The bread which we break, is it not The communion if the body of Christ?  (17) For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. 

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul to address problems in the church Paul had founded.  Corinth was a commercial capital mostly because of its geographic location – and became a liberal and diverse city like highly populated urban areas today. Corinth was known for its temples and pagan culture and today’s verses in context were directed at the dangers of this culture to the Christian life.

In chapter 10 of this letter Paul is warning the faithful Corinthians of the consequences of their lax behavior using the example of the Israelites fleeing from Egypt under Gods protection.  Israel succumbed to the temptations of the flesh and paid the terrible price in the desert  Paul is telling the Corinthians they are at risk also.

The Lord’s supper is to commemorate Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and by partaking of this sacrament men were symbolically and really in union with Christ and each other. The Corinthians had added part of a pagan ritual to the supper – eating of meats that had been sacrificed to an idol were used in the Christian communion service as well.  Paul is saying that the spiritual union between Christ and believers would be a sacrilege if partakers of communion also had fellowship with idol worshippers by using these meats.

Paul’s warning is to us as well as the Corinthians – “flee from idolatry” and take the lessons of history to heart. The demon is baffling, patient, insidious and powerful. Don’t be deceived by intellectual conceits and keep the commemoration of God’s great gift pure.