1 Corinthians 10:4 kjv
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:4 nkjv
and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:4 niv
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:4 esv
and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:4 nlt
and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exodus 17:6 | "I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it..." | Prophecy fulfilled in Christ |
| Numbers 20:11 | "Moses raised his staff and struck the rock twice..." | Similar event, Christ is the Rock |
| Psalm 78:15-16 | "He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the sea. He brought streams out..." | God provides water from rock |
| Psalm 78:20 | "Can he also give us bread, or provide meat for his people?" | Parallels Israel's doubts |
| Isaiah 44:3 | "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground..." | God's provision and refreshing |
| Isaiah 55:1 | "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!..." | Invitation to spiritual nourishment |
| John 1:16 | "Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace..." | Receiving from Christ's fullness |
| John 4:10, 14 | "Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.'" | Jesus as the source of living water |
| John 6:32, 35 | "Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.'" | Christ as the bread and water of life |
| John 7:37-38 | "On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.'" | Christ is the source of living water |
| 1 Cor 1:30 | "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." | Christ as our all-sufficient source |
| Galatians 4:25 | "...this is an allegory of the present realities: Jerusalem is in bondage and is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free..." | Contrasting spiritual realities |
| Hebrews 11:1 | "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." | The spiritual sustenance is by faith |
| 1 Peter 2:4-5 | "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house..." | Christ as the living Stone |
| Revelation 7:16-17 | "Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will be the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd..." | Final spiritual fulfillment in Christ |
1 Corinthians 10 verses
1 Corinthians 10 4 Meaning
The spiritual life and nourishment derived from Christ are unique and unsurpassable. Those who follow Christ do not receive sustenance from mere physical things but from Christ Himself, who is the true and spiritual "rock."
1 Corinthians 10 4 Context
This verse is part of Paul's extensive exhortation to the Corinthians to live in a manner worthy of their calling as believers, particularly concerning participation in idolatrous feasts. Chapter 10 began by reminding them of Israel's spiritual union with Christ in the wilderness (v. 1-4). Paul used the example of Israel's participation in "food sacrificed to idols" in their exodus from Egypt to illustrate the dangers of Christians participating in idol worship. He stresses that their union with Christ means they cannot participate in anything connected to idolatry. This specific verse contrasts the spiritual sustenance the Israelites received from the rock with the spiritual sustenance believers receive from Christ.
1 Corinthians 10 4 Word analysis
For (γάρ - gar): A conjunction indicating cause or explanation. Here it explains the preceding statement.
They (αὐτοί - autoi): Pronoun referring back to the "fathers" of Israel.
Drank (ἔπιον - epion): Aorist tense of πίνω (pino), meaning "to drink."
Of (ἐκ - ek): A preposition indicating source or origin.
That (ἐκείνης - ekeines): Demonstrative pronoun referring to "that rock."
Spiritual (πνευματικῆς - pneumatikēs): Adjective related to the spirit or from the spirit.
Rock (πέτρας - petras): Noun meaning "rock," a large mass of stone.
They drank of that spiritual Rock, and that Rock was Christ.
- The phrase "spiritual Rock" refers to a rock that is a manifestation or instrument of God's spiritual provision, in contrast to a mere physical object.
- The identification of this "spiritual Rock" as "Christ" is a profound theological statement. It means that the supernatural sustenance the Israelites received in the wilderness from the rock was a prefigurement or antitype of Christ Himself, the true spiritual provider. The rock in the desert, when struck by Moses, provided water. This event foreshadows Christ, the true rock, being "struck" (crucified) for us, from whom flows the "living water" of salvation and spiritual life.
1 Corinthians 10 4 Bonus section
The imagery of the rock providing water in the wilderness is a consistent theme in the Old Testament, highlighting God's faithfulness and power to provide for His people even in the most barren circumstances. This rock became a symbol of God's unfailing presence and provision. Paul's application of this to Christ shows how God's redemptive plan has been unfolding throughout history, with Christ being the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament types and symbols of salvation and sustenance. It reinforces the concept that true spiritual nourishment and salvation are found exclusively in Christ.
1 Corinthians 10 4 Commentary
Paul draws a direct parallel between the miraculous provision of water for the Israelites in the wilderness from a rock and the spiritual sustenance Christians receive from Christ. The Israelites were united with Moses in the "cloud" and "sea" passage, symbolizing their identification with him in baptism. Likewise, Christians are baptized into Christ. The rock from which water flowed for the Israelites was a type of Christ. When Christ is struck, He gives the "water of life" – the Holy Spirit and salvation. Therefore, the Corinthians’ spiritual life and sustenance are fundamentally linked to Christ, not to idols or any other worldly source. Their participation in Christ means abstaining from all forms of idolatry.