1 Corinthians 10:4 Meaning and Explanation
“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Israel drank from the water God supplied in the wilderness, and Paul declares that the Rock who sustained them was Christ Himself.
What Does 1 Corinthians 10:4 Mean?
Paul completes the parallel: as Israel ate the manna, so they drank water that God brought from the rock (Exodus 17; Numbers 20). He speaks of a Rock that accompanied them through their wanderings, the unfailing source of life in a barren land, and then makes the stunning identification, 'that Rock was Christ.'
Here the exodus account opens onto its deepest meaning. The same Lord who provided for Israel is the One who came in the flesh to give living water to all who thirst. Christ was present with His people long before Bethlehem, sustaining them in the desert. The believer drinks now from the same Rock, and Paul wants the church to see that the God of the wilderness and the Savior of the cross are one.
1 Corinthians 10:4 in the Original Language
petra (πέτρα), 'Rock' -- a solid mass of rock, an image of a sure and enduring source.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 10:4
What does 1 Corinthians 10:4 mean?
Israel drank from the water God supplied in the wilderness, and Paul declares that the Rock who sustained them was Christ Himself.