In verse 18 Paul again refers to Israel: “Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices fellowshippers of the altar?” We have seen that in 10:1-13 Paul presents Israel as a type of the believers today. We should not think that the remainder of chapter ten has nothing to do with the type of Israel in verses 1 through 13. On the contrary, the second portion of this chapter is a continuation of the first portion; it is not separate from it.
The Greek word translated fellowshippers also means joint participants. Those who eat the sacrifices of the altar are not only fellowshippers with one another and with the altar, but also joint participants of what they eat. Their participation in what they eat makes them one with the sacrifices of the altar. Since the altar is the base of the sacrifices offered to God, eating the sacrifices of the altar makes the eaters its fellowshippers, its joint participants. This also illustrates the fact that eating makes the eater one with what he eats. Eating sacrifices to idols does the same: it identifies the eaters with the demons behind the sacrifices.
In verse 18 Paul surely means that the fellowship of the altar is a type of the fellowship of the blood and body of Christ. To put it simply, it is a type of the fellowship of the Lord’s table. Hence, the fellowshippers of the altar are types of the fellowshippers of the Lord’s table. Israel had an altar, but we have a table. On the altar there were the offerings; on the table there are the blood and the body. The one is the type, and the other is the fulfillment. Whereas the children of Israel were fellowshipping around the altar, we are fellowshipping around the table.
In verses 19 and 20 Paul says, “What then am I saying? That what is sacrificed to an idol is anything? Or that an idol is anything? But that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become fellowshippers of demons.” Here Paul’s composition takes another leap, apparently without any transition.
In verses 19 and 20 Paul speaks of idols, sacrifices to idols, and demons. An idol and a sacrifice to an idol are nothing (8:4). But behind them are the demons, who are abominable and hateful to God. The believers who worship God should abstain from identifying themselves with demons and becoming fellowshippers of demons through eating sacrifices to idols. Since demons are the reality of idols, so the eating of sacrifices to idols makes the eaters their fellowshippers, their joint participants. The eaters of sacrifices to idols become not only fellowshippers with demons, but also joint participants of demons, making themselves one with demons.
In verse 16 Paul speaks of the fellowship of the blood and body of Christ; in verse 18, of fellowshippers of the altar; and in verse 20, of fellowshippers of demons. Then in verse 21 he goes on to say, “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.” Here we see that there are two tables: the table of the Lord and the table of demons. To partake of a table is to eat of it. To drink the cup of the Lord and partake of the table of the Lord is to identify ourselves with the Lord. To drink the cup of demons and partake of the table of demons is to make ourselves one with demons.
In verse 22 Paul concludes this portion of chapter ten by saying, “Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” The Lord is the jealous God (Exo. 20:5). Idolatry is utterly abominable to God and hated by Him. If we participate in fellowship with demons, making ourselves one with them, we shall provoke the Lord to jealousy. Hence, we must flee from idolatry.
Do you have an adequate understanding of 10:14-22? You may say that here Paul speaks concerning the Lord’s table. Why, then, does he open this section with a charge to flee from idolatry? In verse 14 he does not say, “Wherefore, my beloved, attend the Lord’s table every Lord’s day.” Instead, he says, “Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” The correct understanding of this section is that Paul talks about the Lord’s table using idolatry as a background.
We have pointed out that in 10:15 Paul encourages the saints, as prudent men, to judge what he says. He appeals to them as those who can discern, investigate, realize, and apprehend. If we read Paul’s word in a discerning way, we shall want to know why he tells us to flee from idolatry. We shall also want to know what he means by the term idolatry. Is Paul’s meaning limited to the actual worship of a graven image? To be sure, Paul’s meaning is not this restricted. In 10:7 he says, “Neither become idolaters, as some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.” This is a definition of idolatry.
There is a difference between idol worship and idolatry. Idol worship involves bowing down before an idol and worshipping it. Idolatry is wider in scope, for it involves eating, drinking, and playing. In this country people may not worship idols, but they may practice idolatry. On the holidays or on weekends they may give themselves over to various forms of amusement and entertainment. They may eat and drink and rise up to play. This is idolatry. Even to eat sacrifices to idols in an abusive way is to become involved with idolatry. We should neither worship idols nor become involved with idolatry. As we have seen, the meaning of idolatry is much broader than the meaning of idol worship.