God's Spirit lusts. In James 4:5 we read that our spirit lusts. In both of these verses the lust is a good thing. Therefore, while people think that lust is always wrong, the fact is that what we lust after determines if it is wrong or not.

Please notice that our last phrase has as, which means 'the same way'. Our second sentence says that they were given to the intent. God will not take away our free will. He warns us but lets us choose to do foolishly and suffered the consequence because He will never force us to do good and, thereby, take away our free will. The message from as is quite simple. If you act as they did then you will get the same results that they received and that Paul reports within this chapter.

The words example and ensample are two different spellings of the same word. The spelling was not standardized when the spelling of other words in the 1611-KJV were standardized. While we follow exact rules for God's interpretation, God left this example for the diligent person to understand that spelling alone is not something that God wants us to make a distinction on. There must be different meanings associated with each word for God to make a distinction.

The words example or ensample occur in 15 verses of the Bible. They are: Matthew 1:19; John 13:15; our current sentence; 1Corinthians 10:11; Philippians 3:17; 1Thessalonians 1:7; 2Thessalonians 3:9; 1Timothy 4:12; Hebrews 4:11; 8:5; James 5:10; 1Peter 2:21; 5:3; 2Peter 2:6; Jude 1:7. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines example as: 'n. egzam'pl. L. e xemplum. 1. A pattern; a copy; a mode; that which is proposed to be imitated. this word, when applied to material things, is now generally written sample, as a sample of cloth; but example is sometimes used. 2. A pattern, in morals or manners; a copy, or model; that which is proposed or is proper to be imitated. I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. John 13. Example is our preceptor before we can reason. 3. Precedent; a former instance. Buonapare furnished many examples of successful bravery. 4. Precedent or former instance, in a bad sense, intended for caution. Lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Heb.4. Sodom and Gomorrah--are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude.7. 5. A person fit to be proposed for a pattern; one whose conduct is worthy of imitation. Be thou an example of the believers. 1 Tim 4. 6. Precedent which disposes to imitation. Example has more effect than precept. 7. Instance serving for illustration of a rule or precept; or a particular case or proposition illustrating a general rule, position or truth. the principles of trigonometry and the rules of grammar are illustrated by examples. 8. In logic, or rhetoric, the conclusion of one singular point from another; an induction of what may happen from what has happened. If civil war has produced calamities of a particular kind in one instance, it is inferred that it will produce like consequences in other cases. this is an example. EXAM'PLE, v.t. to exemplify; to set an example. Not used'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for example as: 'BAD, ADMONITIONS AGAINST: Le 18:2; 20:23; De 18:9; 2Ch 30:7; Pr 22:24-25; Isa 8:11; Jer 16:12; 17:1-2; Eze 20:18; Ho 4:9,15; 5:5; Zec 1:4; Mt 23:1-3; 1Co 8:913; 10:6; Eph 4:17; 3Jo 1:11. GOOD: Ne 5:8-19; Ps 101:2; 1Th 1:6-8; 1Ti 4:12; Tit 2:7-8; Heb 13:7; Jas 5:10-11; 1Pe 2:11-25; 3:5-6; 5:3. GOD, OUR: Le 11:44; 19:2; Mt 5:48; Lu 6:36; Eph 6:9. CHRIST, OUR: Mt 20:28; Mr 10:43-45; Lu 22:27; Joh 13:13-17,34; Ro 15:2-7; 2Co 8:9; 10:1; Eph 5:1-2; Php 2:5-8; Col 3:13; Heb 12:2-3; 1Pe 2:21; 3:17-18; 4:1; 1Jo 2:6; 3:16; Re 3:21. PAUL, OUR: Ac 20:35; 1Co 4:16; 7:7-8; 11:1; Php 3:17; 4:9; 2Th 3:7-10; 1Ti 1:16; 2Ti 1:13'.

Easton's Bible Dictionary provides links for example as: 'of Christ (1Pe 2:21; Joh 13:15); of pastors to their flocks (Php 3:17; 2Th 3:9; 1Ti 4:12; 1Pe 5:3); of the Jews as a warning (Heb 4:11); of the prophets as suffering affliction (Jas 5:10)'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for example as: 'Christ's Example to be followed: Mt 11:29; 16:24; Joh 13:15; Ro 15:5; 2Co 10:1; Php 2:5; Col 3:13; Heb 3:1; 12:2; 1Pe 2:21. Evil Example to be shunned: Le 20:23; De 18:9; Pr 22:24-25; Eze 20:18; Heb 4:11; 12:15; 2Pe 3:17. Good Example, General References to: Joh 13:15; 2Th 3:9; 1Ti 4:12; Tit 2:7; Heb 11:4; Jas 5:10; 1Pe 2:21. Inspiration of example: Moses: Ex 14:13. Gideon: Jg 7:17. Jonathan: 1Sa 14:6-7. David: 1Sa 17:50-52. Paul: Ac 27:35-36. Christ: Heb 12:3. Paul's Example: Ac 20:35; 1Co 4:16; 7:7; 11:1; Php 3:17; 4:9; 2Th 3:7; 2Ti 1:13. Parental Example, Good: 1Ki 9:4; 2Ch 17:3; 20:32; 26:4; 27:2; 2Ti 1:5'.

The word intent only occurs in 2Samuel 17:14; 2Kings 10:19; 2Chronicles 16:1; Jeremiah 30:24; Ezekiel 40:4; Daniel 4:17; John 11:15; 13:28; Acts 9:21; 10:29; our current sentence; Ephesians 3:10; Hebrews 4:12. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines intent as: 'a. L. intentus, from intendo. See Intend. Literally, having the mind strained or bent on an object; hence, fixed closely; sedulously applied; eager in pursuit of an object; anxiously diligent; formerly with to, but now with on; as intent on business or pleasure; intent on the acquisition of science. Be intent and solicitous to take up the meaning of the speaker--
INTENT', n. Literally, the stretching of the mind towards an object; hence, a design; a purpose; intention; meaning; drift; aim; applied to persons or things. The principal intent of Scripture is to deliver the laws of duties supernatural. I ask therefore, for what intent ye have sent for me? Acts 10. Toall intents, in all senses; whatever may be designed. He was miserable to all intents and purposes'.

Please see the note for Romans 13:14 for links to place in the Bible where the word lust is used along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . The functional definition is: 'Longing desire; eagerness to possess or enjoy; as the lust of gain'.

Please see the note for Romans 7:19 about the word evil. The functional definition is: 'Both the source and consequence of things which people consider to be really really bad. The source and / or result can be natural or spiritual or any combination thereof. However, even what seems to be a natural source can actually be caused by a devil, especially when the recipient is a child of God. In all cases the result is deliberately intended and caused, which is what separates evil from the accidental'. Please also see the note for Ephesians C4S15 about evil speaking. Please also see the note for Philippians 3:2 about evil workers. Please also see the note for Romans C1S16 about inventors of evil thing.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'these. 1Co 10:11; Zep 3:6-7; Heb 4:11; 2Pe 2:6; Jude 1:7 examples. Gr. figures. Ro 5:14; Heb 9:24; 1Pe 3:21 lust. Nu 11:4,31-34; Ps 78:27-31; 106:14-15 General references. exp: Jos 22:20; Pr 5:14; Eze 20:36; Ro 4:23'.

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C10-S4 (Verse 7) How God deals with idolaters.

First Step: Recognize the sin.

Neither be ye idolaters,
as were some of them;.

Second Step: Recognize the evidence of that.

as it is written,
The people sat down to eat and drink,
and rose up to play..

The word Neither means 'not either'. This sentence, and the next several, start with Neither and tell us 'don't do any of these sins'. Our first sin is idolatry and the evidence of idolatry is not what most people think is idolatry. Notice that our evidence is The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. This means that living a life of pleasure is idolatry with the idol being our own flesh. Eating, drinking and playing are all centered on pleasing out flesh.

The phrase as it is written lets us know that Paul is talking about something that is written about in the Old Testament. We find those references in Exodus 32:6-8, 17, 19, Deuteronomy 9:12, 16-21, Psalms 106:1920. We have a parallel command (Little children, keep yourselves from idols.) in 1John 5:21. We also find that Paul has already talked about idolaters in several sentences of this epistle.

In Exodus 32:6-14 God was ready to kill the idolaters but repented after Moses prayed for them. Carnal saved people usually don't realize how often the prayers of a Godly person is all that saves them from God's wrath. Even so, Exodus 32:28 tells us there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. Romans 6:16 says, Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? When someone is devoting their life the idolatry of eating, drinking and playing, they are obeying the flesh. These and other verses warn us that God brings sickness and death to His people who life this life of idolatry. That us why our sentence commands us Neither be ye idolaters.

Please see the note for 5:9-10 for links to where this epistle uses any form of idolater. Please also see the note for 8:1 for links to where this epistle uses just the word idol, but also provides a definition.The functional definition is: 'An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship; a pagan deity'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'be. 1Co 14:20-22; 5:11; 6:9; 8:7; De 9:12,16-21; Ps 106:19-20; 1Jo 5:21 the people. Ex 32:6-8,17,19 General references. exp: Ps 106:19; Pr 5:14; Eze 20:36'.

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C10-S5 (Verse 8) How God deals with fornicators.

Neither let us commit fornication,
as some of them committed,
and fell in one day three and twenty thousand..

The word Neither means 'not either'. This sentence, and several around it, start with Neither and tell us 'don't do any of these sins'. This sin was recorded in Numbers 25 and is associated with the error of Balaam which is covered by the note for Jude 1:11.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C9S26 about the word commit. The functional definition is: ' To do a premeditated act or to trust another to do it; with to'.

Please see the note for 5:1 for definitions, comments and links related to forms of the word fornicate. You can't get more clear, plain and simple than this command. This command is the only proper response once we understand all of the doctrine covered within this chapter. People who want to make excuses for not obeying this command do not understand what Paul has been saying especially about how certain sins, especially fornication are addictive (we will not be brought under the power of these sins even as saved people). Please also see the notes for Romans C1S16; Galatians C5S20 and Ephesians C5S2 about the word fornication. The functional definition is: 'A violation of a sanctified relationship. It includes all wrongful sex which includes the emotional and mental aspects. However, it also goes beyond sex since giving worship to anyone other than God is spiritual fornication thus, while all sexual sin is fornication, fornication is not limited to sexual sin but also includes other violations of a sanctified relationship'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 9:17 for links to every sentence in this epistle uses any form of the word commit along with the definition and links to other Studies where this sin is discussed a lot more. As noted for 5:1, some people make great messages about the adultery that (they claim) is here even though fornication and adultery are two different sins. The functional definition is: 'A violation of a sanctified relationship. It includes all wrongful sex which includes the emotional and mental aspects. However, it also goes beyond sex since giving worship to anyone other than God is spiritual fornication thus, while all sexual sin is fornication, fornication is not limited to sexual sin but also includes other violations of a sanctified relationship'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:5 about the word day. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Le 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps 55:17). "The heat of the day" (1Sa 11:11; Ne 7:3) was at our nine o'clock, and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Ge 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (La 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Jg 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex 14:24). In the New Testament the division of the Greeks and Romans into four watches was adopted (Mr 13:35). (See Watches.) the division of the day by hours is first mentioned in Da 3:6,15; 4:19; 5:5. this mode of reckoning was borrowed from the Chaldeans. the reckoning of twelve hours was from sunrise to sunset, and accordingly the hours were of variable length (Joh 11:9). The word "day" sometimes signifies an indefinite time (Ge 2:4; Isa 22:5; Heb 3:8, etc.). In Job 3:1 it denotes a birthday, and in Isaiah 2:12; Acts 17:31; 2Timothy 1:18, the great day of final judgment.'. The functional definition, of the phrase last day is: '(end of the) Church Age. However, in the life of the individual, it can be used for the day that he dies'. Please see the note for Hebrews 3:13 about the word today. The functional definition is: 'obey immediately'. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:55 about the word daily. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:6-LJC and 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of the Lord. Please also see the note for John 20:1 about the phrase first day of the week. Please also see the note for Mark 2:28-LJC about the phrase Good Friday. Please also see the note for Galatians C4-S17 about the words birth / birthright / birthday.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 6:9,18; Nu 25:1-9; Ps 106:29; Re 2:14 exp: Pr 5:14; 7:26; Eze 20:36'.

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C10-S6 (Verse 9) How God dealt with people who tempt Christ.

Neither let us tempt Christ,
as some of them also tempted,
and were destroyed of serpents..

This sin was recorded in Numbers 21:5-6 and is associated with God's people complaining about God's provision ( and the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died). The warning is simple: be satisfied with what God provides and don't complain ort expect the judgment of God. We also see God's people tempt God in: Exodus 17:2, Exodus 17:17:7; Exodus 17:23:20-21; Numbers 14:22; Deuteronomy 6:16; Psalms 78:18, Psalms 78:41, Psalms 78:56; Psalms 95:9; Psalms 106:14; Malachi 3:15; Acts 5:9; Acts 15:10; Hebrews 3:8-11; Hebrews 10:28-30. We see that Jesus was tempted in: Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 16:1; Matthew 19:3; Matthew 22:18; Matthew 22:35; Mark 1:12-13; Mark 8:11; Mark 10:2; Mark 12:15; Luke 4:1-13; Luke 10:25; Luke 11:16; Luke 20:23; John 8:6; Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15. We see that we can be tempted in: 1Corinthians 7:5; 1Corinthians 10:13; Galatians 6:1; 1Thessalonians 3:5; Hebrews 11:37; James 1:13-14. This temptation proves that Isaiah 11:1-5 was prophesying about Jesus and Peter refers to it in 2Peter 1:17. In addition, the note for Luke 4:1 gives a comparison of the details provided in each of the three Gospel accounts about this event.

We told to not tempt in: Isaiah 7:12 and 1Corinthians 10:9. When we see men tempt God we see men demanding that God prove Himself while they have no plan on believing God or submitting to God even if he does prove Himself. This is sin while asking God to prove Himself while we have every plan to believe and submit if he does, is Biblically correct. We see men, and Satan, tempt the Son of God the same way as they did God. It is only when men are tempted by a devil or by other men that they are tempted to evil.

The word Neither means 'not either'. This sentence, and several around it, start with Neither and tell us 'don't do any of these sins'. The doctrine in this sentence is very important to understand and easy to miss. Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study which explains this doctrine and shows us that God deliberately used Christ in this verse by itself (with neither Lord nor Jesus included) for definite doctrinal purposes. That note also points out some popular preaching that is good but does not match the reference that people use. This sin is complaining about the provision that God gives after we become His children. That is complaining against what God provides through His role as Christ, which is why this sin is against Christ.

The people who were destroyed of serpents suffered a lot of pain before they died. they could also 'look to the cross' but we need to note that it was not lost people but God's people who could do this. When we sin after getting saved the results can be far more painful than when we did the same sin before we were saved. We must 'look to the cross' and realize what Christ paid so that we could 'stop our sinning' after we become God's children. If we refuse to 'look to the cross' after our initial profession and refuse to truly Biblically repent for sins done after our initial profession, then we are daring God to give us a lot of pain.

We find forms of the word serpent occurring 53 times in 49 verses of the Bible, 15 times in the New Testament, and only in this sentence within 1Corinthians. Many people think that every reference is to a type of Satan, but that is not true. However, the serpent is often used to symbolize being subtle. God's people had asked for help and received it. Then when God didn't keep everything easy, they complained. This is when Moses made the cross of brass with a serpent on it.

We find forms of the word tempt occurring 47 times in 41 verses of the Bible, 34 times in 29 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 7:5; our current sentence and 10:13. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines tempt as: 'the primary sense is to strain, urge, press. 1. to incite or solicit to an evil act; to entice to something wrong by presenting arguments that are plausible or convincing, or by the offer of some pleasure or apparent advantage as the inducement. My lady Gray tempts him to this harsh extremity. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. James 1. 2. to provoke; to incite. Tempt not the brave and needy to despair. 3. to solicit; to draw; without the notion of evil. Still his strength conceal'd, Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. 4. to try; to venture on; to attempt. E'er leave be giv'n to tempt the nether skies. 5. In Scripture, to try; to prove; to put to trial for proof. God did tempt Abraham. Gen.22. Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God. Deut.6'. This definition has problems with it. Please see the note for Galatians C4-S11 about the word temptation.

First, Webster's says that tempt is 'the primary sense is to strain, urge, press. 1. to incite or solicit to an evil act; to entice to something wrong'. However, the first use of tempt in the Bible is in Genesis 22:1, which says and it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham. However, James 1:13-13 says, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Notice that God does tempt, but not to evil.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S22 and 1Corinthians C3S17 about the word destroy. The functional definition is: 'To demolish; to pull down; to separate the parts of an edifice, the union of which is necessary to constitute the thing; as, to destroy a house or temple; to destroy a fortification'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 10:7 about the word destroyer.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'tempt. Ex 17:2,7; 23:20-21; Nu 21:5; De 6:16; Ps 78:18,56; 95:9; 106:14; Heb 3:8-11; 10:28-30 exp: Isa 7:12. and were. Nu 21:6 General references. exp: Nu 21:6; Eze 20:36'.

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C10-S7 (Verse 10) How God deals with murmurers.

Neither murmur ye,
as some of them also murmured,
and were destroyed of the destroyer..

The word Neither means 'not either'. This sentence, and several before it, start with Neither and tell us 'don't do any of these sins'. Please see the note for 3:17 for every verse in 1Corinthians which uses the word destroy. We see this result in general with the constant murmuring and complaining by the Jews while they were in the wilderness, and by God constantly killing some of those Jews. In addition, we have specific instances in Numbers 14:37 and Numbers 16:46-49.

Please notice the use of the word ye, which means: 'each and every one of you personally'. This is a personal sin. We can be around others who murmur, but that does not mean that we personally have to also participate in this sin.

Please also notice that our sentence tells us that they were destroyed of the destroyer, as opposed to the prior group who were destroyed of serpents. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(Ex 12:23), the agent employed in the killing of the first-born; the destroying angel or messenger of God. (Comp. 2Ki 19:35; 2Sa 24:15-16; Ps 78:49; Ac 12:23.)'. While this term is used for a man in some places of the Bible, it is referring to an angel, possibly a Christophany, sent from God to destroy everyone who did not have blood on their doot-post in Exodus. We see the word destroyer used in the Bible in Exodus 12:23; Judges 16:24; Job 15:21; Psalms 17:4; Proverbs 28:24; Jeremiah 4:7; and our current sentence.

We find forms of the word murmur occurring 40 times in 33 verses of the Bible, 15 times in 14 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, twice in this sentence. In every Old Testament reference, we are told about how the Jews acted in the wilderness. In most of the New Testament, we read about religious people doing this thing. They don't like what is happening but lacked the evidence or the guts that are required to openly question or challenge authority. Basically, God tells us to keep our mouth shut until we have what is required to openly question or challenge authority. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines murmur as: 'v.i. L. murmuro. 1. to make a low continued noise, like the hum of bees, a stream of water, rolling waves, or like the wind in a forest; as the murmuring surge. The forests murmur and the surges roar. 2. to grumble; to complain; to utter complaints in a low, half articulated voice; to utter sullen discontent; with at, before the thing which is the cause of discontent; as, murmur not at sickness; or with at or against, before the active agent which produces the evil. The Jews murmured at him. John 6. The people murmured against Moses. Ex.13'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for Murmuring as: 'Condemned: Pr 19:3; Isa 29:24; La 3:39; Joh 6:43; 1Co 10:10; Php 2:14. Examples of: Ex 14:11; 15:24; 16:2; 17:3; Nu 11:1; 14:27; 20:3; 21:5; Ps 77:3; Jude 1:16'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for Murmuring as: 'Forbidden: 1Co 10:10; Php 2:14. AGAINST God: Pr 19:3. The sovereignty of God: Ro 9:1920. The service of God: Mal 3:14. Christ: Lu 5:30; 15:2; 19:7; Joh 6:41-43,52. Ministers of God: Ex 17:3; Nu 16:41. Disciples of Christ: Mt 7:2; Lu 5:30; 6:2. Unreasonableness of: La 3:39. Tempts God: Ex 17:2. Provokes God: Nu 14:2,11. Saints cease from: Isa 29:23-24. Characteristic of the wicked: Jude 1:16. Guilt of encouraging others in: Nu 13:31-33; 14:36-37. Punishment of: Nu 11:1; 14:27-29; 16:45-46. Illustrated: Mt 20:11; Lu 15:2930. Exemplified: Cain, Ge 4:13-14. Moses, Ex 5:22-23. Israelites, Ex 14:11; 15:24; 16:2; 17:2-3. Aaron, etc. Nu 12:1-2,8. Korah, etc. Nu 16:3. Elijah, 1Ki 19:4. Job, Job 3. Jeremiah, Jer 20:14-18. Jonah, Jon 4:8-9. Disciples, Mr 14:4-5. Pharisees, Lu 15:2; 19:7. Jews, Joh 6:41-43. Grecians, Ac 6:1'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for Murmuring as: '(Complaining, grumbling) Of Israelites against Moses: Ex 5:21; 15:24; 16:2-3; Nu 16:2-3,13-14,41; 20:2-4
AGAINST GOD: Ex 5:22-23; 16:8,12; Nu 14:26-37; 17:10-11; Job 15:11-13; 33:12-13; 34:37; Ps 37:1; 44:926; 73:13-22; 78:17-21; Pr 19:3; Ec 7:10; Jer 15:10; La 3:39; Mal 3:14; Lu 10:40; Ro 9:1920; 1Co 10:10; Php 2:14; Jas 5:9; Jude 1:16. INSTANCES OF: Cain: Ge 4:13-14. Rachel: Ge 30:1. Moses: Ex 5:22-23; Nu 11:11-15. Israelites: Ex 5:21; 14:11-12; 15:23-24; 16:2-3; 17:2-3; Nu 11:1-10,33; 14; 16:41; 20:2-5; 21:5-6; De 1:27-28. Korah: Nu 16:8-11. Job: Job 3; 6; 7; 9; 10; 13; 19; 23; 30. David: 2Sa 6:8; Ps 116:10-11. Asaph: Ps 73:3. Elijah: 1Ki 19:4,10. Solomon: Ec 2:17-18. Hezekiah: Isa 38:10-18. Jeremiah: Jer 20:14-18; La 3. Jonah: Jon 4. Jews, against Jesus: Joh 6:41-43,52'.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S22 and 1Corinthians C3S17 about the word destroy. The functional definition is: 'To demolish; to pull down; to separate the parts of an edifice, the union of which is necessary to constitute the thing; as, to destroy a house or temple; to destroy a fortification'. Earlier in this note we dealt with the word destroyer.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'murmur. Ex 15:24; 16:2-9; 17:2-3; Nu 14:2,27-30; 16:41; Ps 106:25; Php 2:14; Jude 1:16 were. Nu 14:37; 16:46-49 destroyer. Ex 12:23; 2Sa 24:16; 1Ch 21:15; 2Ch 32:21; Mt 13:39-42; Ac 12:23; 2Th 1:7-8; Heb 11:28; Re 16:1 General references. exp: Ex 15:24; 16:2; Eze 20:36'.

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C10-S8 (Verse 11) Why God put these things in the Bible.

Equivalent Section: Why God acted like He did.

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples:.

Equivalent Section: the lesson for us.

and they are written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the world are come..

We can see a couple of things in our sentence. God was justified in, and determined that He would, kill all of the Jews who refused to walk by faith and enter the promised land. However, instead of doing it right away, God waited for them to do further sin which would justify a death sentence a second time. When they did a second sin unto death, God killed them and used their death as an ensample to us about the possible results of certain sins. That is what our First Equivalent Section tells us. What is amazing is the number of people who claim to be saved and claim to know their Bible well enough to argue about the doctrine in it, and can be shown this sentence and still insist that God will not only let them live but will do nothing even while they engage in these sins in an ongoing basis.

In our Second Equivalent Section we see that God wrote about these sins and the consequences of them ( and they are written) so that there would be no corruption in the lessons due to the lessons being passed on by word-of-mouth. God preserves His written Word and keeps it from changing. Neither man nor devil can change what God preserves. Therefore, we can be sure that these ensamples happened exactly as written and that they are a sample of the judgment that we should expect to receive if we do these sins like the Jews did them.

Please see the Word Study called: The End of the World for links to every place where this phrase is used and an explanation of how the phrase is used within the context where it is found. This phrase is used to identify 'the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign this world for 1,000 years.'

Please see the note for Romans C15S12 for links to every verse which uses any form of the word admonish along with the definition and other notes. As explained there, the word admonish, has the concept of 'education' but it is a type of 'education' which comes after an error has been made and the person being trained needs to be made aware of their error before they can do correctly. Here we see God put these ensamples in writing to teach us in a gentle way. If we refuse the gentle reaching then God will resort to more hurtful ways of teaching which could include the death of the sinner in order to warn others.

The phrase the ends of the world are come is used to preach dispensational doctrine. Some of it is true and some of what is taught is error. God does not change how He saves people but He does change how we prove that we are saved. The church will be around until God destroys this Earth and creates a new one (Isaiah 65:17; Isa 66:22; 2Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). Beyond that, I will leave the arguing to those people who choose to waste their time on it.

Please see the note for 10:6 for notes and links to every place in the Bible which use any form of the word example. The functional definition is: 'A pattern; a copy; a mode; that which is proposed to be imitated'.

Please see the notes for Romans C15S12 and Ephesians C6S3 about the word admonition. The definition from Webster's 1828 is: 'Gentle reproof; counseling against a fault; instruction in duties; caution; direction. Tit. 3. 1Cor. 10. In church discipline, public or private reproof to reclaim an offender; a step preliminary to excommunication'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 11:15 about the word end. The functional definition is: 'outcome'.

Please see the note for 1:21 for notes and links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word world, along with additional information. in this epistle, and pretty much throughout the New Testament, the word world, is used for 'The system of thoughts, attitudes and actions which are centered on this physical reality and the desires of our flesh within it. the world also includes the people who embrace this system'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'ensamples. or, types. They. 1Co 9:10; Ro 15:4 upon. 1Co 7:29; Php 4:5; Heb 10:25,37; 1Jo 2:18 General references. exp: Ge 19:35; Jer 30:2; Joh 20:30; Ac 5:11; Ro 4:23'.

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C10-S9 (Verse 12) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Our sentence gives us a warning that is based upon the prior sentences. In the Bible, because is used for 'here is a cause that exists (be)', for is used for 'here is a future reason', therefore is used for 'here is a future reason that will happen there', and wherefore is used for 'here is a future reason that will happen wherever you look'. Thus, our sentence is giving us a warning that is to be applied 'wherever we look'. That is: this warning is always applicable and it does not matter what circumstances we are in, we still need to pay attention to this warning.

God literally killed hundreds of thousands of His people in the wilderness. Only a fool would think they can do the same sins and not have the consequences. Please notice the th in thinketh and standeth. That means that this person 'keeps on keeping on doing these verbs'. Thus, we see lifestyle actions and not one-time events. This person is convinced that he stands for God on his own power, that is: he thinks that he stands without depending on God. Further, he is convinced that no person, devil nor event can make him fall. We can feel this way in certain events, if we are depending on God, but no one can feel this way as an ongoing lifestyle without having problems.

We find similar warnings in 1Corinthians 4:6-8; 8:2; Proverbs 16:18; 28:14; Matthew 26:33-34, 40-41; Romans 11:20; Revelation 3:17-18. We find examples of where people failed to pay attention to these warnings in Genesis 9:21; Genesis 19:35; 1Kings 11:8; Ezekiel 3:21; Matthew 26:35; Matthew 26:70; Mark 4:17; Mark 14:71; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:62; John 13:38; Acts 5:11; Romans 11:18; 1Corinthians 4:10; Galatians 6:1; Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 4:1; Hebrews 12:15; 1Peter 4:18.

Please see the note in the Romans intro about the word wherefore. The functional definition is: 'what follows the wherefore is a future result that is based upon what came before the wherefore and seen wherever you look'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:3-6 about the word thought. The functional definition is: 'Thought is either the act or operation of the mind, when attending to a particular subject or thing or it is the idea consequent on that operation'. Please also see the note for 4:6 about the word think. The functional definition is: 'To have the mind occupied on some subject; to have ideas, or to revolve ideas in the mind'.

Please see the note for Romans 14:4 for where Romans uses stand and fall. We find forms of the word stand occurring in 1Corinthians, in: 2:5; 7:37; 8:13; our current sentence; 15:1, 30 and 16:13. Webster's 1828 has a lot in its definition of stand but the simplest thing to understand is that this is an action verb where we have to constantly adjust against things which would cause us to fall. However, it is so constant that we allocate the control of this action to our subconscious. When we experience something unexpected which our subconscious mind is not prepared to handle, then we will fall. Thus, our warning is to pay attention to things that we do without thinking about them. We need to deliberately pay attention to our behaviour when we normally just react to uncomfortable circumstances. God's people were not in danger, but were uncomfortable. Their wrong reaction turned it into a life-threatening situation. The functional definition is: 'To be on its foundation; not to be overthrown or demolished; as, an old castle is yet standing'. Please also see the note for Galatians C5S1 about the phrase stand fast.

Please see the notes for 1Timothy 3:6 about the word fall. The functional definition is: 'To drop from a higher place; to descend by the power of gravity alone'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 4:6-8; 8:2; Pr 16:18; 28:14; Mt 26:33-34,40-41; Ro 11:20; Re 3:17-18exp: Ge 19:35; Mt 26:70; Mr 14:71; Ac 5:11'.

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C10-S10 (Verse 13) God's promised protection.

Equivalent Section: Our temptations are not special.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:.

Equivalent Section: God's solution to our temptation is special and matched to us.

First Step: God will only allow what we can handle.

but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;.

Second Step: God provides a way out.

but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it..

The word common is used in 21 verses of the Bible: Leviticus 4:27; Numbers 16:29; 1Samuel 21:4-5; Ecclesiastes 6:1; Jeremiah 26:23; Jeremiah 31:5; Ezekiel 23:42; Matthew 27:27; Mark 12:37; Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32; Acts 5:18; Acts 10:14-15, 10:28; Acts 11:8-9; our current sentence; Titus 1:4; Jude 1:3. Webster's 1828 has several definitions used by men, which are actually applications of the true definition. The Biblical usage is 'Of no rank or superior excellence; ordinary and applies to the majority of any grouping. Not noble, not distinguished'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 5:1 about the word commonly.

Thus, we see that our First Equivalent Section tells us that the temptations which we endure are nothing special. Our flesh wants to cry about how 'No one understands what I'm going through!!. However, when we claim that we are saying that God's Word is a lie. The temptations that we go through are not exceptional.

The definition for temptation that applied here is: 'To incite or solicit to an evil act; to entice to something wrong by presenting arguments that are plausible or convincing, or by the offer of some pleasure or apparent advantage as the inducement'. (Please see the note for 10:9 for links to every verse in the Bible which uses any form of the word tempt along with the dictionary definition and an explanation of why that definition is not reliable.) please see the note for Galatians C4-S11 about the word temptation. While we might have things continuing to 'To incite or solicit to an evil act', it is not something that is unique to us. In addition, our Second Equivalent section promises that God will... also make a way to escape. Therefore, instead of complaining and whining, we need to actively search for that escape.

We see that our Second Equivalent Section starts with a but which follows the colon and makes this Equivalent Section the polar opposite of the First Equivalent Section. That means that both of our Steps are telling us something that is special and exceptional.

Please notice the ye of that ye are able in our First Step. (It is understood that the phrase is expressing that ye are able to handle.) this means that God considers what we personally are able to handle and limits how much we are tempted to what we personally can handle of that particular temptation. Thus, we see that this limit imposed by God is very unique and special and shows us the personal care that God has for each of His children and for each circumstance that they endure. Our Step also tells us that we can be sure of this based upon the character of God when it starts our with God is faithful.

Please see the note for 1:9 for links to every verse in 1Corinthians which uses a form of the word faith. There we see that the main attribute of faith, that our epistle talks about, is being faithful. We also see that faith can be vain. That is, it can have an outwards show with no inward substance. Further, we see that true Biblical faith comes from the Spirit. Therefore, if our faith is going to be Biblical, it has to be based upon (received as a gift) God's Spirit and maintained by maintaining our dependence on God's Spirit on an ongoing basis, if we want to be faithful. We also see that if our faith should...stand in the wisdom of men, that it will be vain because it does not have the power of God to sustain it. All of this that comes later in this epistle matches what we see in this sentence and is based upon it because this sentence tells us the true foundation of true Biblical faith. What is left in this epistle about faith, that has not been said, is the test of faith and the final command. The test of true Biblical faith is that it stands with charity and takes a lower position. Vain faith will not do that. The final command of faith is that we (personally) stand fast in the faith. That is, that we make sure that our faith is always faithful.

Please see the notes for Colossians 1:1 and Titus 1:1 about the word faithful. The functional definition is: 'Firm in adherence to the truth and to the duties of religion. Full of faith, trustful, and not simply trustworthy. being true to oneself, to one's nature, to any promise given, and to any trust committed'. Please see the notes for Romans C3S25; 1Corinthians C1S3; 2Corinthians C1S17; Galatians C3S27; Ephesians 6:23-LJC; Philippians 1:25-26 and 2Timothy C1S2 about the word faith. The functional definition is: 'an action word that is based upon a belief in a promise found within the Bible with the action dictated by the Bible and the understanding that our action does not force God to act nor determines when or how God acts but proves that of our own free will we are giving God permission to act in and through our life to do what He promised within His Word'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 3:1-LJC about Christ Jesus is faithful. Please also see the notes for Romans 4 and James 2:21-LJC about Abraham's faith. Please also see the note for 2Timothy C1S2 about the phrase faith: unfeigned. Please also see the note for 2Peter 2:3 about the word feign. Please also see the note for Romans C10S12 about the phrase faith makes us not ashamed. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S29 about the phrase justification by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S25 about Law and faith. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about live / walk by faith.

Moving on to our Second Step, we also see that God provides a special solution that is custom matched to us, our abilities, and our circumstances. Our Second Step starts with but, which means that it is still dealing with the same subject while going in a different direction. In addition, since this is the Second Step of a polar opposite Equivalent Section, it is also taking us in the opposite direction from the First Equivalent Section. So, we have a special solution that considers us personally and considers our circumstances and provides an alternative solution to just suffering the temptation.

The operative verb-phrase here is make a way to escape. That means that we have to get the temptation out of our life completely so that it does not come back. Many people make the mistake of Lot. When he was literally dragger out of Sodom and before his wife was turned into a pillar of salt, (Genesis 19:26) Lot asked to go to Zoar, instead of completely escaping the sin of his life. Lot asked on the basis of his claim that Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. Lot wanted to hold onto a little sin. As a result, his wife died, his daughters got him drunk so that they could get pregnant by him and almost all of his descendent with to Hell until God killed off the whole family after 10 generations. Instead of seeking a clean escape, people want to hold onto a little sin. God understands the consequence of that and provides a clean escape.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 4:17 for links to where this epistle uses the word way along with a definition and links from other commentators. Webster's 1828 has a large definition for way but what it comes down to is: 'how to get from one place to another with the expectation that people will follow it'. God giving us a way to escape and our refusing to use it not only continues the temptation, but also brings God's judgment upon our personal life.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S17 and Psalms 119 about the word way. The functional definition is: 'How we get from our present condition/place in life to the time that we face the judgment of God upon our life'.

Please see the note for Matthew 23:33 about the word escape. The functional definition for this word is: 'To flee fRomans avoid; to get out of the way; to shun; to obtain security from; to pass without harm; as, to escape danger'.

We find forms of the word bear (verb) occurring 352 times in 335 verses of the Bible, 91 times in 88 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 3:2; our current sentence and 15:49. This word is used in the Bible to mean 'to carry a load over a period of time'. Sometimes, it includes pain, suffering and other things such as what a woman goes through when she bears a child. However, other times it is not suffering but a requirement that we must meet such as when 1Corinthians 15:49 says, and as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the Heavenly.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'hath. Jer 12:5; Mt 24:21-24; Lu 11:4; 22:31,46; 2Co 11:23-28; Eph 6:12-13; Heb 11:35-38; 12:4; Jas 5:10-11; 1Pe 1:6-7; 5:8-9; Re 2:10; 3:10 common. or, moderate. but. 1Co 1:9; De 7:9; Ps 36:5; 89:33; Isa 11:5; 25:1; 49:7; La 3:23; Ho 2:20; 1Th 5:24; 2Th 3:3; 2Ti 2:11-13; Heb 6:18; 10:23; 11:11; 1Pe 4:19; 1Jo 1:9; Re 19:11 who. Ex 3:17; Ps 125:3; Da 3:17; Lu 22:32; Joh 10:28-30; Ro 8:28-39; 2Co 1:10; 12:8-10; 2Ti 4:18; 1Pe 1:5; 2Pe 2:9 make. Ge 19:20-21; Ps 124:7; Jer 29:11; Lu 16:26; Ac 27:44; Jas 5:11 General references. exp: 1Sa 29:10; Heb 12:4'.

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C10-S11 (Verse 14) Command of how to receive God's protection.

Wherefore,
my dearly beloved,
flee from idolatry..

Our sentence starts with Wherefore, which means 'here is a future reason that you will see wherever you look'. We saw that idolatry included he people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play in C10-S4. When we choose to participate in idolatry we lose sight of God's way to escape. Therefore, we need to completely understand what the Bible calls idolatry and run from it in full fear of what will happen to us if we become involved with it. No matter how enticing it seems, don't get close to 'just get a close look', but run.

Please see the notes for Romans 8:39-LJC; Galatians C5-S14; Philippians 1:9-11; love in 1John and 2John 1:3-LJC about the word love. Please also see the note for Revelation 8:35-LJC for a table which divides the various roles of God and gives Bible references for how God loves us through each of His roles. Please also see the note for 1John C3S26 about the phrase love one another. Please see the note for 1John C4S13 about the phrase perfect love. Please see the note for Romans C9S23 about the word beloved. Please also see the note for Matthew 17:5 for links to every place where the phrase beloved Son is applied to Jesus. Please see the note for 2:9 for links to every place in 1Corinthians where We find this word.

Please see the note for Luke 8:34 about the words flee / fled. The word fled is thge past-pense form of the word flee. Webster's 1828 defines the word flee as: 'to run with rapidity, as from danger; to attempt to escape; to hasten from danger or expected evil. the enemy fled at the first fire. Arise, take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt. Matt. 2. 2. to depart; to leave; to hasten away. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4. 3. to avoid; to keep at a distance from. Flee fornication; flee from idolatry. 1Cor. 6:10. Toflee the question or from the question, in legislation, is said of a legislator who, when a question is to be put to the house, leaves his seat to avoid the dilemma of voting against his conscience, or giving an unpopular vote. In the phrases in which this verb appears to be transitive, there is really an ellipsis'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'my. Ro 12:19; 2Co 7:1; 11:11; 12:15,19; Php 4:1; Phm 1:1; 1Pe 2:11 flee. 1Co 10:7,20-21; 2Co 6:17; 1Jo 5:21; Re 2:14; 13:8; 21:8; 22:15 exp: 1Ti 6:11; 2Ti 2:22'.

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C10-S12 (Verse 15) Paul's challenge to be wise.

I speak as to wise men;
judge ye what I say..

Our sentence tells 'each and every one of us personally' (ye) are to judge what is said in the following sentences while using the wisdom of God.

Remember the first three chapters where Paul made the distinction between the wisdom of man / this world and the wisdom of God. In order to fully appreciate what Paul is asking here we need to look at the next few sentences which are based upon this question. This question is not 'asked out of the blue' ('pie-in-the-sky thinking with no relationship to reality') but was asked specifically in order to lead into the next few sentences. Therefore, we need to limit this question, and the answer, to what Paul is talking about and the intention that he had when asking it.

In the next few sentences Paul asks spiritual questions which are based upon physical practices which are done only for their spiritual symbolism and significance. Therefore, in order to be the wise men that Paul is talking to we need to limit our interpretation of this sentence, and the next few, to proper symbolism of spiritual realities. In particular, we need to be sure to use the wisdom of God and avoid the wisdom of man / this world.

Please see the note for Romans C16S23 and 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wise. The functional definition is: ' the right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wisdom.

Please see the note for 1:10, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word judge. As pointed out there, lots of people believe the doctrinal error that 'we are to not judge'. However, that sentence and this sentence literally says that we are to judge. What's more, several other places in the Bible tell us the same thing. Therefore, it is not wrong to judge but it is wrong to judge using the wrong standard.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 4:10; 6:5; 8:1; 11:13; 14:20; Job 34:2-3; 1Th 5:21'.

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C10-S13 (Verse 16) A question to make us think.

The cup of blessing which we bless,
is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ?.

The word communion only appears three places in the Bible: our current sentence; 2Corinthians 6:14 and 13:14. In these verses we find:

We are to have communion with the Son of God and with other saved people in the church because of the body of Christ and blood of Christ.
We are to have communion with God and with other saved people who are living in obedience to God and avoiding communion with people who are living in sin because what communion hath light with darkness?
We are to have communion with the Holy Ghost if we want to stay in The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God.

Please see the note for This verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. It explains why this sentence uses Christ by itself as well as providing links to every verse in the Bible which uses Christ and blood. It also explains the difference between the blood of Jesus and the blood of Christ. The blood of Christ is directly linked to our communion with the Son of God, as also explained in that note. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines communion as: 'n. 1. Fellowship; intercourse between two persons or more; interchange of transactions, or offices; a state of giving and receiving; agreement; concord. We are naturally led to seek communion and fellowship with other. What communion hath light with darkness? 2 Cor. 6. 2. Mutual intercourse or union in religious worship, or in doctrine and discipline. The Protestant churches have no communion with the Roman Catholic church. 3. the body of Christians who have one common faith and discipline. the three grand communions into which the Christian church is divided, are those of the Greek, the Roman Catholic and the Protestant churches. 4. the act of communicating the sacrament of the Eucharist; the celebration of the Lords supper; the participation of the blessed sacrament. the fourth council of Lateran decrees that every believer shall receive the communion at least at Easter. 5. Union of professing Christians in a particular church; as, members in full communion. Communion-service, in the liturgy of the Episcopal church, is the office for the administration of the holy sacrament'. This word is found only in 1Corinthians 10:16; 2Corinthians 6:14 and 2Corinthians 13:14.

This definition from Webster's 1828 is less than Biblically correct. Like most dictionaries, it equate fellowship and communion. However, anyone who knows English understands that fellowship involves an informal personal relationship while communion is the formal relationship which is less personal. This distinction also fits with other things which are being compared. When words are part of a formal relationship, then the formal relationships must also be considered. For example, Righteousness and unrighteousness are part of our personal character and they prove which of the two spiritual kingdoms we actually serve. So, within the Bible, light is a description of the kingdom of God while darkness is a description of the kingdom of Satan. And, there are other words used to show the differences between these two spiritual kingdom. Therefore, when we have a word which links us to a formal relationship to one of these two spiritual kingdoms, we need to also consider the spiritual kingdoms when we consider the true meaning of the words involved. Thus, we see that the word communion is used, in this chapter, to compare the relationship between people who have formal relationships with two different spiritual kingdoms which are at war. Since our true communion is supposed to be with Christ, our chapter is asking us why we are dealing with devils and idols, especially since God has already made it clear how He deals with His people who continue to deal with devils and idols.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 6:14 for an explination of why this definition from Webster's 1828 is less than Biblically correct. The true Biblical definition is: 'A formalized ongoing personal relationship'.

Easton's Bible Dictionary provides links for communion as: 'fellowship with God (Ge 18:17-33; Ex 33:911; Nu 12:7-8), between Christ and his people (Joh 14:23), by the Spirit (2Co 13:14; Php 2:1), of believers with one another (Eph 4:1-6). the Lord's Supper is so called (1Co 10:16-17), because in it there is fellowship between Christ and his disciples, and of the disciples with one another'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides references for the word communion as: 'Fellowship, Divine: Walking with God: Ge 5:22-23,24; 6:9; 2Ki 23:3; Mic 4:5; Mal 2:6; Re 3:4. With Christ: Found in Spiritual Assemblies: Mt 18:20. In the Communion of Saints: Lu 24:15. Warms the Heart: Lu 24:32. Leaves its Impress upon the Life: Ac 4:13. Believers Called to: 1Co 1:9. Testimony an Aid to: 1Jo 1:3. Spiritual Receptivity the Condition of: Re 3:20. Moses' Fellowship with God: Ex 19:3,20; 20:21; 24:2; 25:22; 33:9; Le 1:1. Among Believers: Ps 119:63; Mal 3:16; Lu 24:15; Ac 2:42; Ro 1:12; Php 1:3,5; 1Jo 1:7. Social: Es 1:9; Lu 10:7; 14:8,12; 15:25; Joh 12:2; 1Co 10:27. With the World forbidden: Separation from Evil Associations, the Duty of (Select Reading, Nu 33. 51-56): Nu 33:51-56; Isa 52:11; Joh 15:19; 17:16; Ac 2:40; 2Co 6:17; Eph 5:11; 2Th 3:6.
Spiritual. The Sacrament of: Mt 26:26; Mr 14:22; 1Co 10:16; 11:23.'

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides references for the word communion as: 'Communion of Saints: According to the prayer of Christ: Joh 17:20-21. IS WITH God: 1Jo 1:3. Saints in Heaven: Heb 12:22-24. Each other: Ga 2:9; 1Jo 1:3,7. God marks, with his approval: Mal 3:16. Christ is present in: Mt 18:20. In public and social worship: Ps 34:3; 55:14; Ac 1:14; Heb 10:25. In the Lord's supper: 1Co 10:17. In holy conversation: Mal 3:16. In prayer for each other: 2Co 1:11; Eph 6:18. In exhortation: Col 3:16; Heb 10:25. In mutual comfort and edification: 1Th 4:18; 5:11. In mutual sympathy and kindness: Ro 12:15; Eph 4:32. Delight of: Ps 16:3; 42:4; 133; Ro 15:32. Exhortation to: Eph 4:1-3. Opposed to communion with the wicked: 2Co 6:14-17; Eph 5:11. Exemplified: Jonathan, 1Sa 23:16. David, Ps 119:63. Daniel, Da 2:17-18. Apostles, Ac 1:14. The Primitive Church, Ac 2:42; 5:12. Paul, Ac 20:36-38.
Communion of the Lord's Supper: Prefigured: Ex 12:21-28; 1Co 5:7-8. Instituted: Mt 26:26; 1Co 11:23. Object of: Lu 22:19; 1Co 11:24,26. Is the communion of the body and blood of Christ: 1Co 10:16. Both bread and wine are necessary to be received in: Mt 26:27; 1Co 11:26. Self-examination commanded before partaking of: 1Co 11:28,31. Newness of heart and life necessary to the worthy partaking of: 1Co 5:7-8. Partakers of, be wholly separate unto God: 1Co 10:21. Was continually partaken of, by the Primitive Church: Ac 2:42; 20:7. UNWORTHY PARTAKERS OF: Are guilty of the body and blood of Christ: 1Co 11:27. Discern not the Lord's body: 1Co 11:29. Are visited with judgments: 1Co 11:30.
Communion with God: Is communion with the Father: 1Jo 1:3. Is communion with the Son: 1Co 1:9; 1Jo 1:3; Re 3:20. Is communion with the Holy Ghost: 1Co 12:13; 2Co 13:14; Php 2:1. Reconciliation must precede: Am 3:3. Holiness essential to: 2Co 6:14-16. Promised to the obedient: Joh 14:23. SAINTS: Desire: Ps 42:1; Php 1:23. Have, in meditation: Ps 63:5-6. Have, in prayer: Php 4:6; Heb 4:16. Have, in the Lord's supper: 1Co 10:16. Should always enjoy: Ps 16:8; Joh 14:16-18. Exemplified: Enoch, Ge 5:24. Noah, Ge 6:9. Abraham, Ge 18:33. Jacob, Ge 32:24-29. Moses, Ex 33:11-23.'

Nave's Topical Bible provides references for the word communion as: 'WITH GOD: Ps 16:7; Joh 14:16-18,23; 1Co 16; 2Co 6:16; 13:14; Ga 4:6; Php 2:1-2; 1Jo 1:3; Re 3:20. INSTANCES OF: Enoch: Ge 5:22,24. Noah: Ge 6:9,13-22; 8:15-17. Abraham: Ge 12:1-3,7; 17:1-2; 18; 22:1-2,11-12,16-18. Hagar: Ge 16:8-12. Isaac: Ge 26:2,24. Isaac, in dreams: Ge 28:13,15; 31:3; 35:1,7; 46:2-4. Moses: Ex 3; 4:1-17; 33:9,11; 34:28; Nu 12:8. Joshua: Jos 1:1-9; 6:2-5; 7:10-15; 8:1-2; 20:1-6. Gideon: Jg 6:11-24. Solomon: 1Ki 3:5-14; 2Ch 1:7-12. OF SAINTS: 1Sa 23:16; Ps 55:14; 119:63; 133; Am 3:3; Mal 3:16; Lu 22:32; 24:17,32; Joh 17:20-21; Ac 2:42; Ro 12:15; 1Co 10:16-17; 12:12-13; 2Co 6:14-18; Eph 4:1-3; 5:11; Col 3:16; 1Th 4:18; 5:11,14; Heb 3:13; 10:24-25; Jas 5:16; 1Jo 1:3,7.'

The word of means 'belonging to'. Putting together what the Bible means by communion with the word of and the blood of Christ, we end up with the communion of the blood of Christ is interpreted as: 'the ongoing fellowship that belongs to (results from) the spiritual cleansing by the blood of Christ which removes the stain, addiction, and every other result of sin that saved people do after their initial profession'.

Consider our context. Our chapter started out warning us that God had what He did to the Jews written in the Bible as a warning for us to not do like they did or we could expect to receive the same results or worse. Then our chapter started telling us how the Jews did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink (10:1). Thus, our current sentence, and the next sentence, are directly providing a parallel between the spiritual food given to the Jews in the wilderness and to the Lord's supper (11:20). Next, our chapter warned about five specific sins which the Jews did in an ongoing basis and which God killed them for. Those sins were: lust after evil things, idolaters (which is) the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play, fornication, tempt Christ, and murmur. Thus, when Paul says I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. (10:15), he is telling us to use the wisdom of God and see the spiritual significance and the spiritual parallel he is showing to us here. when he said but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it, he is now telling us that the communion of the blood of Christ and the communion of the body of Christ provides our way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (the ongoing temptation). Further, he is warning us that if we don't use this method to escape the temptation, but we continue in our sin, then God will destroy us just like he did to the Jews.

In order for this to work, when we are tempted we need to pray while pleading for the cleansing power of the blood of Christ and while we meditate on what God's Word tells us about the blood of Christ in the verses which are referenced in the note for This verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. Having said that, I must acknowledge that this solution makes no sense to our flesh and the results of this method are realized only when God's people have enough faith in God and His Word to 'trust and obey' a command that can only produce results through the spiritual realm.

That returns us to our sentence and the last phrase in it which we have not yet covered. Our sentence tells us that the communion of the blood of Christ is The cup of blessing which we bless. I hear all of the time that blessing is supposed to make us 'happy'. However, Jesus was not 'happy' about going to the cross and we are specifically ordered to remember His death on the cross each time that we bless this cup of blessing. While I know that lots of people will talk circles around the truth, the truth is that many of God's people were not made 'happy' with something that God gave to bless them, even though they did end up with Godly joy. When we put the difference that preached to be between joy and being 'happy', most honest preachers, after they truly have experience, will admit that joy matches blessing much more than 'happy' does. Without going into a lot more, which I could, I would suggest that people change their definition of blessing from 'happy' to 'receiving, or wishing another to receive, the spiritual good from God which produces spiritual joy even while it might make us less happy in the flesh'.

Any way that we look at it, this sentence is telling us about a spiritually based ceremony which symbolically represents our commitment to 'the ongoing fellowship that belongs to (results from) the spiritual cleansing by the blood of Christ which removes the stain, addiction, and every other result of sin that saved people do after their initial profession'. Further, we bless this cup of blessing as a means of 'requesting to receive the spiritual good from God which produces spiritual joy even while it might make us less happy in the flesh', with the understanding that this blessing will only come as a result of our 'ongoing fellowship' which will remove the sin from our life.

Please see the note for Galatians C3-S10 about the word bless. The true Bible functional definition is: 'receiving, or wishing another to receive, the spiritual good from God which produces spiritual joy even while it might make us less happy in the flesh'.

Please see the note for John 18:11 about the word cup. The functional definition for this word is: 'A vessel for drinking. Also used symbolically for shared festivities'. We find forms of this word in this Bible book in: 1Corinthians 10:16; 1Corinthians 10:21; 1Corinthians 11:25; 1Corinthians 11:26; 1Corinthians 11:27; 1Corinthians 11:28.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S3 about the word blood. The functional definition is: 'The fluid which circulates through the arteries and veins of the human body, and of other animals, which is essential to the preservation of life'. The main doctrinal usage within this epistle is in 9:22 (And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.). Please see the note for 1Corinthians 10:16-LJC about Christ and blood. The blood is one of the main things that ministers of Satan and Bible perverts try to remove and substitute another word for it because without shedding of blood is no remission (Matthew 26:28; Romans 3:25 and Hebrews 9:22) and the life of the flesh is in the blood: (Genesis 9:4-5; Leviticus 17:11; 14; Deuteronomy 12:23 andJohn 6:53-54).

All of the other definitions for words within this sentence were covered earlier within this note.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'cup. 1Co 10:21; 11:23-29; Mt 26:26-28; Mr 14:22-25; Lu 22:19-20 the communion of the blood. 1Co 10:20; 1:9; 12:13; Joh 6:53-58; Heb 3:14; 1Jo 1:3,7 General references. exp: Joh 6:48'.

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C10-S14 (Verse 16) A second question to make us think.

The bread which we break,
is it not the communion of the body of Christ ?.

This sentence is a continuation of the prior and most of the consideration for this sentence is in the note above and in the note for This verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the notes for note for 10:16 and 2Corinthians 9:8-11 about the word bread. The functional definition is: 'the sustenance of man which is used symbolically to represent the body of Jesus Christ'. Virtually every use of bread, within 1Corinthians, is a reference to the Lord's supper (11:20). In 5:8 we learned that this bread was supposed to produce in us (our body) sincerity and truth.

Please see the note for Matthew 5:19 about the word break. The functional definition for this word is: 'to violently cause to part'. Please also see the note for Luke 12:39 about the word broken. Please also see the note for Romans C11S21 about the phrase broken off.

We saw in the note above that communion means 'a formalized ongoing fellowship'. (Please see the note for 2Corinthians 6:14 for an explination of why this definition from Webster's 1828 is less than Biblically correct. The true Biblical definition is: 'A formalized ongoing personal relationship' with the difference between fellowship and communion being the word 'formalized'.) the body of Christ represents the spiritual maturing which allows us to live in this body under the control of God's Holy Spirit just like Jesus Christ did. In other words: actively following the doctrine of 'What Did Jesus Do' by seeking God's guidance while we search the Gospels (not ask men) for our answer.

When we combine communion with the word of and the body of Christ, we end up with the communion of the body of Christ is interpreted as: 'the ongoing fellowship that belongs to (results from) the spiritual guidance that Christ provided while He lived in the flesh and before He went to Heaven; which results in saved people acting like He did'.

The combination of the prior sentence and this sentence tells us that our participating in communion means that we have 'an ongoing relationship with Christ which results in our stopping our sinning and our doing the things that Christ did in His body before he returned to Heaven'. Our participating in the Lord's supper (11:20) is an agreement to do our part in this 'ongoing relationship'.

All of the definitions for words within this sentence were covered earlier within this note.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'The bread. 1Co 11:23-24; Ac 2:42,46; 20:7,11 General references. exp: Joh 6:48'.

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C10-S15 (Verse 17) Why Paul asked the prior questions and the Bible symbolism involved in the questions.

Equivalent Section: Symbolically the bread and the body are the same.

For we being many are one bread,
and one body:.

Equivalent Section: We are all part of Christ.

for we are all partakers of that one bread..

Our sentence has two Equivalent Sections which each start with For and tell us why the symbolism of the prior two sentences is true. in this sentence, each Equivalent Section is providing the same reason but stated different ways. In our Second Equivalent Section we are told that we are all partakers. The word partake is defined as: 'To take a part, portion or share in common with others; to have a share or part; to participate'. When we share bread we each take a 'portion' and actively eat it, symbolically making the body of Christ part of our body because the cells of our body are created and maintained by what we eat. However, while we make the body of Christ part of our body, we are also (symbolically) making our body part of the larger body of Christ. That is the message of our First Equivalent Section.

Please also read John 6 where Jesus explains, several different ways, His saying that I am the bread of life. In that chapter we read about the miracle of the loaves and fishes, then we read about His walking on water, then, the next day, He explained His saying of I am the bread of life. The miracle of the loaves as fishes and His walking on water were demonstrations that the spiritual controls the physical. Jesus did these things to prepare them for an abstract spiritual lesson, but some people did not receive the preparation. .Therefore, they were not ready for the abstract spiritual lesson and were offended.

The Bible tells us that many had a hard time understanding what He said because He was teaching about spiritual matters and they were trying to understand from a physical point of view. Because of this error on their part, the Bible tells us Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, this is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?..From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:60-61, 66). Please notice that his disciples murmured at it, which is one of the sins that our current chapter is warning us against. They murmured at it because they could not understand His saying. They could not understand because His saying was spiritual and you can not understand the spiritual if you insist upon thinking only in the physical.

We have the same thing happening in this chapter and, in particular, in these sentences which give us the symbolism of the Lord's supper (11:20). These sentences must be understood from a spiritual perspective because insisting upon using a physical perspective will lead to error.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'we being. 1Co 12:12,27; Ro 12:5; Ga 3:26-28; Eph 1:22-23; 2:15-16; 3:6; 4:12-13,25; Col 2:19; 3:11,15 that. 1Co 10:3-4,21; 11:26-28 General references. exp: Joh 6:48; Ro 12:5'.

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C10-S16 (Verse 18) Paul uses Israel to show how the symbolism works.

Equivalent Section: Physical Israel displays the physical part of the symbolism.

Behold Israel after the flesh:.

Equivalent Section: they understand the symbolism in participating in sacrifices.

are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?.

the phrase after the flesh, in the First Equivalent Section, tells us to behold Israel from a fleshly perspective. In the Bible, Israel is the spiritual name that God gave to Jacob. When Jacob was acting in the flesh and following the desires of the flesh, the Bible called him Jacob. When he obeyed the Sprit of God, the Bible called him Israel. The Bible tells us that God gave the name of Israel to the physical descendants of Jacob because God viewed them from a spiritual perspective even though they were following the flesh (physical).

God is a Spirit (John 4:24). In order for the Bible to tell us about God, it must tell us spiritual things and tell us things from a spiritual perspective. The Bible tells us about physical things, it tells us about spiritual things, and it tells us about things that connect the spiritual to the physical like a bridge connects two different sides of a chasm. Symbols are bridge type items within the Bible. Israel is also a type of bridge which connects the spiritual to the physical.

A bridge usually looks different when viewed from one side of the chasm and that view is then compared to the view from the other side. This is in spite of the fact that it is the same bridge. This difference is because your view also takes in the background on the opposite side of the bridge. Thus, a symbol which is viewed front he spiritual perspective includes a view of the physical. The same symbol, when viewed from the physical, takes in the spiritual background. This is important to understand when dealing with symbols within the Bible because the context gives us the background. Thus, when or First Equivalent Section says Behold Israel after the flesh, it is saying 'Look with close detail and taking your time at these people who symbolically represent a bridge between the physical and the spiritual and look at them from the physical side of the bridge (after the flesh)'. When we do that we also see how God reacts because God is in the background of this symbolic bridge when we look from the physical side.

Now we look at our Second Equivalent Section where we read are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? We already saw that the word partake is defined as: 'To take a part, portion or share in common with others; to have a share or part; to participate'. Thus, in our Second Equivalent Section we see God reacting as if the people who eat of the sacrifices are 'taking part' in the offering of the sacrifice ( partakers of the altar).

Now, it may be that the reader already understood this, but many people do not understand this thing like the people did when this epistle was written. That is because animal sacrifice was common, and understood by most people, at that time but it is not common and is not understood by most people of today.

Please see the note for Colossians C2S3 about the word behold. The functional definition is: 'To fix the eyes upon; to see with attention; to observe with care'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 3:7-8 about the children of Israel. The functional definition is: 'The spiritually saved children of God among the Jews'. In our sentence Paul is talking about how these saved Jews acted in the flesh.

Please see the note for 1:26-29 and for 6:16 about the word flesh. The functional definition is: 'The physical body with its motivations'.

We find forms of the word sacrifice occurring 297 times in 276 verses of the Bible, 38 times in 37 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 8:4; our current sentence; 10:19; 10:20 and 10:28. Thus, we see that sacrifice was far more prominent and important in the Old Testament than it is in the New Testament. Further, we can see that, in 1Corinthians, every usage is talking about sacrifices to idols except this sentence, which is making a general statement about any type of sacrifice, even though it is using Israel as the example. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines sacrifice as: 'v.t. sac'rifize. L. sacrifico; sacer, sacred, and facio, to make. 1. to offer to God in homage or worship, by killing and consuming, as victims on an altar; to immolate, either as an atonement for sin, or to procure favor, or to express thankfulness; as, to sacrifice an ox or a lamb. 2Sam. 6. 2. to destroy, surrender or suffer to be lost for the sake of obtaining something; as, to sacrifice the peace of the church to a little vain curiosity. We should never sacrifice health to pleasure, nor integrity to fame. 3. to devote with loss. Condemn'd to sacrifice his childish years to babbling ignorance and to empty fears. 4. to destroy; to kill.
SAC'RIFICE, v.i. to make offerings to God by the slaughter and burning of victims, or of some part of them. Ex. 3. SAC'RIFICE, n. L. sacrificium. 1. An offering made to God by killing and burning some animal upon an altar, as an acknowledgment of his power and providence, or to make atonement for sin, applease his wrath or conciliate his favor, or to express thankfulness for his benefits. Sacrifices have been common to most nations, and have been offered to false gods, as well as by the Israelites to Jehovah. A sacrifice differs from an oblation; the latter being an offering of a thing entire or without change, as tithes or first fruits; whereas sacrifice implies a destruction or killing, as of a beast. Sacrifices are expiatory, impetratory, and eucharistical; that is, atoning for sin, seeking favor, or expressing thanks. Human sacrifices, the killing and offering of human beings to deities, have been practiced by some barbarous nations. 2. the thing offered to God, or immolated by an act of religion. My life if thou preserv'st, my life thy sacrifice shall be. 3. Destruction, surrender or loss made or incurred for gaining some object, or for obliging another; as the sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of pleasure to interest. 4. anything destroyed'.

Easton's Bible Dictionary says about sacrifice as: 'The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as a divine institution. It did not originate with man. God himself appointed it as the mode in which acceptable worship was to be offered to him by guilty man. the language and the idea of sacrifice pervade the whole Bible.
Sacrifices were offered in the ante-diluvian age. the Lord clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of animals, which in all probability had been offered in sacrifice (Ge 3:21). Abel offered a sacrifice "of the firstlings of his flock" (Ge 4:4; Heb 11:4). A distinction also was made between clean and unclean animals, which there is every reason to believe had reference to the offering up of sacrifices (Ge 7:2,8), because animals were not given to man as food till after the Flood.
The same practice is continued down through the patriarchal age (Ge 8:20; 12:7; 13:4,18; 15:911; 22:1-18, etc.). In the Mosaic period of Old Testament history definite laws were prescribed by God regarding the different kinds of sacrifices that were to be offered and the manner in which the offering was to be made. the offering of stated sacrifices became indeed a prominent and distinctive feature of the whole period (Ex 12:3-27; Le 23:5-8; Nu 9:2-14). (See Altar.)
We learn from the Epistle to the Hebrews that sacrifices had in themselves no value or efficacy. they were only the "shadow of good things to come," and pointed the worshippers forward to the coming of the great High Priest, who, in the fulness of the time, "was offered once for all to bear the sin of many." Sacrifices belonged to a temporary economy, to a system of types and emblems which served their purposes and have now passed away. the "one sacrifice for sins" hath "perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
Sacrifices were of two kinds: 1. Unbloody, such as (1) first-fruits and tithes; (2) meat and drink-offerings; and (3) incense. 2. Bloody, such as (1) burnt-offerings; (2) peace-offerings; and (3) sin and trespass offerings. (See Offering'.

Morrish Bible Dictionary says about sacrifice as: 'As a technical religious term, 'sacrifice' designates anything which, having been devoted to a holy purpose, cannot be called back. In the generality of sacrifices offered to God under the law the consciousness is supposed in the offerer that death, as God's judgment, was on him; hence the sacrifice had to be killed that it might be accepted of God at his hand. In fact the word sacrifice often refers to the act of killing.
The first sacrifice we read of was that offered by Abel, though there is an indication of the death of victims in the fact that Adam and Eve were clothed by God with coats of skins. Doubtless in some way God had instructed man that, the penalty of the fall and of his own sin being that his life was forfeited, he could only appropriately approach God by the death of a substitute not chargeable with his offence; for it was by faith that Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Heb 11:4. God afterward instructed Cain that if he did not well, sin, or a sin offering, lay at the door.
The subject was more fully explained under the law: "The life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Le 17:11. Not that the blood of bulls and of goats had any inherent efficacy to take away sins; but it was typical of the blood of Christ which is the witness that they have been taken away for the believer by Christ's sacrifice.
Christ appeared once in the end of the world "to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself;" and He having once died, there remains no more sacrifice for sins. Eph 5:2; Heb 9:26; 10:4,12,26. Without faith in the sacrificial death of Christ there is no salvation, as is taught in Ro 3:25; 4:24-25; 1Co 15:1-4.
The Christian is exhorted to present his body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is his intelligent service, Ro 12:1: cf. 2Co 8:5; Php 4:18. He offers by Christ the sacrifice of praise to God, and even to do good and to communicate are sacrifices well pleasing to God. Heb 13:15-16: cf. 1Pe 2:5. forthe sacrifices under the law see OFFERINGS'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for sacrifices as: 'Examples of the Offering of: Ge 46:1; Ex 18:12; Jg 2:5; 1Sa 1:21; 6:15; 11:15; 2Sa 6:13; 1Ch 21:28; 29:21; 2Ch 5:6; Jon 1:16. Insufficient to Secure Salvation: 1Sa 15:22; Ps 40:6; 51:16-17; Isa 1:11; Ho 6:6; Mt 9:13; 12:7; Heb 9:9. Human Beings Offered as: Le 18:21; De 12:31; 2Ki 3:27; 16:3; 2Ch 28:3; Ps 106:38; Isa 57:5; Jer 19:5; Eze 16:20. Of Praise: Ps 107:22; 116:17; Jer 17:26; 33:11; Jon 2:9; Heb 13:15. Of Righteousness: De 33:19; Ps 4:5; 51:19; Mal 3:3'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for sacrifices as: 'FIGURATIVE: Isa 34:6; Eze 39:17; Zep 1:7-8; Ro 12:1; Php 2:17; 4:18. Of self-denial: Php 3:7-8. Of praise: Ps 116:17; Jer 33:11; Ho 14:2; Heb 13:15. "Calves of the lips" signifying praise: Ho 14:2'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for sacrifices as: 'Divine institution of: Ge 3:21; 1:29; 9:3; 4:4-5. Tobe offered to God alone: Ex 22:20; Jg 13:16; 2Ki 17:36. When offered to God, an acknowledgement of His being the supreme God: 2Ki 5:17; Jon 1:16. CONSISTED OF: Clean animals or bloody sacrifices: Ge 8:20. The fruits of the earth or unbloody sacrifices: Ge 4:4; Le 2:1. Always offered upon altars: Ex 20:24. The offering of, an acknowledgment of sin: Heb 10:3. WERE OFFERED: From the earliest age: Ge 4:3-4. By the patriarchs: Ge 22:2; 31:54; 46:1; Job 1:5. After the departure of Israel from Egypt: Ex 5:3; 18:12; 24:5. Under the Mosaic dispensation: Le 1-7; Heb 10:1-3. Daily: Ex 29:38-39. Weekly: Nu 28:910. Monthly: Nu 28:11. Yearly: Le 16:3; 1Sa 1:3; 20:6. At all the feasts: Nu 10:10. Forthe whole nation: Le 16:15-30; 1Ch 29:21. Forindividuals: Le 1:2; 17:8. In faith of a coming Saviour: Heb 11:4,17,28. Required to be perfect and without blemish: Le 22:19; De 15:21; 17:1; Mal 1:8,14. Generally the best of their kind: Ge 4:4; 1Sa 15:22; Ps 66:15; Isa 1:11. DIFFERENT KINDS OF: Burnt offering wholly consumed by fire: Le 1; 1Ki 18:38. Sin offering for sins of ignorance: Le 4. Trespass offering for intentional sins: Le 6:1-7; 7:1-7. Peace offering: Le 3. Tobe brought to the place appointed by God: De 12:6; 2Ch 7:12. Were bound to the horns of the altar: Ps 118:27. Were salted with salt: Le 2:13; Mr 9:49. Often consumed by fire from Heaven: Le 9:24; 1Ki 18:38; 2Ch 7:1. When bloody, accompanied with meat and drink offering: Nu 15:3-12. No leaven offered with, except for thanksgiving: Ex 23:18; Le 7:13. Fat of, not to remain until morning: Ex 23:8. ThE PRIESTS: Appointed to offer: 1Sa 2:28; Eze 44:11,15. Had a portion of, and lived by: Ex 29:27-28. Were typical of Christ's sacrifice: 1Co 5:7; Eph 5:2; Heb 10:1,11-12. Were accepted when offered in sincerity and faith: Ge 4:4; Heb 11:4; Ge 8:21. Imparted a legal purification: Heb 9:13,22. Could not take away sin: Ps 40:6; Heb 9:9; 10:1-11. Without obedience, worthless: 1Sa 15:22; Pr 21:3; Mr 12:33. The covenants of God confirmed by: Ge 15:917; Ex 24:5-8; Heb 9:1920. ThE JEWS: Condemned for not treating with respect: 1Sa 2:29; Mal 1:12. Condemned for bringing defective and blemished: Mal 1:13-14. Condemned for not offering: Isa 43:23-24. Unaccepted in, on account of sin: Isa 1:11; 66:3; Ho 8:13. Condemned for offering, to idols: 2Ch 34:25; Isa 65:3,7. offered to false gods, are offered to devils: Le 17:7; De 32:17; Ps 106:37; 1Co 10:20. On great occasions, very numerous: 2Ch 5:6; 7:5. Forpublic use often provided by the state: 2Ch 31:3. ILLUSTRATIVE OF: Prayer: Ps 141:2. Thanksgiving: Ps 27:6; 107:22; 116:17; Heb 13:15. Devotedness: Ro 12:1; Php 2:17. Benevolence: Php 4:18; Heb 13:16. Righteousness: Ps 4:5; 51:19. A broken spirit: Ps 51:17. Martyrdom: Php 2:7; 2Ti 4:6'.

Please see the note for 9:13 about the word altar. The functional definition is: 'any structure of earth (Ex 20:24) or unwrought stone (Ex 20:25) on which sacrifices were offered'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Israel. Ro 4:1,12; 9:3-8; 2Co 11:18-22; Ga 6:16; Eph 2:11-12; Php 3:3-5 are. 1Co 9:13; Le 3:3-5,11; 7:11-17; 1Sa 2:13-16; 9:12-13'.

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C10-S17 (Verse 19) What say I then?

Simply put, based upon the truths just pointed out, Paul is going to instruct us on the spiritual and symbolic significance of sacrifices offered to idols. Please see the notes for Romans 4:1 and Romans 11:7 for places where the Bible asks a form the question What then?.

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C10-S18 (Verse 19) Start of Paul's instruction on sacrifices offered to idols.

that the idol is anything,
or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?.

in this section we are dealing with a the question of how sacrifices connect the physical world to the spiritual. We are looking at this from the physical side to see the background reaction of spirits, including God. The answer to this question, as far as God's reaction goes, is that the idol does not matter and the devil behind the idol does not matter. What does matter is our joining with any spirit other than God's Holy Spirit. That is what Paul is explaining in this chapter. If people can buy the meat, and eat it, without joining to the idol worship, then there is no problem with their eating the meat. However, if their conscience tells them that they are joining to a devil by eating the meat then they are wrong to do so. It is all in what spirit is on the other side of the meat which symbolically joins the person to the spiritual realm.

Please see the note for 8:7 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word offered along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and other links. The functional definition is: 'Presented for acceptance or rejection; presented in worship or devotion; immolated; bid; presented to the eye or the mind'.

Please see the note for 10:16 or links to where this epistle uses just the word sacrifice, along with a couple of definitions and links from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'To offer to God in homage or worship, by killing and consuming, as victims on an altar; to immolate, either as an atonement for sin, or to procure favor, or to express thankfulness'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that the. 1Co 1:28; 3:7; 8:4; 13:2; De 32:21; Isa 40:17; 41:29; 2Co 12:11'.

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C10-S19 (Verse 20) the exception to the prior answer.

Equivalent Section: When someone sacrifices to devils then the words see / sight is important.

But I say,
that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice,
they sacrifice to devils,
and not to God :.

Equivalent Section: When God's people are involved then the sacrifice is important.

and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils..

This sentence starts with But, which means it has the same subject as the prior sentence while going in a different direction. In the prior sentence Paul, essentially, let us know that neither the idol nor the that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything. However, in this sentence Paul is going to provide us with two exceptions, to that general rule, which are important to God.

The first thing that is important to God is when people sacrifice with the intention of sacrificing to devils. This is sin and God takes exception to all types of sin. Within our sentence, the word Gentiles is used to categorize all people who are not God's people. Since they are not God's people, their sacrifice is not offered to God and, as a result, is offered to devils.

The second thing that God takes exception to, according to our sentence, is when God's people have fellowship with devils. Thus, the equivalency tells us that participating in a sacrifice gives us fellowship with the spirit that the sacrifice is offered to. In addition, please note the use of ye in the Second Equivalent Section of this sentence. When we sacrifice, our fellowship with the spirit is personal.

Please see the note for 5:1 about the word Gentile. The functional definition is: 'In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a Christian; a heathen'.

Please see the note for Matthew 4:1-LJC for where Jesus dealt with devils in the Gospels. Please also see the section on Other Spirits within the Word Study on Spirit. These devils want to take God's place in our life but they won't love us and bless us like God does. In addition, like it says in a few sentences, we can not get provision from God and devils. Therefore, God wants us to leave the devils alone.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:1-2 for links to every place in the Bible where we find forms of the word fellowship along with a definition from Easton's Bible Dictionary. Please see the note for Ephesians C5S7 for links to where the Bible tells us about fellowship and provides the definition from Webster's 1828 .

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'sacrifice. Le 17:7; De 32:16-17; 2Ch 11:15; Ps 106:37-39; 2Co 4:4; Re 9:20'.

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C10-S20 (Verse 21) the personal consequence of believing religious lies.

Equivalent Section: We can not give control of our spirit to both God and to devils.

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord,
and the cup of devils:.

Equivalent Section: We can not accept provision from both God and to devils.

ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table,
and of the table of devils..

Starting in 10:18, and going through the end of the chapter, Paul is discussing things related to idol worship. The notes 10:19 and for 10:20 provide the general doctrinal position presented. Then 10:21 tells us the personal application of those sentences. 10:22 tells us the reaction of our Lord if we disobey. 10:23 gives us a concluding principal to follow with the rest of the chapter providing an example of how to apply that concluding principal in our personal life. Please consider all of these sentences, and their related notes, as a single unit. As mentioned in those notes, there is a lot of symbolism involved in these sentences. As seen in the notes mentioned below, this particular sentence has a lot of spiritual symbolism.

Please see the note for John 18:11 about the word cup. The functional definition for this word is: 'A vessel for drinking. Also used symbolically for shared festivities'.

Within the Bible, the table is symbolically used to represent the source of provision and fellowship. Even today, people prepare food for when they wish to fellowship. Our verse is telling us that we can not fellowship with our Lord and with devils at the same time.

Please see the note for Luke 1:63 about the word table. The functional definition for this word is: 'a surface used for eating, writing and similar functions'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'cannot drink. 1Co 10:16; 8:10; De 32:37-38; 1Ki 18:21; Mt 6:24; 2Co 6:15-17 General references. exp: Ex 20:23'.

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C10-S21 (Verse 22) Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?

Please also see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. Basically, if we make our Lord feel that we are giving to devils what He has said is reserved for Him alone then he is going to hurt us a whole lot and there is nothing that we can do to stop Him from doing that. So, don't mess with the Lord of the Bible.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C13S4 about the word provoke. The functional definition is: 'To call into action; to arouse; to excite'.

Please see the note for Romans 11:11 for links to every place in the New Testament where the word jealousy is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 , which can be summarized as 'That passion of peculiar uneasiness which arises from the fear that a rival may rob us of the affection of one whom we love, or the suspicion that he has already done it; or it is the uneasiness which arises from the fear that another does or will enjoy some advantage which we desire for ourselves'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'we provoke. Ex 20:5; 34:14; De 4:24; 6:15; 32:16,21; Jos 24:19; Ps 78:58; Zep 1:18 General references. exp: Ex 9:17; 20:23; Pr 6:34'.

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C10-S22 (Verse 22) are we stronger than he?

Please see the note for 4:10 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word strong. This sentence is in the same verse as the prior and it is discussed in the note above and the associated notes reached with the links in the note above. The functional definition is: 'Having physical active power, or great physical power; having the power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous'. Another way of asking this question is: 'Can you keep God from hurting or killing you?'

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'are. Job 9:4; 40:9-14; Eze 22:14; Heb 10:31 General references. exp: Ex 9:17; 20:23; Pr 6:34'.

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C10-S23 (Verse 23) the general rule that applies to all of this chapter and to our life.

Equivalent Section: Consider what is expedient.

All things are lawful for me,
but all things are not expedient:.

Equivalent Section: Consider what edifies.

all things are lawful for me,
but all things edify not..

This sentence is almost the same wording as 6:12. The First Equivalent Section is exactly the same in both sentences (All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient) that makes the Second Equivalent Section of both sentences equivalent to the First Equivalent Sections and to each other. Thus, both sentences need to be considered together please also see the note for that sentence when reading this note.

In both chapters Paul is looking at our testimony and how the things that we do affect other people and how they affect our relationship with the Lord. In Chapter 6 Paul was looking at these things from the perspective of man. in this chapter he is looking at the perspective of our Lord. Here we are told that certain things may be lawful unto me, but I should not do them because of the effect that it will have on my testimony and on other people and their relationship with our Lord. In Chapter 6, we are told that certain things may be lawful unto me, but I should not do them because of the effect that it will have on my personal relationship with God. Thus, we see that while certain things may be lawful unto me, I need to consider how those things affect my personal relationship with God and how those things influence other peoples' relationship with God. Ignoring these considerations is what led to Cain becoming the first murderer in history.

When we look at the equivalencies of these two sentences we see that some things are not expedient, the phrases I will not be brought under the power of any, and edify not are made equivalent by the structure of these sentences. Certainly the reader can understand how that if a saved person becomes addicted to a particular sin (brought under the power of any sin), that such a condition does not edify the saved person, neither does it edify people associated with the saved person, neither does it edify the church and the testimony of the church, neither does it edify God. In fact, it can lead to the church discipline which was discussed in Chapter 5.

Thus, as we have already seen, there are more consequences to our sin that we probably thought about. These chapters were written to make us aware of these greater consequences which we would not think about on our own. When we do not think about these consequences we may end up with God disciplining us and the sinning saved person asking 'Why me!?' because they think God has no reason for the discipline while God does have a reason but they refused to consider that reason. Therefore, when we or some other saved person starts asking 'Why me!?', we need to look for something that is being done which edifies not, but which the person thinks does not matter. As our two chapters tell us, these actions often matter far more than we think, especially to God, and we can realize their importance only when we look at them from a spiritual perspective.

Please see the note 6:12 for an explanation of the phrase All things are lawful unto me. Please also see it for links to every verse in the Bible which uses the word expedient along with the definition. The functional definition is:' Literally, hastening; urging forward. Hence, tending to promote the object proposed; fit or suitable for the purpose; proper under the circumstances'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C6S18 about the word expedient. The functional definition is: 'Literally, hastening; urging forward. Hence, tending to promote the object proposed; fit or suitable for the purpose; proper under the circumstances'.

Please see the notes for Romans 14:19 for links to every verse in the Bible which uses any form of the word edify along with the definition from Webster's 1828 Dictionary. If we really look at this definition, this word means that we are to 'build one another up spiritually'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'things are lawful. 1Co 6:12; 8:9; Ro 14:15,20 edify. 1Co 8:1; 14:3-5,12,17,26; Ro 14:19; 15:1-2; 2Co 12:19; Eph 4:29; 1Th 5:11; 1Ti 1:4 General references. exp: 2Co 6:3'.

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C10-S24 (Verse 24) Action required of us based upon the prior rule.

Let no man seek his own,
but every man another's wealth..

This sentence starts the application of the prior concluding principal. Paul applies the principal to wealth, ('Prosperity; external happiness') in order to create an example. The particular 'external happiness' that is used in our example is meat (food). The remaining sentences in this chapter give different circumstances and instruct the believer in how to act within each circumstance.

We find forms of the word seek occurring 309 times in 291 verses of the Bible, 84 times in 81 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 1:22; 7:27; our current sentence; 10:33; 13:5 and 14:12. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines seek as: 'v.t. pret and pp. sought, pronounced sat. L. sequor, to follow; for to seek is to go after, and the primary sense is to advance, to press, to drive forward, as in the L. peto. 1. to go in search or quest of; to look for; to search for by going from place to place. The man asked him, saying, what seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethen. Gen. 37. 2. to inquire for; to ask for; to solicit; to endeavor to find or gain by any means. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. Ps. 104. He found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Heb. 12'.

Please notice how closely this sentence matches what we read in 10:33. Please also see The S and P's of 2Timothy 1. here we are told to try and advance another's wealth. We find forms of the word wealth occurring 27 times in the Bible, and in the New Testament only our current sentence and Acts 19:25. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines wealth as: 'n. 1. Prosperity; external happiness. 2. Riches; large possessions of money, goods or land; that abundance of worldly estate which exceeds the estate of the greater part of the community; affluence; opulence. Each day new wealth without their care provides'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'seek. 1Co 10:33; 9:19-23; 13:5; Php 2:4-5,21 General references. exp: Ro 15:2; 1Co 10:33; 2Co 6:3; Php 2:4'.

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C10-S25 (Verse 25-26) A specific example of how to apply this teaching.

Equivalent Section: What to do.

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles,
that eat,
asking no question for conscience sake:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

forthe earth is the Lord's,
and the fulness thereof..

Starting in 10:18, and going through the end of the chapter, Paul is discussing things related to idol worship. The notes 10:19 and for 10:20 provide the general doctrinal position presented. Then 10:21 tells us the personal application of those sentences. 10:22 tells us the reaction of our Lord if we disobey. 10:23 gives us a concluding principal to follow with the rest of the chapter providing an example of how to apply that concluding principal in our personal life. Please consider all of these sentences, and their related notes, as a single unit. In particular, please note that the next sentence starts with If and the one after that starts with But. Those provide qualifications to what is said here. Therefore, if anyone ignores the context of this sentence, they probably will lead people into doctrinal error. Please be sure to consider all of the context in order to remain doctrinally correct.

This is the only place in the Bible where any form of the word shambles is used. It is defined as: 'stalls on which meat was exposed for sale'. Anyone who has ever been to a third-world market knows exactly what this word entails, including the flies and everything else.

Basically, since the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, we can use any part of the earth, provided that we use as the Lord intended and thank Him for His provision. However, since our use can be misunderstood, and that misunderstanding can defile the conscience of a weak brother, we need to avoid anything that has an appearance of idol worship. However, true worship includes the intention of connecting with the one who is worshipped. Therefore, if we eat meat that was offered to an idol, but we are not aware of that prior act, we are not participating in the worship because we can not possibly have an intention that we do not know about. Thus, Paul says asking no question for conscience sake because we can not be considered to be doing any worship when we do not know of the connection to the idol.

Please see the note for Matthew 7:7 about the word ask. The functional definition for this word is: 'To inquire, to seek for counsel, to request'.

Please also see the note for Romans 9:1, which has links to where Romans uses conscience. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 8:7, which discusses conscience and how it is used within this epistle. The functional definition is: 'A witness inside of ourselves that lets us know if something is right or wrong from a moral perspective'.

Please see the note for 8:5 about the word earth. The functional definition is: 'All of this physical world including the influence it has on us. At times the application will focus on only part of the whole'. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about kings of the earth.

Please see the note for Colossians 2:9 about the word fulness. The functional definition is: 'the things and actions which make something full'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'sold. Ro 14:14; 1Ti 4:4; Tit 1:15 for. 1Co 10:27-29; 8:7; Ro 13:5
General references. 1Co 10:28; Ex 19:5; De 10:14; Job 41:11; Ps 24:1; 50:12; 1Ti 6:17 exp: Ps 89:11'.

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C10-S26 (Verse 27) More details related to our example.

First Step: Consider the situation of dealing with lost.

If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast,
and ye be disposed to go;.

Second Step: How to deal with lost.

whatsoever is set before you,
eat,
asking no question for conscience sake..

Since our sentence starts with an If, we have a conditional statement. Obviously, if the condition is not met then we don't need to apply these guidelines. Nevertheless, we can learn the principal that is within these statements and apply the principal to similar circumstances. Since our conditional statement includes and ye be disposed to go, we can say that our example can be used any time that you want to do something with a lost person and, while there is nothing wrong with the particular activity, there is the possibility that some spiritually immature person might think that you are doing something wrong.

Our Second Step tells us what to do. So long as what you are doing is not morally wrong and so long as no one questions the morality of your participating, we are to enjoy what the Lord provides but we are not to bring up any question about the morality of our activity.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C14S25 about the word believe. The functional definition is: 'To credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of something upon the declaration of another, or upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by other circumstances, than personal knowledge'. Please also see the note for 6:6 about the word unbelief.

Please see the note for Luke 7:39 about the word bid. The functional definition for this word is: 'To ask; to request; to invite'. Please see the note for Acts 11:12 about the word bade. Please see the note for Luke 7:39 about the word bidden. Both of these words are past-tense forms of the word bid. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 4:1 about the word forbid. Please also see the notes for Romans C3S6 and Galatians C3S25 about the phrase God forbid.

Please see the note for Matthew 7:7 about the word ask. The functional definition for this word is: 'To inquire, to seek for counsel, to request'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'bid. 1Co 5:9-11; Lu 5:29-30; 15:23; 19:7 whatsoever. Lu 10:7 for. 1Co 10:25; 2Co 1:13; 4:2; 5:11'.

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C10-S27 (Verse 28-29) How to reason out our actions.

Equivalent Section: Exceptional condition to apply to prior general rule.

But if any man say unto you,
This is offered in sacrifice unto idols,
eat not for his sake that shewed it,
and for conscience sake:.

Equivalent Section: Why it is sometimes OK.

for the earth is the Lord's,
and the fulness thereof:.

Equivalent Section: the rule to use.

Conscience,
I say,
not thine own,
but of the other:.

Equivalent Section: Why we must follow this rule for the exception.

for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?.

10:24 started the application of the prior concluding principal. Paul applies the principal to wealth, ('Prosperity; external happiness') in order to create an example. The particular 'external happiness' that is used in our example is meat (food). The remaining sentences in this chapter give different circumstances and instruct the believer in how to act within each circumstance. 10:25-26 tells us how to act in general when there is no question of proper behaviour. 10:27 then provides the first exception to our general rule of behaviour, which is when dealing with lost people (any of them that believe not). Now our current sentence tells us how to deal with anyone who is trying to make it appear as if we are involved in immoral behaviour.

The simplest of our Equivalent Sections to understand is the last. It starts with the word for and tells us 'here's why we have these instructions'. After the word for we have a question that the believer will be asking himself, and possibly others, if he ignores the instructions in this sentence. God had Paul present this in the form of a question, and not just state the answer like we normally would, so that the reading of this sentence would not be smooth. It makes the reader stumble enough that some will stop and consider what is said instead of just smoothly reading over it without much thought. This is a grammatical equivalent to the stumblingstone that God gave to the builders of the Temple.

Please see the note for Romans 9:1, which has links to where Romans uses conscience. The functional definition is: 'A witness inside of ourselves that lets us know if something is right or wrong from a moral perspective'.

Please see the note for 1:10, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word judge along with other considerations of this important doctrine.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 8:9 for links to all the verses in the Bible which use the word liberty along with a definition and links from other commentators. Basically, as saved people we are given liberty so that we can bring glory to God. However, God expects us to restrict our use of liberty when it interferes with God getting glory, such as when another thinks that we are participating in sacrifice to idols. when this happens, the other person's conscience can be defiled and God demands that we restrict our use of liberty in order to avoid that result.

Once we understand the Last Equivalent Section, the third Equivalent Section is simple to understand. This is 'The rule to use' under all circumstances.

Now if we look at our First Equivalent Section we see that it starts with the word But. That gives us the same subject as the prior sentence (doing something with a lost person) while going in a different direction. in this case, our example says if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols and our more generic application is 'If anyone questions the morality of your participating in the particular event'. With this condition stated we are told what to do. Our example says eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake. Our more generic application is 'Don't participate in anything where the morality is questioned'. This general rule should be easy to understand after looking at the other Equivalent Sections.

This leaves us with our Second Equivalent Section which tells us 'why' (for) we have the instructions found in the rest of our sentence. The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. Therefore, we will probably get another chance to enjoy the fulness of the Earth on another occasion. We are not losing the opportunity, only delaying so that we avoid causing offense to another who has less spiritual maturity.

The word shewed is just a different spelling for the word showed. Please see the note for Colossians 2S8 about the word shew. The functional definition is: 'To exhibit or present to the view of others'. We find forms of this word, in Hebrews, in: 6:10; 6:11; 8:5 and 9:2.

Please see the note for Colossians 2:9 about the word fulness. The functional definition is: 'the things and actions which make something full'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 8:9 about the word liberty. The functional definition is: 'Besides the common application of this term, it is used in scripture symbolically, as 1. the liberty obtained by Christ for those that were captives of Satan'.

Please see the note for 1:10, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC and Revelation 19:1-LJC about the word judge. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S5; Ephesians C5S6 about the phrase judge, we are to. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6; Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. Please also see the notes for Romans C2S2; Philippians 1:9-11 and Psalms 119 about the word judgment. Please also see the notes for Romans C14S16 and 2Corinthians 5:10 about the phrase judgment Seat of Christ. Please also see the note for Romans 14:8-LJC and 2Thessalonians 1:9-LJC about the phrase judgment without mercy. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C4S5 about the phrase we are to judge. Please also see the notes for Romans 8:1-LJC; Galatians C5-S6 and Revelation 19:2-LJC about the phrase judged by works. Please also see the note for Ephesians C5S6 about the phrase judgment by us. Please also see the Section called: 'Minor Titles of the Son of God' in the Doctrinal Study called: Significant Gospel Events.

Please also see the note for 6:1, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word law along with other considerations of this important doctrine. Please see the note for 1:10 for more links to associated verses and more explanation of this phrase. Please also see the other notes in this list as each note shows how this word is used within each sentence with consideration of the context. In addition, the good sized note for 1Corinthians 9:21, in the Lord Jesus Christ Study, mentions 22 different laws that apply to saved people during the church age and provides links to notes (or Bible references) for all of them. Further, the note for 9:20-21, in this book Study, has a lot on applying various laws while maintaining our personal relationship with God.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'eat. 1Co 8:10-13; Ro 14:15 for. 1Co 10:26; Ex 9:29; De 10:14; Ps 24:1; 115:16; Jer 27:5-6; Mt 6:31-32 exp: 1Co 10:25. General references. exp: De 14:3; Ps 89:11; 1Co 10:26.
not. 1Co 10:32; 8:9-13; Ro 14:15-21 why. Ro 14:16; 2Co 8:21; 1Th 5:22 General references. exp: Ro 14:16'.

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C10-S28 (Verse 30) Challenge to consider the consequences.

For if I by grace be a partaker,
why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?.

10:24 started the application of the prior concluding principal. Paul applies the principal to wealth, ('Prosperity; external happiness') in order to create an example. The particular 'external happiness' that is used in our example is meat (food). The remaining sentences in this chapter give different circumstances and instruct the believer in how to act within each circumstance. 10:25-26 tells us how to act in general when there is no question of proper behaviour. 10:27 then provides the first exception to our general rule of behaviour, which is when dealing with lost people (any of them that believe not). Then our prior sentence told us how to deal with anyone who is trying to make it appear as if we are involved in immoral behaviour. Now, our current sentence tells us why we must avoid appearances of being involved in worship of idols.

Please see the note for 1:1 for links to every place in this epistle where we see the word grace is used along with links to matching notes in other epistles. Here we see the truth of the saying that grace is 'God's Riches At Christ's Expense' because it is the personal ministry of Christ that makes any of us to be a partaker of the blessings that are in Christ. While that acrostic is the main application, it is not the true definition because that obviously does not fit in James 1:11. So while that is the main application within the Bible, the true definition is: 'that which makes the source look good'. We are given God's grace for the expressed purpose of making God look good.

However, beyond that generic definition of grace, we need to recognize an additional truth that is critical to proper understanding of our sentence. Many people confuse grace and mercy even though they are totally different. Grace is 'receiving something that you did nothing to earn'. Mercy is 'not getting the punishment that you did earn'. Thus, they are truly on the opposite ends of what we receive from God. In addition, God always limits our use of His grace to our avoiding using it for evil or interfering with His purpose. This truth is what our concluding sentences (next in chapter) are telling us in detail. So, if I evil spoken of, then I am to avoid whatever causes me to be evil spoken of, even if it means not using the grace that God provides. (We see this same truth taught many other places in the Bible.) As Christians, we have taken the name of our God (Christ) and we are not to do that in vain (Second of 210 Commandments). We are to live as representatives of our God at all times, because that is how the world looks at us, especially if they can criticize God because of our behaviour. Thus, while I may give thanks for the grace of God, I am to do all that is required to avoid giving any reason for anyone to speak evil about God's grace and about the God that I represent. Please see the note for 14:17, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word thank along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 14:17 about the word thank. The functional definition is: ' to express gratitude for a favor; to make acknowledgments to one for kindness bestowed'. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S19 and Ephesians C5S2 about giving of thanks.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'grace. or, thanksgiving. Forwhich. Ro 14:6; 1Ti 4:3-4 General references. exp: Ro 14:16'.

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C10-S29 (Verse 31) the first conclusion of the chapter.

Whether therefore ye eat,
or drink,
or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God..

This sentence is very clear if we read what it is actually saying. The word ye ('each and every one of you personally') being used twice in this sentence doubles the emphasis on 'personally' and provides the basis for this sentence being doctrine that we must all obey. In addition, the phrase whatsoever ye do makes it clear and literal that the section which this sentence is concluding (10:18 through the end of the chapter) deals with more than just eating meats. This is particularly true when we also consider the next phrase (do all to the glory of God). When we consider both phrases together, we can not avoid this conclusion.

In these phrases (whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God) we see the Bible literally justify my assertions that the prior few sentences were giving us an example of a broader application than is found in narrowly interpreting the example as literal commands which go no farther than the literal example. That is, these phrases justifies the broader application which I have provided in prior notes.

Please see the note for Matthew 9:5 about the word whether. The functional definition for this word is: 'Which of two'.

Please see the note for Romans intro about the word therefore. The functional definition is: 'what follows the therefore is a future result that is based upon what came before the therefore and only seen there'.

Never glory in men or the flesh.
Always glory in God and things that God does in and through men.
How much glory we each personally have for eterniry is directly dependent upon how much glory we give the God while in this flesh.

please also see the notes for Romans C15S14; 1Corinthians C15S36; Ephesians C1S2; 2Corinthians 10:14-LJC and Colossians C1S6 about this word.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Whether. the apostle concludes the subject by giving them a general rule, sufficient to regulate every man's conscience and practice, that whether they eat, or drink, or whatsoever they do, to do it all with an habitual aim to the glory of God; by considering his precepts, and the propriety, expediency, appearance, and tendency of their actions. ye eat. 1Co 7:34; De 12:7,12,18; Ne 8:16-18; Zec 7:5-6; Lu 11:41; Col 3:17,23; 1Pe 4:11 General references. exp: Le 8:29; 14:16; Isa 43:21; 1Th 5:22'.

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C10-S30 (Verse 32-33) the final conclusion of the chapter.

Equivalent Section: What we are to do.

Give none offence,
neither to the Jews,
nor to the Gentiles,
nor to the church of God :.

Equivalent Section: Paul's example that we are to follow.

Even as I please all men in all things,
not seeking mine own profit,
but the profit of many,
that they may be saved..

In our Second Equivalent Section we are told to follow Paul's example so that we do this command the right way. Righteousness is 'doing the right thing the right way'. The prior sentence gave us the general rule to obey. Our First Equivalent Section gave a few details of that command and our Second Equivalent Section gives us the example which shows us 'how to do' and, throughout all of Paul's writings, gives us a very detailed example.

Please see the note for Romans 14:20 for the links to every place in Romans where forms of offence are used along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and additional links from other commentators. This word is used only 4 times in the Old Testament and only in this sentence within 1Corinthians, but over 1/3 of the usages are in Romans. Therefore, the note in Romans is the best place to look. In particular we see that offence includes 'A violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc. Any public wrong or crime An annoyance, displeasure, or resentment to cause displeasure or anger'. When our First Equivalent Section lists Jews, Gentiles, and the church of God, it covers the entire human race. It separates everyone into these three groups because different things cause an offence to each group. I'll skip detailing those differences and leave that job to preachers.

Our Second Equivalent Section gives us 'Paul's example that we are to follow'. We know that we are to follow this example because of the phrase even as. When two sides of a balancing scale are even, the two sides have equal weight. Thus, our life is to have 'equal weight' as Paul's example in this matter. Here we are given the example to follow which includes Please all men in all things and not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many. Finally, we are told that the reason to do this is that they may be saved. Our entire chapter has been looking at how God views our actions. We started out with a lesson on how God's people failed to consider what God wanted and were destroyed for that error. Then we were given spiritually based doctrine followed by an example of how to implement it in our life. Now in our conclusion we must be careful to keep God's spiritual view in mind as we consider this final conclusion.

Please see the note for Romans C14S27 about the word offence. The functional definition is: 'a violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc. Any public wrong or crime. A nonindictable crime punishable on summary conviction. Annoyance, displeasure, or resentment'.

Please see the note for Galatians C2-S9 about the word Jew. The functional definition is: 'A name for God's chosen people who followed the Mosaic Law'.

Please see the note for 5:1 about the word Gentile. The functional definition is: 'In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a Christian; a heathen'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 11:22 for links to every place in this epistle where any form of the word church is used. The functional definition is: 'a called out assembly of baptized believer'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 12:18-24 about the word churches (plural). Please also note that 1Thessalonians gives us 'The Doctrine of the Church'. Please also see the note for 2Thessalonians 1:4 about the phrase church(es) of God. The commonly accepted definition is 'a called out assembly of baptized believers' with most of the disagreement over people including buildings in the definition and people adding or denying different definitions for a 'universal church'. Please see This table for every use of God in 1Corinthians.

Please see the note for 1:21 about the word please. The functional definition is: ' to excite agreeable sensations or emotions in; to gratify; as, to please the taste; to please the mind'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C10S24 and The S and P's of 2Timothy 1 about the word seek. The functional definition is: 'To go in search or quest of; to look for; to search for by going from place to place'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C13S3 and 2Timothy C3S10 about the word profit. The functional definition is: 'to proceed forward, to advance'. Please also see the note for Matthew 25:30 about the word unprofitable. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Bringing no profit; producing no gain beyond the labor, expenses and interest of capital; as unprofitable land; unprofitable stock; unprofitable employment. 2. Producing no improvement or advantage; useless; serving no purpose; as an unprofitable life; unprofitable study. Job. 15. 3. Not useful to others. 4. Misimproving talents; bringing no glory to God; as an unprofitable servant. Matt. 25'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'none. 1Co 10:33; 8:13; Ro 14:13; 2Co 6:3; Php 1:10 Gentiles. or, Greeks. The church. 1Co 11:22; Ac 20:28; 1Ti 3:5,15 General references. exp: 2Co 6:3; Php 2:4; 1Th 5:22.
General references. 1Co 10:24; 9:19-23; Ro 15:2-3; 2Co 11:28-29; 12:19 exp: 2Co 6:3; Php 2:4-5; 1Th 5:22'.

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1Corinthians Chapter 11 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

C11-S1 (Verse 1), C11-S2 (Verse 2), C11-S3 (Verse 3), C11-S4 (Verse 4), C11-S5 (Verse 5), C11-S6 (Verse 6), C11-S7 (Verse 7), C11-S8 (Verse 8), C11-S9 (Verse 9), C11-S10 (Verse 10), C11-S11 (Verse 11), C11-S12 (Verse 12), C11-S13 (Verse 13), C11-S14 (Verse 14), C11-S15 (Verse 15), C11-S16 (Verse 16), C11-S17 (Verse 17), C11-S18 (Verse 18), C11-S19 (Verse 19), C11-S20 (Verse 20), C11-S21 (Verse 21), C11-S22 (Verse 22), C11-S23 (Verse 22), C11-S24 (Verse 22), C11-S25 (Verse 22), C11-S26 (Verse 22), C11-S27 (Verse 22), C11-S28 (Verse 23-24), C11-S29 (Verse 25), C11-S30 (Verse 26), C11-S31 (Verse 27), C11-S32 (Verse 28), C11-S33 (Verse 29), C11-S34 (Verse 30), C11-S35 (Verse 31), C11-S36 (Verse 32), C11-S37 (Verse 33), C11-S38 (Verse 34), C11-S39 (Verse 34).

The Chapter theme is: How to understand symbols.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

The most used words in this chapter (with counts in parenthesis) are: MAN (17), WOMAN (16), YOU (15), this (13), YE (13), AS (9), HEAD (9).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides an outline for this chapter of:

1-3. Spiritual gifts,
4-6. are diverse,
7. yet all to profit withal.
8-11. and to that end are diversely bestowed;
12-21. that by the like proportion, as the members of a natural body tend all to the mutual decency,
22-25. service,
26. and succour of the same body;
27-31. so we should do for one another, to make up the mystical body of Christ.

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C11-S1 (Verse 1) this sentence is part of the summary of the prior chapter.

Be ye followers of me,
even as I also am of Christ..

Please also see the Message called Follow Me As I Follow Christ for the application of these verses in the life of the believer.

When we look at the subjects of chapter 10 and of chapter 11, along with the fact that Paul changes subjects in 11:2 (by starting with Now), it should be obvious that this verse was put into the wrong chapter. While the Bible teaches us that the words and punctuation of the Bible are from God and preserved by God, there is no indication that the division by verses is from God. In fact, the evidence shows that the verse format was added by man after God closed His Word. The use of verses has led to a lot of doctrinal error while people ignore the punctuation that God provided and preserved within His Word.

This verse is actually the final conclusion of chapter 10 and 11:2 starts with Now, which is used to start a new subject. Chapter 10 gives us the historical basis of our relationship with God through His roles as Lord and as Christ. It tells us how to do our religious duties based upon the relationships God established long ago and has not changed. Chapter 11 tells us how to deal with other men in this present life based upon established relationships. It also tells us more about how the relationships between people (man and woman, etc) are a picture of our relationship with God. Therefore, when we neglect to consider the spiritual significance of these pictures, such as the Lord's Supper, we can be judged for doing spiritual wrong. Christ is the role that the Son of God uses to teach us these things. All of chapter 10 was about how to follow Christ, which this sentence is telling us how to do that.

Please see the note for 4:16 for every verse in 1Corinthians which uses any form of the word follow along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and additional info.

The word even means 'having the same weight'. When two sides of a balancing scale are even, both sides of the scale have the same weight.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Be ye. 1Co 4:16; 10:33; Php 3:17; 1Th 1:6; 2Th 3:9; Heb 6:12 even. Ro 15:2-3; Eph 5:1-2; Php 2:4-5 General references. exp: Jg 7:17; Ro 15:2; 1Co 4:16; Php 2:5'.

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C11-S2 (Verse 2) Introduction of a new subject within this chapter.

Now I praise you,
brethren,
that ye remember me in all things,
and keep the ordinances,
as I delivered them to you..

This sentence starts with Now and changes subjects while making the new subject to be based upon what was said earlier. As has been already said, the new subject in this chapter is the proper understanding of symbolism. The prior chapter was talking about our actually following Christ and the consequences of being a disobedient child of God. Therefore, as also noted, the prior sentence actually belongs in the prior chapter and this sentence is the true start of the subject of this chapter.

One thing that we see in scripture and in real life is that lost people and spiritually immature people want to know about the meat of the Word before they can handle the milk of the Word. That was the primary problem with these people in Corinth. We see the same thing today with people flocking to religious men who promise to explain prophecy ('future events'), and make them an expert of symbolism and parables and other advanced figures of speech while they ignore the basics of grammar such as sentence structure and punctuation and God's definitions of His words. Just look at how many people insist that Revelation is plural and not singular. Look at how many people insist that it is about 'future events' in spite of the fact that the book literally opens with The Revelation of Jesus Christ and the fact that Revelation 10:4 says, and when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. Here we have 'future events' which God told John to not reveal. Therefore, Revelation is not about 'future events' but those 'future events' are revealed only when they show that Jesus Christ is Lord (Revelation 22:21).

The bottom line here is that people will not properly understand the subject of this chapter until they do the prior chapter and Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ..

In our sentence, the first thing that Paul does is praise them for what they are doing right. This is the proper way to approach someone that you are about to correct. We see in our sentence that Paul tells them that they each personally (ye) remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But we see in this sentence that Paul didn't just give them a bunch of rules from God, but Paul also explained how they were to obey those rules (keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you). In addition, Paul says ye remember me in all things because he lived the rules that he told them to keep and he lived them the way that he told them to obey. Please see the sentences and notes for 2:1-5 where Paul explains how he lived the things which he taught. Thus, what we see here is a Godly leader showing us how to lead God's people in a Godly way. Here we see that we are to praise God's people for what they do right before we correct their errors.

We find forms of the word praise occurring 314 times in 269 verses of the Bible, 35 times in 33 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 4:5; our current sentence; 11:17 and 11:22. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines praise as: 'n. s as z. L. pretium. 1. Commendation bestowed on a person for his personal virtues or worthy actions, on meritorious actions themselves, or on anything valuable; approbation expressed in words or song. Praise may be expressed by an individual, and in this circumstance differs from fame, renown, and celebrity, which are the expression of the approbation of numbers, or public commendation. When praise is applied to the expression of public approbation, it may be synonymous with renown, or nearly so. A man may deserve the praise of an individual, or of a nation. There are men who always confound the praise of goodness with the practice. 2. the expression of gratitude for personal favors conferred; a glorifying or extolling. He hath put a new song into my mouth, even praise to our God. Ps.40. 3. the object, ground or reason of praise. He is thy praise, and he is thy God. Deut.10.
PRAISE, v.t. L. tollo, extollo; pretium. 1. to commend; to applaud; to express approbation of personal worth or actions. We praise not Hector, though his name we know Is great in arms; 'tis hard to praise a foe. 2. to extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works. Praise him, all his angels, praise ye him, all his hosts. Ps.148. 3. to express gratitude for personal favors. Ps.138. 4. to do honor to; to display the excellence of. All thy works shall praise thee, of Lord. Ps.145'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for praise as: 'To God: Enjoined: In Song: Ps 9:11. With Musical Instruments: Ps 33:2. Universal: Ps 67:3; Isa 42:12. Perpetual: Heb 13:15. Four-fold Reason for: 1Pe 2:9. Examples of: 2Ch 5:13; 20:22; 31:2; Ps 35:28; 51:15; 119:164; Isa 12:1; 61:3; Lu 2:20; 19:37; 24:53; Ac 2:47; 16:25. Heavenly: See New; Song. Ps 148:2; Lu 2:13-14; Re 4:8; 5:11-12; 7:11-12; 11:17; 14:3; 19:5. Nature's: Ps 65:13; 69:34; 98:8; 148:3; Isa 44:23; 49:13; 55:12. Revelation.: See Nature's; Revelation. Unceasing: Ps 35:28; 71:6,14; 104:33; 145:1; Re 4:8; 5:13. Sacrifices of: Ps 107:22; 116:17; Jer 17:26; 33:11; Jon 2:9; Heb 13:15'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for praise as: 'Song of Moses, after the passage through the Red Sea: Ex 15:1-19. Of Miriam: Ex 15:21. Of Deborah, after defeating the Canaanites: Jg 5. Of Hannah: 1Sa 2:1-10. Of David : Celebrating his deliverance from the hand of Saul: 2Sa 22. On bringing the ark of the covenant to Zion: 1Ch 16:8-36. At the close of his reign: 1Ch 29:10-19. The chorus when Solomon brought the ark of the covenant into the temple: 2Ch 5:13. Psalms of, for God's goodness to Israel: Ps 46; 48; 65; 66; 68; 76; 81; 85; 98; 105; 124; 126; 129; 135; 136. See the Scriptures below forGod's goodness to righteous men: Ps 23; 34; 36; 91; 100; 103; 107; 117; 121. See printed scriptures below forGod's goodness to individuals: Ps 9; 18; 22; 30; 40; 75; 103; 108; 116; 118; 138; 144. ForGod's attributes: Ps 8; 19; 22; 24; 29; 33; 47; 50; 65; 66; 76; 77; 92; 93; 95; 96; 97; 98; 99; 104; 111; 113; 114; 115; 134; 139; 147; 148; 150. UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO: Ge 14:20; Ex 15:1-2; De 10:21; Jg 5:3; 2Sa 22:4; 1Ch 16:31,33-34,36; 23:30; 2Ch 7:3; Ne 9:5-6; Job 36:24; Ps 7:17; 8:2; 9:11; 18:3; 21:13; 22:22-23,25; 24:7-10; 26:12; 28:6-7; 30:4; 32:11; 33:1-3; 34:1-3; 35:18,28; 41:13; 42:4; 43:3-4; 47:1,6-7; 48:1; 50:23; 51:15; 52:9; 56:10,12; 57:7-9; 61:8; 63:3-6; 65:1; 66:1-2,4,8; 67:3-4; 68:4,26,32-34; 69:30,34; 70:4; 71:8,14-15,22; 75:1; 79:13; 81:1; 84:4; 86:12; 89:5,52; 92:1-3; 95:1-2,6-7; 96:1-4,7-9; 97:12; 98:4-6; 99:3,5,9; 100; 101:1; 103:20-22; 104:33-34; 105:1-5; 106:1,48; 107:8-9,15,21,31-32; 108:1-3; 109:30; 111:1,10; 113:1-2; 115:18; 116:12-14,17-19; 117; 118:15,28-29; 119:7,62,108,164,171-172,175; 134:1-2; 135:1-3,19,21; 136; 138:1-2; 140:13; 144:1-2,9; 145; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150; Isa 12; 24:14-16; 25:1; 35:10; 38:18-19; 42:10-12; 43:21; 49:13; 51:3; 52:7-10; 61:3; Jer 31:7; 33:11; Da 2:20,23; 4:37; Jon 2:9; Mt 26:30; Mr 14:26; Lu 1:46-55,67-75; 2:20; 17:15-16; 19:37-38; 24:52-53; Ac 2:46-47; 4:24; 16:25; Ro 11:36; 16:27; 1Co 14:15; 15:57; Eph 1:3; 3:20-21; 5:19; Php 4:20; 1Ti 1:17; Heb 2:12; 13:15; Jas 5:13; 1Pe 1:3; 2:9; 4:11; 5:11; 2Pe 3:18; Jude 1:25; Re 1:6; 14:7. IN HEAVEN: Ne 9:6; Job 38:7; Ps 103:20-21; 148:2,4; Isa 6:3; Eze 3:12; Lu 2:13-14; 15:7,10; Re 1:6; 4:8-11; 5:914; 7:912; 11:16-17; 14:2-3; 15:3-4; 19:1-7'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for praise as: 'God is worthy of: 2Sa 22:4. Christ is worthy of: Re 5:12. God is glorified by: Ps 22:23; 50:23. offered to Christ: Joh 12:13. Acceptable through Christ: Heb 13:15. IS DUE to GOD ON ACCOUNT OF: His majesty: Ps 96:1,6. His glory: Ps 138:5; Eze 3:12. His excellency: Ex 15:7; Ps 148:13. His greatness: 1Ch 16:25; Ps 145:3. His holiness: Ex 15:11; Isa 6:3. His wisdom: Da 2:20; Jude 1:25. His power: Ps 21:13. His goodness: Ps 107:8; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:11. His mercy: 2Ch 20:21; Ps 89:1; 118:1-4; 136. His loving-kindness and truth: Ps 138:2. His faithfulness and truth: Isa 25:1. His salvation: Ps 18:46; Isa 35:10; 61:10; Lu 1:68-69. His wonderful works: Ps 89:5; 150:2; Isa 25:1. His consolation: Ps 42:5; Isa 12:1. His judgment: Ps 101:1. His counsel: Ps 16:7; Jer 32:19. Fulfilling of His promises: 1Ki 8:56. Pardon of sin: Ps 103:1-3; Ho 14:2. Spiritual health: Ps 103:3. Constant preservation: Ps 71:6-8. Deliverance: Ps 40:1-3; 124:6. Protection: Ps 28:7; 59:17. Answering prayer: Ps 28:6; 118:21. The hope of glory: 1Pe 1:3-4. All spiritual blessings: Ps 103:2; Eph 1:3. All temporal blessings: Ps 104:1; 136:25. The continuance of blessings: Ps 68:19. IS OBLIGATORY UPON: Angels: Ps 103:20; 148:2. Saints: Ps 30:4; 149:5. Gentiles: Ps 117:1; Ro 15:11. Children: Ps 8:2; Mt 21:16. High and low: Ps 148:1,11. Young and old: Ps 148:1,12. Small and great: Re 19:5. All men: Ps 107:8; 145:21. All creation: Ps 148:1-10; 150:6. Is good and comely: Ps 33:1; 147:1. SHOULD BE OFFERED: With the understanding: Ps 47:7; 1Co 14:15. With the soul: Ps 103:1; 104:1,35. With the whole heart: Ps 9:1; 111:1; 138:1. With uprightness of heart: Ps 119:7. With the lips: Ps 63:3; 119:171. With the mouth: Ps 51:15; 63:5. With joy: Ps 63:5; 98:4. With gladness: 2Ch 29:30; Jer 33:11. With thankfulness: 1Ch 16:4; Ne 12:24; Ps 147:7. Continually: Ps 35:28; 71:6. During life: Ps 104:33. More and more: Ps 71:14. Day and night: Re 4:8. Day by day: 2Ch 30:21. Forever and ever: Ps 145:1-2. Throughout the world: Ps 113:3. In psalms and hymns, etc: Ps 105:2; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16. Accompanied with musical instruments: 1Ch 16:41-42. Is a part of public worship: Ps 9:14; 100:4; 118:1920. SAINTS SHOULD: Show forth: Isa 43:21; 1Pe 2:9. Be endued with the spirit of: Isa 61:3. Render, under affliction: Ac 16:25. Glory in: 1Ch 16:35. Triumph in: Ps 106:47. Express their joy by: Jas 5:13. Declare: Isa 42:12. Invite others to: Ps 34:3; 95:1. Pray for ability to offer: Ps 51:15; 119:175. Posture suited to: 1Ch 23:30; Ne 9:5. CALLED thE: Fruit of the lips: Heb 13:15. Voice of praise: Ps 66:8. Voice of triumph: Ps 47:1. Voice of melody: Isa 51:3. Voice of a psalm: Ps 98:5. Garment of praise: Isa 61:3. Sacrifice of praise: Heb 13:15. Sacrifices of joy: Ps 27:6. Calves of the lips: Ho 14:2. The Heavenly host engage in: Isa 6:3; Lu 2:13; Re 4:911; 5:12. Exemplified: Melchizedek, Ge 14:20. Moses, etc. Ex 15:1-21. Jethro, Ex 18:10. Israelites, 1Ch 16:36. David, 1Ch 29:10-13; Ps 119:164. Priests and Levites, Ezr 3:10-11. Ezra, Ne 8:6. Hezekiah, Isa 38:19. Zacharias, Lu 1:64. Shepherds, Lu 2:20. Simeon, Lu 2:28. Anna, Lu 2:38. Multitudes, Lu 18:43. Disciples, Lu 19:37-38. The Apostles, Lu 24:53. First Converts, Ac 2:47. Lame man, Ac 3:8. Paul and Silas, Ac 16:25'.

Please note that while most praise is to be directed towards God, it is also proper to praise men when they act like God. In addition, this sentence and chapter are a major turning point within this epistle. If you look at the outline of Test of Spiritual Maturity, you will see that Paul s done dealing with sins that they need to remove from their life and is now telling us things that God wants us to add into our life. Specifically, we see here the traits of a Godly leader in that he praises God's people when they do right so that they are encouraged to continue to do right and to increase the Godly things that they do.

Please note that the second phrase in our current sentence is brethren. (Please see the note for 2:1 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brethren or brother or sister is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see the note for 6:6 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brother is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.) this is written to saved people who were regularly attending church.

Please see the note for 11:23-24 for links to every place in this epistle where any form of the word remember is used, along with a definition from the dictionary and links from commentators. The functional definition is: 'To have in the mind an idea which had been in the mind before, and which recurs to the mind without effort'.

Please see the note for Romans 13:2 for links to every place in the New Testament where the word ordinance is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . The short definition is: 'A rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action. An ordinance may be a law or statute of sovereign power'.

Please see the note for 11:23-24 for links to where this epistle uses just the word deliver along with a definition. The functional definition is: 'Freed; released; transferred or transmitted; passed from one to another; committed; yielded; surrendered; rescued; uttered; pronounced'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I praise. 1Co 11:17,22; Pr 31:28-31 that. 1Co 4:17; 15:2 keep. 1Co 7:17; Lu 1:6; 1Th 4:1-2; 2Th 2:15; 3:6'.

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C11-S3 (Verse 3) God's structural order which is what they misunderstood.

First Step: Who the man reports to.

But I would have you know,
that the head of every man is Christ;.

Second Step: Who the woman reports to.

and the head of the woman is the man;.

Third Step: Who Christ reports to.

and the head of Christ is God..

In the prior sentence Paul said what he praised them for. Now, this sentence starts with But. That means both sentences have the same subject while going in different directions. After the But, Paul says I would have you know. They were keeping the ordinances, as I (Paul) delivered them to you, but they did not understand the spiritual concepts which were behind the ordinances and did not understand the consequences of obeying or disobeying them. in this chapter Paul is going to explain the abstract spiritual significances of these ordinances.

In addition, the prior sentence is talking about ordinances 'law'). Following our current sentence is an explanation of God's authority structure that deals with things which are not written in God's law, but which must be obeyed. These are items in which the circumstances can change how we deal with them. That is why God the Father is leading us through God the Son in His role as Christ. Christ gives us personal directions when there can not be a fixed law telling us how to act.

in this sentence, Paul is telling us that God the Father has set up an authority structure and that God works through this structure and does not circumvent His own structure. God will not lead a woman to go against her husband in areas not covered by law (written Word or Bible). God is not going to lead a man to go in opposition to the Bible or the character of God the Son, which are used by Christ to lead men. God the Father is not going to lead Christ to go against God the Father. So, some man that's claiming that Christ led him in opposition to the revealed word of God or the revealed character of God is wrong.

In our sentence Paul says I would have you know. Basically, this sentence is talking about more than 'head knowledge' and is talking about a 'personal intimate knowledge that comes from personal experience'. We are to know our place in God's authority structure so intimately that we react to it without even thinking about it. So, for example, if Christ commands something then we obey without question and without even thinking about anything other than obedience.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S4 about the word head. The functional definition is: 'A chief; a principal person; a leader; a commander; one who has the first rank or place, and to whom others are subordinate; as the head of an army; the head of a sect or party'. We find forms of this word, in 1Corinthians, in: 11:3; 11:4; 11:5; 11:7; 11:10 and 12:21. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 11:3-LJC about Christ: the head of.

Please use This link to see other, less important, 'Minor Titles of the Son of God' found within the Bible along with links to where the Bible uses those titles. The title in this sentence is head.

Please see the note for 7:1 about the word woman. The functional definition is: 'the true thought of woman is that she is the glory of the man, his true helpmeet. this is fulfilled in the relationship of the church to Christ'. Please also see the note for Romans C9S19 about the phrase What is man.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the head of every. Eph 1:22-23; 4:15; 5:23; Php 2:10-11; Col 1:18; 2:10,19 and the head of the. Ge 3:16; Eph 5:22,24; Col 3:18; 1Ti 2:11-12; 1Pe 3:1,5-6 and the head of Christ. 1Co 3:23; 15:27-28; Isa 49:3-6; 52:13; 55:4; 61:1-4; Mt 28:18; Joh 3:34-36; 5:20-30; 14:28; 17:2-5; Eph 1:20-22; Php 2:7-11 General references. exp: 1Ti 2:11'.

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C11-S4 (Verse 4) How a man misrepresents his position in God's structural order.

Every man praying or prophesying,
having his head covered,
dishonoureth his head..

Now we are getting into commandments which cause lots of arguments. Some people say that we must obey this sentence and the next several in a literal fashion. Others claim that these verses are to be understood within the 'cultural context' and are not to be followed today because we have a different culture. Both arguments have some justification for their answer and both arguments can lead to doctrinal error because both arguments ignore the main point of view that our context gives us. That is, Paul is talking about things which symbolically represent God's structure of order that is seen spiritually. Both of these arguments ignore the symbolism to some extent and both take a physical point of view instead of the spiritual point of view.

This chapter is teaching the importance of symbols in our relationship with God. We have basically two set of symbols and I don't know of anyone who claims to be a true believer of the Bible who also denies the importance of the symbols in the Lord's supper. Since that is the second set of symbols dealt with in this chapter, people should see that it is just as important to recognize the symbolic significance of the first set of symbols.

However. it must also be recognized that the section on the first set of symbols ends with But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. (C11-S16). That is, Paul allows for different cultures having different symbols and for some cultures not recognizing the symbols found here. Therefore, while it is important to maintain symbolic representation of God's structure, it is possible for the exact symbol to be different from one culture to another culture.

That is the problem with both sides of the argument mentioned at the start of this note. One side argues for holding to the symbol without recognizing the spiritual significance and without recognizing the cultural differences. At the very least, I have never heard of anyone explaining the spiritual and symbolic significance of this command when they demand that people obey it. The other side recognizes the cultural differences but also does not recognize the spiritual significance of the symbol and also does not recognize the need for symbols within all cultures.

The real solution is to recognize the need for symbols, recognize the spiritual significance of honoring God's authority structure, and then use a culturally significant symbol to constantly recognize our place within God's authority structure when we pray. This is especially true for public prayer and even more important for prayer and preaching in a worship service. That is the true message of the sentences within this section of chapter 11.

In addition, to what has already been said, it must be recognized that C11-S10 says, For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. When we talk about women and angels in the same verse within the Bible, people want to run off to another argument that has nothing to do with our current context. So please stay within our context which is talking about God's authority structure and the place of different beings within it.

Angels are not directly named within the structure under discussion. Nevertheless, they are significant and our context tells us that they need to be considered. In particular, when a woman (or man) acts outside of God's authority structure, they have removed themselves from God's plan of protection and allowed the possibility of being affected by angels in a way that God did not intend. The Bible does not clarify that danger for us, and anyone who claims to know what it is probably is adding to God's Word. Again, without going into all of that error, we need to recognize that the context of our section of chapter 11 is telling us that there is a protection within God's authority structure which is not there if we put ourselves outside of God's authority structure. Therefore, the most important message here is to have God's people remain within the protection that is provided by God. That protection is within God's authority structure.

We see God use symbols to help us to remember things which are significant and important for us to constantly keep in mind for our own protection. Just look at C11-S33 which says For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. If our ignoring the spiritual significance of these symbols can cause us to receive damnation, even though we are saved, then they are very important and we need to pay attention to them. Therefore, the most important message of this chapter is that these spiritual symbols are very important to God and, as a result, they must also be very important to us.

With that in mind, we see that what is important is the spiritual significance and not the exact symbol because the significant symbol can be different from one culture to another. Further, what is important is that we maintain a symbol which shows our place within God's authority structure and which is recognized within our culture to represent a universal authority structure. Further, it is important that we use this symbol on a regular basis to remind ourselves to remain within our place within God's authority structure in order to keep our protection.

If a culture does not recognize head covering as a representation of place within an authority structure, then take the abstract spiritual significance of what Paul explains here and apply them to the culturally accepted symbols of authority structure. All cultures have these symbols, we just need to properly identify them and use them. We also need to teach church members to use them to symbolically show their submitting to God's authority structure and to use them on a regular basis so that they maintain God's plan of protection.

With that discussion of the spiritual significance of symbols said, we can now move onto the details of our current sentence and apply what is said here to the spiritual symbolic significance of this sentence.

Our sentence starts out with the phrase of Every man praying or prophesying. When we pray we are supposed to be doing the role of a priest and represent men to God. When we prophesy we are supposed to be expounding God's Word to men. In both cases we are acting within a position that God created within His authority structure. God also specified requirements for these positions and many saved people do not meet God's requirements and God's requirements are different from what most religions claim. I am not going to go into those requirements, but I will only say that the requirements are there, that they are related to God's authority structure, and that when men use God's symbols for that authority structure they are recognizing that structure and symbolically submitting to it. When men refuse to use the symbols, they are showing that they refuse submit to God's authority structure, or that they are ignorant of it. Either way, they are daring God to bring judgment upon themselves and all of their followers.

Please notice the last phrase of our sentence which says dishonoureth his head. Since our prior sentence told us the head of every man is Christ, this sentence is telling us that when we ignore this significant spiritual symbol, we dishonoureth Christ as our head.

Our middle phrase (having his head covered) tells us how we dishonoureth Christ as our head. Our relationship to men is horizontal while our relationship to God is vertical with God above us. When we have our head covered, we are symbolically hiding our face from Christ and God. Yes, Christ and God can still see our heart but when we symbolically hide our face, we dishonoureth Christ as our head.

In C11-S7 we are told a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God. Since our relationship to God is vertical, the man is to let God see God's glory in his face and in his life while he is trying to represent other men in prayer and while he is trying to represent God while he prophesies.

Please see the note for C11:15 about the word cover. The functional definition is: 'an item which conceals another item with a barrier that can not be penetrated'.

Please see the notes for Romans C15S25 and and the Doctrinal Study on Prayer about the word pray. The functional definition is: 'In worship, a solemn address to the Supreme Being, consisting of adoration, or an expression of our sense of God's glorious perfections, confession of our sins, supplication for mercy and forgiveness, intercession for blessings on others, and thanksgiving, or an expression of gratitude to God for his mercies and benefits'.

Please see the note for Romans C12-S5 about prophecy. Please see the notes for Romans C12-S5; Romans C16-S32 and the Book Study on Jude about prophets. Please also see the section on false prophets in the Word Study on False things.

We find forms of the word prophesy occurring 668 times in 574 verses of the Bible, 212 times in 202 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: our current sentence and the next; 12:10; 12:28; 12:29; 13:2; 13:8; 13:9; 14:1; 14:3; 14:4; 14:5; 14:6; 14:22; 14:24; 14:29; 14:31; 14:32; 14:37 and 14:39. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines prophesy as: ', n. Gr. to foretell, before and to tell. this ought to be written prophesy. 1. the world claims that this word means a foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. True Biblical prophecy is telling the Law of God when religious doctrine took people away from the truth. Before the word of God was complete, true prophecy was accompanied by a true telling of a future event to show thayt the message came from God. Since the word of God has been complete, true prophecy matches the word of God to correct doctrinal error. the prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction. 2 Pet.1. 2. In Scripture, a book of prophecies; a history; as the prophecy of Ahijah. 2 Chron. 9. 3. Preaching; public interpretation of Scripture; exhortation or instruction. Prov.31'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for prophesy as: '(examples of): Nu 11:25; 1Ki 11:31; 14:12; 14:17; 15:29; 16:12,34; 20:22; 20:26; 22:38; 2Ki 1:17; 3:17; 3:20; 7:17; 19:37; 24:13; 2Ch 20:37; Ezr 5:1; Jer 26:18; 28:8; Eze 37:7; Lu 1:67; Jude 1:14. Fulfillment of By Christ: Mt 1:22; 2:15,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:35; Lu 21:22; 24:44; Joh 12:38; 15:25; 17:12; 19:24; Ac 3:18; 13:29. General References to Inspiration of Prophets and Teachers: 2Ki 3:11-12; 17:13; Ne 9:30; Job 32:8; Heb 1:1; 1Pe 1:11; 2Pe 1:20-21; 3:2. Absolutely Trustworthy: 1Ki 8:56; Ps 93:5; 111:7; Eze 12:25; Da 9:12; Mt 5:18; Lu 21:33; Ro 4:16. Prophet, Christ as: De 18:18; Mt 21:11,46; Mr 6:15; Lu 7:16; 13:33; 24:19; Joh 4:19; 6:14; 7:40; 9:17; Ac 3:22. Prophetesses: Miriam: Ex 15:20. Deborah: Jg 4:4. Huldah: 2Ki 22:14. Noadiah: Ne 6:14. Anna: Lu 2:36. Daughters of Philip: Ac 21:9. Prophetic Visions: Isa 1:1; 21:2; Eze 11:24; 12:27; 37:2; 47:1; Da 8:1; Am 1:1; Ob 1:1; Na 1:1. Prophet's Commands: 1Sa 1:17; 1Ki 17:13; 2Ki 3:16; 4:3,7; 5:10. Prophet's Voice: Mt 13:35; 21:4; Lu 1:70; Ac 3:21; Jas 5:10; 2Pe 3:2. Prophets: General References to: Nu 12:6; 1Sa 10:11; 1Ki 18:4; 2Ch 20:20; 36:16; Ps 74:9; 105:15; Am 3:7; Mt 13:57; 23:37. Names of Persons spoken of as: Aaron: Ex 7:1. Abraham: Ge 20:7. Agabus: Ac 21:10. Ahijah: 1Ki 11:29. Am 1-9; 9:1: Balaam: Nu 22:5. Daniel: Mt 24:15. David: Mt 13:35. Eldad: Nu 11:26. Elijah: 1Ki 18:36. Elisha: 1Ki 19:16. Ezekiel: Eze 1:3. Gad: 1Sa 22:5. Hab 1-3; 3:1: Hag 1-2; Ezr 5:1: Hananiah: Jer 28:17. Ho 1-14; 14:1: Iddo: 2Ch 13:22. Isaiah: 2Ki 19:2. Jehu: 1Ki 16:7. Jeremiah: Jer 1:5. Joe 1-3; 3:1: John the Baptist: Lu 7:28. Joshua: 1Ki 16:34. Jon 1-4; 2Ki 14:25: Mal 1-4; 4:1: Medad: Nu 11:26. Mic 1-7; Jer 26:18: Micaiah: 1Ki 22:8. Moses: De 34:10. Na 1-3; 3:1: Nathan: 2Sa 7:2. Ob 1:1-21,1: Obed: 2Ch 28:9. Samuel: 1Sa 3:20. Shemaiah: 2Ch 12:5. Zacharias: Lu 1:67. Zechariah: Zec 1:1. Zep 1-3; 3:1.
FALSE PROPHETS, general references to: De 13:5; 18:22; Isa 9:15; Jer 2:8; 5:31; 14:14; 23:16; Eze 13:2; 22:28; Ho 9:7; Mic 3:5; Zep 3:4; Zec 13:3; Mt 7:15; 24:11; Mr 13:22. Incognito: Jg 6:8; 1Sa 2:27; 1Ki 13:11; 20:35. Prophets in the Christian Church: Ac 11:27; 13:1; 1Co 12:28; 14:29; Eph 4:11. Called Seers: 1Sa 9:9; 2Sa 15:27; 24:11; 1Ch 25:5; 29:29; 2Ch 16:7; 19:2; 35:15. Inspiration of: General References to Inspiration of Prophets and Teachers: 2Ki 3:11-12; 17:13; Ne 9:30; Job 32:8; Heb 1:1; 1Pe 1:11; 2Pe 1:20-21; 3:2. Promises of Special: Ex 4:12; Isa 50:4; 51:16; Jer 5:14,14; Mt 10:19; Lu 21:15; 1Co 2:13. Examples of: the Seventy Elders: Nu 11:25. Balaam: Nu 23:5,12. David: 2Sa 23:2. Micaiah: 1Ki 22:14; 2Ch 20:14. Zechariah: 2Ch 24:20. Jeremiah: Jer 1:910; 20:9. Ezekiel: Eze 3:17; 11:5; Mic 3:8; Ac 11:28; 21:11. Schools of: 2Ki 2:5; 4:38; 6:1; 2Ch 17:9; Da 1:4. Sent by God as Divine Messengers: Nu 16:28; Isa 48:16; Jer 25:4; Zec 2:8; 4:9; Mt 22:3; Lu 1:19; Joh 1:6'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for prophesy as: 'Inspired: Isa 28:22; Lu 1:70; 2Ti 3:16; 2Pe 1:21. "The word of the Lord came to," etc., to: Elijah: 1Ki 17:8; 21:17,28. Isaiah: Isa 2:1; 8:5; 13:1; 14:28; 38:4. Jeremiah: Jer 1:4; 7:1; 11:1; 13:8; 16:1; 18:1; 25:1-2; 26:1; 27:1; 29:30; 30:1,4; 32:1,6,26; 33:1,19,23; 34:12; 35:12; 36:1; 37:6; 40:1; 43:8; 44:1; 46:1; 49:34; 50:1. Ezekiel: Eze 3:16; 6:1; 7:1; 11:14; 12:1,8,17,21; 13:1; 14:12; 15:1; 16:1; 17:1,11; 18:1; 20:45; 21:1,8,18; 22:1,17,23; 23:1; 24:1,15,20; 25:1; 26:1; 27:1; 28:1,11,20; 29:1,17; 30:1,20; 31:1; 32:1,17; 33:1,23; 34:1; 35:1; 36:16; 37:15; 38:1. Amos: Am 7:14-15. Jonah: Jon 3:1. Haggai: Hag 2:1,10,20. Zechariah: Zec 1:7; 4:8; 6:9; 7:1,4,8; 8:1,18. Publicly proclaimed: Jer 11:6. Exemplified in pantomime: Eze 4; 5:1-4; Ac 21:11. Written by an amanuensis (copyist, transcriber): Jer 45:1. Written in books: Jer 45:1; 51:60. Proof of God's foreknowledge: Isa 43:9. Sure fulfillment of: Eze 12:22-25,28; Hab 2:3; Mt 5:18; 24:35; Ac 13:27,29. Cessation of: La 2:9. Of apostasy: 1Jo 2:18; Jude 1:17-18. False teachers: 2Pe 2; 3. Tribulations of the righteous: Re 2:10. CONCERNING thE MESSIAH, AND thE FULFILLMENT OLD TESTAMENT MESSIANIC PASSAGES QUOTED IN thE NEW TESTAMENT: Ge 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; Ac 3:25; Ga 3:8Ge 17:7,19; 22:16-17; Lu 1:55,72-74 De 18:15,18; Ac 3:22-23 Ps 2:1-2; Ac 4:25-26 Ps 2:7; Ac 13:33; Heb 1:5; 5:5 Ps 8:2; Mt 21:16 Ps 8:4-6; Heb 2:6-8Ps 16:8-11; Ac 2:25-28,31 Ps 16:10; Ac 13:35 Ps 22:1; Mt 27:46; Mr 15:34 Ps 22:18; Mt 27:35; Mr 15:24; Lu 23:34; Joh 19:24 Ps 22:22; Heb 2:12 Ps 31:5; Lu 23:46 Ps 41:9; Joh 13:18; Ac 1:16 Ps 45:6-7; Heb 1:8-9 Ps 68:18; Eph 4:8-10 Ps 69:21; Mt 27:48; Mr 15:36; Lu 23:36; Joh 19:28-29 Ps 69:25; 109:8; Ac 1:20 Ps 95:7-11; Heb 3:7-11; 4:3,5-7 Ps 102:25-27; Heb 1:10-12 Ps 110:1; Mt 22:44; Mr 12:36; Lu 20:42; Ac 2:34-35; Heb 1:13 Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6 Ps 118:22-23; Mt 21:42; Mr 12:10-11; Lu 20:17; Ac 4:11 Ps 118:25-26; Mt 21:9; Mr 11:9; Joh 12:13 Ps 132:11,17; Lu 1:69; Ac 2:30 Isa 7:14; Mt 1:23 Isa 9:1-2; Mt 4:15-16 Isa 9:7; Da 7:14,27; Lu 1:32-33 Isa 11:10; Ro 15:12 Isa 25:8; 1Co 15:54 Isa 28:16; Ro 9:33; 1Pe 2:6 Isa 40:3-5; Mt 3:3; Mr 1:3; Lu 3:4-6 Isa 42:1-4; Mt 12:17-21 Isa 49:6; Lu 2:32; Ac 13:47-48; 26:23 Isa 53:1; Joh 12:38; Ro 10:16 Isa 53:3-6; Ac 26:22-23 Isa 53:4-6,11; 1Pe 2:24-25 Isa 53:4; Mt 8:17 Isa 53:9; 1Pe 2:22 Isa 53:12; Mr 15:28; Lu 22:37 Isa 54:13; Joh 6:45 Isa 55:3; Ac 13:34 Isa 59:20-21; Ro 11:26-27 Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:8-12; 10:16-17 Ho 1:10; Ro 9:26 Ho 2:23; Ro 9:25; 1Pe 2:10 Joe 2:28-32; Ac 2:16-21 Am 9:11-12; Ac 15:16-17 Mic 5:2; Mt 2:5-6; Joh 7:42 Hab 1:5; Ac 13:40-41 Hag 2:6; Heb 12:26 Zec 9:9; Mt 21:4-5; Joh 12:14-15 Zec 11:13; Mt 27:910 Zec 12:10; Joh 19:37 Zec 13:7; Mt 26:31,56; Mr 14:27,50 Mal 3:1; Mt 11:10; Mr 1:2; Lu 7:27 Mal 4:5-6; Mt 11:13-14; 17:10-13; Mr 9:11-13; Lu 1:16-17. MISCELLANEOUS, FULFILLED: the birth and zeal of Josiah: 1Ki 13:2; 2Ki 23:1-20. Death of the prophet of Judah: 1Ki 13:21-22,24-30. Extinction of Jeroboam's house: 1Ki 14:5-17. Extinction of Baasha's house: 1Ki 16:2-3,913. Concerning the rebuilding of Jericho: Jos 6:26; 1Ki 16:34. The drought, foretold by Elijah: 1Ki 17:14. Destruction of Ben-hadad's army: 1Ki 20:13-30. The death of a man who refused to strike a prophet: 1Ki 20:35-36. The death of Ahab: 1Ki 20:42; 21:18-24; 22:31-38. The death of Ahaziah: 2Ki 1:3-17. The transporting of Elijah to the Heavens: 2Ki 2:3-11. Cannibalism among the people of Israel: Le 26:29; De 28:53; 2Ki 6:28-29; Jer 19:9; La 4:10. The death of the Samaritan lord: 2Ki 7:2,1920. The end of the famine in Samaria: 2Ki 7:1-18. Jezebel's tragic death: 1Ki 21:23; 2Ki 9:10,33-37. The striking of Syria by Joash: 2Ki 13:16-25. Conquests of Jeroboam: 2Ki 14:25-28. Four generations of Jehu's descendants to sit upon the throne of Israel: 2Ki 10:30; 15:12. Destruction of Sennacherib's army, and his death: 2Ki 19:6-7,20-37. The captivity of the southern kingdom (Judah,): 2Ki 20:17-18; 24:10-16; 25:11-21. John the Baptist (as the forerunner of the Messiah): Mt 3:3. Rachel weeping for her children (the slaughter of the infants in Bethlehem predicted and fulfilled): Jer 31:15; Mt 2:17-18. The deliverance of Jeremiah predicted and fulfilled: Jer 39:15-18. The invasion of the southern kingdom (Judah) by the Chalde and predicted: Hab 1:6-11. The invasion of Judah by the Chalde and fulfilled: 2Ki 25; 2Ch 36:17-21. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot predicted: Ps 41:9. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas fulfilled: Joh 13:18; 18:1-9. Judas Iscariot's self-destruction predicted: Ps 69:25; Ac 1:16,20. Judas' self-destruction fulfilled: Mt 27:5; Ac 1:16-20. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit predicted: Joe 2:28-29. The outpouring of the Spirit fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (thirty A. D.): Ac 2:1,6-21. Spiritual blindness of the Jewish leaders predicted: Isa 6:9; 29:13. That blindness fulfilled: Mr 7:6-7; Ac 28:25-27. The mission of Jesus predicted: Ps 68:18. That purpose fulfilled: Eph 4:8,10. Captivity of the Jews predicted and fulfilled: Jer 25:11-12; 29:10,14; 32:3-5; Da 9:2; 2Ki 25:1-8; Ezr 1. The destruction of the ship (on which Paul and the others sailed) predicted and fulfilled: Ac 27:10,18-44'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for prophesy as: 'Is the foretelling of future events: Ge 49:1; Nu 24:14. God is the Author of: Isa 44:7; 45:21. God gives, through Christ: Re 1:1. A gift of Christ: Eph 4:11; Re 11:3. A gift of the Holy Ghost: 1Co 12:10. Came not by the will of man: 2Pe 1:21. Given from the beginning: Lu 1:70. Is a sure word: 2Pe 1:19. ThEY WHO UTTERED. Raised up by God: Am 2:11. Ordained by God: 1Sa 3:20; Jer 1:5. Sent by God: 2Ch 36:15; Jer 7:25. Sent by Christ: Mt 23:34. Filled with the Holy Ghost: Lu 1:67. Moved by the Holy Ghost: 2Pe 1:21. Spake by the Holy Ghost: Ac 1:16; 11:28; 28:25. Spake in the name of the Lord: 2Ch 33:18; Jas 5:10. Spake with authority: 1Ki 17:1. God accomplishes: Isa 44:26; Ac 3:18. Christ the great subject of: Ac 3:22-24; 10:43; 1Pe 1:10-11. Fulfilled respecting Christ: Lu 24:44. Gift of, promised: Joe 2:28; Ac 2:16-17. Is for the benefit of after ages: 1Pe 1:12. Is a light in dark place: 2Pe 1:19. Is not of private interpretation: 2Pe 1:20. Despise not: 1Th 5:20. Give heed to: 2Pe 1:19. Receive in faith: 2Ch 20:20; Lu 24:25. Blessedness of reading, hearing, and keeping: Re 1:3; 22:7. Guilt of pretending to the gift of: Jer 14:14; 23:13-14. Not giving ear to: Ne 9:30. Adding to, or taking from: Re 22:18-19. Pretending to the gift of: De 18:20; Jer 14:15; 23:15. Gift of, sometimes possessed by unconverted men: Nu 24:2-9; 1Sa 19:20,23. How tested: De 13:1-3; 18:22'.

Please see the note for 11:3 about the word head. The functional definition is: 'A chief; a principal person; a leader; a commander; one who has the first rank or place, and to whom others are subordinate; as the head of an army; the head of a sect or party'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 11:3-LJC about Christ: the head of.

Please see the note for 4:10 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word honour. The functional definition is: 'The esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation. Torevere; to respect; to treat with deference and submission, and perform relative duties to'. The word dishonour means to do the opposite of honour.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'or. 1Co 12:10,28; 14:1-25 having. 1Co 11:14; 2Sa 15:30; 19:4 General references. exp: 1Th 5:20'.

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C11-S5 (Verse 5) How a woman misrepresents her position in God's structural order.

Equivalent Section: the action done.

But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head:.

Equivalent Section: the symbolic significance.

for that is even all one as if she were shaven..

Please see the note for 11:4 for the spiritually significance of the symbols that are explained in verses 11:2-16. As explained there, the exact physical symbols may vary from one culture to another but all cultures have symbols for the structure of authority. It is important for God's people to use the culturally accepted symbols on a regular basis to show their personal submitting to God's authority structure. Without such actions, people will forget to remain within God's authority structure and will step outside of God's plan of protection. God's people doing this is one of the main reasons why God's people ask 'Why me?'

Please see the note for 4:10 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word honour. Please see the note above about prophecy. in this sentence we are continuing Paul's example which shows us how to use Biblical symbols. The prior sentence told us about the man and the symbols whish represented his place in God's authority structure. Here we are shown the symbols for a woman within God's authority structure.

In C11-S3 we were told that the head of the woman is the man. Thus, our current sentence tells us how a woman symbolically dishonoureth her head, which is the man that she is supposed to be in subjection to. Without going into all f the cultural arguments that man should be her husband or her father or, if she has neither, then her pastor.

In C11-S7 we are told the woman is the glory of the man. Since our relationship to other people is horizontal, the woman has her face open to other people and lets men see her glory. She is not to show her glory to God because she is symbolically going above the man that she is to be in submission to, and God will not bless rebellion, not even if it is only symbolic. In addition, C11-S10 says, the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Without getting into speculation and argument, that sentence tells us that angels will leave her alone so long as she stays within God's authority structure and the protection that it offers. The Bible does not clearly tell us the details of what danger she would be in, only that there is danger and that she needs to stay protected. Tothe best of my knowledge, any comment beyond this is speculation because while I have heard lots of speculation and lots of people claiming things that supposedly come from the Bible, the verses that they cite do not support any claim that I have ever heard. Forus to support such speculation is to invite the judgment of God. Therefore, do not add to what God's Word says and tell the curious that the Bible does not provide the details that they wish to gossip about.

Within our sentence we have two Equivalent Sections and we have discussed the first. In the Second Equivalent Section we are told for that is even all one as if she were shaven. The for means 'here's why' and the word even tells us that 'the two sides have equal weight', which means that if she were shaven she dishonoureth her head. This is explained in 11:15 which says if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. When the woman is shaven, she has literally been 'stripped of her glory'. In addition, in most cultures, before the problem with cancer, a woman advertised herself as a whore by shaving her head and, symbolically, showing that she had no more honor to lose by being a whore. These are the symbolic meanings that Paul is showing us in this sentence. As said before, there may be some differences in the meaning of symbols from one culture to another, but the important thing told to us in this sentence is that a woman needs to symbolically show that she is in her God given position within God's authority structure.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'or. Lu 2:36; Ac 2:17; 21:9 shaven. De 21:12 General references. exp: Jg 4:4'.

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C11-S6 (Verse 6) Why the prior action by a woman is wrong.

Equivalent Section: Prove a claim that a covering is not as symbol.

For if the woman be not covered,
let her also be shorn:.

Equivalent Section: Obey the symbol otherwise.

but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven,
let her be covered..

This sentence starts with For, but it is not readily obvious how this sentence is explaining the 'why' of the prior sentence. That is because Paul is answering the assumed question of 'Why should I submit to these symbols that I say are not relevant?'. It is easy to make claims until someone says 'Put up or Shut up!'

In our First Equivalent Section Paul is showing us why a woman having a covering on her head is symbolically significant in all cultures. As Paul literally says in C11-S15, her hair is given her for a covering. If she insists upon keeping her hair, then she proves that it is a glory to her and her hair is given her for a covering. In that case, she is to cover her hair in recognition of her culturally accepted symbol of her place in society. When she prayeth or prophesieth she is not to be showing her own glory and distracting from God's glory.

Only women who are willing to be shorn or shaven can claim that her hair has no symbolic significance in her society and that it does not give her glory. Only women in societies where the hair has no symbolic significance can claim that having a covering on her head has no symbolic significance in her society. Only women in societies where the hair has no symbolic significance can claim that they do not need to cover their personal glory so that they are not competing with God's glory.

The Second Equivalent Section of our sentence starts with a but, which means that it is giving us the polar opposite (colon followed by the word but) of the First Equivalent Section. There Paul dealt with women who were willing to prove that their hair gave them no glory and that their hair was not symbolically significant in her society. in this Equivalent Section we are plainly told how a woman is to act if she is not willing to do the proof required in the First Equivalent Section. We are told let her be covered and the word let is the action verb used by God in creation. In other words, this command has all of the power of creation behind it and refusal to obey is daring God to bring judgment upon the woman.

Please see the note for C11:15 about the word cover. The functional definition is: 'an item which conceals another item with a barrier that can not be penetrated'.

Please also see the note for 6:7 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word shame along with links to verses in this epistle that use this word and the definition from Webster's 1828 . The functional definition is: 'A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt, or of having done something which injures reputation; or by of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal. Shame is particularly excited by the disclosure of actions which, in the view of men, are mean and degrading. Hence it is often or always manifested by a downcast look or by blushes, called confusion of face'. Please see the note for Romans C5S2 which has a discussion if the Biblical use of shame along with links to several other verses. Basically, if God has to make us ashamed then it will probably be at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10 and 2Corinthians 5:10-11) and that shame will last for eternity. In particular, since our sentence says for some have not the knowledge of God, this ties directly to what is said in 2Corinthians 5:10-11. Please also see the notes for Romans C5S2; 1Corinthians C6S7; Philippians 1:19-20 about the word ashamed Please also see the note for Romans C10S12 which explains that 'faith makes us not ashamed'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'but. Nu 5:18; De 22:5'.

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C11-S7 (Verse 7) Further explanation of the symbols involved.

Equivalent Section: the symbolic reason why a man should act as told.

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head,
forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God :.

Equivalent Section: the symbolic reason why a woman should not act like a man.

but the woman is the glory of the man..

This sentence was explained pretty much in the note for 11:4. In our First Equivalent Section we are literally told a man...is the image and glory of God. We are to display the glory of God for God, angels and men to see. However, our Second Equivalent Section is the polar opposite of the First Equivalent Section because it has a colon followed by the word but. In our Second Equivalent Section we are literally told that the woman is the glory of the man. Therefore, she is to be covered so that the glory of the man does not compete with the glory of God while we are standing between God and man as we prayeth or prophesieth.

Please note that this is a second reason which is tied to these symbols. The first reason is to give proper honour and the second reason is to be sure that the glory of the man does not compete with the glory of God.

Never glory in men or the flesh.
Always glory in God and things that God does in and through men.
How much glory we each personally have for eternity is directly dependent upon how much glory we give the God while in this flesh.

please also see the notes for Romans C15S14; 1Corinthians C15S36; Ephesians C1S2; 2Corinthians 10:14-LJC and Colossians C1S6 about this word.

Please see the note for Luke 3:11 about the word indeed. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'adv. in and deed. In reality; in truth; in fact. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom.8. Indeed is usually emphatical, but in some cases more so than in others; as,This is true; it is indeed. I were a beast indeed to do you wrong. Some sons indeed; some very few we see, Who keep themselves from this infection free. There is indeed no greater pleasure in visiting these magazines of war-- It is used to note concession or admission; as, ships not so large indeed, but better manned. Indeed is used as an expression of surprise, or for the purpose of obtaining confirmation of a fact stated. Indeed! is it possible? is it so in fact?'.

Please see the note for C11:15 about the word cover. The functional definition is: 'an item which conceals another item with a barrier that can not be penetrated'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 4:3-4 about the word image. The functional definition is: 'A representation or similitude of any person or thing, formed of a material substance'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'he is. Ge 1:26-27; 5:1; 9:6; Ps 8:6; Jas 3:9 but. 1Co 11:3; Ge 3:16 General references. exp: 1Th 2:20'.

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C11-S8 (Verse 8) Why these symbols are different for a man and for a woman.

First Step: Man was created before woman.

For the man is not of the woman;.

Second Step: the woman was created to belong to the man.

but the woman of the man..

We have already seen two reasons why these symbol are significant in all societies. Now we are given a third reason. God's method of creation affects us all. The word of means 'belongs to'. First of all, women (in general) 'belong to' man because woman was created from the rib of a man and his rib 'belongs to' him. Secondly, women (in general) 'belong to' man because woman was created for the purpose of being man's help meet. Of course, we all have a sinful nature which includes lying to ourselves and to others. Therefore, it is part of the woman's sinful nature to deny these facts which come from the Bible even while claiming the promises from the Bible which include salvation and a requirement for us to acknowledge our sinful nature before God saves us.

Our sentence has two Steps because God created man and woman in two separate Steps and our sentence is stating the facts of creation. Our sentence is also telling us that these facts of creation are a reason why these symbols apply in all societies and cultures of man.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ge 2:21-22; 1Ti 2:13'.

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C11-S9 (Verse 9) the reality that the symbols are based upon.

First Step: Denial of a sinful claim about why man was created.

Neither was the man created for the woman;.

Second Step: Statement of truth about why woman was created.

but the woman for the man..

We have already seen three reasons why these symbols are applicable in all societies and cultures. Now we see a fourth reason. This reason starts with Neither and does not just state the reason that man was created but denies the false claim that comes from the sinful nature of women. Stating an opposing reason does not always prove a claim to be false. God, using Paul, wanted to remove any doubt about this sinful claim being false. The claim that a man was made for a woman's pleasure, and that a man should serve women is completely rejected by our First Step. Then in the Second Step God positively states that the opposite is true and removes any possibility of doubt.

Please see the note for Colossians 1:9-17 about the word created. The definition from Webster's 1828 is: 'Formed from nothing; caused to exist; produced; generated; invested with a new character; formed into new combinations, with a peculiar shape, constitution and properties; renewed.'

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the man. Ge 2:18,20,23-24 General references. exp: 1Ti 2:13'.

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C11-S10 (Verse 10) the consequence to women who ignore the meaning of these symbols.

For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels..

Please see the notes for Romans C8-S40 and for Ephesians C6-S8 about 'spiritual powers'. Please see the note for Romans C13-S2 for 'the power of God'. Basically, the phrase have power on her head is letting us know that when we are in our place within God's power and authority structure, our head has the power to protect us. When we get out of out assigned place, our head does not have the power necessary to protect us.

That said, we now have to deal with the phrase because of the angels. Since devils are fallen angels, this phrase allows this warning for devils and for angels who still serve God. as to what danger they represent, I know of no place where the Bible clearly answers that question. Further, any religious answer, that have heard, which claims to answer that question has proven to be doctrinal error. The fact is that there are certain things in the Bible that God does not explain enough for us to have a complete understanding. One of the reasons that such things are in the Bible is to separate the Biblically wise from Biblical fools. The Biblically wise admit that they don't know the answer and Biblical fools try to make up an answer which they can not support from the Bible but only support fro the opinions of men (other fools).

Our sentence is giving us one more reason to pay attention to these spiritual symbols and the handle them properly. Proper handling provides us with protections that we may not understand but which we need even while not understanding the protection. Please see the note for 13:1 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word angel along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from commentators.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians C2S5 about the word cause. The functional definition for this word is: 'Basically, the source of a result. It can also be an action in court, or any legal process whereby someone demands his supposed right'. Please also see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because. Please also see the note for John 15:25 about the phrase without cause. In John 15:25, we read that the prophecy was fulfilled about Jesus that: They hated me without a cause. Please also see the note for Romans C8S38 about the phrase dying because of the truth. Forms of this word are used, in this book, in: 1Corinthians 4:17; 1Corinthians 11:10; 1Corinthians 11:30.

Please see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because. The functional definition is: 'provides a effect where the effect and effect are both in the past. Because is a compound word which is created by combining being with cause'.

Please see the note for 13:1 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word angel along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from commentators. The functional definition is: 'Literally, a messenger; one employed to communicate news or information from one person to another'. Please also see the note for Jude 1:7 about the word archangel.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'power. that is, a covering in sign that she is under the power of her husband. Exousia G1849, appears here to be used for the sign or token of being under power or authority, that is, a veil, as theophylact, (Ecumenius, and Photius) explain; and so one MS. of the Vulgate, the Sixtine edition, and some copies of the Itala, have velamen. Ge 20:16; 24:64-65 because. Ec 5:6; Mt 18:10; Heb 1:14'.

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C11-S11 (Verse 11) the symbols do not make a man better than a woman, nor do they make the woman better than the man, but only recognize the differences.

Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman,
neither the woman without the man,
in the Lord..

Webster's 1828 dictionary defines Nevertheless as: 'adv. Not the less; notwithstanding; that is, in opposition to anything, or without regarding it. It rained, nevertheless, we proceeded on our journey; we did not the less proceed on our journey; we proceeded in opposition to the rain, without regarding it, or without being prevented'. In other words: 'It doesn't matter what argument you make, neither the man nor the woman can exist without the other'.

Man is not better than woman and woman is not better than man but they are different and have different places in God's authority and power structure. That is why our sentence uses the phrase in the Lord .

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 7:10-14; 12:12-22; Ga 3:28'.

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C11-S12 (Verse 12) Why the prior sentence is true.

First Step: Each was made from the other.

For as the woman is of the man,
even so is the man also by the woman;.

Second Step: God owns all.

but all things of God..

The word of means 'belongs to'. So, our first phrase of the First Step tells us that 'the woman belongs to the man'. However, that phrase also has an as before it and the second phrase starts with even so. That means that 'the woman belongs to the man' has 'equal weight' when compared to (as...so) the man also by the woman. The word by means 'here is how it is accomplished'. Therefore, the man also by the woman means that 'the man is born from a woman'. This fact is 'equal weight' to 'the woman belongs to the man' and, basically, each can claim that the other belongs to them. All of this is attached to the For, which starts our sentence and it tells us 'Here's why' Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. Basically, neither the man not the woman can claim to be more important, which leads us to our Second Step which is but all things of God. That is: 'everything belongs to God including us'. Therefore, it is not a matter of man being over the woman or of the woman controlling the man but a recognition that we belong to God and he can put us in whatever order that he wants.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'but. 1Co 8:6; Pr 16:4; Ro 11:36; Heb 1:2-3'.

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C11-S13 (Verse 13) Challenge to us to consider the symbols involved.

Equivalent Section: What to do.

Judge in yourselves:.

Equivalent Section: Question to answer.

is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?.

We find the words comely or comeliness only occurring in 21 verses of the Bible: 1Samuel 16:18; Job 41:12; Psalms 33:1; Psalms 147:1; Proverbs 30:29; Ecclesiastes 5:18; Song 1:5, 10; Song 2:14; Song 4:3; Song 6:4; Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 53:2; Jeremiah 6:2; Ezekiel 16:14; Ezekiel 27:10; Daniel 10:8; 1Corinthians 7:35; our current sentence;1Corinthians 12:23 and 12:24. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines comely as: 'a. 1. Properly, becoming; suitable: whence, handsome; graceful. Applied to person or form, it denotes symmetry or due proportion, but it expresses less than beautiful or elegant. I have seen a son of Jesse--comely person. 1 Sam. 16. I will not conceal his comely proportion. Job 41. 2. Decent; suitable; proper; becoming; suited to time, place, circumstances or persons. Praise is comely for the upright. Ps. 33. It is comely that a woman pray to God uncovered? 1 Cor. 11. of what a world is this, when what is comely envenoms him that bears it.
COMELY, adv. Handsomely; gracefully'.

Please notice the direct reference to our verse in the definition above. 'Decent; suitable; proper; becoming; suited to time, place, circumstances or persons' is the application of this word to our sentence. Our who section is talking about the use of symbols to show spiritual truths related to God's structure of authority and protection. Paul has been showing us several different ways that a woman who stands between God and man (when she prayeth or prophesieth) and does not apply the symbol of covering her head is in rebellion to God's structure of authority. Now he asks the question: 'Is someone 'Decent; suitable; proper; becoming; suited to time, place, circumstances or persons' when they claim to be able to fulfill a position created by God that is within His structure of authority and they claim that God will honor their request while they are blatantly putting themselves outside of God's structure of authority?'.

You think about what was just said and then realize that the First Equivalent Section tells you to Judge in yourselves. Our sentence does not ask you to voice the politically correct answer but tells you to go in yourselves, where there is no one but you and God, and judge. While you do so, remember that God sees your heart and will judge you for how you truly answer this question and the attitude which results from your answer.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 10:15; Lu 12:57; Joh 7:24'.

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C11-S14 (Verse 14) Relates the symbols to nature.

Doth not even nature itself teach you,
that,
if a man have long hair,
it is a shame unto him?.

The next sentence starts with But, which connects it to this sentence while going in a different direction. This sentence talks about if a man have long hair and the next sentence talks about if a woman have long hair. Therefore, both sentences need to be considered together.

Please see the note for 12:28 for links to every place in this epistle where any form of the word teach is used along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.

The word even means 'having the same weight'. When two sides of a balancing scale are even, both sides of the scale have the same weight.

Please also see the note for Romans 11:20-21 for links to every place in the Bible where the word natural is used. The functional definition is: 'controled by the rules of nature'. Please see the note for Galatians 4:8 for links to place in the Bible where the word nature is used along with the definition from the Morrish Bible Dictionary and links to notes in other Studies with similar words. The functional definition, of the word nature, is: 'The inherent qualities of a being manifested in the various characteristics which mark and display its existence: the aggregate of such qualities is what is termed its nature, and one class or order of being is thus distinguished from another. Men by nature are the children of wrath, Eph 2:3'.

We find forms of the words nature or natural only occurring in 27 verses of the Bible, all except 1 being in the New Testament. Please see the note for Romans 11:20-21 for links to every verse in the Bible which use any form the word natural, along with a note for each verse and the definition. From these verses we see that that the Bible uses the word natural, for 'things which obey the laws of this physical world'. Within 1Corinthians we see natural is used to show us:

2:14 says, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. thus, those people who are living according to the laws of this physical world will reject and never understand the spiritual things that come from God.
Our current sentence tells us that even the laws of nature speak against abuse of symbols. Please see below for more details.
15:44 tells us that the natural body of the saved are sown (allowed to die and be buried) so that it is raised a spiritual body.
15:46 tells us that the natural comes before the spiritual. That is: we will not understand the spiritual unless we first understand the natural.

Please see the note for 6:5, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word shame along with links to verses in this epistle that use this word and the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see the note for Romans 10:11 for links to every verse in the Bible which tell us that true Biblical belief / faith makes us not ashamed. Please also see the note for Romans 5:3-5 for a general note about where people were made ashamed and where they were made not ashamed.

In 14:6-11 Paul talks about tongues and the confusion caused when people can not separate one from another and make sense of them. In 14:33 we are told For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Simply put, in all of nature, at least for mammals and for most other types of animals, we see a visible distinction between the sexes. Since God tells us to cover our nakedness, our clothes are not supposed to be so tight (or missing) that people can tell our sex by looking at our clothed body. The Bible does teach that people should not wear clothing that identifies them with the opposite sex, but our current sentence, and the next sentence, is also applying this same truth to hair. Long hair is supposed to identify a woman and for a man to wear the symbols of a woman causes confusion and shame. Look at animals as they appear naturally and in most cases you can tell the difference between male and female. Paul is saying that a man should have shame if he removes the symbol that most of nature provides.

Please see the note for Luke 7:37-38 about the word hair. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The Hebrews were fully alive to the importance of the hair as an element of personal beauty. Long hair was admired in the case of young men: 2Sa 14:26. In times of affliction the hair was altogether cut off. Isa 3:17,24; 15:2; Jer 7:29. Tearing the hair: Ezr 9:3. and letting it go dishevelled were similar tokens of grief. the usual and favorite color of the hair was black: Song 5:11. as is indicated in the comparisons in: Song 1:5; 4:1. a similar hue is probably intended by the purple of: Song 7:6. Pure white hair was deemed characteristic of the divine Majesty: Da 7:9; Re 1:14. The chief beauty of the hair consisted in curls, whether of a natural or an artificial character. With regard to the mode of dressing the hair, we have no very precise information; the terms used are of a general character, as of Jezebel: 2Ki 9:30. and of Judith, ch. 10:3, and in the New Testament: 1Ti 2:9; 1Pe 3:3. The arrangement of Samson's hair into seven locks, or more properly braids: Jg 16:13,19. involves the practice of plaiting, which was also familiar to the Egyptians and Greeks. the locks were probably kept in their place by a fillet, as in Egypt. the Hebrews like other nations of antiquity, anointed the hair profusely with ointments, which were generally compounded of various aromatic ingredients: Ru 3:3; 2Sa 14:2; Ps 23:6; 92:10; Ec 9:8. more especially on occasions of festivity or hospitality: Lu 7:46. It appears to have been the custom of the Jews in our Saviour's time to swear by the hair: Mt 5:36. much as the Egyptian women still swear by the side-locks, and the men by their beards'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'if. 2Sa 14:26 it is. 1Co 14:35 General references. exp: Lu 12:57'.

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C11-S15 (Verse 15) A natural reaction to the symbol involved.

Equivalent Section: What the symbol means.

But if a woman have long hair,
it is a glory to her:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for her hair is given her for a covering..

We find forms of the word cover occurring 261 times in 241 verses of the Bible, 13 times in 12 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 11:4; 11:6; 11:7 and our current sentence. Please also see the notes, at the following references, to see links to where this word is used in other Bible books: Matthew 8:24; Mark 14:65; Luke 8:16; Romans 4:7; 1Peter 4:8. Webster's 1828 has a definition with lots of things which do not apply to the Biblical usage. We can define cover is: 'an item which conceals another item with a barrier that can not be penetrated'.

The Second Equivalent Section of our sentence tells us her hair is given her for a covering. We already saw that it protected her from angels in C11-S10. There has been many boys who wanted to do certain things and thought again about their desires after they saw the girl's Daddy and thought about how he would react if they did what they wanted to do. We have the same principal here even if we don't completely understand it. Most women admit that long hair is more work to maintain than short hair. However, most women with long hair maintain it because of the desire of a particular man or because of the desires of men they hope to attract. While I can't explain exactly how it works here, our chapter is telling us that when a woman maintains her hair for a man, it becomes a covering for her and any spiritual being that wants to get at her must first deal with the man who is her spiritual protector. With that said, we can see that our First Equivalent Section tells us that she can glory in her long hair, and not worry about spiritual consequences, because of the spiritual protection that her covering provides.

Never glory in men or the flesh.
Always glory in God and things that God does in and through men.
How much glory we each personally have for eternity is directly dependent upon how much glory we give the God while in this flesh.

please also see the notes for Romans C15S14; 1Corinthians C15S36; Ephesians C1S2; 2Corinthians 10:14-LJC and Colossians C1S6 about this word.

Please see the note for C11:15 about the word cover. The functional definition is: 'an item which conceals another item with a barrier that can not be penetrated'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'covering. or, veil. 1Co 11:15'.

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C11-S16 (Verse 16) If society does not recognize these symbols then we do not have to hold to them.

But if any man seem to be contentious,
we have no such custom,
neither the churches of God..

Please also see the note for Romans 13:7 which has links to every verse in the Bible which uses the word custom along with the definition from Webster's 1828 .

This sentence starts with a But and provides the exception to all that Paul has taught so far in this chapter. When our sentence says But if any man seem to be contentious, (saying) we have no such custom, Paul is allowing for the rare exception. Paul has shown several ways that these symbols apply and, in most cases, these symbols are held by all societies and cultures. However, if there really is some culture or society that does not use these symbols in any of the ways that Paul pointed out, then they can ignore these symbols. That means that symbols are not the basis of doctrine when the symbols have no cultural significance. Basically, that is what the phrase neither the churches of God means. However, if the symbols are significant, and we ignore them and their spiritual meaning, then we can suffer the consequences.

We find forms of the word contentious occurring only 5 times in the Bible. Those verses are: Proverbs 21:19; Proverbs 26:21; Proverbs 27:15; Romans 2:8 and our current sentence. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines contentious as: 'Apt to contend; given to angry debate; quarrelsome; perverse. A continual dropping in a rainy day, and a contentious woman are alike. Proverbs 27. 2. Relating to contention in law; relating to litigation; having power to decide causes between contending parties; as a court of contentious jurisdiction. 3. Exciting or adapted to provoke contention or disputes; as a contentious subject'. The functional definition for this word is: 'Apt to contend; given to angry debate; quarrelsome; perverse'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the words contend / contention. Please note that this is pretty much the opposite of the words content / contentment.

Please see the note for Romans C13S10 about the word custom. The functional definition is: 'Frequent or common use, or practice; a frequent repetition of the same act; hence, way; established manner; habitual practice'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'seem. 1Ti 6:3-4 such. Ac 21:21,24 the churches. 1Co 7:17; 14:33-34; 16:1; 1Th 2:14'.

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C11-S17 (Verse 17) Paul is now changing subjects to something that that needs correction.

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not,
that ye come together not for the better,
but for the worse..

This sentence starts with the word Now and starts a new subject which continues through the end of the chapter. The new subject is the Lord's supper. As all Bible believers know, the Lord's supper is a symbolic representation of our spiritual relationship with the Son of God. There are different things about this relationship that people may or may not agree about, but only people who hold to doctrinal error deny that it is symbolic or deny that it is spiritual.

Our sentence is telling us that their mishandling of the Lord's supper did not make things better, but for the worse. Paul will get into the details below but the lesson taught in this section is the lesson taught in the prior section within this chapter. There are serious consequences to mishandling significant spiritual symbols. Therefore, we need to understand what are Biblical spiritual symbols and how do we handle them properly so that God will bless us and not curse us for mishandling them.

Please see the note for 1:11 for links to every sentence in the New Testament which use any form of the word declare.

Please also see the note for Chapter 11:2 for links to every verse in this epistle which use the word praise, the definition from Webster's 1828 Dictionary, and references from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'Commendation bestowed on a person for his personal virtues or worthy actions, on meritorious actions themselves, or on anything valuable; approbation expressed in words or song. Praise may be expressed by an individual, and in this circumstance differs from fame, renown, and celebrity, which are the expression of the approbation of numbers, or public commendation'.

We find the phrase come together in Job 9:32; Job 19:12; Jeremiah 3:18; Mark 3:20; Acts 1:6; Acts 10:27; Acts 19:32; Acts 21:22; Acts 28:17; 1Corinthians 7:5; our current sentence; 1Corinthians 11:18; 11:20; 11:33; 14:20 and 14:33. This phrase is speaking about the church gathering for any reason including for a worship service. Notice that Paul also uses the word ye. We are each personally responsible for how we act when the church gathers but we are also personally responsible if there are divisions and heresies, when the church gathers, and we do nothing to stop those problems.

Please see the note for Luke 11:26 about the word worse. The functional definition for this word is: 'This adjective has the signification of the comparative degree, and as bad has no comparative and superlative, worse and worst are used in lieu of them, although radically they have no relation to bad.'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I praise. 1Co 11:2,22; Le 19:17; Pr 27:5; Ro 13:3; 1Pe 2:14 that ye. 1Co 11:20,34; 14:23,26; Isa 1:13-14; 58:1-4; Jer 7:9-10; Heb 10:25'.

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C11-S18 (Verse 18) this error is related to the divisions within the church that Paul dealt with in the first chapter.

First Step: Paul received a report.

For first of all,
when ye come together in the church,
I hear that there be divisions among you;.

Second Step: Paul expresses his reaction to the reports.

and I partly believe it..

11:17 starts with the word Now changes the subject being discussed to the Lord's supper. This subject continues through the end of the chapter. As all Bible believers know, the Lord's supper is a symbolic representation of our spiritual relationship with the Son of God. Therefore, these sentences are a unit and all of them need to be considered together for the symbolic and spiritual teaching that is here. Please note: these symbols are spiritual in nature. What is said here must be taken literally, but the meaning is literal in the spiritual perspective and the physical is literal only in that it represents the spiritual truth.

Please note that Paul is dealing with what he heard (Please see the note for 12:17 for a short note on every verse in 1Corinthians which uses any form of the word hear.) Back in 1:11 Paul said For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe... Here we see one of the jobs of non-preachers within the mission field. Missionaries put on a show for visiting preachers, especially if they are from supporting churches. However, non-preachers from other churches tend to be treated as less important than regular church members. Thus, they see things which are hidden from people considered more important for financial support. Therefore, the wise pastor pays attention to what a spiritually mature non-preacher reports is going on within the mission field that the church is supporting.

Please see the notes for 1:10; 1:13; 3:3 and 12:11 for verses in this epistle which use any form of the word divide. Please see the note for Romans 16:17 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses any form of the word divisions along with an explanation of the use of that word. The definition given there is: 'Separating pre-defined units according to a precise procedure which produces a precise result'. in 2Timothy 2:15 we are told Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Obviously, if we are told to be rightly dividing the word of truth then it is possible to be wrongly dividing the word of truth. Since our next sentence gives us the reason (For) why Paul is expressing concern in this sentence and the prior (I praise you not, that ye come together...for the worse...there be divisions among you), these people were wrongly dividing the word of truth. The evidence that Paul gives is there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you..

Since they were wrongly dividing the word of truth, and there were divisions, they must have been 'separate according to the wrong fixed set of rules'. Thus, we see that heresies among you is evidence of people wrongly dividing the word of truth, there are only 9 verses which use the words heresy heresies or heretick. Please see the note for Galatians 5:19-21 for more on these words). Further, we see that there being divisions among you (in the church) is strong evidence that there must be also heresies among you.

Now someone might say: 'Wait a minute! Where is the evidence?'. However, the very first sins (see Test of Spiritual Maturity) that Paul dealt with was divisions caused by people claiming that they received her doctrine from some preacher. Today preachers ask what Bible School someone was trained at and claim that you can tell someone's doctrine from the Bible School that they attended. We also see many heresies and divisions in the doctrine of 'King James only Bible believing fundamental Baptist Churches', even though our Bible says that we are to have one faith (Ephesians 4:5.)

Even though there was this evidence of divisions, Paul said I partly believe it because he believed that only part of the church was involved in these divisions and heresies. The evidence that Paul was right is that those people not involved in these errors corrected the rest once they received the word of God (This epistle) and knew what was the right thing to do. Thus, we see that divisions and heresies can be corrected by giving people the word of God and not just religious doctrine from our favorite preacher.

Please see the note for 11:17 for every verse in the Bible that uses the phrase come together.

We find forms of the word church occurring 117 times in 114 verses of the New Testament, (none in the Old Testament), and in 1Corinthians, in: 1:2; 4:17; 6:4; 7:17; 10:32; 11:16, our current sentence, 11:22; 12:28; 14:4, 14:5, 14:12, 14:19, 14:23, 14:28, 14:33, 14:34, 14:35; 15:9; 16:1, 16:19. There is no dictionary definition which is free of doctrinal error. In addition, please see the following notes for links to where this word is used in those New Testament books: Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; Romans 16:1; 1Corinthians 11:22; 2Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:2; Ephesians 1:22; Philippians 3:6; Colossians 1:18; 1Thessalonians 1:1; 2Thessalonians 1:1; 1Timothy 3:5; Philemon 1:2; Hebrews 2:12; James 5:14; 1Peter 5:13; 3John 1:6; Revelation 1:4. The commonly accepted definition is 'a called out assembly of baptized believers' with most of the disagreement over people including buildings in the definition and people adding or denying different definitions for a 'universal church'. Please see the note for 2Thessalonians 1:4 about the phrase church(es) of God. The commonly accepted definition is 'a called out assembly of baptized believers' with most of the disagreement over people including buildings in the definition and people adding or denying different definitions for a 'universal church'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 12:18-24 about the word churches (plural). Please also note that 1Thessalonians gives us 'The Doctrine of the Church'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for church as: 'Body of Christ: Called the Body of Christ: Ro 12:5; 1Co 12:27; Eph 1:23; 4:12; Col 1:24; 2:19. Compared to a Building: Mt 16:18; 1Co 3:10; Eph 2:21; 1Pe 2:5. Temple Government of: Ac 15:6,28; 1Co 7:17; 11:34; 1Ti 3:5; 5:1. Precious: De 32:10; Isa 62:3; Zec 2:8; 9:16; Mal 3:17; Ac 20:28; Eph 5:25; Col 1:24. Accessions to: On the Day of Pentecost: Ac 2:41. Daily Additions: Ac 2:47. Number Increased after Pentecost: Ac 4:4. Steady Growth of the Church: Ac 5:14. Priests join the Disciples: Ac 6:7; 9:31. Accessions in Antioch: Ac 11:21,24. Under Paul's Preaching: Ac 14:1; 16:5; 17:4; 18:8. Attendance: Mt 12:9; Mr 1:21; Lu 4:16; Ac 13:14; Heb 10:25. Attendance upon Authority of: Mt 16:19; 18:18; Joh 20:23; Ac 16:4; Heb 13:17. Bride of Christ: Isa 62:5; 2Co 11:2; Re 19:7; 21:2; 22:17. Paul's Care of: Ac 20:31; 2Co 7:12; 11:28; 12:20; Ga 4:11; 1Th 3:10. Unchangeable: Joh 13:1. Divine: Joh 15:9. Self-sacrificing: Joh 15:13. Inseparable: Ro 8:35. Constraining: 2Co 5:14. Sacrificial: Ga 2:20; Eph 5:2. Manifested by His Death: 1Jo 3:16. General References to: Isa 40:11; Zec 9:16; Lu 12:32; Ac 20:29. Scattered by Persecution and False Shepherds: Jer 23:2; Eze 34:12; Mt 9:36; 26:31; Joh 10:12; 16:32; Ac 8:1. Ministers as Under-shepherds of: Jer 3:15; 23:4; 1Pe 5:2. Defended: 1Co 5:5; 2Co 13:2; 10:1; 1Ti 1:20; Tit 3:10. Divinely Instituted: Mt 16:18; Eph 2:20; 1Th 1:1; 1Ti 3:15. Duty of, to Ministers: Mt 10:10; Ro 10:15; 15:30; 1Co 16:16; Ga 4:14; Php 2:29; 1Th 5:12-13; 1Ti 5:17; Heb 13:7. Enemies of: General Examples of: 1Ki 19:2; 22:27; 2Ch 16:10; 24:21; Jer 20:2; 32:2; Da 3:20; 6:16; Ac 4:3; 5:40; 8:1; Heb 11:36. Of Christ: Lu 4:29; 23:11; Joh 5:16; 7:1; 8:37; 10:39. Of Paul: Ac 9:29; 13:50; 14:5,19; 16:22; 18:12; 21:36; 22:22; 23:10; 1Co 4:12; 2Co 4:9; 11:24; 2Ti 2:9; 3:11. Predicted concerning the Church: Mt 10:17; 24:9; Lu 21:12; Joh 15:20; 16:2; 2Ti 3:12; Re 2:10. General References to: Ps 7:1; 31:15; 119:86,157,161; 143:3; Jer 15:15; La 5:5. Of the Jews.: Ex 12:15; 30:33; Le 7:20; 17:9; 23:29; Nu 9:13; Joh 9:34. Family of God: Believers Adopted into: De 14:2; Isa 43:1; 63:16; Eze 16:8; Ho 11:1; Joh 1:12; Ro 8:15; 2Co 6:18; Ga 3:26; 4:5-6; Eph 1:5. Its Spiritual Relationships: Obedience Secures the Benefits of: Mt 12:50; Lu 8:21. Heirship with Christ Entailed in: Ro 8:17; 9:26; 16:13; 1Co 4:17. All Barriers Broken Down: Eph 2:19. Saints in Heaven and Earth United in: Eph 3:15. Brotherhood of, Recognized by Christ: Heb 2:11. Known as Brethren: Mt 23:8; 25:40; Lu 8:21; Joh 21:23; Ro 8:29; Heb 2:11,17; Re 12:10; 19:10. Fellowship in: Ps 119:63; Mal 3:16; Lu 24:15; Ac 2:42; Ro 1:12; Php 1:3,5; 1Jo 1:7. Flock, God's : General References to: Isa 40:11; Zec 9:16; Lu 12:32; Ac 20:29. Foundation of: Furnishes perfect security: General References to: Isa 28:16; 54:11; Mt 7:24; 1Co 3:11; Eph 2:20; 1Ti 6:19; 2Ti 2:19; 1Pe 2:6. Garments of: the Robe of Righteousness, the Saint's Adorning: Job 29:14; Ps 132:16; Isa 52:1; 61:10; Zec 3:4; Mt 22:11; Lu 15:22. White Raiment, the Heavenly Garment: Mt 17:12; Re 3:5,18; 4:4; 7:9; 19:8. Government of: Ac 15:6,28; 1Co 7:17; 11:34; 1Ti 3:5; 5:1. Growth of: Accessions to: On the Day of Pentecost: Ac 2:41. Daily Additions: Ac 2:47. Number Increased after Pentecost: Ac 4:4. Steady Growth of the Church: Ac 5:14. Priests join the Disciples: Ac 6:7; 9:31. Accessions in Antioch: Ac 11:21,24. Under Paul's Preaching: Ac 14:1; 16:5; 17:4; 18:8. Growth of Christ's Kingdom prophesied: Ps 72:16; Isa 9:7; 42:4; 54:3; 55:5; 60:5,22; Mr 4:31-32. Head of, Christ the: General References to: Eph 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Col 1:18; 2:19. See Christ; Pre-eminence of. See Christ; Exalted. See Christ; Greatness of. Light: Reflected from Believers: Jg 5:31; Isa 60:3; 62:1; Mt 5:14; Ac 13:47; Eph 5:8; Php 2:15; 1Th 5:5. Love for: Eph 1:15; Php 4:1; Col 1:4; 1Th 2:8; 1Pe 1:22; 2:17; 1Jo 3:14; 5:2; 2Jo 1:5. Membership of: See Accessions. Officers in: Deacons: Ac 6:3; Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:8. Elders: Ac 11:30; 15:2; 1Ti 5:17; Tit 1:5; Jas 5:14; 1Pe 5:1. Bishops or Overseers: Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:1; Tit 1:7. ForOther Leaders: See Leaders; Religious. Order: 1Co 7:17; 11:34; 14:23,40; Tit 1:5. Paul's Care for: Ac 20:31; 2Co 7:12; 11:28; 12:20; Ga 4:11; 1Th 3:10. Prayer for: Ge 18:23-32; 32:24-30; 2Sa 7:18-29; 1Ki 8:22-61; Lu 11:1-13; 18:1-8; Joh 17. Forthe Church: Joh 17:20; Ro 1:9; Eph 1:16; 3:14; Php 1:4; Col 1:3; 4:12; 1Th 1:2. Precious: De 32:10; Isa 62:3; Zec 2:8; 9:16; Mal 3:17; Ac 20:28; Eph 5:25; Col 1:24. Progress of: Growth of Christ's Kingdom prophesied: Ps 72:16; Isa 9:7; 42:4; 54:3; 55:5; 60:5,22; Mr 4:31-32 : Baptism of believers, enjoined: Mt 28:19; Mr 16:16; Joh 3:5; Ac 2:38; 10:48; 22:16. Significance of Baptism: Ro 6:3; 1Co 12:13; Ga 3:27; Col 2:12; 1Pe 3:21. SACRAMENT OF thE LORD'S SUPPER: Mt 26:26; Mr 14:22; 1Co 10:16; 11:23. Security of: General References to: Job 11:18; Ps 91:5; 112:7; 125:1; Pr 1:33; 3:24; Isa 33:16; 43:2; Heb 13:6; 1Pe 3:13. Similitudes of: the Church Compared to: 1. A Building: 1Co 3:9. Christ the Builder: Mt 16:18. Christ the Corner-stone: Eph 2:1920. 2. A Living Body: 1Co 12:27. Christ being the head: Col 2:19. 3. A Flock: Lu 12:32. Christ being the Shepherd: Joh 10:11. 4. A Bride: Re 21:2. Christ being the Bridegroom: Joh 3:29. 5. A Casket of Jewels: Mal 3:17. 6. Branches of the Vine: Joh 15:2. 7. A Temple: 1Co 3:16. Christ being the High Priest: Heb 4:15. Strife in: 1Co 1:11; 3:3; 6:6; 2Co 12:20; Php 4:2. Titles of: Assembly of the Saints: Ps 89:7. Assembly of the Upright: Ps 111:1. Body of Christ: Ro 12:5. Branch: Isa 60:21. Bride: Re 21:9. Family in Heaven: Eph 3:15. Flock, God's : Flock, God's . Isa 40:11. General Assembly: Heb 12:23. God's Building: 1Co 3:9. God's Husbandry: 1Co 3:9. Habitation of God: Eph 2:22. Heavenly Jerusalem: Heb 12:22. Holy City: See Holy; City. Re 21:2. House of God: 1Ti 3:15; Heb 10:21. Household of God: Eph 2:19. Israel of God: Ga 6:16. Lamb's Wife: Re 19:7; 21:9. New Jerusalem: Re 21:2. Pillar and Ground of Truth: 1Ti 3:15. Spiritual House: 1Pe 2:5. Spouse of Christ: Song 4:12. Temple of God: See Spiritual; Temple. 1Co 3:16. Union of, with Christ: Ro 7:4; 1Co 6:15; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:30; 1Jo 2:24. Unity in: See Unity. Workers: Women, general references to: Priscilla: Ac 18:26; Ro 16:3. Phebe: Ro 16:1-2. others: Php 4:3'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for church as: 'The people of God; the collective body of believers. (Also, CONGREGATION, ASSEMBLY, thE BODY OF CHRIST.) Called COURTS: Ps 65:4; 84:2,10; 92:13; 96:8; 100:4; 116:19; Isa 1:12; 62:9; Zec 3:7. HOUSE OF GOD: Ge 28:17,22; Jos 9:23; Jg 18:31; 20:18,26; 21:2; 1Ch 9:11; 24:5; 2Ch 5:14; 22:12; 24:13; 33:7; 36:19; Ezr 5:8,15; 7:20,23; Ne 6:10; 11:11; 13:11; Ps 42:4; 52:8; 55:14; 84:10; Ec 5:1; Isa 2:3; Ho 9:8; Joe 1:16; Mic 4:2; Zec 7:2; Mt 12:4; 1Ti 3:15; Heb 10:21; 1Pe 4:17. HOUSE OF thE LORD: Ex 23:19; 34:26; De 23:18; Jos 6:24; Jg 19:18; 1Sa 1:7,24; 2Sa 12:20; 1Ki 3:1; 6:37; 7:40; 8:10,63; 10:5; 2Ki 11:3-4,15,18-19; 12:4,910,13,16; 16:18; 20:8; 23:2,7,11; 25:9; 1Ch 6:31; 22:1,11,14; 23:4; 26:12; 2Ch 8:16; 26:21; 29:5,15; 33:15; 34:15; 36:14; Ezr 7:27; Ps 23:6; 27:4; 92:13; 116:19; 118:26; 122:1,9; 134:1; Isa 2:2; 37:14; Jer 17:26; 20:1-2; 26:2,7; 28:1,5; 29:26; 35:2; 36:5-6; 38:14; 41:5; 51:51; La 2:7; Eze 44:4; Hag 1:2; Zec 8:9. SANCTUARY: Ex 25:8; Le 19:30; 21:12; Nu 3:28; 4:12; 7:9; 8:19; 10:21; 18:1,5; 19:20; 1Ch 9:29; 22:19; 24:5; 28:10; 2Ch 20:8; 26:18; 29:21; 30:8,19; Ne 10:39; Ps 20:2; 28:2; 63:2; 68:24; 73:17; 74:3,7; 77:13; 78:69; 150:1; Isa 16:12; 63:18; La 2:7,20; 4:1; Eze 5:11; 42:20; 44:5,27; 45:3; 48:8,21; Da 8:11,13-14; 9:17,26; 11:31; Heb 8:2; 9:1-2. HOUSE OF PRAYER: Isa 56:7; Mt 21:13. TABERNACLE: Ex 26:1; Le 26:11; Jos 22:19; Ps 15:1; 61:4; 76:2; Heb 8:2,5; 9:2,11; Re 13:6; 21:3. TEMPLE: 1Sa 1:9; 3:3; 2Ki 11:10,13; Ezr 4:1; Ps 5:7; 11:4; 27:4; 29:9; 48:9; 68:29; Isa 6:1; Mal 3:1; Mt 4:5; 23:16; Lu 18:10; 24:53. ZION: Ps 9:11; 48:11; 74:2; 132:13; 137:1; Isa 35:10; Jer 31:6; 50:5; Joe 2:1,15. HOLY PLACE: Ex 28:29; 38:24; Le 6:16; 10:17; 14:13; 16:2-24; Jos 5:15; 1Ki 8:8; 1Ch 23:32; 2Ch 29:5; 30:27; 35:5; Ezr 9:8; Ps 24:3; 46:4; 68:17; Ec 8:10; Isa 57:15; Eze 41:4; 42:13; 45:4; Mt 24:15; Ac 6:13; 21:28; Heb 9:12,25. HOLY TEMPLE: Ps 5:7; 11:4; 65:4; 79:1; 138:2; Jon 2:4,7; Mic 1:2; Hab 2:20; Eph 2:21; 3:17. MY FATHER'S HOUSE: Joh 2:16; 14:2. HOLY: Ex 30:26-29; 40:9; Le 8:10-11; 16:13; 19:30; 21:12; Nu 7:1; 1Ki 9:3; 1Ch 29:3; 2Ch 3:8; Isa 64:11; Eze 23:39; 1Co 3:17. Called thE CONGREGATION in the O. T. (K. J. V. and others): Ex 12:3,6,19,47; 16:1-2,910,22; Le 4:13,15; 10:17; 24:14. Called CHURCH in the N. T. (K. J. V.), but CONGREGATION earlier in Tyndale's translation: Mt 16:18; 18:17; Ac 2:47; 1Co 11:18; 14:19,23,28,33-34; 15:9; Ga 1:13. Also called. ASSEMBLY OF thE SAINTS: Ps 89:7. ASSEMBLY OF thE UPRIGHT: Ps 111:1. BODY OF CHRIST: Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:24. BRANCH OF God's PLANTING: Isa 60:21. BRIDE OF CHRIST: Re 21:9. CHURCH OF GOD: Ac 20:28. CHURCH OF thE LIVING GOD: 1Ti 3:15. CHURCH OF thE FIRSTBORN: Heb 12:23. CITY OF thE LIVING GOD: Heb 12:22. CONGREGATION OF SAINTS: Ps 149:1. CONGREGATION OF thE LORD'S POOR: Ps 74:19. DOVE: Song 2:14; 5:2. FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH: Eph 3:15. FLOCK OF GOD: Eze 34:15; 1Pe 5:2. FOLD OF CHRIST: Joh 10:16. GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF thE FIRSTBORN (people): Heb 12:23. GOLDEN CANDLESTICK (lampstand): Re 1:20. God's BUILDING: 1Co 3:9. God's HUSBANDRY (farm): 1Co 3:9. God's HERITAGE: Joe 3:2; 1Pe 5:3. HABITATION OF GOD: Eph 2:22. HEAVENLY JERUSALEM: Ga 4:26; Heb 12:22. HOLY CITY: Re 21:2. HOLY MOUNTAIN: Zec 8:3. HOLY HILL: Ps 2:6; 15:1. HOUSE OF GOD: 1Ti 3:15; Heb 10:21. ThE GOD OF JACOB: Isa 2:3. HOUSE OF CHRIST: Heb 3:6. HOUSEHOLD OF GOD: Eph 2:19. INHERITANCE: Ps 28:9; Isa 19:25. ISRAEL OF GOD: Ga 6:16. KING'S DAUGHTER: Ps 45:13. KINGDOM OF GOD: Mt 6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: Mt 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; 5:3,10,1920. HIS KINGDOM: Ps 103:19; 145:12; Mt 16:28; Lu 1:33. MY KINGDOM: Joh 18:36. ThY KINGDOM: Ps 45:6; 145:11,13; Mt 6:10; Lu 23:42. LAMB'S BRIDE: Eph 5:22-32; Re 22:17. LAMB'S WIFE: Re 19:7-9; 21:9. LOT OF God's INHERITANCE: De 32:9. MOUNT ZION: Heb 12:22. MOUNTAIN OF thE LORD'S HOUSE: Isa 2:2. NEW JERUSALEM: Re 21:2. PILLAR AND GROUND OF thE TRUTH: 1Ti 3:15. PLACE OF God's thRONE: Eze 43:7. PLEASANT PORTION: Jer 12:10. SANCTUARY OF GOD: Ps 114:2. SISTER OF CHRIST: Song 4:12; 5:2. SPIRITUAL HOUSE: 1Pe 2:5. SPOUSE OF CHRIST: Song 4:12; 5:1. STRENGTH AND GLORY OF GOD: Ps 78:61. SOUGHT OUT, A CITY NOT FORSAKEN: Isa 62:12. ThE LORD'S PORTION: De 32:9. TEMPLE OF GOD: 1Co 3:16-17. TEMPLE OF thE LIVING GOD: 2Co 6:16. VINEYARD: Jer 12:10; Mt 21:41. Christ's love for: Joh 10:8,11-12; Eph 5:25-32; Re 3:9. Loved by believers: Ps 87:7; 137:5; 1Co 12:25; 1Th 4:9. Is prayed for: Ps 122:6; Isa 62:6. Dear to God: Isa 43:4. Safe under his care: Ps 46:1-2,5. Salt and light of the world: Mt 5:13. Militant: Song 6:10; Php 2:25; 2Ti 2:3; 4:7; Phm 1:2. God defends: Ps 89:18; Isa 4:5; 49:25; Mt 16:18. God provides ministers for: Jer 3:15; Eph 4:11-12. Is glorious: Ps 45:13; Eph 5:27. Is clothed in righteousness: Re 10:8. Believers continually added to, by the Lord: Ac 2:47; 5:14; 11:24. Unity of: Ro 12:5; 1Co 10:17; 12:12; Ga 3:28; Eph 4:4. Privileges of: Ps 36:8; 87:5. Worship of, to be attended: Heb 10:25. Harmonious fellowship of: Ps 133; Joh 13:34; Ac 4:32; Php 1:4; 2:1; 1Jo 3; 4. Divisions in, to be shunned: Ro 16:17; 1Co 1:10; 3:3. Baptized (immersed) into by one Spirit: 1Co 12:13. Ministers commanded to feed: Ac 20:28. Is edified by the word: Ro 12:6; 1Co 14:4,13; Eph 4:15-16; Col 3:16. The wicked persecute: Ac 8:1-3; 1Th 2:14-15. Not to be despised: 1Co 11:22. Defiling of, will be punished: 1Co 3:17. Extent of, predicted: Isa 2:2; Eze 17:2; Da 2:34-35. UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO: De 32:9; Ps 2:6; 9:11,14; 14:7; 20:2; 46:4-5; 48:1-2,11-13; 50:2; 51:18; 53:6; 65:1; 69:35-36; 74:2; 84:1-10; 87:1-6; 99:2; 102:13-14,16,1921; 110:2; 111:1; 114:2; 125:1; 126:1-2; 129:5; 132:13-16; 133; 134; 137:1-6; 149:2; Isa 1:8,27; 2:3; 4:2-6; 12:6; 14:32; 24:23; 27:2-3; 28:5,16; 31:4-5; 33:5,14,20-24; 35; 40:911; 43:1-7,21,25; 44:23; 49:14-17; 52:1-2,7-12; 59:20; 60:1-6,1921; 61:1-3; 62:1,3,11-12; 66:8,18; Jer 3:14-15; 12:10; 13:11; 31:6-7,12,23; 33:9; 43:7; Joe 2:1,15-17; Zec 8:3; Mt 13:24; 16:18; Ac 7:38; 20:28; 1Co 3:9; 12:28; 15:9; 2Co 8:1; Eph 1:22-23; 2:21-22; 3:15,21; 5:23-27,29; Col 1:24; 1Ti 3:14-15; Heb 3:6; 12:22-23; 1Pe 2:5; Re 1:20; 21:2,11,23. BACKSLIDDEN: Ps 12:1; 80; Isa 1:2-27; 17:911; 43:22-28; Jer 2:5-34; 3; 8:5-22; 9:1-3; 10:1922; 18:11-17; 50:4-7; Eze 2:3-5; 5:5-17; 16:23; Ho 2; 4; 6; Joe 2; Am 6; Mt 21:33-46; Mr 12:1-12; Lu 13:6-9; Re 2:1-6,12-25; 3:1-4,14-20. CHRIST, HEAD OF: Ps 118:22-23; Isa 33:22; 55:4; Mt 12:6,8; 21:42-43; 23:8,10; Mr 2:28; 12:10; Lu 6:5; 20:17-18; Joh 13:13; 15:1-8; Ac 2:36; Ro 8:29; 9:5; 1Co 3:11; 11:3; 12:5; Eph 1:10,22-23; 2:20-22; 4:15; 5:23-32; Col 1:13,18; 2:10,19; 3:11; Heb 3:3,6; 1Pe 2:7; Re 1:13; 2:1,9,12-13,18-19; 3:1,7; 5:6; 21:22-23; 22:16. CHRISTIAN, DIVINELY ESTABLISHED: Mt 16:15-18; Eph 2:20-22; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1; 1Ti 3:15. CORRUPTION IN: Ho 4:9; Mic 3:1-4,9,11; Mt 21:33-41,45; 23:2-7,13-33; 26:14-16,5968; Mr 12:1-12; 14:10-11; Lu 22:3-6. DECREES OF: Ac 15:28-29; 16:4. DESIGN OF: Ro 3:2; 9:4; Eph 2:20-22; 1Ti 3:15. DISSENSIONS IN: 1Co 1:11-13; 3:3-4; 11:18-19; 2Co 12:20-21. DUTY OF, to MINISTERS: 1Co 16:10-11; Php 2:29; 4:10-18; 1Th 5:12-13; 1Ti 5:17; Heb 13:7,17. GOVERNMENT OF, MOSAIC AND CHRISTIAN: De 17:8-13; Mt 16:19; Lu 9:46-48; 22:24-30; Joh 20:23; Ac 1:15,23-26; 6:2-3,5-6; 11:22,2930; 13:1,3,5; 14:23; 15:1-31; 16:4-5; 20:17,28; 1Co 7:17; 11:2,33-34; 12:5,28; 14:26,33,40; 16:3,16; 2Co 2:2-11; Ga 2:910; Eph 4:11-12; Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:1-13; 4:14; 5:1,22; 2Ti 1:6; Tit 1:5; Heb 13:17,24; Jas 5:14-15; 1Pe 5:1-3; 3Jo 1:910; Jude 1:22-23. RULES OF DISCIPLINE IN, MOSAIC AND CHRISTIAN: Ge 17:14; Ex 12:15; 30:33,37-38; Le 7:27; 17:8-9; 19:5-8; 20:18; 22:3; Nu 9:13; 15:31; 19:13,20; De 13:12-18; 17:2-13; 19:16-21; 21:1-9,18-21; 22:13-29; Ezr 10; Mt 16:19; 18:15-18; Joh 9:22,34-35; 16:2; 20:23; Ro 14:1; 15:1-3; 16:17; 1Co 4:19,21-5:1; 5:2,4-7,11-13; 16:22; 2Co 2:6-8,10-11; 6:14-15; 7:8; 10:1-11; 13:1-2,10; Ga 5:10,12; 6:1; 1Th 5:14; 2Th 3:6,14-15; 1Ti 1:1920; 5:1-2,1920; 6:3-5; 2Ti 4:2; Tit 1:13; 2:15; 3:10-11; 2Jo 1:10-11; Jude 1:22-23; Re 22:19. LOVE FOR: Ps 102:14; 122:6,9; 128:5-6; 137:1-6; Isa 22:4; 58:12; 62:1,6-7; 66:10,13-14; Jer 9:1; 14:17; 51:50-51; La 2:11; 3:48-51. MEMBERSHIP IN: Isa 44:5; Eze 44:6-7,9; Mt 12:50; 19:14; Mr 10:14; Lu 18:16; Joh 15:5-6; Ac 2:41,47; 4:4; 5:14; 9:35,42; 11:21; Ro 12:4-5; 1Co 3:11-15; 12:12-28; Eph 4:25; 5:30; Php 4:3; Re 21:27. PROPHECIES CONCERNING PROSPERITY OF: Ge 12:3; 49:10; De 32:21; Ps 2:8; 22:27-31; 46:4,10; 65:2; 66:4; 68:31-32; 69:35-36; 72; 85:10-12; 86:9; 87:4; 89:1-37; 96; 102:13-16,18-22; 110; 113:3; 118:24; 126:5-6; 132:15-17; 138:4-5; 145:10-11; Isa 2:2-5; 4:2-3,5-6; 9:1-7; 11:1-10; 18:7; 19:24-25; 23:17-18; 24:16; 25:6-8; 29:18-24; 30:20; 32; 33:5,13-24; 35; 40:4-11; 41:17-20; 42:1-12; 44:3-5; 45:6,8,14,23-24; 46:12-13; 49:6-12,18-23; 51:3-16; 52; 53:10-12; 54; 55; 56:3-8; 59:1921; 60; 61; 62; 65; 66:7-23; Jer 3:17; 4:2; 16:1921; 31:7-9,34; 33:22; Eze 17:22-24; 34:23-31; 47:1-12; Da 2:35,44-45; 7:13-14,18,22,27; 12; Joe 2:26-32; 3:18; Am 9:11-12; Mic 4:1-7; 5:2-15; Hab 2:14; Zep 2:11; 3:920; Hag 2:7-9; Zec 2:10-11; 6:15; 8:20-23; 9:1,917; 14:8-21; Mal 1:11; Mt 8:11; 11:5,11; 13:16-17,31-33; 16:18; Mr 4:26-32; Lu 7:22; Joh 8:35; 10:16; Ac 2:16-21; Ro 1:5-7; 1Co 15:24-28; Eph 1:10; Heb 12:23-24,27-28; Re 5:10,13-14; 11:15; 12:10; 15:4; 20:4-6; 21:927; 22:1-5. LIST OF CONGREGATIONS OF CHRISTIANS. Antioch: Ac 13:1. Asia: 1Co 16:19; Re 1:4. Babylon: 1Pe 5:13. Cenchrea: Ro 16:1. Caesarea: Ac 18:22. Cilicia: Ac 15:41. Corinth: 1Co 1:2. Ephesus: Eph 1:22; Re 2:1. Galatia: Ga 1:2. Galilee: Ac 9:31. Jerusalem: Ac 15:4. Joppa: Ac 9:42. Judaea: Ac 9:31. Laodicea: Re 3:14. Pergamos: Re 2:12. Philadelphia: Re 3:7. Samaria: Ac 9:31. Sardis: Re 3:1. Smyrna: Re 2:8. Syria: Ac 15:41. Thessalonica: 1Th 1:1. Thyatira: Re 2:18. UNITY OF: Ps 133:1; Joh 10:16; 17:11,21-23; Ro 12:4-5; 1Co 10:17; 12:5,12-27; Ga 3:26-28; Eph 1:10; 2:14-19,21; 3:6,15; 4:4-6,12-13,16,25; Col 3:11,15. TRIUMPHANT: Ga 4:26; Heb 12:22-23; Re 3:12; 21:3,10'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C12S14; Galatians C3-S7 about the word hear. The functional definition is: 'Listening to; attending to; obeying; observing what is commanded'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C1S21 about the phrase He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Please see earlier within this note about the word divisions.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I hear. 1Co 1:10-12; 3:3; 5:1; 6:1 divisions. or, schisms. 1Co 1:10; 3:3 General references. exp: Joh 10:19'.

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C11-S19 (Verse 19) the result of the error pointed out in the prior sentence.

For there must be also heresies among you,
that they which are approved may be made manifest among you..

11:17 starts with the word Now changes the subject being discussed to the Lord's supper. This subject continues through the end of the chapter Separating pre-defined units according to a precise procedure which produces a precise result'. As all Bible believers know, the Lord's supper is a symbolic representation of our spiritual relationship with the Son of God. Therefore, these sentences are a unit and all of them need to be considered together for the symbolic and spiritual teaching that is here. Please note: these symbols are spiritual in nature. What is said here must be taken literally, but the meaning is literal in the spiritual perspective and the physical is literal only in that it represents the spiritual truth.

This sentence is discussed, to a large extent, in the note above. This sentence starts with For and gives us the reason why Paul said what he did in the prior sentence. Our sentence tells us there must be also heresies among you, and this is evidence of divisions within the church. Further, our sentence tells us that these heresies were caused (that) by people which are approved so that may be made manifest among you. The people which are approved were the leaders of various factions within the church. When Paul said that they caused these divisions so that they may be made manifest among you, he means that these people wanted to be considered the best in any way that people compared one person to another. In other words, these people had their life centered upon obtaining personal glory in the church even when they knowingly stole God's glory.

There are only 9 verses which use the words heresy heresies or heretick. Please see the note for Galatians 5:19-21 for more on these words.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:9-11 for links to every place in the Bible where we find forms of the word approve along with links from other commentators and a definition. The functional definition for this word is: 'To entertain a favorable opinion concerning. The Biblical and archaic use conveys a much stronger meaning and is equivalent to its use in legal formalities of today, "to approve a bill"'.

Please see the notes for Romans 16:25-27 which gives links to every place in the New Testament that uses any form of the word manifest and provides the definition from Webster's 1828 and further discussion of the word. (Made 'revealed in every possible way'.) please also see 1John-Manifest about the word manifest. Please see the notes for Romans 3:21-26 which provides a discussion on the word manifested.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'there. Mt 18:7; Lu 17:1; Ac 20:30; 1Ti 4:1-2; 2Pe 2:1-2 heresies. or, sects. Ac 5:17; 15:5; 24:5,14; 26:5; 28:22; Ga 5:20; Tit 3:10 (Gr) which. De 13:3; Lu 2:35; 2Co 13:5-7 (Gr) 1Jo 2:19'.

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C11-S20 (Verse 20) We do not have the Lord's supper every time that we meet.

When ye come together therefore into one place,
this is not to eat the Lord's supper..

What we already saw about spiritual symbols, earlier in this chapter, is that we need to be aware of their spiritual significance and handle them properly or suffer judgment by God. With the exception of people who go to assemblies which teach a lot of doctrinal error and which require people to stop using their brains in order to accept the foolishness that they teach, people understand that the Lord's supper is symbolic and has spiritual meaning. Thus, what Paul is describing in this sentence and the next is a church that turned the Lord's supper into a religious ceremony with no regard for the symbolic meaning nor for the spiritual consequences. 11:2930 tells us For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. thus, in our current sentence we see the error they made, and in the referenced sentences we see the consequence and in the sentence in-between we see what we should consider.

Please see the note for 11:17 for every verse in the Bible that uses the phrase come together. These people believed, as some churches do today, that they were to have the Lord's supper every time they met. Our sentence literally says that is not right and the next sentence tells us why (starts with For).

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C11S28 about the Lord's Supper.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'This is not to eat. or, ye cannot eat. 1Co 11:20'.

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C11-S21 (Verse 21) they were mishandling the Lord's supper.

Equivalent Section: they treated the Lord's supper like a regular meal.

For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper:.

Equivalent Section: they did not consider each other.

and one is hungry,
and another is drunken..

Apparently, in this church, they had people with significantly different economic lifestyle s. Some had nothing to eat while others had an abundance. Those with an abundance did not share with those who had nothing and were hungry. Please notice the word drunken. That person obviously had more wine than he needed to drink but did not share with the church brother who is hungry. Thus, it is obvious that 'They did not consider each other'. No, they did not have to share, but our First Equivalent Section says in eating every one taketh before other his own supper. That is, people sat down in front of pother people with no food and were gluttons, had no desire to share, and refused to consider how a hungry person felt seeing others stuff themselves while they went hungry.

Please see the note for Romans 13:13 which has links to every verse in the New Testament which uses the word drunk along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links to related verses from other commentators.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'in. 1Co 11:23-25; 10:16-18 and one. 2Pe 2:13; Jude 1:12'.

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C11-S22 (Verse 22) What?

Paraphrased: 'What is the matter with you people who claim to have the spirit of Christ while you treat your spiritual brother this way?'

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C11-S23 (Verse 22) Why were they are using the Lord's supper as a simple home meal?

have ye not houses to eat and to drink in?.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:1 about the word house. The functional definition is: ' In a general sense, a building or shed intended or used as a habitation or shelter for animals of any kind; but appropriately, a building or edifice for the habitation of man; a dwelling place, mansion or abode for any of the human species'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'have. 1Co 11:34'.

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C11-S24 (Verse 22) Paul asks if they don't understand the consequences of this wrong handling of the Lord's supper.

or despise ye the church of God,
and shame them that have not?.

Stop and think about how the most protective parent reacts to someone constantly shaming their child. When Paul says that they despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not. Please also notice that Paul uses the personal pronoun of ye. God takes this insult personally and holds us personally responsible for such an act.

Please see the note for 4:10 for links to every place in 1Corinthians that uses forms of the word despise. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines despised as: 'Contemned; disdained; abhorred'. Please also see the note for Romans 2:4 for more of a discussion on how the Bible uses this word. What we find in our current sentence is that these people were treating something that God kills over in a way that they probably did not realize that they were doing. I seriously doubt if anyone would consciously treat God this way. That means that these people, and a lot of other people today, were doing a religious act and never thought about what they were doing or why they were supposed to do it or what the significance was. Like a lot of people, they just did a religious act and thought nothing more about it than they would think about going to a show.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'or. 1Co 10:32; 15:9; Ac 20:28; 1Ti 3:5,15'.

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C11-S25 (Verse 22) What shall I say to you?

Really nothing more to say other than 'WAKE UP!!!'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: ''.

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C11-S26 (Verse 22) shall I praise you in this?

This question is obviously rhetorical. Please also see the note for Chapter 11:2 for links to every verse in this epistle which use the word praise, the definition from Webster's 1828 Dictionary, and references from other commentators.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: ''.

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C11-S27 (Verse 22) I praise you not.

Obvious statement if you have really been reading what is said in this chapter. Please also see the note for Chapter 11:2 for links to every verse in this epistle which use the word praise, the definition from Webster's 1828 Dictionary, and references from other commentators.

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C11-S28 (Verse 23-24) the basis of the Lord's supper.

Equivalent Section: Paul received this directly from the Lord.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you,
That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:.

Equivalent Section: How to handle this symbolic symbol.

And when he had given thanks,
he brake it,
and said,
Take, eat:.

Equivalent Section: the meaning of this symbolic symbol.

This is my body,
which is broken for you:.

Equivalent Section: Why we are to do this symbolic ceremony.

This do in remembrance of me..

Matthew 26:26-30 and Mark 14:22-46 and Luke 22:19-20 and 1Corinthians 11:23-34 all tell the about the Lord's supper. Please see the note for Mark 14:22 which gives details on the Lord's supper. That note is good sized and links several places of the Bible together including the detailed teaching of John 6. In that note is the explanation that the original death of Jesus Christ was to provide a spiritual conversion and then the memorial is to remind us of that same spiritual conversion. However, the people who insist that the Lord's supper is not anything more than a ceremonial reminder, also reject the spiritual conversion that the original death was to provide. In addition, the note, for This sentence, in the Lord Jesus Christ Study explain why this sentence uses Lord Jesus and Lord, and how those usages are different.

The first thing that we need to note here is that Paul says I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. As explained in this note, Paul is saying that he received this directly from the Lord and not through some other man. Paul was personally trained by the Lord and that is how he received all that he passes on to us. What he passes on includes this sentence saying of the Lord. In other words, what is said in this sentence 'belongs to' the Lord. That is why Paul is using Lord all through this section and warns that mishandling these spiritual symbol cause us to receive a judgment that includes sickness and death.

Now that we know Who owns these spiritual symbols and know the consequences, we can understand why this sentence starts with For ('here's why') and follows prior sentences where Paul said What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

As Lord and as Jesus ('our example of how to live in this flesh using the spiritual power of the Holy Ghost'), our Lord Jesus showed us what to do with these spiritual symbols and commanded us to do these things in remembrance of me. Please see this note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for the detailed explanation.

So, now we have covered the First Equivalent Section and seen that this comes from our Lord and that there are legal consequences (judgment) for how we handle these spiritual symbols. Next we look at the Second Equivalent Section where we are told 'How to handle this symbolic symbol'. While I have been in many such services and, to the best of my recollection, the people were all warned to 'examine themselves', I don't remember any time that people were asked to publicly thank God and express how their meditating on our Lord's suffering on a cross has made a difference in their appreciation of their salvation. in this Second Equivalent Section we have three distinct actions:

he had given thanks: What did Jesus have to thank God for as He prepared for the cross? I can't think of anything except for the souls which would be saved and the glory which He would receive as a result. He gave thanks before heading into the worst possible physical death. He did this as an example. Thus, we should face problems in this flesh with a spiritual view and give thanks for the souls that will be affected as a result and for the eternal reward that we personally will receive. We are to follow the example of Jesus.
he brake it: Jesus was symbolically acknowledging the physical suffering that He would receive and was symbolically showing His personal submitting to the will of God. Forus to do the same we must stop our murmuring and complaining.
He said, Take, eat: We are personally commanded to be (symbolically) part of His suffering and to let thoughts of His suffering for our salvation sustain us in the trials of this life. As the bread of life, He is to give us the strength required to do the work of God. We are agreeing to accept the provision of our Lord as all that is necessary for us to do the work that He gives to us personally. (All of this symbolic meaning is explained in the notes already referenced in this note).
Please see the note for 11:33 for links to where this epistle uses forms of the word eat. The functional definition is: 'Besides the common use of this word, it is employed symbolically for to 'consume, destroy:' they "eat up my people as they eat bread." Ps 14:4; cf. Pr 30:14; Hab 3:14; 2Ti 2:17. Also for receiving, digesting, and delighting in God's words'.

Moving onto our third Equivalent Section, we are told 'The meaning of this symbolic symbol'. As mentioned elsewhere, Jesus was physically standing there and physically holding physical bread when He said This is my body. Only a religious fool would think that He had 'magically' turned that bread into His literal physical body. This entire chapter is teaching us about the proper handling of spiritual symbols. Thus, we see that the bread is a spiritual symbol of our Lord's body, in this ceremony, and mishandling this symbol is the same as spiritually mishandling our Lord's body as Paul literally warns us in C11-S28.

However, if the bread is not symbolically linked by the ceremony, then it does not have the spiritual significance. That is why Paul said, in C11-S20, When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. Only when we do the ceremony does the symbolic spiritual linkage apply. When we do the ceremony then we accept the spiritual linkage and the consequences of mishandling the spiritual symbols. If we don't do the ceremony then the items have no symbolic significance and there is no consequence for mishandling spiritual symbols, but there is also no reason to eat at church unless we are having a fellowship and equally sharing with all. However, if we are not going to be equally sharing with all at church, and we are not invoking the ceremony and the spiritual consequences, then Paul asks (Why) despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? Of course, everything between C11-S20 and C11-S24 is the evidence of their wrong doing.

When we do the ceremony, then the symbols have spiritual significance and specific consequences for mishandling the spiritual symbols. When we do not invoke the spiritual symbol, then the items have no spiritual significance but we still need to maintain proper Christian behaviour and love for our brethren.

We are left with our Fourth Equivalent Section, which tells us 'Why we are to do this symbolic ceremony'. Please note that our Lord made a distinction between His body and His blood in this spiritual ceremony. Our next sentence starts with For and tells us 'here's why' this ceremony is significant. But in our current Equivalent Section we are told to remember that our Lord's body...is broken for you. We are to remember all that he had to suffer in order to pay for our sins and to free us from the control that sin had/has over our own body.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 15:1 for links to every place in this epistle which use the forms of the word receive along with links to other epistles which use forms of this word and that provide a definition from Webster's 1828 . The functional definition is: 'To take, as a thing offered or sent; to accept'. In addition, please see the note for Matthew 10:41, which explains that in order to truly receive a person, we must receive their character as our own.

We find forms of the word deliver occurring 636 times in 595 verses of the Bible, 111 times in 106 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 5:5; 11:2; our current sentence; 15:3 and 15:24. Webster's 1828 has several invalid parts to the definition of the word deliver, but the part of that definition that is correct is: 'To give, or transfer; to put into another's hand or power; to commit; to pass from one to another'. What our sentence is telling us is that Paul 'transferred to our power' this law from our Lord. Therefore, we will be judged by how well we obey or disobey it.

Please see the note for 10:16 for links to where this epistle uses just the word bread. That sentence is also linked to 10:1 which equates the bread to the manna in the wilderness and to God killing His people for a wrong attitude about His provision. In addition, this note for Mark 14:22 explains the symbolic spiritual relationship between bread and the Lord's supper, including the teachings from Jesus including detailed teaching of John 6. We also see the tie into the Passover in 5:7-8 where we read Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Leaven was put into bread and in that verse it represented sin. That's why the Lord's supper uses unleavened bread.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please also see Romans C7S30 and Ephesians 4:5-LJC provide further notes and links for the word body. Also, Ephesians C3S1; Colossians C1S6 provide further notes and links for the word body of Christ. Several of these notes are good sized and provide a lot of explanation and links to other notes for further study.

We find forms of the word remember occurring 268 times in 262 verses of the Bible, 62 times in the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 4:17; 11:2; our current sentence and the next sentence. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines remembrance as: 'n. 1. the retaining or having in mind an idea which had been present before, or an idea which had been previously received from an object when present, and which recurs to the mind afterwards without the presence of its object. Technically, remembrance differs from reminiscence and recollection, as the former implies that an idea occurs to the mind spontaneously, or without much mental exertion. the latter imply the power or the act of recalling ideas which do not spontaneously recur to the mind. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. Ps. 112. Remembrance is when the same idea recurs, without the operation of the like object on the external sensory. 2. Transmission of a fact from one to another. Titan among the heav'ns th' immortal fact display'd, lest the remembrance of his grief should fall. 3. Account preserved; something to assist the memory. Those proceedings and remembrances are in the Tower. 4. Memorial. But in remembrance of so brave a deed, a tomb and funeral honors I decreed. 5. A token by which one is kept in the memory. Keep this remembrance for thy Julia's sake. 6. Notice of something absent. Let your remembrance still apply to Banquo. 7. Power of remembering; limit of time within which a fact can be remembered; as when we say, an event took place before our remembrance, or since our remembrance. 8. Honorable memory. Not in use. 9. Admonition. 10. Memorandum; a note to help the memory'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for remembrance as: 'The Duty of Remembering: In the Battles of Life: Ne 4:14 In the Night Season: Ps 63:6. In Early Life: Ec 12:1. In Time of Trouble: Jon 2:7. When away from Home: Zec 10:9. Fringes of Remembrance used upon garments: Nu 15:38; De 22:12; Mt 23:5. Phylacteries, or Frontlets worn to preserve the law in memory: De 22:12; 11:18; Mt 23:5. Remembrancers, the duty of Believers to act as: Isa 62:6; 1Co 4:17; 1Ti 4:6; 2Pe 1:12; 3:1.
'.

Please see the note for Luke 12:39 about the word broken. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Past-tense for Break / Brake. Parted by violence'. Please also see the note for Romans C11S21 about the phrase broken off.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'I have. 1Co 15:3; De 4:5; Mt 28:20; Ga 1:1,11-12; 1Th 4:2 the same. Mt 26:2,17,34 took. Mt 26:26-28; Mr 14:22-24; Lu 22:19-20; Ac 20:7 General references. exp: Ge 9:12; Le 8:4.
eat. 1Co 5:7-8; Ps 22:26,29; Pr 9:5; Song 5:1; Isa 25:6; 55:1-3; Joh 6:53-58 this. 1Co 11:27-28; 10:3-4,16-17 in remembrance. or, for a remembrance. Ex 12:14; Jos 4:7; Ps 111:4; Song 1:4; Isa 26:8; Mt 26:13 General references. exp: Ge 9:12; 40:18; Joh 6:48'.

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C11-S29 (Verse 25) More on the basis of the Lord's supper.

Equivalent Section: What Jesus did.

After the same manner also he took the cup,
when he had supped,
saying,
this cup is the new testament in my blood:.

Equivalent Section: What we are told to do.

This do ye,
as oft as ye drink it,
in remembrance of me.

Please see the note for John 18:11 about the word cup. The functional definition for this word is: 'A vessel for drinking. Also used symbolically for shared festivities'.THe application of this word, in this sentence, is: this cup is interpreted as: 'the ongoing fellowship that belongs to (results from) the spiritual guidance that Christ provided while He lived in the flesh and before He went to Heaven; which results in saved people acting like He did'. Then 10:21 said Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. the only other places that this epistle uses the word cup is in this sentence and the next couple of sentences. (That sentence is also linked to 10:1 which equates the cup to the spiritual drink in the wilderness and to God killing His people for a wrong attitude about His spiritual cleansing.) thus, we see that this epistle is telling us that the cup symbolically represents our agreement to 'the ongoing fellowship that belongs to (results from) the spiritual guidance that Christ provided while He lived in the flesh and before He went to Heaven; which results in saved people acting like He did'. It also represents our spiritual agreement to separate from any 'the ongoing fellowship that belongs to a devil'.

Once we understand the spiritual significance of this symbol (cup symbolizes 'spiritual fellowship') and we recognize that alcoholic wine symbolically represents 'corruption' and we consider the literal message of 10:21; and then we combine all of this with the context of this chapter along with all that this chapter teaches about wrong handling of these spiritual symbols; there can be no way to justify using alcoholic wine for this ceremony.

We find forms of the word sup only in Habakkuk 1:9; Luke 17:8; our current sentence and Revelation 3:20. It means 'to eat a meal'. This is where we get the word 'supper'. Thus, when our sentence says when he had supped, it means that 'supper' was done and it was time for fellowship. That is when He said This cup is the new testament in my blood. Please notice that while the bread symbolically represents God's provision and our agreement to act in this flesh under the control of Christ (our body is strengthened and maintained by what we eat), the cup represents the new testament. The main sign of our having received the new testament is our displaying evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is: the Holy Spirit cle and up our sin life and gets us to be witnesses for God and Christ.

The only thing that we really haven't dealt with is the fact that the Second Equivalent Section uses the word ye twice. God wants to be sure that we each understand that this is personal and that we will each be personally judged for how we deal with these significant spiritual symbols. Our next sentence starts with For and gives us a personal reason to take these things personally.

Please see the note for 15:33 for links to every verse in 1Corinthians which uses a form of the word manner, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'Deportment; carriage; behaviour; conduct; course of life; in a moral sense. Evil communications corrupt good manners'.

Please see the note for John 18:11 about the word cup. The functional definition for this word is: 'A vessel for drinking. Also used symbolically for shared festivities'. Please also see the note for 10:21 about the application in this chapter.

The word testament only occurs in 14 verses, all in the New Testament. They are: Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; our current sentence; 2Corinthians 3:6, 14; Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 9:15-18, 20; Revelation 11:19. The Bible doctrinally uses testament for the legal document called a 'Last Will and Testament'. Please see the note for Hebrews 7:22 in the Lord Jesus Christ Study for this explanation. Please also doe a {find CTRL-F} for the word testament in that Study to see several other things which we have only in the new Testament. In addition, to the cleansing from the blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit, we drink this cup as a reminder of all that we agreed to, which is part of the New Testament, when we accepted God's salvation.

Please see the note above for links to every place in this epistle where any form of the word remember is used, along with a definition from the dictionary and links from commentators. Many places in the Bible God establishes something to be a memorial. These are always spiritually significant events which we are to remember.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'This. 1Co 11:27-28exp: Mr 14:24; Lu 22:20. The new. Lu 22:20; 2Co 3:6,14; Heb 9:15-20; 13:20 General references. exp: Ge 9:12; Joh 6:48'.

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C11-S30 (Verse 26) the meaning of the symbols involved in the Lord's supper.

For as often as ye eat this bread,
and drink this cup,
ye do shew the Lord's death till he come..

In the notes for the last few sentences we have seen that the symbols involved have different spiritual meaning. Now this sentence brings them together and tells us that these symbols have the same significance because they each do shew the Lord's death till he come. They do shew the Lord's death to remind us of what it cost Him to pay for our salvation, which includes our sanctification. They do shew...till he come to remind us that our present circumstances will end, but when they end we also face a personal judgment for our works. Therefore, it is imperative that we keep doing the job that He gave us, and that He died to provide our enablement to do the job, and that we continue to do it till he come (Matthew 24:42-51;Luke 12:42-48). Finally, it is the Lord's death and is the legal basis of our personal judgment. While could go into more detail, I will leave that to the preachers. This sentence starts with For because it tells us 'why' everything since 11:17 is symbolically and spiritually significant.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 15:26 for links to every place in this epistle which use the forms of the words die /dead /death along with links to notes in other epistles. Please also see the notes for Romans C6S4 and Philippians 1:19-20 about the word death. Please see the note for Romans C6S4 about the word die. We find this exact phrase of sin unto death: in 1John 5:16; Romans 6:16. We see this doctrine dealt with in: Acts 5; Romans 5; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26. Please see the note for Romans C8S38 about the phrase dying because of the truth. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive. There is a lot of confusion about this word because men insist upon defining an ongoing process as a one-time event and can not even agree when that one-time event is supposed to have happened because every test that they make proves to be wrong at some time. We keep having people who were declared to be dead to later prove that they were actually still alive. The note for Romans C6S4 has a considerable discussion on this subject and explains why all human definitions, including those accepted by fundamental Bible believers, do not match the actual Biblical definition of this ongoing process.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'ye do shew. or, shew ye. till. 1Co 4:5; 15:23; Joh 14:3; 21:22; Ac 1:11; 1Th 4:16; 2Th 1:10; 2:2-3; Heb 9:28; 2Pe 3:10; 1Jo 2:28; Jude 1:14; Re 1:7; 20:11-12; 22:20 exp: Re 2:25'.

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C11-S31 (Verse 27) the consequence of mishandling the Lord's supper.

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread,
and drink this cup of the Lord,
unworthily,
shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord..

This sentence starts with Wherefore and tells us 'Here is a future reason that you will see wherever you look'. The remaining sentences in this chapter all start with linking words, which make them a unit. These are the verses most often preached upon when churches celebrate the Lord's supper. Since I am not a preacher, I will treat them all lightly with the expectation that preachers can do a better job than I can. The main thing that these sentences do is warn us of the consequences of handling spiritual symbols the wrong way.

The only place in the Bible where we find the word worthily is Ruth 4:4. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines worthily as: 'adv. 1. In a manner suited to; as, to walk worthily of our extraction. Bad. 2. Deservedly; according to merit. You worthily succeed not only to the honors of your ancestors, but also to their virtues. 3. Justly; not without cause. I affirm that some may very worthily deserve to be hated.' the only place in the Bible where we find the word worth is Genesis 23:9, 15; Leviticus 27:23; Deuteronomy 15:18; 2Samuel 18:3; 1Kings 21:2; Job 24:25; Proverbs 10:20; Ezekiel 30:2. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines worth as: 'n. G., L. the primary sense is strength. 1. Value; that quality of a thing which renders it useful, or which will produce an equivalent good in some other thing. the worth of a days labor may be estimated in money, or in wheat. the worth of labor is settled between the hirer and the hired. the worth of commodities is usually the price they will bring in market; but price is not always worth. 2. Value of mental qualities; excellence; virtue; usefulness; as a man or magistrate of great worth. As none but she, who in that court did dwell, could know such worth, or worth describe so well. All worth-consists in doing good, and in the disposition by which it is done. 3. Importance; valuable qualities; applied to things; as, these things have since lost their worth.
WORTH, a. 1. Equal in value to. Silver is scarce worth the labor of digging and refining. In one country, a days labor is worth a dollar; in another, the same labor is not worth fifty cents. It is worth while to consider a subject well before we come to a decision. If your arguments produce no conviction, they are worth nothing to me. 2. Deserving of; in a good or bad sense, but chiefly in a good sense. the castle is worth defending. Toreign is worth ambition, though in hell. This is life indeed, life worth preserving. 3. Equal in possessions to; having estate to the value of. Most men are estimated by their neighbors to be worth more than they are. A man worth a hundred thousand dollars in the United States, is called rich; but no so in London or Paris. Worthiest of blood, an expression in law, denoting the preference of sons to daughters in the descent of estates.'

Please see the note for Romans 3:19 about the word guilt. The functional definition is: 'Criminal; having knowingly committed a crime or offense, or having violated a law by an overt act or by neglect,and by that act or neglect, being liable to punishment; not innocent'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'whosoever. 1Co 10:21; Le 10:1-3; Nu 9:10,13; 2Ch 30:18-20; Mt 22:11; Joh 6:51,63-64; 13:18-27 shall be. 1Co 11:29'.

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C11-S32 (Verse 28) We are each personally responsible for our own actions in this matter.

But let a man examine himself,
and so let him eat of that bread,
and drink of that cup..

Our sentence starts with But, and continues the subject of the prior sentence while going in the opposite direction. The prior sentence warned us about Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily... Our current sentence tells us to examine ourselves, and, as preachers instruct people to do, get worthy or refrain from eating of that bread, and drinking of that cup.

Please see the note for 9:3-4 about links to every verse in the Bible which uses the word examine. The functional definition is: 'To inspect carefully, with a view to discover truth or the real state of a thing'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'let a. 1Co 11:31; Ps 26:2-7; La 3:40; Hag 1:5,7; Zec 7:5-7; 2Co 13:5; Ga 6:4; 1Jo 3:20-21 and so. Nu 9:10-13; Mt 5:23-24 General references. exp: De 4:5; 1Co 11:31'.

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C11-S33 (Verse 29) he we need to personally examine ourselves.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,
eateth and drinketh damnation to himself,
not discerning the Lord's body..

The only place in the Bible where we find the word unworthily is in this section. It means 'in a manner that is not worthy'. We do not have any worth to be concerned about. This sin is warning us about not giving the body and blood of the Lord the worth that it deserves. The first meaning that we can take from this is not considering what He paid for our sins and not considering that His intention was that we 'Stop our Sinning!' thus, it is not our failure to admit to doing our sins but our failure to consider His payment and our treating His payment as a light thing. Thus, our concentration on self (our sins) instead of on Him (His payment) is a wrong focus. We see this literally said in our current sentence. In 11:27 we were told that if we do this we shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Here we are told that we eateth and drinketh damnation. Thus, the damnation is that we are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Our refusal to consider His payment is what brings the damnation.

Please note the th in eateth and drinketh. The th means that he 'keeps on keeping on doing these actions'. In 11:27 we were told that a one-time doing of these actions would make us guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Now we are told that is we 'keeps on keeping on doing these actions' then we being damnation to ourselves. Thus, we see that God makes a definite distinction between the consequence of a one-time sin and the same sin done as a lifestyle .

In addition, to the prior two considerations, please note that 1Corinthians 10:16 says, The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? (Please see the notes for that verse, especially the one in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.) this literally tells us that the cup represents the communion ('spiritual fellowship') of the blood of Christ, which is to cause us to 'stop our sinning'. As explained elsewhere on this site, the blood of Jesus was used to pay for our sins when we were lost. That payment was used in the great white throne legal system. However, once saved, we are put in the judgment seat of Christ legal system and this separate court system needs a separate payment for sins that we do after receiving God's life in us. The Bible says that it is the blood of Christ that is used here. Thus, when we participate in the Lord's Supper, and refuse to stop sinning, this brings a judgment of sickness and death because we do not discern the payment made for our ongoing sins which is paid so that we are not spending our time paying for those sins but are supposed to spend our time being changed so that we 'stop our sinning'.

In addition, please note that 1Corinthians 10:17-18 says, The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? forwe being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (Please see the notes for that verse, especially the one in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.) this literally tells us that the bread represents the communion ('spiritual fellowship') of the body of Christ and that body is the church (For we being many are one bread, and one body). We are commanded to be all partakers of that one bread, which means that we are to have our own active part in the fellowship of the church with our having our needs met but also with our doing our part to meet the needs of others. Therefore, the phrase not discerning the Lord's body not only speaks about what He physically suffered to pay for our sins, but the context of this epistle makes this sin not discerning ('distinguish; to see the difference between two or more things') the church. This means that they fail 'to see the difference between' different members of the church and do what they can to fulfill those needs. They also fail 'to see the difference between' the church and other groups of people in society.

While the application to the physical body of Christ, and the physical suffering that He received, is often preached when churches have the Lord's Supper, I can't remember ever hearing anyone preach this application to the church. Yet the context of this epistle makes the application of the body of Christ, to the church, a proper and valid one for this warning. Quite frankly, people refusing to properly discern the church is more of a problem than them properly considering how the Lord physically suffered for them. In addition, this consideration is only the few moments before participating in the Lord's Supper while consideration of the church is an ongoing process and part of our ongoing personal relationship to God. Tobe completely honest, I personally believe that God's people receive judgment from God, in the form of sickness and death, more from their failure to properly discern the church, on a continuous basis, than from their failure to properly discern the physical suffering of their failure to properly the Lord in the few moments before participation in the Lord's Supper.

Please see the note for 13:2 which has links to all of the verses in the Bible which use any form of the word damn, along with a short note on each and the Webster's 1828 definition.

We find forms of the word discern occurring 25 times in 23 verses of the Bible, 9 times in 7 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 2:14; our current sentence and 12:10. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines discern as: 'to separate by the eye, or by the understanding. Hence, 2. to distinguish; to see the difference between two or more things; to discriminate; as, to discern the blossom-buds from the leaf-buds of plants. Discern thou what is thine--Genesis 31. 3. to make the difference. Fornothing else discerns the virtue or the vice. 4. to discover; to see; to distinguish by the eye. I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding. Proverbs 7. 5. to discover by the intellect; to distinguish; hence, to have knowledge of; to judge. So is my lord the king to discern good and bad. 2 Samuel 14. A wise m and heart discerneth time and judgment. Ecclesiastes 8.
DISCERN, v.i. 1. to see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood. 2. to have judicial cognizance.'

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'damnation 1Co 11:30,32-34; Ro 13:2 (Gr) Jas 3:1; 5:12 not. 1Co 11:24,27; Ec 8:5; Heb 5:14'.

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C11-S34 (Verse 30) the consequence of our failure to personally examine ourselves.

For this cause many are weak and sickly among you,
and many sleep..

Please see the note for 4:10 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word weak. The functional definition is: 'Not able to bear a great weight'. Within our sentence this word is used to include crippled people along with any type of infirmity which is not the result of ongoing sickness.

We find forms of the word sick occurring 112 times in 107 verses of the Bible, 56 times in 55 verses of the New Testament, and only in this sentence within 1Corinthians. What we see in every use of this word in the Gospels is that Jesus healed the sick everywhere that He went. Thus, the sickly, in our current sentence, are that way because they do not have a proper relationship with Jesus Christ. It is my personal belief that many saved people eateth and drinketh unworthily because they don't know the meaning of unworthily. They consider their own sins and try to confess them but they do not consider the worth ('value') of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ had to pay in order to not only pay for their sins but to also sanctify their lives so that they 'Stop their Sinning!'. They say a prayer of confession, think they did what is required, and go out and live the same life of sin as before participating in the Lord's supper.

Please see the note for Acts 5:15 about the word sick. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines this word is: 'a. Qu.Gr. squeamish, lothing. 1. Affected with nausea; inclined to vomit; as, sick at the stomach. this is probably the primary sense of the word. Hence, 2. Disgusted; having a strong dislike to; with of; as, to be sick of flattery; to be sick of a country life. He was not so sick of his master as of his work. L'Estrange. 3. Affected with a disease of any kind; not in health; followed by of; as to be sick of a fever. 4. Corrupted. Not in use nor proper. 5. the sick, the person or persons affected with the disease. the sick are healed.'.

Webster's 1828 dictionary defines sickly as: 'a. 1. Not healthy; somewhat affected with disease; or habitually indisposed; as a sickly person, or a sickly constitution; a sickly plant. 2. Producing disease extensively; marked with sickness; as a sickly time; a sickly autumn. 3. Tending to produce disease; as a sickly climate. 4. Faint; weak; languid. the moon grows sickly at the sight of day'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for sick as: 'Sometimes sent as a Judgment for Sin: Le 26:15-16; De 28:61; 2Ch 21:15; Ps 107:17-18; Ec 5:17; Mic 6:13; 1Co 11:30. The Righteous suffer from: 2Ki 20:1; Job 2:7; Da 8:27; Joh 11:1; Ac 9:37; Php 2:27; 2Ti 4:20 Healing, Examples of Christ's: Mt 4:23; 8:3,16; 9:35; 12:13,22; 14:36; 15:30; 17:18; 19:2; 21:14; Mr 1:31; 10:52; Lu 7:21; 13:13; 17:14; 22:51; Joh 4:50; 5:9; 9:6. Examples of Apostolic: Ac 3:7; 5:16; 9:34; 14:10; 16:18; 19:12; 28:8. Promises of Immunity from: Ex 15:26; De 7:15; Pr 4:22; Jer 30:17. The Jews, Promised Special Immunity from Calamities: Ex 8:22; 9:6,26; 11:7; 12:13; 15:26; Ps 91:7; Mr 16:18'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for sickness as: 'Sent by God: De 28:5961; 32:39; 2Sa 12:15; Ac 12:23. The devil sometimes permitted to inflict: Job 2:6-7. Often brought on by intemperance: Ho 7:5. Often sent as a punishment of sin: Le 26:14-16; 2Ch 21:12-15; 1Co 11:30. One of God's four sore judgments on a guilty land: Eze 14:1921. GOD: Promises to heal: Ex 23:25; 2Ki 20:5. Heals: De 32:39; Ps 103:3; Isa 38:5,9. Exhibits His mercy in healing: Php 2:27. Exhibits His power in healing: Lu 5:17. Exhibits His love in healing: Isa 38:17. Often manifests saving grace to sinners during: Job 33:1924; Ps 107:17-21. Permits saints to be tried by: Job 2:5-6. Strengthens saints in: Ps 41:3. Comforts saints in: Ps 41:3. Hears the prayers of those in: Ps 30:2; 107:18-20. Preserves saints in time of: Ps 91:3-7. Abandons the wicked to: Jer 34:17. Persecutes the wicked by: Jer 29:18. Healing of, lawful on the sabbath: Lu 13:14-16. Christ compassionated those in: Isa 53:4; Mt 8:16-17. CHRIST HEALED: Being present: Mr 1:31; Mt 4:23. Not being present: Mt 8:13. By imposition of hands: Mr 6:5; Lu 13:13. With a touch: Mt 8:3. Through the touch of His garment: Mt 14:35-36. With a word: Mt 8:8,13. Faith required in those healed of, by Christ: Mt 9:28-29. Often incurable by human means: De 28:27; 2Ch 21:18. The Apostles were endued with power to heal: Mt 10:1; Mr 16:18,20. ThE POWER OF HEALING: One of the miraculous gifts bestowed on the early Church: 1Co 12:9,30. SAINTS: Acknowledge that, comes from God: Ps 31:1-8; Isa 38:12,15. Are resigned under: Job 2:10. Mourn under, with prayer: Isa 38:14. Pray for recovery from: Isa 38:2-3. Ascribe recovery from, to God: Isa 38:20. Praise God for recovery from: Ps 103:1-3; Isa 38:19; Lu 17:15. Thank God publicly for recovery from: Isa 38:20; Ac 3:8. Feel for others in: Ps 35:13. Visit those in: Mt 25:36. Visiting those in, an evidence of belonging to Christ: Mt 25:34,36,40. Pray for those afflicted with: Ac 28:8; Jas 5:14-15. God's aid should be sought in: 2Ch 16:12. ThE WICKED: Have much sorrow, etc. with: Ec 5:17. Forsake those in: 1Sa 30:13. Visit not those in: Mt 25:43. Not visiting those in, an evidence of not belonging to Christ: Mt 25:43,45. Illustrative of sin: Le 13:45-46 '.

Now we come to the word sleep. The definitions from the dictionaries written by men, including Webster's 1828 , are not adequate because they define words from a physical perspective and all of this chapter must be understood from a spiritual perspective. Saved people have spiritual eternal life. (Please see the note for Life in 1John about the phrase eternal life. That note has links to every place in the Bible where this phrase is found). They shall (spiritually) never die (John 11:26). Please also see the note for Romans 2:7 which has additional verses which teach the same thing while not using these exact words.

With this consideration we see that the New Testament uses the word sleep for people who are physically dead but spiritually alive. We see this in:

John 11:13 says, Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. thus, we see that Jesus was the person to initiate this usage of the word sleep within the New Testament.
Acts 13:36-37 says, For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Here we see Paul using this term with Jews who lived outside of Israel. Thus, this usage was commonly understood and used by Jews at the time of the start of the church.
Romans 13:11 says, and that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. this sentence, and section of Romans, is telling us to stop acting like we are physically dead while claiming to be spiritually alive. Our spiritual life is supposed to affect the attitudes and actions of our physical life.
1Corinthians 15:51-52 says, Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Many saved people cling to this verse and love preaching about it. Therefore, they can not claim ignorance of this word usage.
1Thessalonians 4:14 says, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. this is the promise of saved people returning when Jesus Christ returns to set up His kingdom.
1Thessalonians 5:6-7 says, Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. forthey that sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. Once more we are told to not claim to be spiritually alive while acting like we are dead to the spirit within our physical life.
1Thessalonians 5:10 says, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Here we have a very clear distinction between saints who are spiritually alive but physically dead and saints who are spiritually and physically alive.

Thus, we see that the New Testament uses the word sleep for saints who are spiritually alive but physically dead.

One preacher recently asked about taking this sentence literally. He gave the example of bus kids who take the Lord's supper and live in sinful conditions. He also gave the example of saved people who knew better but took the Lord's supper with no apparent consequence. My answer was that we have to understand how God brings spiritual judgment.

Luke 12:48 says, But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. forunto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. God had revealed much more about His Word to that preacher than God had revealed to the bus kids. Therefore, the consequence to the preacher would be much greater than the consequence to the bus kids. 2Corinthians 10:12 says, For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. We should not be using other people to see how much sin we can get away with because we then prove to be Biblical fools. We especially should not compare ourselves to someone who has had a lot less opportunity to learn the truths of God.

2Peter 3:9 says, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Our Lord will not wait forever but will give His people time to repent. Just because you do not see instant judgment that does not prove that judgment will never come. The main prayer request, by a vast majority, in American churches is for medical problems. This is evidence of the judgment warned in this sentence. When we look back to the note for C11-S31, we see a definition for the word unworthily that is different than most people believe. Thus, many people are doing this sin while they believe they are not doing it because they have a wrong definition and have been taught doctrinal error.

Finally, this warning is to be understood as a spiritual judgment affecting the physical. Thus, we must start with the spiritual understanding before applying it to the physical or we will end up in error. Yes, this warning is absolutely to be taken literally, but it is a spiritual literal with physical consequences and not just a physical literal statement.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'many. 1Co 11:32; Ex 15:26; Nu 20:12,24; 21:6-9; 2Sa 12:14-18; 1Ki 13:21-24; Ps 38:1-8; 78:30-31; 89:31-34; Am 3:2; Heb 12:5-11; Re 3:19 sleep. 1Co 15:51; Ac 13:36; 1Th 4:14 General references. exp: Pr 11:31'.

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C11-S35 (Verse 31) How to avoid those consequences from God.

For if we would judge ourselves,
we should not be judged..

This is the third sentence in a row that starts with For. This is the third reason why we should examine ourselves with this chapter assuming that when we examine ourselves, we will correct tour errors and sins so that we should not be judged. However, if we refuse to examine ourselves, then we shall be judged and an angry God will determine our punishment. Please see the note for 1:10, for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word judge.

This sentence starts with For and tells us that if we refuse to examine ourselves, and correct our sins and errors, then God shall judge us and our punishment includes many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. As bad as this might seem, our next sentence explains that it is not as bas as what would happen to us if we should be condemned with the world.

The bottom line is: 'Clean your own life up so that God doesn't have to because if God has to do it you will suffer far more than if you did it yourself'.

Please see the note for 1:10 for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word judge.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 11:28; Ps 32:3-5; Jer 31:18-20; Lu 15:18-20; 1Jo 1:9; Re 2:5; 3:2-3 exp: Ps 89:32; Pr 11:31'.

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C11-S36 (Verse 32) What the Lord will do if we fail to judge ourselves.

But when we are judged,
we are chastened of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned with the world..

This sentence starts with But and continues the subject of the prior sentence while going in another direction. As the note above explains, the prior sentence is the third For ('Here's why') in a row. That note shows the connection of all of these sentences while this sentence provides the exception to what was said before. Those sentences tell about our correcting ourselves. Our current sentence starts with But when we are judged, (not if we are judged,). If we won't clean up our life then God will and if God has to do it, then it might include sickness and death. However, our current sentence tells us that this is a lot less punishment than if we should be condemned with the world.

So, our sentence tells us that if God has to judge us then we are chastened of the Lord. In every instance where the word of God speaks about chastisement by God, we see it linked to God's children and we are even told But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines chastened as: 'pp. Corrected; punished; afflicted for correction'.

We find forms of the words (chastened or chastisement), in the Old Testament in: Leviticus 26:28; Deuteronomy 8:5; Deuteronomy 11:2; Deuteronomy 21:18; Deuteronomy 22:18;2Samuel 7:14; 1Kings 12:14; 2Chronicles; 2Chronicles; Job 5:17-18; Job 33:18-30; 34:31-32; Psalms 6:1; Psalms 38:1; Psalms 69:10; Psalms 73:14; Psalms 89:32; Psalms 94:10; Psalms 94:12-13; Psalms 118:18; Proverbs 3:11-12; Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 23:14; Isaiah 26:16; Isaiah 53:5; Jeremiah 30:14; Jeremiah 31:18; Daniel 10:12; Hosea 7:12; Hosea 10:10 and Zephaniah 3:2 for more on chastisement by God to His children.

We find forms of the words (chastened or chastisement), in the New Testament in: Luke 23:16, Luke 23:22; our current sentence; 2Corinthians 6:9; Hebrews 12:5-8, Hebrews 12:10-11; Revelation 3:19.

The note and context of Hebrews 12:5-LJC gives us several reasons for God's chastisement. Those reasons include:

It proves the Lord's love - this sentence.
It proves we are God's son - this sentence and 12:7.
It tells us that when we are rebuked by God, He includes chasteneth, and scourgeth to change our behaviour. When we are rebuked by others, they don't include what is necessary to change our behaviour, which means we will continue to be rebuked. God includes chasteneth, and scourgeth to end the behaviour that causes the rebuke. - (This sentence).
It proves that we personally (ye) are not bastards (our spiritual father is Satan and our spiritual mother is church / religion). Since our salvation is based upon who our spiritual father is, and not upon who our spiritual mother is, this proves our professed salvation.
It teaches us subjection, which is required for God's blessings - 12:9.
It is for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness - 12:10.
It yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby - 12:11.
It gives us a reason to praise God - 12:12.
It makes our paths straight, which is Godly- 12:13.
It heals us - 12:13.

While we could go into lots of details on this section, our original sentence told us why the Lord chasteneth, and scourgeth us, and I believe I have covered what the author presented as God's reasons. This sentence uses Lord for the Son of God because God the Father does not directly deal with Christians but directs all interactions through Lord Jesus Christ. Here, the author uses Lord because He is judging and punishing His children for the wrong they do as a means to make them more like Him so that He can bless them.

Please see the note for 1:10 for links to sentences within this epistle which use forms the word judge.

Please see the note for Romans 8:1 for notes on condemn which includes a couple of dictionary definitions, summary notes on every verse in that epistle which use this word, and more. The functional definition is: 'The judicial act of declaring one guilty, and dooming him to punishment'. Please also see the note for Romans 9:30 for notes on the 'condemnation of fools'. Basically, no matter how bad it gets for us as God's children, the lost have it far worse. This sentence and 11:34 are the only places in this epistle which use condemnation.

Please see the note for 1:21 for notes and links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word world, along with additional information. in this epistle, and pretty much throughout the New Testament, the word world, is used for 'The system of thoughts, attitudes and actions which are centered on this physical reality and the desires of our flesh within it. The world also includes the people who embrace this system'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'we are. 1Co 11:30; De 8:5; Job 5:17-18; 33:18-30; 34:31-32; Ps 94:12-13; 118:18; Pr 3:11-12; Isa 1:5; Jer 7:28; Zep 3:2; Heb 12:5-11 condemned. Ro 3:19; 1Jo 5:19 General references. exp: Ps 89:32; Pr 11:31; 23:14; Isa 38:16'.

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C11-S37 (Verse 33) When the church meets it is to tarry one for another.

Wherefore,
my brethren,
when ye come together to eat,
tarry one for another..

This sentence starts with Wherefore and tells us a 'what we should because of a reason that will exist wherever you look'. There are no circumstances where the results reported in the prior sentences will be set aside. As a result we should want to avoid those results by doing what is presented within this summary of this part of chapter 11. In addition, since the prior sentences told us that the saved and the lost have different results, our current sentence uses brethren so that there is no confusion about who this conclusion is directed to.

please see the note for 2:1 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brethren or brother or sister is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see the note for 6:6 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brother is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.

Please see the note for Romans C14S2 for links to where forms of the word eat are used in Romans.

We find forms of the word eat occurring 741 times in 645 verses of the Bible, 168 times in 147 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 5:11; 8:4; 7; 8; 10; 13; 9:4, 7; 10:3, 7, 18, 25, 27, 28, 31; 11:20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, our current sentence, 34 and 15:32. Our chapter makes a very clear distinction between when we eat a regular meal and when we participate in the lord's supper. a regular meal has not spiritual significance while the Lord's supper has symbols that are very spiritually significant and which can carry a death penalty. Therefore, God had Paul make that distinction very clear within our chapter. The functional definition is: 'Besides the common use of this word, it is employed symbolically for to 'consume, destroy:' they "eat up my people as they eat bread." Ps 14:4; cf. Pr 30:14; Hab 3:14; 2Ti 2:17. Also for receiving, digesting, and delighting in God's words'.

After making this distinction, and clarifying that the Lord's supper is about communion with the Lord and the Lord's family, God had Paul instruct us to tarry one for another. We are to take time and effort to express the Lord's love and concern for His family. We find forms of the word tarry occurring 88 times in 87 verses of the Bible, 30 times in the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: our current sentence; 16:7 and 16:8. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines tarry as: 'to stay; to abide; to continue; to lodge. Tarry all night and wash your feet. Gen.19. 2. to stay behind. Ex.12. 3. to stay in expectation; to wait. Tarry ye here for us, till we come again to you. Ex.24. 4. to delay; to put off going or coming; to defer. Come down to me, tarry not. Gen.45. 5. to remain; to stay. He that telleth lies, shall not tarry in my sight. Ps.101. TAR'RY, v.t. to wait for. I cannot tarry dinner. Not in use'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'See also on exp: Ac 20:7 the disciples. 1Co 11:29 damnation'.

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C11-S38 (Verse 34) How to avoid this condemnation.

First Step: How to handle hunger.

and if any man hunger,
let him eat at home;.

Second Step: Why.

that ye come not together unto condemnation..

This sentence starts with and, which adds it to the prior sentence and makes the two sentences, together, be the summary of this section of Chapter 11. Since these people were not recognizing the difference between the Lord's supper and a regular meal, and since there is such a spiritual difference in significance and since there is such a major consequence for mishandling the Lord's supper (death), Paul gave a simple solution. Our sentence tells us if any man hunger, let him eat at home. That is: eliminate the source of the problem. In our Second Step we are told why we were given the instruction of the First Step.

Please see the note for Romans 12:20 for links to every place in the Bible where forms of the word hunger are used, along with a couple of definitions and other links to related verses. The functional definition is: 'An uneasy sensation occasioned by the want of food; a craving of food by the stomach; craving appetite'.

Please see the note for Romans 8:1 for notes on condemnation which includes a couple of dictionary definitions, summary notes on every verse in that epistle which use this word, and more. The functional definition is: 'The judicial act of declaring one guilty, and dooming him to punishment'. Please also see the note for Romans 9:30 for notes on the 'condemnation of fools'. Basically, no matter how bad it gets for us as God's children, the lost have it far worse. This sentence and 11:32 are the only places in this epistle which use condemnation.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'if any. 1Co 11:21-22 condemnation. or, judgment. General references. exp: 1Co 14:40'.

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C11-S39 (Verse 34) and the rest will I set in order when I come.

This sentence tells us that the other problems were not common enough for God to put into the Bible. God does not broadcast our problems unless it is required.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 2:12-13 about the word rest. The functional definition is: 'Cessation of motion or action of any kind, and applicable to any body or being'. in this case, Paul has stopped separating out problems to deal with in this epistle.

Please see the note for Colossians 2S3 about the word order. The functional definition is: 'Regular disposition or methodical arrangement of things'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'will I. 1Co 7:17; Tit 1:5 when. 1Co 4:19; 16:2,5 exp: 1Co 16:3. General references. exp: 1Co 14:40'.

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1Corinthians Chapter 12 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

C12-S1 (Verse 1), C12-S2 (Verse 2), C12-S3 (Verse 3), C12-S4 (Verse 4), C12-S5 (Verse 5), C12-S6 (Verse 6), C12-S7 (Verse 7), C12-S8 (Verse 8-11), C12-S9 (Verse 12), C12-S10 (Verse 13), C12-S11 (Verse 14), C12-S12 (Verse 15), C12-S13 (Verse 16), C12-S14 (Verse 17), C12-S15 (Verse 17), C12-S16 (Verse 18), C12-S17 (Verse 19), C12-S18 (Verse 20), C12-S19 (Verse 21), C12-S20 (Verse 22-23), C12-S21 (Verse 24-25), C12-S22 (Verse 26), C12-S23 (Verse 27), C12-S24 (Verse 28), C12-S25 (Verse 29), C12-S26 (Verse 29), C12-S27 (Verse 29), C12-S28 (Verse 29), C12-S29 (Verse 30), C12-S30 (Verse 30), C12-S31 (Verse 30), C12-S32 (Verse 31)

The Chapter theme is: diverse things given by God to help the entire church.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

The most used words in this chapter (with counts in parenthesis) are: BODY (18), ALL (16), ONE (15), MEMBERS (10), SPIRIT (10), ANOTHER (9), HAVE (8). .

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides an outline for this chapter of:

1-3. Spiritual gifts,
4-6. are diverse,
7. yet all to profit withal.
8-11. and to that end are diversely bestowed;
12-21. that by the like proportion, as the members of a natural body tend all to the mutual decency,
22-25. service,
26. and succour of the same body;
27-31. so we should do for one another, to make up the mystical body of Christ.

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C12-S1 (Verse 1) this chapter is teaching us about spiritual gifts that are within the body of Christ.

Now concerning spiritual gifts,
brethren,
I would not have you ignorant..

We can find larger and more complex definitions for the word ignorant, but it simply means 'lacking knowledge'. Thus, we are all ignorant of some things and being told that you are ignorant of something is not an insult. The only time that there really is a problem is when someone does not understand the true definition of the word ignorant, or they should know the thing that they are ignorant of and have been proven to not have done what they were supposed to do.

Thus, any saved person who remains ignorant concerning spiritual gifts, after being able to read and study this chapter, is risking judgment from God. Many places the Bible teaches us that God gave us a brain, His Word, and His Holy Spirit with the intention that we use them to learn the things that He gave us to learn. Further, the Bible teaches that God brings judgment upon His children when they continue to not do what He gave them to do. Thus, every saved person should obey the command that is within this sentence and not remain ignorant concerning spiritual gifts.

Please see the note for Romans 1:1 about the word concern. The functional definition is: 'Pertaining to; regarding; having relation to'.

Please note that our second phrase is the word brethren. That is why I specified 'every saved person' in the paragraph above. Please see the note for 2:1 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brethren or brother or sister is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see the note for 6:6 for links to every place in this epistle where forms of the words brother is used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.

Please see this note in the Word Study on Spirit to see how the use of the word spiritual is consistent throughout the Bible. God is a Spirit (John 4:24). Spiritual gifts are gifts from spirits, which can include devils. The spiritual gifts that Paul talks about are ones from God to His children and we must be sure to separate them from things that people get from devils. Thus, we see that our opening sentence is telling us that this chapter is written to give us the knowledge, which we may be lacking, concerning spiritual gifts which are from God and which must be separated from things that devils give.

Please see the note for 12:4 for a short note on every verse in 1Corinthians which uses any form of the word gift. Please also see the note for Romans 5:12-18 which has a lot of info about spiritual gifts. The functional definition is: 'A gift is something given to us which we did not pay for but which the giver paid for or owned prior to giving the give to us'.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S42 and 2Corinthians 2:10-11 about the word ignorant. The functional definition is: 'a lack of knowledge'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for Ignorance of God as: 'Ignorance of Christ is: Joh 8:19. EVIDENCED BY: Want of love: 1Jo 4:8. Not keeping His commands: 1Jo 2:4. Living in sin: Tit 1:16; 1Jo 3:6. LEADS TO: Error: Mt 22:29. Idolatry: Isa 44:19; Ac 17:2930. Alienation from God: Eph 4:18. Sinful lusts: 1Th 4:5; 1Pe 1:14. Persecuting saints: Joh 15:21; 16:3. Is no excuse for sin: Le 4:2; Lu 12:48. The wicked, in a state of: Jer 9:3; Joh 15:21; 17:25; Ac 17:30. The wicked choose: Job 21:14; Ro 1:28. Punishment of: Ps 79:6; 2Th 1:8. MINISTERS SHOULD: Compassionate those in: Heb 5:2; 2Ti 2:24-25. Labor to remove: Ac 17:23. Exemplified: Pharaoh, Ex 5:2. Israelites, Ps 95:10; Isa 1:3. False prophets, Isa 56:10-11. Jews, Lu 23:34. Nicodemus, Joh 3:10. Gentiles, Ga 4:8. Paul, 1Ti 1:13'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'spiritual. 1Co 12:4-11; 14:1-18,37; Eph 4:11 I would not. 1Co 10:1; 2Co 1:8; 1Th 4:13; 2Pe 3:8'.

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C12-S2 (Verse 2) In the past we were taught wrong things about spiritual things.

Ye know that ye were Gentiles,
carried away unto these dumb idols,
even as ye were led..

Please notice that ye ('each and every one of you personally') is used 3 times in this sentence. Paul wants us to understand that this message is personal. This is not something that people can take an attitude of: 'He's talking to someone else in the church'. The fact is that all saved people started searching for spiritual things before they came to God. As such, they tried the error of religion and devils. God allows this so that we experience the difference between what God provides and what comes from devils. With this experience we are not tempted by the unknown.

Now before anyone starts objecting to this sentence making idolatry personal to them, remember that 10:7 equated idolaters to The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. We each had a time in our life when we made an idol of our own flesh and worshipped by fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.

In our second phrase we see the sub-phrase of dumb idols. We find forms of the word dumb occurring 29 times in 27 verses of the Bible, 15 times in 13 verses of the New Testament, and only in our current sentence within 1Corinthians. In almost every New Testament reference we see Jesus healing the dumb. One exception is when Zacharias refused to believe the message and messenger from God. Another reference is talking about how Jesus acted while He was made sin for us. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines dumb as: 'a. Dum. 1. Mute; silent; not speaking. I was dumb with silence; I held my peace. Psalm 34. 2. Destitute of the power of speech; unable to utter articulate sounds; as the dumb brutes. the asylum at Hartford in Connecticut was the first institution in America for teaching the deaf and dumb to read and write. 3. Mute; not using or accompanied with speech; as a dumb show; dumb signs. Tostrike dumb, is to confound; to astonish; to render silent by astonishment; or it may be, to deprive of the power of speech.'

The one saving phrase of this sentence is even as ye were led. The idols were dumb ('can't speak') but the people representing the devils behind the idols led us into doctrinal error. Thus, if we want to be wise, we won't listen to those people any more.

We see similar teaching to this sentence in Psalms 115:5, 7; 135:16; Habakkuk 2:18-19; Matthew 15:14; 1Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 4:8; Ephesians 2:11-12; 4:17-18; 1Thessalonians 1:9; Titus 3:3; 1Peter 1:18; 1Peter 4:3.

This epistle uses Gentiles for 'lost people'. So our first phrase is telling us that 'We each have personal intimate experience of being lost and acting like a lost person'.

Please see the note for 5:1 about the word Gentile. The functional definition is: 'In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a Christian; a heathen'.

Please see the note for Acts 3:2 about the word carried. The functional definition for this word is: 'Past-tense form of the word carry'. Please also see the note for Acts 5:9 about the words carry / carrying.

The word even means 'having the same weight'. When two sides of a balancing scale are even, both sides of the scale have the same weight.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that. 1Co 6:11; Ga 4:8; Eph 2:11-12; 4:17-18; 1Th 1:9; Tit 3:3; 1Pe 4:3 dumb. Ps 115:5,7; 135:16; Hab 2:18-19 even. Mt 15:14; 1Pe 1:18'.

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C12-S3 (Verse 3) there is a difference between the saved and the lost when it comes to acknowledging Jesus as Lord.

Equivalent Section: Evidence that someone is lost.

Wherefore I give you to understand,
that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed:.

Equivalent Section: Evidence that someone is saved.

and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord,
but by the Holy Ghost..

The doctrine of this sentence is easily misunderstood especially if people try to understand it from a physical perspective (what words come out of the person's mouth) instead of from a spiritual perspective (the life that they live which backs up the words from their mouth). Forthe last several chapters we have seen that we must take the spiritual perspective in order to correctly understand what Paul is saying in these chapters. This remains true for our current chapter. Please see the note for this sentence in the Lord Jesus Christ Study and the note for this sentence in the note for this sentence in the Word Study on Spirit. Those notes are detailed and show the same truth of this sentence from two different perspectives. God's truth does not change no matter how you look at it. This sentence is talking about true salvation which requires saved people to live a life which backs what they say. We also see the same thing taught in 1John 4:2-3.

Please notice that this sentence starts with Wherefore, which means it gives us 'the reason, that will be seen wherever you look, for what was said in the prior sentence'. In the prior sentence Paul made us face how we acted as lost people. Now our current sentence tells us how lost people ace that is different from how truly saved people act and our sentence tells us that this evidence will be seen in the life of all people.

Please see the note 2Corinthians 5:5 about the word give. The functional definition is: 'Bestowed; granted; conferred; imparted; admitted or supposed'. Please also see the note 2Corinthians 9:8-11 for about the word given. Please also see the notes for Romans C5S9 and 1Corinthians C12S4 about the word gift. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:7 about the word giver. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C14S19 and Ephesians C5S2 about giving of thanks. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:8-11 about the word given. Please also see the notes for 1Corinthians C14S19 and Ephesians C5S2 about the phrase giving of thanks. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 9:7 about the word giver.

Please see the note for 14:2 for links to every verse in the this epistle which uses any form of the word understand along with the definition from Webster's 1828 Dictionary and links from commentators. The functional definition is: 'under and stand. the sense is to support or hold in the mind'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S3 about the word call. That note has links to notes in every New Testament book where there are links to every place where the particular book uses this word. The functional definition is: 'To command another to help or to cry for help, hence to pray (Ge 4:26)'. Please also see the notes for Romans 10:13; 2Thessalonians 3:1-LJC; Ephesians 5:8-LJC and 1John 4:14-LJC about the phrase call upon the Lord. Please also see the note for Romans 10:13 about Lord and call.

Please see the note for 3:17 for links to verses within 1Corinthians which use forms of the word holy. Please also see the note for Romans 7:12 for Webster's 1828 definition of the word holy along with links to sentences in Romans which use a form of the word holy. The functional definition is: 'Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions'.

Please use the link, in the sentence above, for links to every place in the Bible where we find the phrase Holy Ghost. There is a Biblical doctrinal difference between the use of the phrase Holy Ghost and God's Holy Spirit, where Holy Ghost is used when He operates in this world and Holy Spirit is used when He acts in the spiritual reality. Both are identifiers of the third Person within the Trinity. Please see the link for God's Holy Spirit for links to the various applications where this other identifier of the third Person is used. The phrase Holy Ghost only occurs within the New Testament.

Please see the note for Galatians C1-S4 about the word curse. The functional definition is: 'Doomed to destruction or misery'. The word accursed is similar the word curse. The difference is that something which is accursed has that state permanently While a curse can be removed. Further, When someone is accursed, they spread the curse to everything associated with them like leprosy did.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'no man. Mr 9:39; Joh 16:14-15; 1Jo 4:2-3 accursed. or, anathema. 1Co 16:22; De 21:23; Ga 3:13 exp: Ga 1:8. no man. 1Co 8:6; Mt 16:16-17; Joh 13:13; 15:26; 2Co 3:5; 11:4'.

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C12-S4 (Verse 4) Spiritual gifts are applications of God's Spirit in saved people's lives.

Now there are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit..

Our sentence starts with Now and starts a new subject that is based upon what was already said in this chapter. Thus, Paul already established that saved people act different from lost people and the difference is due to the spirit that influences their life (God or devils). Having stated this difference, Paul is Now ready to limit discussion to what saved people need to know in in this sentence through 12:7. Then, starting in 12:8, Paul starts to explain why what is said in these sentences is true and after that he gives further instruction about spiritual gifts. Thus, we see that his stating the basic principal, within these sentences, is further explained throughout the chapter and the context of the entire chapter must be considered as a whole teaching on a single subject.

Within these sentences we are told that it is the same Spirit /Lord /God while the applications within the lives of men differ. You can have two men or two chairs or two rocks with the meaning (interpretation) of 'two' remaining the same while the application varies. The same principal is used through the Bible including here on two levels. The role of God that God uses for different functions changes based upon the function being done, which is the doctrinal basis for saying that we have to deal with God through His different roles depending upon the function that we are dealing with God about. In addition, to this level of differing interaction with God, we also see that God considers each of us and that He recognizes the differences between each of us. Based upon those differences we see that there are diversities / differences of gifts / administrations / operations. Thus, we see that God does not change (same), just like the definition of the number two does not change, but we also see diversities / differences in the application of God in and through our life. Finally, our exception (C12-S7) tells us that while God works through these diversities / differences of applications, He has the same purpose in all cases. That is: the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

As pointed out in the note for this sentence in the Word Study on Spirit, our sentence very clearly says that there are several different (diversities of) spiritual gifts but only one (same) Spirit. Thus, the diversities of gifts are the many ways that God applies His Holy Spirit in different saved people's lives. Our next two sentences also tell us that administrations and operations are also applications of God's Holy Spirit and that they must be considered along with the spiritual gifts.

We find forms of gift appear 112 times in 104 verses of the Bible, 61 times in 56 verses of the New Testament and 8 times in Romans, of which 6 are in this sentence. We find several different things given as a gift and they are given for different reasons within the Bible. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines gift as 'something given from one person to another without compensation; a donation. It is applicable to anything movable or immovable. 1. the act of giving or conferring. 2. the right or power of giving or bestowing. the prince has the gift of many lucrative offices. 3. An offering or oblation. If thou bring thy gift to the altar. Matt.5. 4. A reward. Let thy gifts be to thyself. Dan.5. 5. A bribe; anything given to corrupt the judgment. Neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise. Deut.16. 6. Power; faculty; some quality or endowment conferred by the author of our nature; as the gift of wit; the gift of ridicule. GIFT, v.t. to endow with any power or faculty.'

As seen in just the three verses that Webster's 1828 mentions, a gift, while freely given, usually carries an obligation to the giver. Daniel refused the gift because he did not want to be obligated to an ungodly king. In Deuteronomy, God told rulers and judges to not accept a gift because it blind the eye of the wise. However, as the verses in Matthew show us, we can not blind the eye of God. Please also see the note for Romans 5:12-18 for a note about every verse in Romans that uses any form of the word gift. Within 1Corinthians, the verses which use any form of the word gift are:

1:7 : We must receive the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ...Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift. If we do not allow the testimony of Christ (to be) confirmed in us then we will personally (ye) come behind in (God's spiritual) gifts.
7:7 says But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. We do not all have the same spiritual gift and God decides who gets which gift.
12:1 : People 'lack knowledge' about spiritual gift and need to learn about them.
Our current sentence tells us that there is only one Spirit even though He works through a diversities of gifts.
12:8-11 : God's Spirit gives different spiritual gifts to different saved people.
12:28 : Different spiritual gifts have different hierarchical positions in God's administration of the church.
12:30 : No spiritual gift is given to everyone.
12:31 sums up this chapter and says But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
13:2 : No spiritual gift is as important as having charity.
14:1 : Teaches that the main purpose is to edify the church. Therefore, the spiritual gift that are best at edifying the church are the most desirable.
14:12 concludes this subject within this epistle with Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for gifts as: 'Seven Gifts of Christ to Believers: Rest: Mt 11:28. Keys of the Kingdom: Mt 16:19. Power over evil spirits: Lu 10:19. Living water: Joh 4:14. Bread of Heaven: Joh 6:51. Eternal Life: Joh 10:28. Legacy of Peace: Joh 14:27; Re 2:26,28; 21:6. Diversity of, to men: Mt 25:15; Ro 12:6; 1Co 4:7; 12:4; Eph 4:11. Parental Gifts, an expression of Love for Children: A Patrimony: Ge 24:36. A Beautiful Garment: Ge 37:3. Springs of Water: Jos 15:19. A Home-made Coat: 1Sa 2:19. A Type of God's Bounty: Mt 7:11. Presents to Men: See Presents. Spiritual: An Everlasting Name: Isa 56:4-5. Spiritual Knowledge: Jer 24:7. A New Heart: Eze 11:19. Spiritual Rest: Mt 11:28. The Holy Spirit: Lu 11:13. Eternal Life: Joh 10:28; Jas 1:17. A Spiritual Crown: Re 2:10,17. Temporal, to men: Ge 1:29; 9:3; De 8:18; 11:14; Job 5:10; Ps 127:2; 136:25; 145:15; Joe 2:23. From God: Of Understanding: Job 32:8. According to the Character of Men: Ec 2:26. Ability for Comforting Speech: Isa 50:4. Diversity of: Mt 25:15. Tothose who Ask Aright: Lu 11:9. He the only Source of: Joh 3:27. Forbids Pride: 1Co 4:7. Include Wisdom: Jas 1:5. Tobe Cultivated: (a Christian duty to): Mt 25:20; 1Ti 4:7,14; 2Ti 1:6. Diversity of Gifts: Mt 25:15; Ro 12:6; 1Co 4:7; 12:4; Eph 4:11. GIVING OF PRESENTS: Ge 24:53; 45:22; 1Sa 9:8; 25:27; 30:26; 1Ki 10:10,13; 14:3; 2Ki 8:9; Job 42:11; Mt 2:11. PLENTY PROMISED to the obedient: Le 26:5; De 30:9; Ps 132:15; Pr 3:10; Isa 30:23; Eze 36:30; Am 9:13; Zec 8:12'.

We see the diversities of gifts also taught in 1Corinthians 12:8-11, 28; Romans 12:4-8; Hebrews 2:4.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'there. 1Co 12:8-11,28; Ro 12:4-6; Eph 4:4; Heb 2:4; 1Pe 4:10 General references. exp: Ro 12:4'.

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C12-S5 (Verse 5) Administrations are applications of the Lord's order in the church.

and there are differences of administrations,
but the same Lord..

This sentence starts with the word and, which adds it to the prior sentence while continuing the same subject. Paul started a new subject with this chapter, then he limited it to what saved people need to know in 12:4 and is telling us the first point, of what saved people need to know, in these sentences. Then, starting in 12:8, Paul starts to explain why what is said in these sentences is true and after that he gives further instruction about spiritual gifts. Thus, we see that his stating the basic principal, within these sentences, is further explained throughout the chapter and the context of the entire chapter must be considered as a whole teaching on a single subject.

The note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study explains why administrations are handled by God's role as Lord. We find forms of the word administrations occurring only in our current sentence; 2Corinthians 8:19-20 and 2Corinthians 9:12. Every verse in 2Corinthians is talking about the handling of money that was sent to help the poor in the Jerusalem church. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines administration as: ', n. 1. the act of administering; direction; management; government of public affairs; the conducting of any office or employment. 2. the executive part of government, consisting in the exercise of the constitutional and legal powers, the general superintendence of national affairs, and the enforcement of laws. 3. the persons collectively, who are entrusted with the execution of laws, and the superintendence of public affairs; the chief magistrate and his council; or the council alone, as in Great Britain. 4. dispensation; distribution; exhibition; as the administration of justice, of the sacrament, or of grace. 1Cor. 12. 2Cor. 9. 5. the management of the estate of an intestate person, under a commission from the proper authority. this management consists in collecting debts, paying debts and legacies, and distributing the property among the heirs. 6. the power, office or commission of an administrator. Surrogates are authorized to grant administration. It is more usual to say, letters of administration. 7. this name is given by the Spaniards, to the staple magazine or warehouse, at Callao, in Peru, where foreign ships must unload'.

B.H. Carroll provides this outline administration according to 1Timothy 5 : 'The administration of internal church affairs: How to deal with the different classes of unofficial offending members (1Ti 5:1-2). How to administer church pensions to widows (1Ti 5:3-16) and to aged ministers (1Ti 5:17-18). How to treat offending elders that are preachers (1Ti 5:251). Why there should be care in ordaining preachers (1Ti 5:22,24-25). Slaves and masters (1Ti 6:1-2). Heterodox teachers in practical religion (1Ti 6:3-8). The rich (1Ti 6:9-10,17-19). Quadruple charge to Timothy or the Law of Administration (1Ti 5:21,23; 6:11-16,20-21).'

One thing that is literally said, but seems to be denied in most churches today, is the phrase there are differences of administrations. That means that having everything in the church administered by the pastor is a violation of this Bible sentence because one person controlling all of the administrations is not differences of administrations.

Going on we see diversities is used for gifts and operations but differences is used for administrations. The difference between the use of these two words is that there can be different types of gifts and operations where the different types act different ways. However, while there are differences in the details of various administrations, the basic requirement of how you do an administration is going to be the same no matter what you are administering.

While pastors have lots of reasons and fears because of deacon run churches and other things, the fact is that if the pastor can not trust our Lord, Who our verse says is the one Whom is really in charge, then how can he demonstrate true Biblical faith to his people? the Bible tells us Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. (Acts 6:2). This means that the Apostles were not getting into the administration of the physical things of the church but they would concentrate on the spiritual.

Peter follows this up with Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. (1Peter 5:2-3). When a pastor takes control he is not taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but he is being lords over God's heritage and failing in his duty to being ensamples to the flock when it comes to living by faith for the critical things of life. While many pastors would like to deny this claim, God will show them, at the judgment seat of Christ, how the pastor's people actually lived by faith while following his example.

We see similar doctrine taught in; Acts 10:36; Romans 14:8-9; Philippians 2:11.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'administrations. or, ministries. 1Co 12:28-29; Ro 12:6-8; Eph 4:11-12 but. 1Co 8:6; Mt 23:10; Ac 10:36; Ro 14:8-9; Php 2:11 General references. exp: Nu 4:28'.

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C12-S6 (Verse 6) Operations are applications of God through saved people's lives to the world.

and there are diversities of operations,
but it is the same God which worketh all in all..

This sentence starts with the word and, which adds it to the prior sentence while continuing the same subject. Paul started a new subject with this chapter, then he limited it to what saved people need to know in 12:4 and is telling us the first point in these sentences. Starting in 12:8 Paul starts to explain why what is said in these sentences is true and after that he gives further instruction. This we see that his stating the basic principal, within these sentences, is further explained throughout the chapter and the context of the entire chapter must be considered as a whole teaching on a single subject.

Please see the note for 3:14 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word work. Please notice that our sentence says that it is God Who is working in us to motivate and direct us in the operations. In addition, our sentence says that it is the same God. The way that God works in us will be the same for all. Anyone who claims that God is working in them differently than other people in the church is either mistaken or lying. Finally, please notice that our sentence says that God worketh all in all. People who claim that God is not motivating or directing them are either mistaken or lying.

We find forms of the word operate only in Psalms 28:5; Isaiah 5:12; our current sentence and Colossians 2:12. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines operate as: ', v.i. L. operor; Heb. signifies to be strong, to prevail. 1. to act; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical. External bodies operate on animals by means of perception. Sound operates upon the auditory nerves through the medium of air. Medicines operate on the body by increasing or diminishing organic action. 2. to act or produce effect on the mind; to exert moral power or influence. Motives operate on the mind in determining the judgment. Examples operate in producing imitation. The virtues of private persons operate but on a few - A plain convincing reason operates on the mind both of a learned and an ignorant hearer as long as he lives. 3. In surgery, to perform some manual act in a methodical manner upon a human body, and usually with instruments, with a view to restore soundness or health; as in amputation, lithotomy and the like. 4. to act; to have agency; to produce any effect.
OP'ERATE, v.t. to effect; to produce by agency. The same cause would operate a diminution of the value of stock - this use is not frequent, and can hardly be said to be well authorized'.

The first two references provide cursors for people who regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands. The last verse is speaking about the changes that God brings into the life of saved people after their initial profession. (It is symbolically represented by the changes after resurrection.) thus, we see that the operations has to do with the work that God does in the lives of the saved, which matches with the second phrase of this sentence (the same God which worketh all in all.)

We see diversities of operations also taught in 1Corinthians 12:28-29; Ephesians 4:11-16.

We see that the same Spirit / Lord / God working for the good of the entire church is also taught in John 5:17; 1Corinthians 3:7; 8:6; 12:11; Matthew 23:10; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:29; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:21; 1Peter 4:10.

Please see the note for 3:14 about the word work. The functional definition is: 'to move, or to labor'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'worketh. 1Co 12:11; 3:7; Job 33:29; Joh 5:17; Eph 1:19-22; Col 1:29; Php 2:13; Heb 13:21 all. 1Co 15:28; Eph 1:23; Col 3:11 exp: Job 33:29; 2Co 5:18. General references. exp: Nu 4:28'.

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C12-S7 (Verse 7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

This sentence starts with the word But, which provides the exception to the last three sentences. Please see the notes above for details. Within the last three sentences we were told that it is the same Spirit /Lord /God while the applications within the lives of men differ. Now we are told that even though there are differences in the lives of people, God is accomplishing the same goal through all of these differences. That goal of God is to profit withal ('all saved people within the church').

Please see the note for this sentence in the Word Study on Spirit. It explains this sentence with references to word studies and concludes with: 'The Holy Spirit works through your life one way to profit withal and He works through my life a different way to profit withal thus, each of us are needed for different functions and for God to accomplish all that He intends within the church.'

Please see the note for 1Timothy 5:13 about the word withal. . Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'adv. Withaul. with and all. 1. With the rest; together with; likewise; at the same time. If you choose that, then I am yours withal. How modest in exception, and withal how terrible in constant resolution!'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 14:5,12,17,19,22-26; Mt 25:14-30; Ro 12:6-8; Eph 4:7-12; 1Pe 4:10-11'.

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C12-S8 (Verse 8-11) God's Holy Spirit gives different spiritual gifts to different people as He wants.

Equivalent Section: Why we have diverse spiritual gifts.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
To another faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
to another the working of miracles;
to another prophecy;
to another discerning of spirits;
to another divers kinds of tongues;
to another the interpretation of tongues:.

Equivalent Section: Why there is only one Spirit.

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit,
dividing to every man severally as he will..

Please pay attention to this fact from our sentence. But all these (spiritual gifts) worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. Unless the Holy Spirit gives a person the spiritual gift called the interpretation of tongues, that person can not properly interpret what the Bible says in the 'original languages'. In addition, unless the Holy Spirit is actively working that spiritual gift within the person, that person can not properly interpret what the Bible says in the 'original languages'. Please pray for true understanding about this spiritual gift as there is a lot of error taught about and that error ignores the spiritual aspect of this particular gift. This truth also applies to every other spiritual gift, especially those mentioned here.

This sentence starts with For and tells us why Paul said what he did in the prior 4 sentences. In our sentence we see two Equivalent Sections separated by a colon followed by the word But. That makes the two Equivalent Sections polar opposites with the First Equivalent Section telling us the details about how God's Holy Spirit is dividing to every man and the Second Equivalent Section telling us about that one and the selfsame Spirit. Within this sentence we see the same thing as has been expressed several times in the prior four sentences, and explained within the notes above. There is only one Holy Spirit Who is working through the various spiritual gifts/administrations/operations but no man has all of the various spiritual gifts/administrations/operations. None of us can claim that we can do without another or that we can do all that the Holy Spirit can do through another saved person.

The explanation is simple. God is far superior to us. God can handle all of these spiritual gifts/administrations/operations at the same time but we can't. We might have a couple of them, but the more spiritual gifts that we have the less effective we will be in each because we are limited and can only divide ourselves so far. Cut a pie into as many slices as you want, but more slices means less volume in each slice. Likewise, spread yourself across as many spiritual gifts as you want to claim, but the more spiritual gifts means less time and life that can be put into developing each of them.

It also needs to be noted that this list of spiritual gifts is only a sampling of those given by God and that other places list other spiritual gifts. The subject of this chapter is not the specifics of the spiritual gifts themselves, but the difference in the relationship that God has with the spiritual gifts as compared to the relationship that we have with the spiritual gifts. This difference in the relationship is due to the differences in our natures. Religious men deny that God is significantly greater than man, and use that erroneous concept to deny this difference in our relationships to spiritual gifts. Please see the note for 12:4 for a short note on every verse in 1Corinthians which uses any form of the word gift. Please also see the note for Romans 5:12-18 which has a lot of info about spiritual gifts. Please also see the note for Romans 12:6-8 for where the epistle to the Romans also talks about our having and using different spiritual gifts.

In addition, to this difference in relationship, we need to be aware of a significant point that is shown by the structure of our sentence. Our First Equivalent Section is naming various spiritual gifts that are given to men. Our Second Equivalent Section that God's Holy Spirit is dividing to every man severally as he will. Lots of people want to argue about if certain gifts still exist or not and use places in the Bible which they claim support their position. Yes, 13:8 does say Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. However, no where in the Bible does it say when that will happen. In addition, the point of that sentence is the comparison with charity, which the sentence says never faileth.

Certainly this argument about spiritual gifts is not charitable. In addition, our current chapter and sentence makes it clear that it is God's Holy Spirit Who decides if He gives out a spiritual gift and who He gives it to. Further, our sentence literally says to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;...to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. Therefore, our doctrine should not come from a healer but from someone who was given by the Spirit the word of wisdom. A healer who claims to be the authority on doctrine is denying the literal truth of this sentence and, therefore, does not have his 'gift' from God's Holy Spirit. If his 'gift' was truly from God's Holy Spirit then God's Holy Spirit would correct his false claim of having the gift of wisdom, which our sentence says is given to another.

Within our sentence we see Spirit (capitalized) used 5 times and spirit (lower case) used once. There are four separate notes, for the five usages of Spirit within this sentence, and the links within the sentence outline (above) will take the reader to those notes which are sequential within the Word Study on Spirit. Those notes deal with the spiritual gifts listed within this sentence and those notes deal with the difference between the use of Spirit (capitalized) for God's Holy Spirit and the use of spirit (lower case) used for various spirits of men that are influenced by devils and by God's Holy Spirit.

In general, the notes within the Word Study on Spirit are going to have more details about the various spiritual gifts than what is found within this note.

Please use the link in the sentence above and see the notes for Romans C8S1; Galatians C6S8 and Hebrews 8:10-LJC about the word Spirit. The functional definition is: 'An intelligent being from the spiritual reality which is a super-set of the physical reality'. As seen in the summary part of the Study on Spirit, 'We are made spiritually alive when God's spirit quickens our spirit'. That study also provides links to many more verses which teach the same doctrine. Please use his link for links to every usage in the Bible where we find the phrase Spirit of the Lord. Please see the note for Romans C11S13 about the phrase spirit of slumber. Please see the note for Galatians 6:1 in Word Study on Spirit for links to every place where we find the word spiritual. Please see the notes for Romans C8S40; Ephesians C6S8 about the phrase spiritual powers. Please see the note for 1Peter C1S11 about the phrase spiritual verses physical. Please see the notes for Word Study on Spirit; Romans C14S20 and Colossians C3S5 about the phrase unclean spirits. Please see the note for please see the Word Study on Holy Ghost for links to every place in the Bible where we find the phrase Holy Ghost.

Within our first phrase we see the spiritual gift of wisdom, We find forms of the word wisdom occurring 234 times in 222 verses of the Bible, 53 times in 50 verses of the New Testament, and 18 times in 15 verses within 1Corinthians. Please see the note for this 1Corinthians 1:17 for the verses within 1Corinthians which use the word wisdom. Please see the note for Romans 16:19 for the verses within Romans which use the word wisdom. Preachers, especially of pastor, is the gift of wisdom. This gift is needed to show people how to apply the word of God in their life. Since people are at different levels of spiritual maturity, and since there are different ways that God's Word is applied for each level of spiritual maturity and circumstances of life, the preacher definitely needs the wisdom of God to know the correct application to use for various situations.

Within our first phrase we see the spiritual gift of knowledge, the note for Romans 6:3 has links to every place in the Bible which uses the phrase Know ye not and which (effectively) asks 'How could you not know something that is so obvious?'. Please also see Other Word Studies for links to other notes which deal with this word. Please also see the note for 1:16 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word know. Basically, this is not what people think of as 'head knowledge' or even what they think of as 'heart knowledge' but is knowledge that only comes from personally and intimately experiencing the working of God's Holy Spirit within their life. While a lot of us have these types of experiences, it takes the working of God's Holy Spirit for someone to make the connection between the experience and the spiritual working of God's Holy Spirit. Please see the note for 1:5 about the word know. The functional definition, for the word know is: 'A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; and the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement between various truths and acts. Within the Biblical usage is the knowledge that comes only from personal intimate experience'. There are different levels of knowledge which can vary based upon their source, how the knowledge is obtained and more. True Biblical knowledge includes the most intimate and personal type of knowledge which comes from personal experience.

Please see the note for 1:9 for links to every verse in 1Corinthians which uses a form of the word faith. This is a gift that has a lot of doctrinal error taught about it. Basically, every promise in the Bible that is available to people during the Church Age has an act of faith attached to it. The devil accuses God of being like him and taking away people's free will when God puts His 'overwhelming grace' in them. God will never do that. Toprove that the devil is a liar, God has us do the 'act of faith' before He acts so that there is no doubt that we used out own free will to give God permission to act in and through our life. In addition, faith is progressive. After we act in faith, God's Holy Spirit gives us the ability to do an act of faith that is at the next level. Thus, there are no 'great leaps of faith' but are only a series of greater 'steps of faith' with each step being only a little greater than the prior step.

As we saw earlier within this note, it is God's Holy Spirit Who decides what gift is given to whom. Thus, if God's Holy Spirit no longer decides to hand out the gift of healing, then people don't have it no matter what people may claim. Several places on this site I have talked about the man who was in the next bed of a Critical Care Unit who wanted me to try his church's healer, even though he would not do the same. I have had many miraculous healings, but it was through the spiritual gift of faith and not some healer. I'm not denying their existence, I just haven't met any true ones that live. However, as also explained many times, faith is an action verb whereby we obey the command of God, in order to prove that He has permission to work in and through our life, and we believe that he will keep His attached promise but also with the understanding that He decides when, where and how He keeps that promise. There have been several times that I saw the promise of God in His Word, obeyed His command, and received His blessing. Then when I tell others they find my testimony incredible but refuse to act themselves even with a testimony before them. However, we have to accept what Romans 12:3 says, when it says as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Some people have a greater measure of faith and we each must act upon what God has given us.

Please see the note for Colossians 2S2 about the word word. The functional definition is: 'a single component part of human speech or language'. However, the word of God is the holy scriptures and in the English language, it is only the KJV-1611. Please also see the notes for Romans C10S22 and Word in 1John about the phrase word of God. Please also see the note for John 1:1 for an extensive note explaining the differences, and similarities, between the capitalized and the non-capitalized word word. When a Bible reference uses an uppercase word, it is referring to Jesus Christ. The uppercase makes this a formal name of the Son of God. However, while the exact definition is different, the properties are spiritually similar to the lowercase word. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 1:8 about the phrase word of the Lord. Please note that the word of the Lord is a sub-set of the word of God. the word of God contains all of God's written truth including recording the lies of Satan. The word of the Lord is that part of the word of God which will be used to judge us. The lies from Satan are not included within the word of the Lord.

Please see the note above about the words wisdom, knowledge and faith.

We find forms of the word heal occurring 138 times in 132 verses of the Bible, 75 times in 73 verses of the New Testament, but only 3 times within 1Corinthians, and all are within this chapter. They are: our current sentence; 12:28 and 12:30. Within these sentences we see Paul emphasizing the point that not everyone has certain spiritual gifts and that it is God Who decides who gets which gift.

Please see the note for 12:28 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word miracle along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see these tables Miracles in Gospels; miracles in OT And the Miracles section of the Significant Events in the New Testament, and the note for Matthew 4:23-LJC for an explanation of how Satan also does miracles and enables people to do miracles and how it isn't the fact that someone does a miracle but the spirit they display along with the miracle that shows if they are from God or not.

Please see the notes for C11-S4 and Romans 12:6-8 for links to every place in the Bible where the words prophecy, prophet, or prophetess, are used, along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links to other commentators. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Lots of preachers like to claim the authority of a prophet even when they can't fulfill the requirement to foretell the future, in detail, and with 100% accuracy. Yes, preachers today do fulfill the main function of a prophet in that they proclaim God's Word but those who are living today and claim the authority of men who were used by God to deliver His Word are teaching doctrinal error. They are just as wrong as those people who are living today and claiming to be and apostle. God sealed His Word with Revelation. I will not argue about if men today have a different gift or a different degree of the same gift but will say that men of today do not have the same authority as men, such as Paul, who God used to give us the Bible.

Please see the note for 11:29 about discern. The main part of that definition is: 'capable of seeing, discriminating, knowing and judging; sharp-sighted; penetrating; acute; as a discerning man or mind'. The emphasis is on a 'very accurate judgment'. Back in 2:14 we saw that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God...because they are spiritually discerned. Thus, we see the tie in with our current sentence which tells us that discerning of spirits is a spiritual gift from God and we see that we need God's Holy Spirit working in us for this spiritual gift to operate properly. We also saw that 11:29 had to be understood spiritually when it warned us that For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. Therefore, every use of this word, within this epistle, shows us that it is a spiritual action verb.

The note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Word Study explains that devils can imitate all of the spiritual gifts listed in this verse. It is only by discerning the spirit behind what the person is doing that lets us know if the gift is from God or from a devil. Avoiding doctrinal error that is taught by devils is only possible when the church takes advantage of this spiritual gift. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge gives further links for discerning of spirits that are: 1Corinthians 14:29; Acts 5:3; 1John 4:1; Revelation 2:2. In particular, 1John 4:1 is the basis of Lesson 2 within the Hermeneutics Lessons on this web site.

We find forms of the word tongue occurring 166 times in 161 verses of the Bible, 61 times in 57 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians (22 times in 20 verses). The proper Biblical interpretation of tongue is: 'human language'. Please see the other notes within this Study, especially the note at the start of Chapter 14, which has links to every verse in the New Testament, a short note on each of those verses, and shows the consistent doctrine within the New Testament concerning tongues. That note deals with this subject which has a lot of doctrinal error taught about it.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for tongue as: 'Tongue Restrained: Ps 34:13; Pr 13:3; 21:23; Jas 1:26; 1Pe 3:10. Tongues: Confusion of: Ge 11:9. Gift of: Mr 16:17; Ac 2:4; 10:46; 19:6; 1Co 12:10; 14:5. '.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for tongue as: 'Language: Ge 10:5,20; Isa 66:18; Re 7:9. Confusion of: Ge 11:1-9. Gift of: Ac 2:1-18,33; 10:46; 19:6; 1Co 12:10,28,30; 14. Loquacious: Pr 10:8,19. Restrained by wisdom: Pr 17:27; 21:23; Ec 3:7. Hasty: Pr 29:20. ToNGUES (the gift): 1Co 12:10,28,30; 13:8; 14:2-19,21-28,39'.

There is a lot taught on this site about interpretation, especially in the Hermeneutics Lessons. I've had very many Americans, who only speak one language (not as well as they think) argue with me about interpretation of the Bible, and especially about their use of 'the Greek'. I've also had the same conversation with over one hundred people who speak more than one language and the arguments end in one or two minutes. There are fixed rules for interpretation which are readily recognized by anyone who has to speak in a language that is not their primary language. It is only prideful people who speak only one language who reject the most basic rules of interpretation.

Before giving the rules on interpretation, let me give an illustration. There are people who believe that preachers should never study their Bible or prepare a message but only read their Bible and pray and only stand up to preach when 'overcome with the Holy Spirit with a message'. Lots of people reject that belief but accept the equivalent for interpretation of tongues. They think that interpretation of tongues only happens in a church service when someone stands up and speaks in an unknown tongue. The fact is that we have Biblically required evidence that the KJV 1611 was interpreted properly and approved by God. Any who would deny this truth had better throw away their English Bible and start using 'the Greek' for all of their Bible usages including soul winning. The fact is that our salvation is based upon that English Bible which we believed, which means that the true word of God had to be interpreted into English. According to our first three chapters, we could only have a spiritually accurate word of God in English if the Holy Spirit gave interpretation of tongues to the KJV 1611 translators. The problem is simple: lots of people believe the 1/2 truth lie. They believe in a 'God breathed word of God' while denying the truth of having a 'God translated and God preserved word of God'. All who have true Biblical salvation must have it from a 'God breathed, God translated and God preserved word of God'.

Having said that, only basic facts about interpretation will be presented here. We find forms of the word interpret occurring 72 times in 63 verses of the Bible, 20 times in the New Testament which are: Matthew 1:23; Mark 5:41; Mark 15:22, 34; John 1:38, 41-42; John 9:7; Acts 4:36; Acts 9:36; Acts 13:8; our current sentence and 1Corinthians 12:30; 14:5, 13, 26, 27, 28; Hebrews 7:2; 2Peter 1:20. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines interpret as: 'v.t. L. interpretor, from interpres. 1. to explain the meaning or words to a person who does not understand them; to expound; to translate unintelligible words into intelligible ones; as, to interpret the Hebrew language to an Englishman. --Immanuel, which being interpreted, signified, God with us. Matt.1. 2. to explain or unfold the meaning of predictions, vision, dreams or enigmas; to expound and lay open what is concealed from the understanding; as, Joseph interpreted the dream of Pharaoh. 3. to decipher. 4. to explain something not understood; as, to interpret looks or signs. 5. to define; to explain words by other words in the same language.'

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for interpretation as: 'Dream: Evanescent: Job 20:8. Vanity of Ec 5:3,7. INSTANCES OF : Of Abimelech,, concerning Sarah: Ge 20:3. Of Jacob, concerning the ladder: Ge 28:12. The ring-straked cattle: Ge 31:10-13. Concerning his going down into Egypt: Ge 46:2. Of Laban, concerning Jacob: Ge 31:24. Of Joseph, concerning the sheaves: Ge 37:5-10. Of Midianite concerning the cake of barley: Jg 7:13. Of Solomon, concerning his choice of wisdom: 1Ki 3:3-15. Of Eliphaz, of a spirit speaking to him: Job 4:12-21. Of Daniel, concerning the four beasts: Da 7. Of Joseph, concerning Mary's innocence: Mt 1:20-21. Concerning the flight into Egypt: Mt 2:13. Concerning the return into Palestine: Mt 2:19-22. Of Pilate's wife, concerning Jesus: Mt 27:19. Cornelius vision, concerning Peter: Ac 10:3-6. Peter's vision of the ceremonially unclean creatures: Ac 10:10-16. Paul's vision of the man in Macedonia, crying, "Come over into Macedonia,": Ac 16:9. Relating to his going to Rome: Ac 23:11. Concerning the shipwreck, and the safety of all on board: Ac 28:23-24. Revelations by: Nu 12:6; Jer 23:28; Joe 2:28; Ac 2:17. The dreams of the butler and baker: Ge 40:8-23. Pharaoh: Ge 41:1-36. Interpreted by Joseph: Ge 40:12-13,18-19; 41:25-32. Daniel: Da 2:16-23,28-30; 4. Delusive: Isa 29:7-8. False prophets pretended to receive revelations through: De 13:1-5; Jer 23:25-32; 27:9; 29:8; Zec 10:2. Of foreign tongues: 1Co 14:9-19. The miraculous gift granted to some early Christians: 1Co 12:10,28,30; 13:8; 14:2-19,21-28,39'.

We have dealt with the relationship between the First and Second Equivalent Sections, and with all of the details found in the First Equivalent Section. What we are left with is the details of the Second Equivalent Section. As already mentioned, our Second Equivalent Section is telling us that all of these details, which are too much for any single person to handle, are worked by that one and the selfsame Spirit. Please see the note for this verse within the Word Study on Spirit for more details on the Second Equivalent Section.

Please see the notes for 1:10; 1:13; 3:3 and 11:17 for verses in this epistle which use any form of the word divide. Please see the note for Romans 16:17 which has links to everywhere that the Bible uses any form of the word divisions along with an explanation of the use of that word. The definition given there is: 'Separating pre-defined units according to a precise procedure which produces a precise result'. in 2Timothy 2:15 we are told Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Obviously, if we are told to be rightly dividing the word of truth then it is possible to be wrongly dividing the word of truth. Please also see the Word Study on Dividing.

Please see the note for Hebrews C1-S1 about the word divers. The functional definition is: 'Old spelling of "diverse;" unequal. Pr 20:10'.

Please see above within this note about the word work. The functional definition is: 'to move, or to labor'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'is given. 1Co 1:5,30; 2:6-10; 13:2,8; Ge 41:38-39; Ex 31:3; 1Ki 3:5-12; Ne 9:20; Job 32:8; Ps 143:10; Pr 2:6; Isa 11:2-3; 50:4; 59:21; Da 2:21; Mt 13:11; Ac 6:3; 2Co 8:7; Eph 1:17-18
faith. 1Co 13:2; Mt 17:19-20; 21:21; Mr 11:22-23; Lu 17:5-6; 2Co 4:13; Eph 2:8; Heb 11:33 the gifts. Mt 10:8; Mr 6:13; 16:18; Lu 9:2; 10:9; Ac 3:6-8; 4:29-31; 5:15; 10:38; 19:11-12; Jas 5:14-15
the working. 1Co 12:28-29; Mr 16:17,20; Lu 24:49; Joh 14:12; Ac 1:8; Ro 15:19; Ga 3:5; Heb 2:4 prophecy. 1Co 13:2; 14:1,3,5,24,31-32,39; Nu 11:25-29; 1Sa 10:10-13; 19:20-24; 2Sa 23:1-2; Joe 2:28; Joh 16:13; Ac 2:17-18,29-30; 11:28; 21:9-10; Ro 12:6; 1Th 5:20; 2Pe 1:20-21 discerning. 1Co 14:29; Ac 5:3; 1Jo 4:1; Re 2:2 divers. 1Co 12:28-30; 13:1; 14:2-4,23,27,39; Mr 16:17; Ac 2:4-12; 10:46-47; 19:6 to another the. 1Co 12:30; 14:26-28 General references. exp: 1Th 5:20.
all. 1Co 12:4; 7:7,17; Joh 3:27; Ro 12:6; 2Co 10:13; Eph 4:7 as. 1Co 12:6; Da 4:35; Mt 11:26; 20:15; Joh 3:8; 5:21; Ro 9:18; Eph 1:11; Heb 2:4; Jas 1:18 General references. exp: Ac 8:29'.

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C12-S9 (Verse 12) the body of Christ is like a human body.

Equivalent Section: Why all of the prior sentences are true.

For as the body is one,
and hath many members,
and all the members of that one body,
being many,
are one body:.

Equivalent Section: Christ is the same way.

so also is Christ..

12:12 through 12:27 use the human body to illustrate how the church is to be the body of Christ. The verses within this chapter before these give us the spiritual teaching which these sentences are illustrating. The rest of the chapter tells us the application, which is the fact that different people have different spiritual gifts and different (related) roles / positions within the church. The last sentence is a introduction to the next chapter where we are told that what every saved person is to have is charity.

The most important part of this sentence is the Second Equivalent Section (so also is Christ). Our sentence starts with For and tells us why everything said before this sentence is true. Our sentence also starts (introduces) the illustration that is most of this chapter and the final application (12:28 through 12:31) is applying the truth of this chapter and the entire chapter is summarized within this sentence.

Look at the most used words, with their counts, that are in this chapter {BODY (18), ALL (16), ONE (15), MEMBERS (10), SPIRIT (10)}. In general, these words usually (not always) reveal the subject of the chapter. Now read our sentence and see the similarities. Next, read the note for This verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. It explains how a lot of people believe that Christ is the name of a person while this entire web site keeps showing that it is the identification of a relationship which we have with the Son of God, and also identifies His role within that relationship because the relationship is entirely dependent upon Him.

Now look again at our sentence and realize that the First Equivalent Section is describing the relationship between a body and all the members of that one body. Then realize that our Second Equivalent Section starts with so also is. The word is can be defined as 'a verb of being'. The phrase so also tells us 'in the exact same way'. Thus, we have the existence ('being') of Christ is 'exactly the same type of relationship' as is described in the First Equivalent Section. That gives us a definition of Christ that is 'exactly the same type of relationship that is illustrated by the relationship between a body (Christ and church) and the members of that one body (saved church members)'.

It should be obvious that there is a major difference between this definition and 'the name of a literal physical man' Jesus. This note provides a different perspective, and different details than the note for This verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. However, our current view also reaches the same conclusion. It is doctrinal error to teach and use Christ and Jesus interchangeably.

Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note says the exact same doctrine as this sentence but has a different application. It has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the note for 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. In addition, to that note, Romans C7S30 and Ephesians 4:5-LJC provide further notes and links for the word body. Also, Ephesians C3S1; Colossians C1S6 provide further notes and links for the word body of Christ. Several of these notes are good sized and provide a lot of explanation and links to other notes for further study.

We find forms of the word member occurring 38 times in 28 verses of the Bible, 35 times in 25 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in 11 verses which are: 6:15; our current sentence, 14, 18, 19, 20, 22-23, 25, 26, 27 and 27. It can be argued that every use of the word member, within the Bible, is directly or indirectly used for 'a part of a body'. Please see the notes for Romans C12S4 and 1Corinthians C12S9 about the word member. The functional definition is: 'throughout most of the New Testament, the word member is used as Professed Christians are called members of the church. However, several places this word is used as A limb of animal bodies, as a leg, an arm, an ear, a finger, that is, a subordinate part of the main body'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'as. 1Co 10:17; Ro 12:4-5; Eph 1:23; 4:4,12,15-16; 5:23,30; Col 1:18,24; 2:19; 3:15 so. 1Co 12:27; Ga 3:16 General references. exp: Ro 12:4-5; 1Co 12:14,27; Eph 4:3'.

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C12-S10 (Verse 13) All saved are in one body.

First Step: We are added to the body of Christ.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles,
whether we be bond or free;.

Second Step: we are made to drink.

and have been all made to drink into one Spirit..

The first thing to note here is that Spirit is capitalized, which means this is God's Holy Spirit. (Please see the note for this verse in the Word Study on Spirit). Thus, when our sentence starts with For it is telling us that the prior sentence is true because this (our current sentence) is what God's Holy Spirit is doing to cause it to happen. None of us have enough power to fight God. Therefore, this is absolutely going to happen to saved people as the only reason that it does not happen is because the person is a spiritual bastard who is lost and, while their spiritual 'mommy' is the church, their spiritual 'daddy' is the devil.

Our sentence has two Steps with our First Step talking about what happens when we first get saved and our Second Step saying what happens after we get saved. One thing that messes up a lot of people is that God's sense of time is different from our sense of time. Thus, there might be a long time, as measured by humans, between the First Step and the Second Step. However, our sentence says that the Second Step will happen. If it never happens then the person never was saved. This change happened in an instant for 'the thief on the cross', but it did happen. Forother saved people it can take years but it must happen before they die or they are not saved and are spiritual bastards.

Our First Step has three phrases with two of them starting with the word whether and the rest of those phrases eliminate circumstances which are most often used to claim that someone can not be saved or, if they are saved, must be in a separate church from other believers. The middle phrase tells us that our religious background manes no difference and the third phrase tells us that our social background manes no difference. Saved people are not to use the standards of this world as an excuse to exclude someone from church membership. Our first phrase tells us that they have been 'identified with Christ' (baptized), which is our primary identification and far outweighs any other type of identification. In addition, our first phrase tells us that it is God (Spirit) who puts us all...into one body. If we reject this truth then we will find ourselves fighting against God and suffering the consequences.

Our Second Step is added ( and) to our First Step and makes it clear that this step is not optional because is says we have been all made. What we have been all made to do is drink into one Spirit. Liquids are often used as a type of spirit in the Bible because liquids are absorbed by our body faster than solids, and therefore affect our body faster than solids do. Thus, our Second Step is telling us that God's Holy Spirit is going to change our spirit (our innermost being) to be like Christ. This absolutely, positively will happen for all truly saved people.

Please see the note for Matthew 9:5 about the word whether. The functional definition for this word is: 'Which of two'.

Please see the note for Galatians C2-S9 about the word Jew. The functional definition is: 'A name for God's chosen people who followed the Mosaic Law'.

Please see the note for 5:1 about the word Gentile. The functional definition is: 'In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a Christian; a heathen'.

We find forms of the word bond occurring 19 times in 18 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Luke 13:16; Acts 8:23; 1Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 4:3; Ephesians 6:8; Colossians 3:11; Colossians 3:14; Revelation 6:15; Revelation 13:16; Revelation 19:18. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Anything that binds, as a cord, a chain, a rope; a band. 2. Ligament; that which holds things together. 3. Union; connection; a binding. Let walls be so constructed as to make a good bond. 4. In the plural, chains; imprisonment; captivity. He hath done nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Acts. 5. Cause of union; cement which unites; link of connection; as the bonds of affection. Charity is the bond of perfectness. Col.3 6. An obligation imposing a moral duty, as by a vow, or promise, by law or other means. 7. In law, an obligation or deed by which a person binds himself, his heirs, executors, and administrators, to pay a certain sum, on or before a future day appointed. This is a single bond. But usually a condition is added, that ;if the obligor shall do a certain act, or pay a certain sum of money, on or before a time specified, the obligation shall be void; otherwise it shall remain in full force. If the condition is not performed, the bond becomes forfeited, and the obligor and his heirs are liable to the payment of the whole sum.
BOND, a. for bound. In a state of servitude, or slavery; captive. Whether we be jews or Gentiles; whether we be bond or free. 1 Cor.12.
BOND, v.t. To give bond for; as for duties or customs at a custom house; to secure payment of, by giving a bond. On their reshipment and exportation, official clearances were given, in which no mention was made that the cargo consisted of bonded or debentured goods. In the U.States, it is applied to the goods on which the customs arise, and to the duties secured by bond.'. The functional definition is: 'Slavery or involuntary servitude; captivity; imprisonment; restraint of a person's liberty by compulsion'. Please also see the note for 2Peter 2:19 about the word bondage. In John 8:33 we are told that sin puts us into bondage. Please also note that our personal relationship with Christ can make us free.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C7S29 about the word free. The functional definition is: 'Being at liberty; not being under necessity or restraint, physical or moral; a word of general application to the body, the will or mind, and to corporations'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'by. 1Co 10:2; Isa 44:3-5; Eze 36:25-27; Mt 3:11; Lu 3:16; Joh 1:16,33; 3:5; Ac 1:5; Ro 6:3-6; 8:9-11; Eph 4:5; 5:26; Col 2:11-12; Tit 3:4-6; 1Pe 3:21 exp: Eph 2:18. whether we be Jews. Ro 3:29; 4:11; Ga 3:23,28; Eph 2:11-16,19-22; 3:6; Col 1:27; 3:11 Gentiles. Gr. Greeks. bond. 1Co 7:21-22; Eph 6:8 to drink. Song 5:1; Isa 41:17-18; 55:1; Zec 9:15-17; Joh 4:10,14; 6:63; 7:37-39 General references. exp: Joe 2:29; Ro 12:5; 1Co 6:17; Eph 4:3'.

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C12-S11 (Verse 14) Why all saved are in one body.

For the body is not one member,
but many..

This sentence starts with For and gives us the evidence that supports Paul's claim in the prior sentence. When we see the same thing everywhere that we look, we can see that this is the work of God. The prior sentence told us that the Holy Spirit put different types of people into the body of Christ as different members. Since all bodies have different types of members, we can see that the same thing being found within the body of Christ is evidence of this organization coming from God.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the notes for Romans C12S4 and 1Corinthians C12S9 about the word member. The functional definition is: 'throughout most of the New Testament, the word member is used as Professed Christians are called members of the church. However, several places this word is used as A limb of animal bodies, as a leg, an arm, an ear, a finger, that is, a subordinate part of the main body'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 12:12,19,27-28; Eph 4:25 exp: Ro 12:5'.

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C12-S12 (Verse 15) this starts an illustration about the importance of each member of the church.

First Step: Pose the question.

If the foot shall say,
Because I am not the hand,
I am not of the body;.

Second Step: Question a foolish possible response.

is it therefore not of the body?.

What we see within our current sentence is a method often used to remove the emotional response which blocks people from being rational. When peoples' thinking is affected by their emotions then we need to get them to think about things in a way that removes their emotion. By presenting conditions within a church as if they were conditions within a body, Paul is removing personal emotions that are attached to a personal position within a church. Our sentence starts with If and presents a question to be considered and to get people thinking so that they can approach this emotional topic in a rational manner. Yes, it is foolish to seriously think that a foot can talk.

So, obviously we have a figure-of-speech but that figure-of-speech shows how foolish it is for an integral part of a whole to think it is not part of the whole just because it is different from another part of the whole. 2Corinthians 10:12 says, ...but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.. Paul is using this figure-of-speech to show the foolishness of some peoples' thinking that comes from comparing themselves among themselves and from comparing the spiritual gift that God gave them to the spiritual gift that God gave to someone else.

In our figure-of-speech the foot is treated like a dumb beast of burden. Think of a janitor or other type of servant job within the church. Now consider that the hand is often considered to be 'cleaver' and our hand does many of the things that we consider important within our life and the church. Many people consider poachers and teachers more important than janitors but God is using Paul to teach otherwise. In Acts 15 we read about a serious contention that split the missionary team of Paul and Barnabas. The cause was Mark leaving the mission team because he was a servant and thought he was not that important to the mission effort. Thus, our Biblical example shows that everyone is important regardless of their position within the church.

The word feet is the plural form of the word foot. Please see the note for Matthew 4:5 about the word foot. The functional definition for this word is: 'the lowest extremity of the leg. This word is often used symbolically for how the foot is used'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 1:13 about the word footstool. Please also see the note for Luke 1:76 about the word feet.

Please see the note for 12:8 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word tongue along with links to other Tables / Studies and links from commentators. The proper Biblical interpretation of tongue is: 'human language'.

We find forms of the word hand occurring 2062 times in 1819 verses of the Bible, 286 times in 270 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 4:12; our current sentence; 12:21 and 16:21. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines hand as: 'n. L. hendo, in prehendo. 1. In man, the extremity of the arm, consisting of the palm and fingers, connected with the arm at the wrist; the part with which we hold and use any instrument. 2. In falconry, the foot of a hawk; and in the manege, the fore-foot of a horse. 3. A measure of four inches; a palm applied chiefly to horses; as a horse 14 hands high. 4. Side; part; right or left; as on the one hand or the other. this is admitted on all hands, that is, on all sides, or by all parties. 5. Act; deed; performance; external action; that is, the effect for the cause, the hand being the instrument of action. Thou sawest the contradiction between my heart and hand. 6. Power of performance; skill. A friend of mine has a very fine hand on the violin. He had a mind to try his hand at a Spectator. 7. Power of making or producing. An intelligent being coming out of the hands of infinite perfection. 8. Manner of acting or performance; as, he changed his hand. 9. Agency; part in performing or executing. Punish every man who had a hand in the mischief. We see the hand of God in this event. 10. Conveyance; agency in transmitting. 11. Possession; power. the estate is in the hands of the owner. the papers are in my hands. 12. the cards held at a game; hence, a game. 13. that which performs the office of the hand or of a finger in pointing; as the hand of a clock; the hour hand, and the minute hand. 14. A person; an agent; a man employed in agency or service. the mason employs twenty hands. 15. form of writing; style of penmanship; as a good hand; a bad hand; a fine hand. 16. Agency; service; ministry. Ex.4. Lev.8. 17. In Scripture, the hand of God, is his eternal purpose and executive power. Acts.4. 18. the providential bounty of God. Ps.104. 19. the power of God exerted in judgments or mercies, in punishing or defending. Judges. 2. Ps.32. 20. the spirit of God; divine influence. 1 Kings 18. 21. the favor of God, or his support. Neh.2. Luke 1. At hand, near; either present and within reach, or not far distant. Your husband is at hand, I hear his trumpet. 1. Near in time; not distant. The day of Christ is at hand. 2 thess.2. By hand, with the hands, in distinction from the instrumentality of tools, engines or animals; as, to weed a garden by hand; to lift, draw or carry by hand. In hand, present payment; in respect to the receiver. Receiving in hand one year's tribute. 1. In a state of execution. I have a great work in hand. At my hand, at his hand, etc., denote from the person or being. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? Job.2. Of hand, in present possession; as, he has a supply of goods on hand. 1. Under one's care or management. Jupiter had a farm on his hands. Off hand, without delay, hesitation or difficulty; immediately; dexterously; without previous preparation. Out of hand, ready payment; with regard to the payer. Let not the wages of any man tarry with thee; but give it him out of hand. Tohis hand, to my hand, etc., in readiness; already prepared; ready to be received. The work is made to his hands. Under his hand, under her hand, etc., with the proper writing or signature of the name. This deed is executed under the hand and seal of the owner. Hand over head, negligently; rashly; without seeing what one does. Little used. Hand over hand, by passing the hands alternately one before or above another, as to climb hand over hand; also, rapidly, as to come up with a chase hand over hand; ;used by seamen. Hand to hand, in close union; close fight. But from hand to hand is from one person to another. Hand in hand, in union; conjointly; unitedly. Tojoin hand in hand, is to unite efforts and act in concert. Hand in hand, fit; pat; suitable. Hand to mouth. to live from hand to mouth, is to obtain food and other necessaries, as want requires, without making previous provision, or having an abundant previous supply. Tobear in hand, to keep in expectation; to elude. Not used. Tobear a hand, to hasten; a seaman's phrase. Tobe hand and glove, to be intimate and familiar, as friends or associates. Toset the hand o, to engage in; to undertake. That the Lord thy God may bless thee, in all thou settest thine hand o. Dest.23. Totake in hand, to attempt; to undertake. Luke 1. Also, to seize and deal with. Tohave a hand in, to be concerned in; to have a part or concern in doing; to have an agency in. Toput the last hand or finishing hand o, to complete; to perfect; to make the last corrections, or give the final polish. Tochange hands, to change sides; to shift. Hand, in the sense of rate, price, terms, conditions, as used by Bacon, Taylor, etc., is obsolete; as, "to buy at a dear hand;" "accept the mystery, but at no hand wrest it by pride or ignorance." So in the sense of advantage, gain, superiority, as used by Hayward; and in that of competition, content, as used by Shakespeare. Toget hand, to gain influence, is obsolete. A heavy hand, severity or oppression. A light hand, gentleness; moderation. A strict hand, severe discipline; rigorous government. Hands off, a vulgar phrase for keep off, forbear. pour water on the hands, in the phraseology of the Scriptures, is to serve or minister to. 2 Kings 3. Towash the hands, to profess in innocence. Matt.27. Tokiss the hand, imports adoration. Job.31. Tolean on the hand, imports familiarity. 2 Kings.5. Tostrike hands, to make a contract, or to become surety for another's debt or good behaviour. Prov.17. Putting the hand under the thigh, was an ancient ceremony used in swearing. Togive the hand, is to make a covenant with one, or to unite with him in design. 2 Kings.10. The stretching out of the hand, denotes an exertion of power. But, the stretching out of the hand to God, imports earnest prayer or solemn dedication of one's self to him. Ps.68, and 143. The lifting of the hand, was used in affirmation and swearing, and in prayer imported a solemn wishing of blessings from God. Gen.14. Lev.19. Tolift the hand against a superior, to rebel. 2 Sam.20. Toput forth the hand against one, to kill him. 1 Sam.24. Toput one's hand to a neighbor's goods, to steal them. Ex.22. Tolay hands on in anger, to assault or seize, or to smite. Ex.24. Is.11. Tolay the hand on the mouth, imports silence. Job.40. The laying on of hands, was also a ceremony used in consecrating one to office. Num.27. 1 Tim.4. It was also used in blessing persons. Mark 10. Hiding the hand in the bosom, denotes idleness; inactivity; sluggishness. Prov.19. The clapping of hands, denotes joy and rejoicing. But in some instances, contempt or derision, or joy at the calamities of others. Ps.47. Ezek.25. A station at the right hand is honorable, and denotes favor, approbation or honor. A station on the left hand is less honorable. Matt.20. 's standing at the right hand of men, imports his regard for them, and his readiness to defend and assist them. Ps.16. Satan's standing at the right hand of men, imports his readiness to accuse them, or to hinder or torment them. Zech.3. Clean hands, denotes innocence and a blameless and holy life. Ps.24. A slack hand, denotes idleness; carelessness; sloth. Prov.10. The right hand, denotes power; strength. Ex.15.
HAND, v.t. to give or transmit with the hand. Hand me a book. 1. to lead, guide and lift with the hand; to conduct. 2. to manage; as, I hand my oar. 3. to seize; to lay hands on. Not used. 4. In seamanship, to furl; to wrap or roll a sail close to the yard, stay or mast, and fasten it with gaskets. Tohand down, to transmit in succession, as from father to son, or from predecessor to successor. Fables are handed down from age to age.'

If you look at all that is in the 'definition' above you will see several applications of the word hand which are presented as definitions (interpretations). The very first 'definition' above is the true definition while all that follows are functions performed by the hand or are related to a function of a true hand. Thus, we have an excellent example of why we can't just take definitions from men's dictionaries and build Bible doctrines from them. In addition, I would like someone to identify the 'Greek' word which encompasses everything that is in this definition. This is just one example why it is wrong to look up an English word in a 'Greek' dictionary and try to build a Bible doctrine from the definition that comes from that 'Greek' dictionary. Such action ignores the contextual requirements, which a method used and taught by Satan.

Easton's Bible Dictionary provides Biblical applications for hand as: 'Called by Galen "the instrument of instruments." It is the symbol of human action (Ps 9:16; Job 9:30; Isa 1:15; 1Ti 2:8). Washing the hands was a symbol of innocence (Ps 26:6; 73:13; Mt 27:24), also of sanctification (1Co 6:11; Isa 51:16; Ps 24:3-4). In Ps 77:2 the correct rendering is, as in the Revised Version, "My hand was stretched out," etc., instead of, as in the Authorized Version, "My sore ran in the night," etc.
The right hand denoted the south, and the left the north (Job 23:9; 1Sa 23:19). to give the right hand was a pledge of fidelity (2Ki 10:15; Ezr 10:19); also of submission to the victors (Eze 17:18; Jer 50:15). the right hand was lifted up in taking an oath (Ge 14:22, etc.). the hand is frequently mentioned, particularly the right hand, as a symbol of power and strength (Ps 60:5; Isa 28:2). to kiss the hand is an act of homage (1Ki 19:18; Job 31:27), and to pour water on one's hands is to serve him (2Ki 3:11). the hand of God is the symbol of his power: its being upon one denotes favour (Ezr 7:6,28; Isa 1:25; Lu 1:66, etc.) or punishment (Ex 9:3; Jg 2:15; Ac 13:11, etc.). A position at the right hand was regarded as the chief place of honour and power (Ps 45:9; 80:17; 110:1; Mt 26:64)'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for hand as: 'Imposition of hands: Heb 6:2. In consecration: Ge 48:14; Ex 29:10,15,19; Le 1:4; 3:2,8,13; 4:15,24,33; 16:21. In ordaining the Levites: Nu 8:10-11. Joshua: Nu 27:18-23; De 34:9. Timothy: 1Ti 4:14; 2Ti 1:6. In healing: Mr 6:5; 7:32; 16:18; Lu 4:40; Ac 19:6,11. In blessing children: Mt 19:13; Mr 10:16. In solemnizing testimony: Le 24:14. Lifted up in benediction: Le 9:22; Lu 24:50. In prayer: Ceremonial washing of: Mt 15:2; Mr 7:2-5. Symbolical of righteousness: Job 17:9. Washing of, a symbol of innocency: De 21:6; Mt 27:24. Clasping of, in token of contract: Ezr 10:19; Pr 6:1; 17:18; La 5:6; Eze 17:18. Of friendship: 2Ki 10:15; Job 17:3. Right hand lifted up in swearing: Ge 14:22; Ps 106:26; Isa 62:8. Symbol of power: Isa 23:11; 41:10. Place of honor: Ps 45:9; 80:17. FIGURATIVE: Mt 5:30; 18:8; Mr 9:43. Anthropomorphic use of: the hand of the Lord: Is not limited: Nu 11:23. Is mighty: Jos 4:24. Was heavy: 1Sa 5:6. Was against the Philistines: 1Sa 7:13. Was on Elijah: 1Ki 18:46. Has unlimited power: Isa 59:1. Was with the early Christians: Ac 11:21'.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 12:12 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word member is used. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Jg 9:8-15; 2Ki 14:9'.

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C12-S13 (Verse 16) Second example in the illustration about the importance of each member of the church.

First Step: Pose the question.

and if the ear shall say,
Because I am not the eye,
I am not of the body;.

Second Step: Question a foolish possible response.

is it therefore not of the body?.

Our second example is added to the first By this sentence starting with the word and. It has the same format as the prior sentence and shows the same thing with different examples. Where the prior example used body parts that are totally different in function, our current sentence uses examples of different body parts which work different methods to perform what is essentially the same function.

Both the eye and the ear provide our brain with information about what is happening in the physical world around us. While they work with different frequencies of energy waves, and are different in that manner, they are both providing the same essential function and often are used to augment each other. Thus, while the prior example was about different functions within the church, our current example is about different levels of (essentially) the same function within the church. For example, sometimes teachers will feel that they are not essential because they are not preachers. Our current sentence is teaching that neither can think that they are not necessary.

We find forms of the word ear occurring 291 times in 270 verses of the Bible, 52 times in 49 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 2:9 and our current sentence. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines ear as: 'n. L. auris, whence auricula; audio. 1. the organ of hearing; the organ by which sound is perceived; and in general, both the external and internal part is understood by the term. the external ear is a cartilaginous funnel, attached, by ligaments and muscles, to the temporal bone. 2. the sense of hearing, or rather the power of distinguishing sounds and judging of harmony; the power of nice perception of the differences of sound, or of consonances and dissonances. She has a delicate ear for music, or a good ear. 3. In the plural, the head or person. It is better to pass over an affront from one scoundrel, than to draw a herd about one's ears. 4. the top, or highest part. The cavalier was up to the ears in love. 5. A favorable hearing; attention; heed; regard. Give no ear to flattery. I cried to God--and he gave ear to me. Ps.77. He could not gain the prince's ear. 6. Disposition to like or dislike what is heard; opinion; judgment; taste. He laid his sense closer--according to the style and ear of those times. 7. Any part of a thing resembling an ear; a projecting part from the side of anything; as the ears of a vessel used as handles. 8. the spike of corn; that part of certain plants which contains the flowers and seeds; as an ear of wheat or maiz. Tobe by the ears,------------------To fall together by the ears,------- to fight or scuffle; to go together by the ears,--------- quarrel. Toset by the ears, to make strife; to cause to quarrel'. As explained earlier, this definition has multiple applications presented as definitions, which leads to doctrinal error when people use those applications to build Bible doctrine. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The organ of hearing is often used symbolically in scripture. When a servant, whose time of service had expired, preferred to stop with his master, saying, "I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free," his ear was bored with an awl to the door post, and his ear belonged to his master perpetually, he was to hear only that one as master: type of Christ and His love to the church. Ex 21:5-6; De 15:17. Of Christ also it is said, "mine ears hast thou opened." Ps 40:6; quoted in Heb 10:5 from the LXX, "a body hast thou prepared me," both signifying that He was the obedient one. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" was said by the Lord to His hearers, and to each of the seven churches in Asia, and also said when the beast, representing the future Roman power, is worshipped, signifying that a spiritual discernment was needed to catch the meaning of what was uttered. Mt 13:9,43; Re 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22; 13:9.'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides links for this word as: 'The organ of hearing: Job 13:1; 29:11. Capable of trying and distinguishing words: Job 12:11. GOD: Made: Pr 20:12. Planted: Ps 94:9. Opens: Job 33:16; 36:10. Judicially closes: Isa 6:10; Mt 13:15. Christ opens: Isa 35:5; 43:8,10. Instruction received through: Isa 30:21. That hears and receives the word of God, blessed: Ex 15:26; Mt 13:16. SHOULD: Seek knowledge: Pr 18:15. Be bowed down to instructions: Pr 5:1. Be inclined to wisdom: Pr 2:2. Be given to the law of God: Isa 1:10. Receive the word of God: Jer 9:20. Hear and obey reproof: Pr 15:31; 25:12. Not satisfied with earthly things: Ec 1:8. OF thE WICKED: Uncircumcised: Jer 6:10; Ac 7:51. Itching: 2Ti 4:3. Not inclined to hear God: Jer 7:24; 35:15. Turned away from God's law: Pr 28:9. Stopped against God's word: Ps 58:4; Zec 7:11. Not to be stopped at cry of the poor: Pr 21:13. BLOOD PUT ON thE RIGHT EAR OF: Priests at consecration: Ex 29:20; Le 8:23. The healed leper in cleansing him: Le 14:14. Often adorned with rings: Eze 16:12; Ho 2:13. Of servants who refused to leave their masters, bored to the door: Ex 21:6; De 15:17'.

We find forms of the word eye occurring 618 times in 568 verses of the Bible, 111 times in 92 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 2:9; our current sentence; 12:17; 12:21 and 15:52. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines eye as: ' n. pronounced as I. L. oculus, a diminutive. the old English plural was eyen, or eyne. 1. the organ of sight or vision; properly, the globe or ball movable in the orbit. the eye is nearly of a spherical figure, and composed of coats or tunics. But in the term eye, we often or usually include the ball and the parts adjacent. 2. Sight; view; ocular knowledge; as, I have a man now in my eye. in this sense, the plural is more generally used. Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you. Gal.3. 3. Look; countenance. I'll say yon gray is not the morning's eye. 4. Front; face. Her shall you hear disproved to your eyes. 5. Direct opposition; as, to sail in the wind's eye. 6. Aspect; regard; respect; view. Booksellers mention with respect the authors they have printed, and consequently have an eye to their own advantage. 7. Notice; observation; vigilance; watch. After this jealousy, he kept a strict eye upon him. 8. View of the mind; opinion formed by observation or contemplation. It hath, in their eye, no great affinity with the form of the church of Rome. 9. Sight; view, either in a literal or figurative sense. 10. Something resembling the eye in form; as the eye of a peacock's feather. 11. A small hole or aperture; a perforation; as the eye of a needle. 12. A small catch for a hook; as we say, hooks and eyes. in nearly the same sense, the word is applied to certain fastenings in the cordage of ships. 13. the bud of a plant; a shoot. 14. A small shade of color. Little used. Red with an eye of blue makes a purple. 15. the power of perception. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Eph.1. 16. Oversight; inspection. The eye of the master will do more work than both his hands. The eyes of a ship, are the parts which lie near the hawse-holes, particularly in the lower apartments. Toset the eyes on, is to see; to have a sight of. Tofind favor in the eyes, is to be graciously received and treated.
EYE, n. A brood; as an eye of pheasants. EYE, v.t. to fix the eye on; to look on; to view; to observe; particularly, to observe or watch narrowly, or with fixed attention. Eye nature's walks, shoot folly as it flies.
EYE, v.i. to appear; to have an appearance.' As explained in the note for the definition within the prior note, this definition has multiple applications presented as definitions, which leads to doctrinal error when people use those applications to build Bible doctrine.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'is it. 1Co 12:16,22; Ro 12:3,10; Php 2:3'.

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C12-S14 (Verse 17) Logic that is added to prior questions.

If the whole body were an eye,
where were the hearing?.

The logic of this question is for those people who failed to understand how foolish the prior questions were. Paul is leaving no opportunity for someone to claim that they did not understand the lesson being taught here. There are a lot of times that our hearing is more important than our seeing, even though hum and rely upon their sight more than any of the other physical senses. The fact is that our brain processes things that we hear differently, and with a different part of the brain, than what is used for our sight. Thus, there are some things that we see, but don't really think about, will catch our attention, and engage our brain, if we hear about them. That's why Romans 10:14 says, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?. Combine that with 1Corinthians 1:21 which says For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. thus, we see that God uses the physical sense of hearing and the foolishness of preaching to reach the people who refuse to think about what comes through their eye.

There are some people who believe the doctrinal error that claims that 'people can't get saved without a preacher.' However, my personal experience, and that of others, shows that such a claim is wrong. Please notice that Romans says they have not believed before it says how shall they hear without a preacher? thus, the preacher is required for those people who have not believed the visible evidence of nature and of the changed life lived by saved people. Again, 1Corinthians 1:21 says, after...the world...knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. thus, God is not limiting His witness to a preacher and to hearing but uses these techniques when the witness of a person's eye does not result in their salvation. Therefore, we see that hearing has special spiritual significance related to the Bible.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the note for 12:16 for links to every place in this epistle where any form of the word eye.

We find forms of the word hear occurring 860 times in 811 verses of the Bible, 445 times in 405 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 11:18; our current sentence and 14:21. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines hearing as: 'ppr. Perceiving by the ear. This word is often used symbolically for hearing the spiritual message of the word of God, as sound. 1. Listening to; attending to; obeying; observing what is commanded. 2. Attending to witnesses or advocates in a judicial trial; trying.
HE'ARING, n. the faculty or sense by which sound is perceived. 1. Audience; attention to what is delivered; opportunity to be heard. I waited on the minister, but could not obtain a hearing. 2. Judicial trial; attention to the facts, testimony and arguments in a cause between parties, with a view to a just decision. 3. the act of perceiving sounds; sensation or perception of sound. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear. Job.42. and to the others he said in my hearing. Ezek.9. 4. Reach of the ear; extent within which sound may be heard. He was not within hearing'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for hear as: 'Hearers, Emotional: Mt 8:19; Mr 4:5; Lu 11:27; Ga 4:15. Spiritual of Believers: Pr 8:34; 15:31; Ec 5:1; Hab 3:2; Lu 8:15; Jas 1:19; Re 2:11. Careless, Characteristics of: Sentimentality: Eze 33:32. Disobedience: Mt 7:26. Shallowness: Mt 13:19. Hardness: Lu 16:31. Forgetfulness: Jas 1:23-24. Divine, God attentive to the Prayers of the Saints: 2Sa 22:7; Ps 34:15; 94:9; Isa 59:1; 65:24; Jas 5:4; 1Pe 3:12. The Hearing Ear: Ps 40:6; Pr 18:15; 20:12; 25:12; Mt 11:15; 13:16'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 12:21,29; 1Sa 9:9; Ps 94:9; 139:13-16; Pr 20:12'.

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C12-S15 (Verse 17) this continues an illustration about the importance of each member of the church.

If the whole were hearing,
where were the smelling?.

This sentence is added to the prior even though it does not start with a connecting word. Smelling senses particles in the air as opposed to sensing energy waves like seeing and hearing do. Even though these scientific facts were not known at the time that Paul wrote, God knew them and included these facts within how He said these things so that we could increase our understanding when these scientific facts were learned. Thus, we see, in our illustration, that having related spiritual gifts (hearing and seeing) where religion uses one gift more than another does not make the less used gift less valuable. That was the lesson of the prior sentence. Now our current sentence shows us that an even less (consciously) used sense / spiritual gift, which is not even related to the nose used sense / spiritual gift, is still valuable. Part of that value is in the fact that most of what we think of as taste is actually part of our smelling. There are many places in our Bible that make references to out taste and those verses can be related to our smelling by those people wise enough to do so.

Please see the note above for links to every place in the this epistle where the word hearing is used.

We only find forms of smell in 26 verses of the Bible (Genesis 8:21; Ge 27:27; Exodus 30:38; Leviticus 26:31; Deuteronomy 4:28; Job 39:25; Ps 45:8; Ps 115:6; Song 1:12; Song 2:13; Song 4:10-11; Song 5:5, 13; Song 7:8, 13; Isaiah 3:24; Daniel 3:27; Hosea 14:6; Amos 5:21; our current sentence and Philippians 4:18). Many of these verses are related to our worship. Our personal worship may not be as showy as other spiritual gifts but God values it very highly.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 12:21,29; 1Sa 9:9; Ps 94:9; 139:13-16; Pr 20:12'.

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C12-S16 (Verse 18) God determines what position we have in the body.

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body,
as it hath pleased him..

Our sentence starts with a But and has the same subject as the prior sentences while going in a different direction. In the prior sentences Paul was dealing with the concerns that people had about the spiritual gift that God gave them and the position that God put them into within the body of Christ. in this sentence Paul is still dealing with the subject of our spiritual gifts that God gave to us, and the position that God put us into within the body of Christ. However, he has changed from dealing with the concerns that people have and, essentially, said that our concerns really don't matter. God made the decision and that really ends the subject. God knows best and our wrong feelings that disagree with God don't matter. Get over yourself, have faith in God's wisdom and serve Him where He put you using the spiritual gifts that He gave you doing the best job that you can. Trust God to take care of everything else.

Basically Paul has dealt with people's concerns. In our sentence he is saying now (after dealing with our feelings), face reality that our feelings really aren't very important and deal with whatever circumstances that God allowed in your life. Anything less than that action and attitude is a refusal to live by faith.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the note for 1:21 about the word please. The functional definition is: ' to excite agreeable sensations or emotions in; to gratify; as, to please the taste; to please the mind'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'hath. 1Co 12:24,28 as it. 1Co 12:11; 3:5; 15:38; Ps 110:3; 135:6; Isa 46:10; Jon 1:14; Lu 10:21; 12:32; Ro 12:3; Eph 1:5,9; Re 4:11'.

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C12-S17 (Verse 19)

and if they were all one member,
where were the body?.

This question is added ( and) to the prior sentence where Paul pointed out that our concerns about what position we have within the body really are irrelevant because God chooses who has what position. Now Paul asks a question which many people dismiss as obvious but fail to consider the implications. Preachers have been 'lifted up' to the point that most people who want to do anything in the church want to be preachers, and most of the rest do nothing because they have the idea that preachers are supposed to do everything. As our question implies, there can not be a body of Christ if there are not different members with different spiritual gifts who are doing different functions.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 12:14'.

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C12-S18 (Verse 20) God decides what part of the body of Christ we are.

But now are they many members,
yet but one body..

This sentence states what God actually set up as opposed to (But) the consequence if people choose which spiritual gift they received and what function they did within the church. The phrase yet but one body reminds us that we are all to work together for the good of the entire body, even when it requires allowing hurt to an individual member.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. exp: Ex 36:10; Ro 12:5'.

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C12-S19 (Verse 21) No part of the body of Christ can claim that another part is unimportant.

Equivalent Section: We can not deny the importance of each church member.

and the eye cannot say unto the hand,
I have no need of thee:.

Equivalent Section: Repeat of statement for doctrinal requirement.

nor again the head to the feet,
I have no need of you..

Our sentence has two Equivalent sections that say the exact same thing. This fulfills the Biblical requirement to make this a doctrinal item that all saved people are to believe. Further, this sentence starts with an and which adds it to a prior sentence. It is actually adds to the third prior sentence ( But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.) with the two sentences in-between qualifying that third prior sentence. Our current sentence is giving us a clear doctrinal statement of how we are to treat each other due to God's deliberate design of the church. No matter how important we may feel that we are, we do not match the head, which is Christ (11:3; Ephesians 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:8). Even Christ can not say that the person with the lowest job is not important.

Please see the note for 12:16 about the word eye. The functional definition is: 'The member of the body used for sight'.

Please see the note for 12:15 for links to every place in this epistle where any form of the word hand is used along with a dictionary definition, an explanation of the problem with the dictionary definition and links from other commentators.

Please see the note for Philippians 4:19 about the word need. The functional definition is: 'Want; occasion for something; necessity; a state that requires supply or relief. It sometimes expresses urgent want; pressing exigency'.

Please see the note for Luke 1:76 about the word feet. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'n. plu of foot. Sandals covered only the soles, so that the feet needed washing when coming from a journey. In Joh 13:10 a distinct Greek word expresses bathing the whole person and washing the feet; "he that is washed (leloumenos) needeth not save to wash (nipsasthai) his feet, but is clean every whit." When one has been, as Peter, once for all wholly forgiven in regeneration, and so received the bathing of the whole man, i.e. justification through faith in Jesus, he needs no repetition of this as Peter requested; all he needs is cleansing from the soils that his feet contract in his daily life walk. Hence we daily pray, "give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as," etc. (1Jo 1:9.) So the priests in entering the house of God (Ex 30:19). It was an act of humble deference to guests to wash the feet (Lu 7:38-44; 1Ti 5:10). Disciples, after Christ's example, were to wash one another's feet, "by love serving one another" (Ga 5:13). the sandals were taken off in entering a house, hence the command to Moses (Ex 3:5) and to Joshua (Jos 5:15); compare Ec 5:1. to put them on was to prepare for active duty (Eze 24:17); whereas mourners went barefoot (2Sa 15:30). to "cover the feet" was the delicate expression for easing oneself, preparatory to which the loose garment was let fall to cover the person (1Sa 24:3; compare margin 2Ki 18:27). Putting the feet on captives' necks, as Joshua did (Jos 10:24), symbolizes complete mastery (Ps 110:1; 1Co 15:25; Isa 60:14).'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Nu 10:31-32; 1Sa 25:32; Ezr 10:1-5; Ne 4:16-21; Job 29:11 exp: Ex 18:24; 1Co 12:17'.

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C12-S20 (Verse 22-23) the parts of the body of Christ which we value least are most important to Christ.

Equivalent Section: the truth that is different from how we naturally feel.

Nay,
much more those members of the body,
which seem to be more feeble,
are necessary:.

Equivalent Section: Details of how to think about positions within the church.

First Step: Details of honour within the church.

and those members of the body,
which we think to be less honourable,
upon these we bestow more abundant honour;.

Second Step: Details of comeliness within the church.

and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness..

Our sentence starts with Nay and lets us know that it is denying a common method of thinking. It lists three methods that most people use to measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among themselves (2Corinthians 10:12). Using the measurements of feeble, or of honour, or of comeliness; when used to compare people in the church; makes us not wise.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians C2S11 about the word nay. The functional definition is: 'A denial and refusal which much more strongly meant than a simple No'.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

We find forms of the word feeble only occurs 21 times in the Bible (Genesis 30:42; Deuteronomy 25:18; 1Samuel 2:5; 2Samuel 4:1; 2Chronicles 28:15; Nehemiah 4:2; Job 4:4; Psalms 38:8; Psalms 105:37; Proverbs 30:26; Isaiah 16:14; Isaiah 35:3; Jeremiah 6:24; Jeremiah 47:3; Jeremiah 49:24; Jeremiah 50:43; Ezekiel 7:17; Ezekiel 21:7; Zechariah 12:8; our current sentence and Hebrews 12:12). A review of these verses shows that men look down on the feeble while God supports them. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines feeble as: 'n. 1. Weakness of body or mind, from any cause; imbecility; infirmity; want of strength, physical or intellectual; as feebleness of the body or limbs; feebleness of the mind or understanding. 2. Want of fulness or loudness; as feebleness of voice. 3. Want of vigor or force; as feebleness of exertion, or of operation. 4. Defect of brightness; as feebleness of light or color'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for Feebleness as: '1Ki 1:1; Ps 71:9; Ec 12:3,5; Zec 8:4; Heb 11:21.'

We find forms of the word necessary only occurs in Job 23:12; Luke 23:17; Acts 13:46; Acts 15:28; Acts 20:34; Acts 28:10; Romans 12:13; 1Corinthians 7:37 1Corinthians 9:16 our current sentence; 2Corinthians 9:5; 2Corinthians 9:5;2Corinthians 12:10; Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:16; Titus 3:14; Philemon 1:14; Hebrews 7:12; Hebrews 8:3; Hebrews 9:16 and Hebrews 9:23 within the Bible. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines necessary as: 'a. 1. that must be; that cannot be otherwise; indispensably requisite. It is necessary that every effect should have a cause. 2. Indispensable; requisite; essential; that cannot be otherwise without preventing the purpose intended. Air is necessary to support animal life; food is necessary to nourish the body; holiness is a necessary qualification for happiness; health is necessary to the enjoyment of pleasure; subjection to law is necessary to the safety of persons and property. 3. Unavoidable; as a necessary inference or consequence from facts or arguments. 4. Acting from necessity or compulsion; opposed to free. Whether man is a necessary or a free agent is a question much discussed'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 13:3 about the word bestow. The functional definition is: 'give with no strings attached'.

Please see the note for Romans C12S8 for links to where Romans uses the words honour and dishonour along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 4:10 for links to every verse in 1Corinthians that uses forms of the word honour.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:25-26 about the word abundant. The functional definition is: 'Plentiful; in great quantity; fully sufficient'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C11S13 about the word comely. We find forms of the word comeliness only occurs in Isaiah 53:2; Ezekiel 16:14; Ezekiel 27:10; Daniel 10:8 and our current sentence within the Bible. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines comeliness as: 'n. that which is becoming, fit or suitable, in form or manner. Comeliness of person implies symmetry or due proportion of parts; comeliness of manner implies decorum and propriety. It signifies something less forcible than beauty, less elegant than grace, and less light than prettiness. A careless comeliness with comely care. He hath no form nor comeliness. Is. 53:2'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Pr 14:28; Ec 4:9-12; 5:9; 9:14-15; 2Co 1:11; Tit 2:9-10 exp: Php 2:4.
bestow. or, put on. Ge 3:7,21 General references. exp: Php 2:4'.

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C12-S21 (Verse 24-25) Why the prior sentence is true.

For our comely parts have no need:
Equivalent Section: What God did.

but God hath tempered the body together,
having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

that there should be no schism in the body;
but that the members should have the same care one for another..

This is one of those sentences that people will argue about no matter what you say. For example, some people will claim that pastors lacked honour and that what they have today is because God hath...given more abundant honour to the preacher. Others will argue that preachers already had honor and that the evidence is the vast amount of honor given to false preachers. The main thing I would suggest is look at the people who honor the preacher and see if they are Godly or not. Beyond that I will not say any more other than to point out that God's purpose is That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. So long as we are hot helping to form a schism and we are not giving more honor to someone based upon their position, then we can not worry about this sentence and avoid any arguments that it might cause.

Please see the note above for the word comely.

Please see the note for Philippians 4:19 Want; occasion for something; necessity; a state that requires supply or relief. It sometimes expresses urgent want; pressing exigencyabout the word need. The functional definition is: 'Want; occasion for something; necessity; a state that requires supply or relief. It sometimes expresses urgent want; pressing exigency'.

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:25-26 about the word abundant. The functional definition is: 'Plentiful; in great quantity; fully sufficient'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 8:13-15 about the word lack. The functional definition is: 'To want; to be destitute of; not to have or possess'.

This is the only place in the Bible where we find forms of the word schism. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines schism as: 'n. sizm. L. schisma; Gr. to divide, L. scindo. 1. In a general sense, division or separation; but appropriately, a division or separation in a church or denomination of christians, occasioned by diversity of opinions; breach of unity among people of the same religious faith. - Set bounds to our passions by reason, to our errors by truth, and to our schisms by charity. In Scripture, the word seems to denote a breach of charity, rather than a difference of doctrine. 2. Separation; division among tribes or classes of people.' Morrish Bible Dictionary defines schism as: 'The word is rendered 'divisions' in 1Co 1:10, etc., and refers to divisions caused by parties in the church. In view of the unity of the Spirit, schism cannot be regarded in any other light than as sin. the unity contemplated in the church was not merely that of being gathered together in assembly. the Corinthi and were exhorted: "That ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions schisms among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement." 1Co 1:10; 11:18; 12:25. the modern ideas of 'agreeing to differ,' or of 'unity only in essentials,' are not found in scripture, but the contrary. At Philippi the saints were exhorted to walk by the same rule, to mind the same thing; and then is added "If in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." Php 3:15. the 'unity of the Spirit' cannot be lightly disregarded. Christians are exhorted to use diligence to keep it in the uniting bond of peace. Eph 4:3. there are different lines of ministry, as is manifest in the apostles Paul and John, but all true ministry tends to one end Christ; and hence such differences in no way clash with the unity of the Spirit. See HERESY.' Thompson Chain Topics provides links for schism as: '1Co 1:13; 11:18'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 9:25 for links to every verse in the Bible that uses any form of temperate / temperance.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ge 2:25; 3:11 exp: Php 2:4.
there. 1Co 1:10-12; 3:3; Joh 17:21-26; 2Co 13:11 schism. or, division. The same. 2Co 7:12; 8:16 General references. exp: Php 2:4'.

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C12-S22 (Verse 26) All of the body of Christ suffer or are honored together.

First Step: the right attitude about suffering.

and whether one member suffer,
all the members suffer with it;.

Second Step: the right attitude about honour.

or one member be honoured,
all the members rejoice with it..

This sentence is added to the prior by starting with an and. There we were told how God hath tempered the body together. What we were told in that sentence will cause lots of disagreement because, like this sentence, it must be understood spiritually and a lot of people who consider themselves to be spiritual actually react to the physical. Our current sentence provides the test of the claim related to the prior sentence. Do you feel honoured when someone else (rival) in the church receives honor that you felt should have come to you. Do you pray for the hurts of other church members as if they were your own hurts and do you do it for church members that aggravate you?

Please see the note for Matthew 9:5 about the word whether. The functional definition for this word is: 'Which of two'.

Please see the note for 4:10 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word honour. Please see the note for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word longsuffering. Please see the note for Romans C9S22 for links to every sentence in the Bible which use any form of the word longsuffering. Please see the note for Romans C8S17 for links to every sentence in Romans which use any form of the word suffer along with the definition from Webster's 1828 Dictionary. Please see the Sections called Harmony, Prophecies and Prophecies Fulfilled, in the Study called Significant Gospel Events, for references to verses related to the suffering of Jesus Christ.

Please see the notes for Romans C12S8; 15:31; Galatians C4-S24 and Philippians 4:4-LJC for links to every verse in 1Corinthians that uses forms of the word rejoice. The functional definition is: 'To experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations; to exult'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ro 12:15; 2Co 11:28-29; Ga 6:2; Heb 13:3; 1Pe 3:8(Gr) exp: Ex 18:9; 2Co 2:2; Php 2:4'.

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C12-S23 (Verse 27) Each phrase below has equal importance.

Now ye are the body of Christ,
and members in particular..

Please see the note for this verse in the Lord Jesus Christ Study as this sentence is all about the doctrine that is covered in that Study. The word particular only occurs in our current sentence and in Ephesians 5. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines particular as: 'a. Low L. particularis, from particula. 1. Pertaining to a single person or thing; not general; as, this remark has a particular application. 2. Individual; noting or designating a single thing by way of distinction. Each plant has its particular nutriment. Most persons have a particular trait of character. He alludes to a particular person. 3. Noting some property or thing peculiar. of this prince there is little particular memory. 4. Attentive to things single or distinct; minute. I have been particular in examining the reasons of this law. 5. Single; not general. 6. Odd; singular; having something that eminently distinguishes one from others. 7. Singularly nice in taste; as a man very particular in his diet or dress. 8. Special; more than ordinary. He has brought no particular news. 9. Containing a part only; as a particular estate, precedent to the estate in remainder. 10. Holding a particular estate; as a particular tenant.
PARTIC'ULAR, n. A single instance; a single point. I must reserve some particulars, which it is not lawful for me to reveal. 1. A distinct, separate or minute part; as, he told me all the particulars of the story. 2. An individual; a private person. 3. Private interest; as, they apply their minds to those branches of public prayer, wherein their own particular is moved. Not in use. 4. Private character; state of an individual. Forhis particular, I will receive him gladly. Not in use. 5. A minute detail of things singly enumerated. The reader has a particular of the books wherein this law was written. Not in use. In particular, specially; peculiarly; distinctly. This, in particular, happens to the lungs.'

The word body is the most often used (most important?) noun in this epistle other than the names of God. Please see the note for 1Corinthians 6:13 for links to every place in the this epistle where the word body is used the definition from Webster's 1828 and further links from various commentators. Please see the note for Romans 12:4-5 for links to places in the Bible where the word members is used as 'a part of a body'. That note has a good sized discussion of this relationship, provides the definition from Webster's 1828 , and has a link to another note in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

Please see the note for Acts 21:19 about the word particularly. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'n. Distinct notice or specification of particulars. --Even descending to particularities, what kingdoms he should overcome. 1. Singleness; individuality; single act; single case. 2. Petty account; minute incident. Tosee the titles that were most agreeable to such an emperor--with the like particularities-- 3. Something belonging to single persons. 4. Something peculiar or singular. I saw an old heathen altar with this particularity,that it was hollowed like a dish at one end, but not the end on which the sacrifice was laid. 5. Minuteness in detail. He related the story with great particularity'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. 1Co 12:12,14-20; Ro 12:5; Eph 1:23; 4:12; 5:23,30; Col 1:24 exp: Ex 36:10; Ro 12:4'.

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C12-S24 (Verse 28) Several spiritual positions that God gives within the body of Christ.

and God hath set some in the church,
first apostles,
secondarily prophets,
thirdly teachers,
after that miracles,
then gifts of healings,
helps,
governments,
diversities of tongues..

This sentence starts with an and, which adds it to the prior sentence. As the note above explains, all of this chapter is connected and must be considered together to have our context correct. Our prior sentence started with a Now, which makes it and our current sentence dependent upon what was said before the prior sentence. There we were told, in detail, that God decides who gets what position in the church, and that all positions are required no matter what religious men claim. In addition, the positions listed in our current sentence are separated by commas which makes them equal. Yes, our last sentence does say to covet earnestly the best gifts, but we will not get them unless we start where God put us and do the job that He gave us and do it with the knowledge that every job is important. Within that general rule, we must acknowledge that Paul says first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, with all others on an equal level that follows the word then. Thus, while all positions are equally important, some positions carry greater authority.

Please see the note for C11-S4 about prophecy. It has links to every verse in 1Corinthians which uses forms of the words prophecy / prophesy, links to notes on other pages within this site, the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.

Please see the note for 12:29 for links to every place in this epistle where any form of the word teach is used along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators.

Please see the note for 12:28 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word miracle along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . Please see these tables Miracles in Gospels; miracles in OT gpcc and the note for Matthew 4:23-LJC for an explanation of how Satan also does miracles and enables people to do miracles and how it isn't the fact that someone does a miracle but the spirit they display along with the miracle that shows if they are from God or not.

Please see the note for 12:30 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word heal along with links to other Tables / Studies and links from commentators.

We find forms of the word help occurring 159 times in 150 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament in: Matthew 15:25; Mark 9:22, 24; Luke 5:7; Luke 10:40; Acts 16:9; Acts 18:27; Acts 21:28; Acts 26:22; Acts 27:17; Romans 8:26; our current sentence; 1Corinthians 16:16; 2Corinthians 1:11; Philippians 4:3; Hebrews 4:16; Revelation 12:16. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines help as: 'v.t. A regular verb; the old past tense and participle holp and holpen being obsolete. 1. to aid; to assist; to lend strength or means towards effecting a purpose; as, to help a man in his work; to help another in raising a building; to help one to pay his debts; to help the memory or the understanding. 2. to assist; to succor; to lend means of deliverance; as, to help one in distress; to help one out of prison. 3. to relieve; to cure, or to mitigate pain or disease. Help and ease them, but by no means bemoan them. The true calamus helps a cough. Sometimes with of; as, to help one of blindness. 4. to remedy; to change for the better. Cease to lament for what thou cans't not help. 5. to prevent; to hinder. the evil approached, and who can help it? 6. to forbear; to avoid. I cannot help remarking the resemblance between him and our author-- to help forward, to advance by assistance. Tohelp on, to forward; to promote by aid. Tohelp out, to aid in delivering from difficulty, or to aid in completing a design. The god of learning and of light, Would want a god himself to help him out. Tohelp over, to enable to surmount; as, to help one over a difficulty. Tohelp off, to remove by help; as, to help off time. Unusual. Tohelp to, to supply with; to furnish with. Whom they would help to a kingdom. 1 Maccabees. Also, to present to at table; as, to help one to a glass of wine.
HELP, v.i. to lend aid; to contribute strength or means. A generous present helps to persuade, as well as an agreeable person. Tohelp out, to lend aid; to bring a supply. HELP, n. Aid; assistance; strength or means furnished towards promoting an object, or deliverance from difficulty or distress. Give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of man. Ps.60. 1. that which gives assistance; he or that which contributes to advance a purpose. Virtue is a friend and a help to nature. God is a very present help in time of trouble. Ps.46. 2. Remedy; relief. the evil is done; there is no help for it. there is no help for the man; his disease is incurable. 3. A hired man or woman; a servant'.

This is one spiritual gift that all preachers are sure that every member of the church has, even though our section teaches that there is no gift that everyone has. Many preachers are sure that they are the exception. While we are all supposed to help, not everyone has a spiritual gift to increase their ability to provide help. Thompson Chain Topics provides links for help as: 'Helpfulness: 2Ch 28:15; Job 29:15-16; Pr 31:20; Isa 21:14; 50:4; Mt 25:35; Lu 10:34; 1Co 16:15-16; 2Co 1:11; Php 4:3. Helpful Children: the child Samuel assists Eli: 1Sa 2:18. A boy who waited upon David and Jonathan: 1Sa 20:36. A little maid who aided Naaman in securing his health: 2Ki 5:2-3. A child king: 2Ch 24:1. The boy Christ about his Father's business: Lu 2:49. The lad who have his lunch to help feed the multitude: Joh 6:9. Helplessness Lu 13:11; Joh 5:7; 6:44; 15:5; Ac 3:2; Ro 5:6; 7:18. Helps-Hindrances: God as helper of his people: De 33:29; 2Ch 25:8; Ps 27:9; 28:7; 40:17; 54:4; 116:6; Isa 41:10; 50:9; Heb 13:6. WAY PROVIDED: through the Difficulties of Life's Journey: Ex 14:16; 15:19; Jos 3:17; Pr 15:19; Isa 30:21; 42:16; 43:16; 49:11. Obstacles Removed from the Pathway: Isa 40:4; 45:2; 49:11; Zec 4:7; Mt 21:21; Joh 11:41. A Spiritual Highway: Pr 16:17; Isa 35:8; 43:19; 62:10; Jer 31:21. HINDRANCES to spiritual progress: Worldly allurements prevented the escape of Lot's wife: Ge 19:26. The attempt to use the equipment of Saul delayed David: 1Sa 17:39. Discouraged men opposed the building of the wall of Jerusalem: Ne 4:10. Unbelief hindered Christ's work in Nazareth: Mt 13:58. Worldly possessions kept back the rich young man from discipleship: Mt 19:22. Imaginary hindrances loom up before the Christian worker: Mr 16:3-4. Family ties prevent a man from following Christ: Lu 9:59. Weights, as well as sins, impede progress: Heb 12:1. STUMBLING-BLOCKS in the way of men: Should be Removed: Isa 57:14. Unfaithful Leaders become: Mal 2:7-8; Mt 16:23. Hypocrites in the Church Declared to be: Mt 23:13; Lu 11:52. All need to Watch against becoming: Ro 14:13; 1Co 8:9. Love the Preventive of: 1Jo 2:10. OFFENCES (causes of stumbling|: Mt 18:7; Mr 9:43; Ro 14:21; 1Co 10:32; 2Co 6:3. OPPOSERS, hinder Religious work: Examples of: Ezr 4:4; Ne 4:8; Zec 3:1; Ac 13:8; 18:6; 1Co 16:9; 2Ti 3:8; 4:15. Seek to Silence the Prophets and Religious Leaders: Isa 30:10; Jer 11:21; Am 2:12; 7:13; Mic 2:6'.

God created governments when Noah came out of the ark. At that time God gave the government the right to a death penalty. People claim that the devil runs all of the governments in this world but that is because God's people are recognizing who has this gift from God and encouraging them to use it so that we have a Godly government. The word government only occurs 8tines in the Bible (1Kings 21:7; Job 34:17; Psalms 67:4; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 22:21; our current sentence and 2Peter 2:10). However, this does not mean that the Bible has little to say on this subject, but means that we have to be diligent to look up other words which are associated with Governments.

Please see the Lord Jesus Christ Study for Lord and King. Please see the note for Romans 8:38-39 and Ephesians C6-S8 for studies on the word principality. Please see the note for Romans C13-S2 for studies on the word power. Please see Titus 3:1 and notes for other verses within the Bible which tell us to submit to people in positions of government, even when they are serving a devil. In addition, to searching the Bible for words which name positions of government, the diligent student must also search for words showing the actions of government, such as judge. We are not to do wrong but, like Paul, we are to be willing to suffer when we disobey a government official, even when they give an unrighteous ruling or law.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'God. 1Co 12:7-11; Lu 6:14; Ac 13:1-3; 20:28; Ro 12:6-8; Eph 2:20; 3:5; 4:11-13; Heb 13:17,24; 1Pe 5:1-4 helps. Nu 11:17 governments. Ro 12:8; 1Ti 5:17; Heb 13:17,24 diversities. or, kinds. 1Co 12:10; Ac 2:8-11 General references. exp: Ro 12:5; 1Co 12:14; 1Th 5:20'.

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C12-S25 (Verse 29) Are all apostles ?

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'all apostles. 1Co 12:4-11,14-20 General references. exp: 1Co 12:17'.

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C12-S26 (Verse 29) are all prophets?

Please see the note for C11-S4 about prophecy.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'workers. or, powers. General references. exp: 1Co 12:17'.

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C12-S27 (Verse 29) are all teachers?

We find forms of the word teach occurring 178 times in 170 verses of the Bible, 83 times in 76 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 2:13; 4:17; 11:14; our current sentence and the next; and 14:19. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines teach as: '.t. pret. and pp. taught. L. doceo; dico, dicto, and both these and the Gr. to show, may be of one family; all implying sending, passing, communicating, or rather leading, drawing. 1. to instruct; to inform; to communicate to another the knowledge of that of which he was before ignorant. He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. Is.2. Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Luke 11. 2. to deliver any doctrine, art, principles or words for instruction. One sect of ancient philosophers taught the doctrines of stoicism, another those of epicureanism. In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matt.15. 3. to tell; to give intelligence. 4. to instruct, or to practice the business of an instructor; to use or follow the employment of a preceptor; as, a man teaches school for a livelihood. 5. to show; to exhibit so as to impress on the mind. If some men teach wicked things, it must be that others may practice them. 6. to accustom; to make familiar. They have taught their tongue to speak lies. Jer.9. 7. to inform or admonish; to give previous notice to. Forhe taught his disciples, and said--Mark 9. 8. to suggest to the mind. Forthe Holy Spirit shall teach you in that same hour what ye ought to say. Luke 12. 9. to signify or give notice. He teacheth with his fingers. Prov.6. 10. to counsel and direct. Hab.2. TEACH, v.i. to practice giving instruction; to perform the business of a preceptor. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire. Mic.3.
TEACH, n. In sugar works, the last boiler.'

Many people confuse teach and preach. The basic difference is that true Biblical preaching always encourages people to do what God wants and includes an invitation while teaching usually does not include these things and is primarily supposed to share information which will motivate people to meditate on God's Word.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for teach as: 'Teachableness: Illustrated in the Life of Ezra: Ezr 8:21; Jer 42:3. Essential to Entrance into God's Kingdom: Mt 18:3. Exhibited by the Disciples: Lu 11:1. Manifested by the Blind Man: Joh 9:36; Ac 2:37. Seen in the Ethiopian Eunuch: Ac 8:31. The Secret of Paul's Success: Ac 9:6. Results in the Philippian Jailer's Conversion: Ac 16:30. Divine Teacher: Christ as: Mt 4:23; 5:2; 7:29; Mr 6:34; Lu 4:15; 5:3; Joh 3:2; 7:14; 8:2. God as: Ex 4:15; De 4:36; Ps 25:12; 32:8; 71:17; 94:10; Isa 2:3; 28:26; 48:17; 54:13; Jer 32:33; Mic 4:2. Christ Expounds the Scriptures: Mt 13:37; 24:33; Mr 4:34; Lu 8:11; 24:27. The Teaching of Christ: Mt 7:28; Mr 4:2; Joh 7:16; 2Jo 1:9. Spirit as: Ne 9:20; Lu 12:12; Joh 14:26; 1Co 2:13; 1Jo 2:27. Christian: Ac 11:26; 13:1; 15:35; 18:11,25; 28:31; 1Co 12:28; Eph 4:11. Shepherds: Mt 5:19; 15:9; 1Ti 1:7; 4:2; 6:3; 2Ti 4:3; Tit 1:11; 2Pe 2:1. Of the Word: Mt 28:20; 1Ti 3:2; 4:11; 6:2; 2Ti 2:25Teaching of Christ: Mt 7:28; Mr 4:2; Joh 7:16; 2Jo 1:9. Enjoined: Le 10:11; De 6:7; Ps 78:6; Eze 44:23; Col 3:16; 1Ti 4:11; 2Ti 2:24'.

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C12-S28 (Verse 29) are all workers of miracles?

Please see these tables SignificantEvents_Gospel.html#07 and the note for Matthew 4:23-LJC for an explanation of how Satan also does miracles and enables people to do miracles and how it isn't the fact that someone does a miracle but the spirit they display along with the miracle that shows if they are from God or not. We find forms of the word miracle occurring 37 times in the Bible, 32 times in the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians only in this chapter. The verses are: Exodus 7:9; Numbers 14:22; Deuteronomy 11:3; Deuteronomy 29:3; Judges 6:13; Mark 6:52; Mark 9:39; Luke 23:8; John 2:11, 23; John 3:2; John 4:54; John 6:2, 14, 26; John 7:31; John 9:16; John 10:41; John 11:47; John 12:18, 37; Acts 2:22; Acts 4:16, 22; Acts 6:8; Acts 8:6, 13; Acts 15:12; Acts 19:11; 1Corinthians 12:10, our current sentence, 29; Galatians 3:5; Hebrews 2:4; Revelation 13:14; Revelation 16:14; Revelation 19:20. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines miracle as: 'n. L. miraculum, from miror, to wonder. 1. Literally, a wonder or wonderful thing; but appropriately, 2. In theology, an event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event. Miracles can be wrought only by Almighty power, as when Christ healed lepers, saying, "I will, be thou clean," or calmed the tempest, "Peace, be still." they considered not the miracle of the loaves. Mark 6. A man approved of God by miracles and signs. Acts.2. 3. Anciently, a spectacle or dramatic representation exhibiting the lives of the saints'. The functional definition for this word is: 'An action in the physical world which is not possible within the laws of nature and required spiritual power to override the laws of nature'.

Please see the note for 3:14 about the word work. The functional definition is: 'to move, or to labor'.

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C12-S29 (Verse 30) Have all the gifts of healing?

We find forms of the word heal occurring 138 times in 132 verses of the Bible, 75 times in 73 verses of the New Testament, and in 1Corinthians, in: 12:9; our current sentence and 12:30. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines heal as: 'v.t. L. celo; Heb. to be whole or entire, all. 1. to cure of a disease or wound and restore to soundness, or to that state of body in which the natural functions are regularly performed; as, to heal the sick. Speak, and my servant shall be healed. Matt.8. 2. to cure; to remove or subdue; as, to heal a disease. 3. to cause to cicatrize; as, to heal a sore or wound. 4. to restore to soundness; as, to heal a wounded limb. 5. to restore purity to; to remove feculence or foreign matter. Thus, saith the Lord, I have healed these waters. 2 Kings.2. 6. to remove, as differences or dissension; to reconcile, as parties at variance; as, to heal a breach or difference. 7. In Scripture, to forgive; to cure moral disease and restore soundness. I will heal their backsliding. Hos.14. 8. to purify from corruptions, redress grievances and restore to prosperity. Jer.14. 9. to cover, as a roof with tiles, slate, lead, etc.
HEAL, v.i. to grow sound; to return to a sound state; as, the limb heals, or the wound heals; sometimes with up or over; it will heal up or over'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides links for heal as: 'Apostles heal: Ac 3:7; 5:16; 9:34; 14:10; 16:18; 19:12; 28:8. The Gift of: Mt 10:1; Mr 3:15; 16:18; 1Co 12:9. Examples of Christ's: Mt 4:23; 8:3,16; 9:35; 12:13,22; 14:36; 15:30; 17:18; 19:2; 21:14; Mr 1:31; 10:52; Lu 7:21; 13:13; 17:14; 22:51; Joh 4:50; 5:9; 9:6. Examples of Apostolic: Ac 3:7; 5:16; 9:34; 14:10; 16:18; 19:12; 28:8. The Dumb Healed: Isa 35:6; Mt 9:33; 12:22; Mr 9:25. Spiritual: Ps 41:4; 147:3; Isa 53:5; 57:18; Jer 3:22; 17:14; Ho 6:1; Lu 4:18; Re 22:2. Virtue (Emanating from Christ, and the Apostles): Mr 6:56; Lu 6:19; 8:46; Ac 5:15; 19:11-12'. Please also see the Table of Miracles.

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C12-S30 (Verse 30) do all speak with tongues?

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C12-S31 (Verse 30) do all interpret?

This sentence assumes that the reader understands that do all interpret? means do all interpret tongues? with the word tongues carried as the subject from the prior sentence. This is one more example of context being critical to proper understanding (interpretation) of the Bible.

Please see the note for 12:8 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word interpret along with the definition from Webster's 1828 and links from other commentators. Please also see the note for 12:8 for links to every sentence in this epistle which use any form of the word tongue along with links to other Tables / Studies and links from commentators. The proper Biblical interpretation of tongue is: 'human language'.

Please also note that 1Corinthians 2:12 tells us But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. this means that it is impossible for the translators of the KJV 1611 to have given us this spiritual Bible unless they were using this specific gift. So my question (to people who love to use Greek dictionaries) is: 'Which of you is willing to be examined before the church and before God for proof that you also have the gift of "interpretation of tongues"? Any person who is not willing to provide at least as much spiritual proof as we have in the KJC 1611 should not be trying to correct the work of those translators who already put their proof into writing and made it available for all people throughout all time to examine.

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C12-S32 (Verse 31) this sentence has equivalent sections.

But covet earnestly the best gifts:
and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way..

The main purpose of this sentence is to lead into the next chapter where Paul discusses charity. People make a big deal about their position and their spiritual gifts, but the Bible teaches that both combined are nothing without charity.

The word covet is usually associated with false worship, as explained in the note for 5:10. However, there are a couple exceptions to this main application, and our current sentence is one of the exceptions. A short definition is; 'To desire earnestly to obtain or possess. This can be in a good sense. But it also can be a desire which it is unlawful, which makes it in a bad sense'. While we can not 'obtain or possess' these spiritual gifts in any way except God giving them to us, we can serve God in a way that we make it worth His wile to give us these spiritual gifts.

The note for Romans 8:19 which has links to every verse in the New Testament which uses the word earnest along with the definition from Webster's 1828 Dictionary.

There are many people who make a big deal about the spelling of the word shew, but it is just an old form of spelling the word 'show'. If you search the KJV 1611 for the word 'show', you will not find it. Thus, any claimed difference between the word shew and the word 'show' is erroneous.

The word shewed is just a different spelling for the word showed. Please see the note for Colossians 2:8 about the word shew. The functional definition is: 'To exhibit or present to the view of others'. We find forms of this word, in Hebrews, in: 6:10; 6:11; 8:5 and 9:2.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:9-11 about the word excellent. The functional definition is: 'Being of great virtue or worth and distinguished for superior attainments'. Please also see the note for 14:12 which has links to every sentence in this epistle that uses any form of the word excel along with the definition from Webster's 1828 . The functional definition is: 'To go beyond; to exceed; to surpass in good qualities or laudable deeds; to outdo'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'covet. 1Co 8:1; 14:1,39; Mt 5:6; Lu 10:42 shew. 1Co 13; Php 3:8; Heb 11:4 General references. exp: 1Co 16:14'.

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1Corinthians Study: Chapters 9-12

1Corinthians Chapter 9 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

The Chapter theme is: Paul’s answer to them that do examine me.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

1Corinthians Chapter 10 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

The Chapter theme is: We are to be willing to give up 'our rights' in order to reach the lost and carnal saved person.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

1Corinthians Chapter 11 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

The Chapter theme is: How to understand symbols.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

1Corinthians Chapter 12 Sentence-by-Sentence Section

links to sentences in this chapter:

The Chapter theme is: diverse things given by God to help the entire church.

Please see the chapter and sentence outline, of this chapter, at the start of this Epistle Study.

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