Commentaries:
Tempt Christ means "to put to the test; to prove out; to try or to test God's patience." When a person does this, he is trading on God's mercy. Whether consciously or unconsciously, this idea is at the back of our minds: "It's all right. God knows I'm weak. He'll forgive. He understands." Well, we are weak, and God does understand and forgive. But how can we know when we have pushed Him too far? We do not—until we get hit with a ton of bricks!
Tempting God is testing His patience until, from a human point of view, He blows up. Any parent has experienced this on a human level. Kids nag, nag, nag, saying, "Mommy do this. Mommy do that. Mommy you promised. Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" And on and on it goes until, finally, the parent has had it and the wrath of Mom or Dad falls upon the little pest! The parent been tempted to blow his stack. That is what Paul is describing—pushing God to the wall until He can no longer hold back His wrath.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Passover and I Corinthians 10
Related Topics:
The apostle lists five major sins of the Israelite people here. In essence, though, there was really only one major sin, but the others led to this major sin, which was idolatry. The other sins they committed were just a step that took them into it.
These verses list lust, idolatry, fornication, tempting God, and murmuring. But the Corinthian church had another problem that Paul does not list here. It is something that we have to read between the lines to see. But once we begin to see it, it begins to become very clear. Their problem was a careless presumption that had its roots in pride. They were elevating themselves above their brethren, and their careless presumption that they were all right with God led them to treat their fellow man in a way that they ought not to have done. He is implying that behind this whole circumstance is idolatry. They themselves were the gods they were worshipping.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Passover and I Corinthians 10
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Philippians 2:12-13
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