1 Corinthians 10:13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful… It is said of a good portrait that the eyes of it seem always turned to the observer. So it is with Scripture. To the loving it rays forth love; to the trembling, comfort; to the presumptuous, admonition; to the desponding, encouragement. Mark this in the passage of our text. For the careless it has a look of warning: "Let him who thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." But to the anxious it turns a look of encouragement. Rouse up a child to its peril in playing on the brink of a precipice: for the moment this peril is increased; it may be scared into falling over. The hand of help, therefore, must second the voice of admonition. Hence the sudden turn in St. Paul's words, "But." Your safety lies: — I. NOT IN WHAT YOU ARE TO YOURSELVES. Those Corinthians "thought they stood." But we may not trust — 1. Our wisdom. Paul had complimented the Corinthians on their wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:5). He makes appeal to them as wise (1 Corinthians 10:15). They could talk contemptuously of the emptiness of idolatry (1 Corinthians 8:1-7). Yet they ran into the peril of the idolatrous banquets. 2. Our wakefulness. This indeed is an important means of safety. St. Paul had warned the Corinthians, "Take heed lest ye fall" (ver. 12). Forewarned is forearmed. But this is not enough. The disciples were forewarned (Matthew 26:31). Yet they all "forsook Jesus and fled" (Matthew 26:56). Therefore Jesus did not say merely, "Keep awake," but "Keep awake and pray" (Matthew 26:41). 3. Our will. The resolute man fancies he has built up a breakwater against sin. But who knows the height to which the tide may rise? "Let not a man," says Bacon, "trust his victory over nature too far; for nature will be buried a great time, and yet revive on the occasions of temptation. Like as it was with AEsop's damsel, turned from a cat to a woman, who sat very demurely at the board's end, till a mouse ran before her." II. BUT IN WHAT GOD IS TO YOU. "God is faithful." 1. To His love for us. Mark the implied contrast in the word. You, alas! are becoming unfaithful to your relation to God (vers. 1-9). 2. To His care over us. "God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able." One seems to see a careful father fitting gymnastic exercises to his son's age and skill and strength. The youth must indeed be exercised; trial is the very condition of growth; the fresh breeze is indispensable to the opening leaf; in the furnace we must be hardened into vessels unto honour, meet for the Master's use; but see the care with which the Father proportions these exercises, laying on such burdens only as the son's weak shoulders can bear; changing them according to his proficiency, fitting his discipline to his powers, and his powers to his discipline, so that while he becomes well breathed he may not be breathless; while stimulated, not broken down. 3. To His designs for us. "God will make a way to escape." He has ulterior views in everything. He makes all things work in concert for our ultimate good. And He will help us to bear up under every intermediate evil, till the way of escape, the passage out of it, is found. Imagine a forlorn hope, sent forward with promise of "supports" to follow (as in the storming of the Redan): the enemy may be mighty; he may now urge by promises, now scare by threats, into surrender; the spirits may faint; a treacherous whisper may arise, "It is no use to struggle any longer." But the "supports" are coming! Bear up therefore; hold on. Each particular temptation has its outlet; Jesus found it so with Satan's reiterated attacks. "Consider," then, those who have fought before you: observe "the end of their struggle"; the "way of escape out of it" (the same word in Hebrews 13:7, as in our text). (T. Griffth, M.A.) Parallel Verses KJV: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. |
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