Passage Overview · Free · 1 Corinthians 10:16–18
One Cup, One Bread, One Table: Flee Idolatry
Paul’s conclusion is direct: “flee from idolatry.” He reasons from the Lord’s Supper and from Israel’s sacrificial meals. The cup is communion in Christ’s blood; the bread is communion in Christ’s body; those who eat Israel’s sacrifices participate in the altar. Meals can express real religious participation.
Paul agrees that an idol is nothing as a true god, yet he warns that pagan sacrifice can involve fellowship with demons. This echoes Deuteronomy 32’s description of sacrifices offered to demons rather than to God. The issue is therefore not magical food contamination but divided allegiance.