New Life Bible Fellowship Church
7/26/2026

      • Psalm 33:6–9KJV1900

  • As The Deer
  • Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

      • Proverbs 28:1–16KJV1900

  • Introduction:

    "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."
    After all the warnings—Israel's privileges, Israel's sins, Israel's judgment—Paul arrives at his command. Not "be careful around idolatry." Not "limit your exposure to idolatry." Not "use wisdom regarding idolatry." Flee.
    The word is urgent. It is the same command Paul gave regarding sexual immorality: "Flee from sexual immorality" (6:18). Some sins require not careful engagement but rapid retreat. Idolatry is one of them.
    But why? The Corinthians thought they understood the situation. Idols are nothing—they knew that. There is only one God—they knew that too. The meat is just meat. The temple is just a building. Why can't enlightened Christians attend temple feasts without spiritual danger?
    Paul's answer goes deeper than they expected. He takes them to the Lord's Table.
    Today we come to Paul's most direct confrontation with the idol food issue. The warnings have been given. Now comes the theology. So what is really behind idolatry? How does the Lord's Table help Paul answer this question?
    Let's open our Bibles to 1 Corinthians 10:14.

    Text: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

    1 Corinthians 10:14–22 ESV
    14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

    Main Idea: Because believers’ participation in the Lord’s Supper shows an exclusive identification with Christ alone, we must flee all other activities that distract that identification.

    Background:

    1. The Climax of the Argument

    This passage is the theological climax of Paul's extended discussion of idol food (chapters 8-10). The structure of the larger section:
    8:1-13: Knowledge vs. love; concern for the weak
    9:1-27: Paul's example of surrendered rights
    10:1-13: Israel's warning: privilege doesn't guarantee perseverance
    10:14-22: The theological heart: Lord's Table vs. demons' table
    10:23-11:1: Practical instructions for various situations
    Paul has built his case through example (ch. 9) and warning (10:1-13). Now he gives the theological foundation: participation in the Lord's Supper is incompatible with participation in idol feasts.

    2. The Lord's Supper in Corinth

    Paul will address the Lord's Supper more fully in 11:17-34, where he corrects abuses in its practice. Here in 10:14-22, he focuses on its meaning—specifically, its character as participation (κοινωνία, koinōnia) in Christ.
    The "Cup of Blessing"
    The phrase "cup of blessing" (τὸ ποτήριον τῆς εὐλογίας) reflects Jewish meal practice. At Passover and other formal meals, the head of the household blessed God over the cup of wine. The third cup at Passover was called "the cup of blessing."
    Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper in this context. The cup Christians bless is the cup of the new covenant in His blood.
    The "Bread We Break"
    Breaking bread was the act of sharing a meal. At the Supper, Christians break bread together, sharing in Christ's body. The one loaf symbolizes their unity as one body.

    3. κοινωνία (Koinonia) — Participation/Fellowship

    This key word is critical to the theology in this passage, and is used four times, three of which occur in verses 16-22. It is translated variously as "participation," "fellowship," "communion," or "sharing." Paul uses it to describe what happens when believers eat the Lord's Supper: they participate in Christ's body and blood.
    The Meaning of Koinonia
    κοινωνία is not merely remembrance or symbol. It involves real participation, real sharing, real fellowship. When Christians eat and drink at the Lord's Table, they enter into communion with Christ Himself.
    Thus eating and drinking at the Lord's Table is genuine participation in Christ.

    I. The Command (v. 14)

    14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
    Διόπερ (Dioper) — "Therefore / For this very reason" - This emphatic conjunction (διό + περ, "therefore" + intensive) draws the conclusion from everything preceding—especially the warnings of 10:1-13. Because of Israel's example, because privilege doesn't protect, because you can fall—therefore flee.
    ἀγαπητοί μου (agapētoi mou) — "My beloved" - The affectionate address softens the command. Paul speaks as a loving father, not a harsh judge. His warning comes from love.
    φεύγετε (pheugete) — "Flee!" - The present imperative commands ongoing action: keep fleeing, make it your habit to flee. This is the same verb used in 6:18 for sexual immorality. Some sins require not resistance but retreat.
    εἰδωλολατρία (eidōlolatria) — "Idolatry" - The compound word (εἴδωλον + λατρεία, "idol" + "worship/service") describes the worship of idols. This is what Paul commands them to flee—not merely idol food in general, but the worship context of idol temples.
    The Logic of Verse 14 - The command is direct and urgent: Flee! Don't negotiate with idolatry. Don't see how close you can get. Run away.
    But why Paul is your command so urgent? In answering this question, Paul begins by setting the stage for what happens during the Lord’s Supper…

    II. The Logic of Communion (vv. 15-18)

    15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
    φρόνιμος (phronimos) — "Sensible / Wise / Prudent" - Paul addresses them as intelligent people capable of evaluating his argument. This may contain subtle irony—the Corinthians prided themselves on wisdom (1:18-2:16; 3:18-20; 8:1-2). Paul invites them to use their vaunted wisdom to assess what he says.
    κρίνατε (krinate) — "Judge!" - The aorist imperative calls for decisive evaluation. Paul is confident his argument will persuade reasonable people.
    The Logic of Verse 15 - Paul appeals to their intelligence. What follows is a logical argument about the nature of the Lord's Supper and its incompatibility with idol feasts. Sensible people will see the point.
    16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
    The cup of blessing that we bless,
    τὸ ποτήριον τῆς εὐλογίας (to potērion tēs eulogias) — "The cup of blessing" - This phrase comes from Jewish meal practice. The cup over which a blessing (בְּרָכָה, berakah) was pronounced was "the cup of blessing." At Passover, the third cup after the meal bore this title.
    εὐλογέω (eulogeō) — "To bless" - Christians "bless" the cup—not making it holy by magic, but giving thanks to God over it (cf. the parallel term "thanksgiving," εὐχαριστία, from which "Eucharist" derives).
    is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?
    κοινωνία (koinōnia) — "Participation / Fellowship / Communion / Sharing" - This is the crucial word. The cup is not merely a symbol to be observed but a participation to be experienced. When believers drink the cup, they participate in Christ's blood—they share in the benefits of His sacrificial death.
    τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou haimatos tou Christou) — "Of the blood of Christ" - Christ's blood refers to His sacrificial death. The genitive may be objective (participation in Christ's blood) or possessive (participation that belongs to Christ's blood). Either way, drinking the cup connects believers to Christ's atoning work.
    The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
    κλάω (klaō) — "To break" - Breaking bread was the act of sharing a meal. At the Lord's Supper, Christians break bread together. The "breaking" evokes Christ's broken body, and our connection to it.
    τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou sōmatos tou Christou) — "Of the body of Christ" - Eating the bread is participation in Christ's body. The genitive parallel to "blood" suggests participation in His sacrificial death. But as verse 17 will show, "body" also refers to the church—the body of believers united to Christ.
    The Logic of Verse 16 - Paul establishes the foundational reality of the Lord's Supper: it is participation in Christ. The cup and bread are not empty symbols but means of communion with Christ's blood and body. This reality will ground his argument against idol feasts.
    Note that Paul mentions the cup before the bread—perhaps following the order of the Passover meal, or perhaps to emphasize the blood (sacrifice) before introducing the "one body" theme.
    17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
    Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body
    εἷς ἄρτος... ἓν σῶμα (heis artos... hen sōma) — "One bread... one body" - The logic moves from the unity of the bread to the unity of the body. Because there is one loaf that all share, the many become one body. The shared meal creates (or expresses) corporate unity.
    οἱ πολλοί (hoi polloi) — "The many" - Despite being many individual persons, believers are one body through their shared participation in the one bread.
    for we all partake of the one bread.
    μετέχω (metechō) — "To partake / To share / To participate" - This verb is closely related to κοινωνία. All believers share in the one bread. This shared participation unites them as one body.
    The Logic of Verse 17 - Paul draws out an implication of the Lord's Supper: it creates unity. The one bread makes the many into one body. This has profound implications:
    Horizontal unity: Believers are united to one another through their shared participation
    Exclusive loyalty: If eating at the Lord's Table creates unity with Christ and His people, eating at another table creates unity with another power
    18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
    Consider the people of Israel:
    τὸν Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ σάρκα (ton Israēl kata sarka) — "Israel according to the flesh" - This phrase distinguishes ethnic/historical Israel from spiritual Israel (the church). Paul refers to the Old Testament sacrificial system—not to critique it but to illustrate the principle of participation through eating.
    are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
    κοινωνός (koinōnos) — "Sharer / Partner / Participant" - The noun form of κοινωνία. Those who ate sacrificial meat shared in the altar—they participated in the worship, the covenant, the relationship with God that the altar represented.
    τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου (tou thysiastēriou) — "Of the altar" - The altar represents the whole sacrificial system—ultimately, fellowship with God. Eating the sacrifice was participation in that fellowship.
    The most direct references are to the peace offerings described in Leviticus. The breast and thigh portions of peace offerings were given to the priests and their families to eat (Lev 10:12–14), and worshipers themselves ate portions of their vow offerings and freewill offerings (Deut 12:17–18). The key principle Paul draws from is that participating in the sacrificial meal created a bond between the worshiper and the altar.
    The Logic of Verse 18 - Paul provides an Old Testament parallel. In Israel's sacrificial system, eating the sacrifice meant participating in the altar—sharing in the worship and covenant relationship. This illustrates the principle: eating at a table means participating in what that table represents.
    Paul now has all the elements to declare theologically the why of his command (v. 14), using the logic of the communion (15-18), he will show…

    III. The Impossibility of Divided Loyalty (vv. 19-22)

    19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
    The Rhetorical Question - Paul anticipates an objection. Is he now saying that idol food is something significant? Is he reversing his position that idols are nothing (8:4)?
    The Logic of Verse 19 - Paul addresses potential confusion. He has argued that eating at the Lord's Table is real participation in Christ. Does that mean eating idol food is real participation in the idol? Is he now saying idols are real gods?
    No. The idol itself is nothing. The food itself is nothing. But something real is happening behind the scenes—which verse 20 will explain.
    20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.
    No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.
    θύω (thyō) — "To sacrifice" - This verb describes the offering of sacrifice. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:17 (LXX): "They sacrificed to demons and not to God."
    Deuteronomy 32:17 ESV
    17 They sacrificed to demons that were not God, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.
    δαιμόνιον (daimonion) — "Demon" - In Greek usage, δαιμόνιον could be neutral (a divine being) or negative (an evil spirit). In Jewish and Christian usage, demons are malevolent spiritual powers opposed to God.
    The Reality Behind Idolatry - The idol is nothing. But behind the idol stands a demon. The worship intended for the nonexistent god actually goes to a real demonic power. Pagans think they worship Zeus or Aphrodite; in reality, they worship demons.
    I do not want you to be participants with demons.
    κοινωνοὺς τῶν δαιμονίων (koinōnous tōn daimoniōn) — "Partners with demons" - The same κοινων- word group that described participation in Christ (v. 16) now describes participation with demons. Eating at demons' table creates partnership with demons—exactly as eating at the Lord's Table creates partnership with Christ.
    γίνεσθαι (ginesthai) — "To become" - The present infinitive suggests ongoing or repeated action. Paul does not want them to keep becoming—or to start becoming—partners with demons.
    The Logic of Verse 20 - Paul explains what lies behind idol worship. The idol is nothing, but the demon is real. When pagans sacrifice, demons receive the offering. And when Christians eat at idol temples, they become partners with those demons.
    This is the theological heart of the argument. Temple feasts are not spiritually neutral. They involve real participation with real demonic powers.
    21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
    You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.
    οὐ δύνασθε (ou dynasthe) — "You cannot / You are not able" - This is not physical inability but moral impossibility. The two cups are mutually exclusive. Drinking one excludes drinking the other—not physically but covenantally.
    ποτήριον κυρίου (potērion kyriou) — "The Lord's cup" - The cup of the Lord's Supper—communion with Christ.
    ποτήριον δαιμονίων (potērion daimoniōn) — "Demons' cup" - The cup drunk at pagan feasts—communion with demons.
    You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
    τράπεζα (trapeza) — "Table" - The table represents the entire meal and fellowship context. "The Lord's table" evokes Malachi 1:7, 12; "demons' table" is the corresponding pagan equivalent.
    μετέχω (metechō) — "To partake / To share in" - The same verb used in verse 17 for sharing in the one bread. Participation in one table excludes participation in the other.
    This is not new or unique to the Corinthians, Israel did this over and over again in the Old Testament, committing Spiritual syncretism, and was severely judged by God. Jeremiah the prophet describes this:
    Jeremiah 7:9–10 ESV
    9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations?
    The Logic of Verse 21 - Paul states the principle bluntly: the two tables are incompatible. You cannot participate in both. The Lord's Table demands exclusive loyalty. Divided allegiance is not an option.
    This is not about occasional slips but about attempted dual participation. A person who eats at the Lord's Table and also eats at demons' table is trying to serve two masters—and that is impossible.
    Matthew 6:24 ESV
    24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
    James 4:4 ESV
    4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
    22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
    Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?
    παραζηλόω (parazēloō) — "To provoke to jealousy" - This compound verb (παρά + ζηλόω) means to make someone jealous or to provoke rivalry. Paul echoes Deuteronomy 32:21: "They have made me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked me to anger with their idols."
    Deuteronomy 32:21 ESV
    21 They have made me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are no people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
    Divine Jealousy - God's jealousy is not petty envy but righteous indignation against covenant unfaithfulness. He will not share His people with rivals. Idolatry is spiritual adultery that arouses His jealous wrath.
    Isaiah 42:8 ESV
    8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
    Isaiah 43:10–11 ESV
    10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. 11 I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.
    Are we stronger than he?
    ἰσχυρός (ischyros) — "Strong" - The comparative asks: Are we stronger than God? Do we think we can provoke His jealousy and escape His judgment? Israel thought so—and perished (10:1-10).
    The Rhetorical Force - The question expects an emphatic "No!" Of course we are not stronger than God. Provoking His jealousy is suicidal folly.
    The Logic of Verse 22 - Paul concludes with a warning. Attempting to participate in both tables provokes the Lord's jealousy—just as Israel's idolatry did. And we are not stronger than God. We cannot win a contest with Him. The result of provoking His jealousy is judgment.

    So What?

    Do we understand that the Lord's Supper is real communion with Christ, and that Idolatry is more than bowing to statues?
    When you eat the bread and drink the cup, you participate in Christ's body and blood. This is not empty ritual but genuine fellowship with your Savior. Approach the Table with reverence and faith.
    In our context, idolatry takes subtler forms—anything that competes with Christ for ultimate allegiance. Career, money, pleasure, approval—whatever we serve alongside Christ is an idol. And behind every idol, spiritual forces draw us away from God.
    Do we understand that we cannot serve two masters, and therefore must flee from idolatry?
    Divided allegiance is impossible. You cannot participate in Christ's Table and also give your heart to other gods. Examine your life: Are there "tables" you're trying to attend alongside the Lord's Table?
    Don't negotiate with it. Don't see how close you can get. Run. The command is urgent because the danger is real.
    Do we understand that we are not stronger than God and therefore must not provoke God's jealousy?
    God will not share you with rivals. His jealousy is fierce and righteous. Playing with idolatry is playing with fire. Fear the Lord and serve Him alone.
    Any thought that you can sin and escape judgment is delusion. Israel fell. You can too. Humble yourself, flee idolatry, and cling to Christ alone.
    Revelation 2:1–7 ESV
    1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

      • 1 Corinthians 10:14–22ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:14ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:15ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:16ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:17ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:18ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:19ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:20ESV

      • Deuteronomy 32:17ESV

      • Jeremiah 7:9–10ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:21ESV

      • Matthew 6:24ESV

      • James 4:4ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:22ESV

      • Deuteronomy 32:21ESV

      • Isaiah 42:8ESV

      • Isaiah 43:10–11ESV

      • Revelation 2:1–7ESV

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New Life Bible Fellowship Church
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