1 Corinthians 10:3
And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
Original Language Analysis
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
1 of 7
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
τὸ
G3588
τὸ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 7
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
αὐτὸ
the same
G846
αὐτὸ
the same
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
4 of 7
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
βρῶμα
meat
G1033
βρῶμα
meat
Strong's:
G1033
Word #:
5 of 7
food (literally or figuratively), especially (ceremonially) articles allowed or forbidden by the jewish law
Cross References
Deuteronomy 8:3And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.Nehemiah 9:15And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.Nehemiah 9:20Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.Exodus 16:4Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.Exodus 16:35And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.Psalms 105:40The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.Exodus 16:15And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
Historical Context
The manna was central to Israel's wilderness identity—daily dependence on God's provision. Rabbinic tradition elaborated on the manna's miraculous properties, and Jesus explicitly connected it to Himself (John 6). Paul uses this shared typology to show that spiritual food doesn't prevent spiritual failure. The parallel to the Eucharist would have been clear to Corinthian Christians.
Questions for Reflection
- Do you approach the Lord's Supper with the reverence it deserves, or has it become routine?
- How does Jesus as the true manna—the bread of life—change the way you understand daily dependence on God?
- What "spiritual food" are you consuming daily that nourishes your soul toward Christlikeness?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And did all eat the same spiritual meat—The pneumatikon brōma (πνευματικὸν βρῶμα, "spiritual food") refers to the manna God provided in the wilderness (Exodus 16). Paul calls it "spiritual" not because it was immaterial, but because it was pneumatikos—supernaturally provided, symbolically significant, pointing beyond itself to Christ as the true bread from heaven (John 6:31-35).
Again, the emphasis is all—every Israelite ate the manna, just as every Corinthian participates in the Lord's Supper. This universal participation created covenant obligations and accountability. The manna sustained physical life but also tested obedience (Exodus 16:4)—would they gather only what God commanded, or act presumptuously?
Paul is building toward a sacramental warning: the Corinthians eat Christ's body at the Lord's table, but this doesn't make sin safe. Israel ate God's provision yet provoked His wrath. Sacramental participation demands corresponding sanctification.