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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:17 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
1Co 10:17	King James	For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
one bread--rather, "loaf." One loaf alone seems to have been used in each celebration. and one body--Omit "and"; "one loaf [that is], one body." "We, the many (namely, believers assembled; so the Greek), are one bread (by our partaking of the same loaf, which becomes assimilated to the substance of all our bodies; and so we become), one body" (with Christ, and so with one another). we . . . all--Greek, "the whole of us."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

one bread--rather, "loaf." One loaf alone seems to have been used in each celebration.

and one body--Omit "and"; "one loaf [that is], one body." "We, the many (namely, believers assembled; so the Greek), are one bread (by our partaking of the same loaf, which becomes assimilated to the substance of all our bodies; and so we become), one body" (with Christ, and so with one another).

we . . . all--Greek, "the whole of us."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
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. There is evident allusion here to the fact that the loaf or cake was composed of many separate grains of wheat, or portions of flour united in one; or, that as one loaf was broken and partaken by all, it was implied that they were all one. We are all one society; united as one, and for the same object. Our partaking of the same bread is an emblem of the fact that we are one. In almost all nations the act of eating together has been regarded as a symbol of unity or friendship. And one body - One society; united together. For we are all partakers ... - And we thus show publicly that we are united, and belong to the same great family. The argument is, that if we partake of the feasts in honor of idols with their worshippers, we shall thus show that we are a part of their society.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

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. There is evident allusion here to the fact that the loaf or cake was composed of many separate grains of wheat, or portions of flour united in one; or, that as one loaf was broken and partaken by all, it was implied that they were all one. We are all one society; united as one, and for the same object. Our partaking of the same bread is an emblem of the fact that we are one. In almost all nations the act of eating together has been regarded as a symbol of unity or friendship.

And one body - One society; united together.

For we are all partakers ... - And we thus show publicly that we are united, and belong to the same great family. The argument is, that if we partake of the feasts in honor of idols with their worshippers, we shall thus show that we are a part of their society.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
For (ὅτι) Better, seeing that. It begins a new sentence which is dependent on the following proposition: Seeing that there is one bread, we who are many are one body. Paul is deducing the mutual communion of believers from the fact of their communion with their common Lord. By each and all receiving a piece of the one loaf, which represents Christ's body, they signify that they are all bound in one spiritual body, united to Christ and therefore to each other. So Rev., in margin. Ignatius says: "Take care to keep one eucharistic feast only; for there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup unto unity of His blood;" i.e., that all may be one by partaking of His blood (Philadelphia, 4). Body Passing from the literal sense, the Lord's body (Co1 10:16), to the figurative sense, the body of believers, the Church. Partake of (ἐκ μετέχομεν) Or partake from. That which all eat is taken from (ἐκ) the one loaf, and they eat of it mutually, in common, sharing it among them (μετά). So Ignatius: "That ye come together ἕνα ἄρτον κλῶντες breaking one loaf" (Ephesians, 20).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

For (ὅτι)

Better, seeing that. It begins a new sentence which is dependent on the following proposition: Seeing that there is one bread, we who are many are one body. Paul is deducing the mutual communion of believers from the fact of their communion with their common Lord. By each and all receiving a piece of the one loaf, which represents Christ's body, they signify that they are all bound in one spiritual body, united to Christ and therefore to each other. So Rev., in margin. Ignatius says: "Take care to keep one eucharistic feast only; for there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup unto unity of His blood;" i.e., that all may be one by partaking of His blood (Philadelphia, 4).

Body

Passing from the literal sense, the Lord's body (Co1 10:16), to the figurative sense, the body of believers, the Church.

Partake of (ἐκ μετέχομεν)

Or partake from. That which all eat is taken from (ἐκ) the one loaf, and they eat of it mutually, in common, sharing it among them (μετά). So Ignatius: "That ye come together ἕνα ἄρτον κλῶντες breaking one loaf" (Ephesians, 20).

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
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.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

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.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
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.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

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.

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