1 Corinthians 10:17
in 1 Corinthians 10Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we all partake of the one bread.
KJV
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 10
Commentary
15 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For we - We Christians. “Being many.” Greek “The many” (οἱ πολλοί hoi polloi). This idea is not, as our translation would seem to indicate, that Christians were numerous, but that “all” (for οἱ πολλοί hoi polloi is here evidently used in the sense of παντες pantes, “all”) were united, and constituted one society. Are one bread - One loaf; one cake. That is, we are united, or are one.
This site's exposition
Is not the cup of
on 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Participation renders koinonia, a real sharing, more than a bare memorial, and the cup of blessing that we bless joins the church to what the blood and body of Christ accomplished. Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body: the letter's body thread surfaces again, the figure that will govern discerning the body at 11:29. These verses lay Paul's positive foundation, the Lord's meal defined before the argument against idol feasts defends it.
This site's exposition
one loaf, we who are many
The shared loaf makes the sharers one body. Chrysostom and Theophylact press the point further than communion, for those who partake become that very body, and Augustine likens them to many grains made into one bread. The same logic binds those who eat at idol feasts to demons, as 10:20 goes on to say.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Wherefore every soul which receives that bread which comes down from heaven is the house of bread, that is, the Bread of Christ, being nourished and supported and having its heart strengthened by that heavenly bread which dwells within it. Hence Paul also says, For we being many are one bread. Every faithful soul is Bethlehem, as Jerusalem also is said to be, which has the peace and tranquillity of that Jerusalem which is above, in heaven. That is the true Bread which, when broken into pieces, fed all men.
So by bread you are instructed as to how you ought to cherish unity. Was that bread made of one grain of wheat? Were there not, rather, many grains? However, before they became bread, these grains were separate. They were joined together in water after a certain amount of crushing. For unless the grain is ground and moistened with water, it cannot arrive at that form which is called bread. So, too, you were previously ground, as it were, by the humiliation of your fasting and by the sacrament of exorcism. Then came the baptism of water. You were moistened, as it were, so as to arrive at the form of bread. But without fire, bread does not yet exist.
The one who is properly said to eat the body of Christ and to drink his blood is the one who is incorporated into the unity of his body. Heretics and schismatics can receive the sacrament but to no avail—in fact, to their harm—since the result is to increase their pain rather than to curtail the length of their punishment.
"For we, who are many, are one bread, one body." "For why speak I of communion?" saith he, "we are that self-same body." For what is the bread? The Body of Christ. And what do they become who partake of it? The Body of Christ: not many bodies, but one body. For as the bread consisting of many grains is made one, so that the grains no where appear; they exist indeed, but their difference is not seen by reason of their conjunction; so are we conjoined both with each other and with Christ: there not being one body for thee, and another for thy neighbor to be nourished by, but the very same for all. Wherefore also he adds, "For we all partake of the one bread." Now if we are all nourished of the same and all become the same, why do we not also show forth the same love, and become also in this respect one? For this was the old way too in the time of our forefathers: "for the multitude of them that believed," saith the text, "were of one heart and soul." Not so, however, now, but altogether the reverse. Many and various are the contests betwixt all, and worse than wild beasts are we affected towards each other's members. And Christ indeed made thee so far remote, one with himself: but thou dost not deign to be united even to thy brother with due exactness, but separatest thyself, having had the privilege of so great love and life from the Lord. For he gave not simply even His own body; but because the former nature of the flesh which was framed out of earth, had first become deadened by sin and destitute of life; He brought in, as one may say, another sort of dough and leaven, His own flesh, by nature indeed the same, but free from sin and full of life; and gave to all to partake thereof, that being nourished by this and laying aside the old dead material, we might be blended together unto that which is living and eternal, by means of this table.
The Medieval Church1 voice
That is why it also constitutes a unity. How then shall we not preserve love and not be in union because of this? God gives us His Body precisely in order to unite us both with Himself and with one another. Since the original nature …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Before this he said: "a communion of the Body." But one who has communion with someone is not one and the same with him, but other. Now he declares something greater and says that we are that very body. For what is this bread? The …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
For it is this communion which makes us all one. We being many are yet, as it were, but different parts of one and the same broken bread, which we receive to unite us in one body.
For we being many, are one bread and one body,....
He lets them yet know that though they must not eat of things sacrificed to idols as such, and out of any regard to the idol, yet they might buy such flesh in the markets, or eat it at the table of heathen acquaintances, without asking any questions; for that the heathens' abuse of them did not render the creatures of God unfit to be the food of his servants.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3295: “Communion With Christ and His People” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
AT A COMMUNION SERVICE AT MENTONE, ON A LORD'S-DAY AFTERNOON IN DECEMBER, 1882. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." 1 Corinthians 10:16,17. [Another Sermon by Mr. Spurgeon on verse 16 is #2572, Volume 44—FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST.]
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3295: “Communion With Christ and His People” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
AT A COMMUNION SERVICE AT MENTONE, ON A LORD'S-DAY AFTERNOON IN DECEMBER, 1882. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." 1 Corinthians 10:16,17. [Another Sermon by Mr. Spurgeon on verse 16 is #2572, Volume 44—FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST.] I will read you the text as it is given in the Revised Version—"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ?" That is to say, is it not one form of expressing the communion of the blood of Christ? "The bread," or as it is in the margin, "the loaf which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ seeing that we, who are many, are one loaf, one body: for we all partake of the one loaf." The word, "loaf," helps to bring out more clearly the idea of unity intended to be set forth by the Apostle . It is a lamentable fact that some have fancied that this simple ordinance of the Lord's Supper has a certain magical, or at least physical power about it, so that by the mere act of eating and drinking this bread and wine, men can be made partakers of the body and blood of Christ! It is marvelous that so plain a symbol should have been so complicated by genuflection, adornments and technical phrases! Can anyone see the slightest resemblance between the Master's sitting down with the 12 and the "mass" of the Roman community? The original rite is lost in the superimposed ritual! Superstition has produced a sacrament where Jesus intended a fellowship. Too many who would not go the length of Rome, yet speak of this simple feast as if it were a dark and obscure mystery.
For we, being many, are one bread - The original would be better translated thus: Because there is one bread, or loaf; we, who are many, are one body. As only one loaf was used at the passover, and those who partook of it were considered to be one religious body; so we who partake of the eucharistical bread and wine, in commemoration of the sacrificial death of Christ, are one spiritual society, because we are all made partakers of that one Christ whose blood was shed for us to make an atonement for our sins; as the blood of the paschal lamb was shed and sprinkled in reference to this of which it was the type.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὅτι | hoti | Because [there is] | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| εἷς | heis | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| ἄρτος | artos | loaf | G740 → | 97 times |
| ἓν | hen | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| σῶμα | soma | body | G4983 → | 142 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πολλοί | polloi | many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| ἐσμεν· | esmen | we are; | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οἱ | hoi | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| πάντες | pantes | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑνὸς | henos | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| ἄρτου | artou | loaf | G740 → | 97 times |
| μετέχομεν.¶ | metechomen | we partake. | G3348 → | 8 times |
ὅτιBecause [there is]
hotiG3754 →1292 times
εἷςone
heisG1520 →343 times
ἄρτοςloaf
artosG740 →97 times
ἓνone
henG1520 →343 times
σῶμαbody
somaG4983 →142 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πολλοίmany
polloiG4183 →367 times
ἐσμεν·we are;
esmenG1510 →2333 times
οἱ<the>
hoiG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
πάντεςall
pantesG3956 →1235 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ἑνὸςone
henosG1520 →343 times
ἄρτουloaf
artouG740 →97 times
μετέχομεν.¶we partake.
metechomenG3348 →8 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:16From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
it leads to
- Colossians 2:19
He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Colossians 2:19
Through
Colossians 3:15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:6–7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
- Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Psalms 29:11
The LORD gives His people strength; the LORD blesses His people with peace.
- Philippians 4:6–7
Through
1 Corinthians 12:12The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.
it leads to
- Romans 12:4–5
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,
- Romans 12:4–5
Through
1 Corinthians 12:27Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:12
to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 4:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Letter 63; Augustine of Hippo, EASTER SERMON 227; Augustine of Hippo, City of God 21.25; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3295: “Communion With Christ and His People” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 24; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.