<p>10:22<em>Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?</em><strong>- </strong>The Corinthians were told that they would &ldquo;provoke the Lord to jealousy&quot; by breaking bread with the Lord Jesus and yet also with idols. This is surely an allusion to the &ldquo;trial of jealousy&quot; (Num. 5:24). A curse was recited and then the believer drunk a cup; if they were unfaithful, they drunk to their condemnation. Paul&rsquo;s allusion suggests that each time we break bread and drink the cup, we as the bride of Christ are going through the trial of jealousy. Brutal honesty and self-examination, and not merely of our lives over the last few days, is therefore crucial before drinking the cup. It wasn't possible to eat the Lord's food and that of idols. This was actually counted as total idol worship in God's eyes; thus the prophets likewise consistently taught the need for wholehearted devotion to Yahweh, and nothing else. In essence, we have the same temptation; to serve God and mammon, to have a little of both, to be passive Christians; to flunk the challenge of the logic of devotion. As the reality of Christ's crucifixion made Joseph and Nicodemus 'come out' in open, 100% commitment, come on them what may, so serious contemplation of the Saviour's devotion ought to have a like effect on us. It has been well observed: &ldquo;that air of finality with which Jesus always spoke meant that everything he said and did constituted a challenge to men to reach a decisive conclusion&rdquo;.</p><p><em>Are we stronger than he?</em><strong>- </strong>Chapter 1 of this letter opened by speaking about the weak and the strong, arguing that God's weakness is stronger than man's strength. What seems humanly smart and clever is actually a vain bid to be stronger than God. To consider that we can have a little of both, to serve two masters, is serious indeed.&nbsp;</p>