Cathy Davis What is meant by baptism into Moses?

I am going to address the question of What does 1 Corinthians 10:2 mean? Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; The apostle Paul wrote letters to the church at Corinth, because it had come to his attention that they had become Christians gone wild. The Corinth church of Christ was planted in an environment that was contrary to the Christian mindset and the congregants were struggling to let go of the carnal Corinthian environment to live Christ-like. To better understand why the Christian life was difficult to adhere to, it is important to understand the Corinthian history. Corinth was geographically positioned so strategically, that it could only prosper. The city was situated on a plateau overlooking the Isthmus of Corinth, and was the center of trade. Sailors gladly spent their money there. The name "Corinth" became a synonym for immorality and also a synonym for wealth and luxury. The majority of the population was Greek. The Roman influence of the city is reflected by the many Latin names associated with it in the New Testament such as Aquila, Priscilla and Crispus. Jews also had a presence in Corinth and there was also a Jewish synagogue situated there (Acts 18:4). Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue (Acts 18:8), was baptized by Paul himself (1 Cor. 1:14). Apparently Silas and Timothy baptized the other converts at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:14-17). The members of the Corinthian church were having issues ranging everything from internal division to the proper way of taking the Lords Supper. Paul addressed the issues and instructed the members how they should conduct themselves. The Corinthians were under the assumption that they could still do whatever they wanted to do because they were baptized. The Old Man mentality had not been completely purged.

In Chapter 9, immediately prior to the study text, 1 Corinthians 10:2 Paul ensures that he qualifies his apostleship to the congregation. This lent creditability to his authority to provide direction. But Paul stated with gravity that even though he was an Apostle, with spiritual gifts, he still had a responsibility to be mindful of how he conducted his life; because even after preaching to others and saving many souls, it was possible that he could still become a castaway; (1 Cor 9:27)therefore, he must exercise control over his bodys desires and appetites which is a source of temptation in all people. The Corinthian mindset is the same with many modern-day Christians. Though contrary to scripture, some Christians live their lives with a once saved, always saved mentality. In Corinthians Chapter 10:2, Paul used the allegorical analogy of the Children of Israel to refute the Corinthians philosophy that they could not be lost while in a covenant relationship with God. Paul wanted to ensure that the Corinthians understood that just because they had been baptized, that they still had to live appropriately. Some of the Corinthians seem to have regarded the fact of their being baptized into Christ as some kind of endowment that made them immune from dangers, or in some manner exempt from sin. By the analogy of what happened historically to Israel, Paul would teach them that high privilege does not mean immunity from sin and death. When Paul states that the Israelites were baptized unto Moses and in the cloud in the sea, he is making a comparison of Israels deliverance from Egypt. By this comparison, Paul made the deliverance of Israel through the Red Sea from Pharaoh as a figure, or type, of Christian baptism. It should be noted that the figure in evidence here is not a physical baptism, that being the reality of which the great deliverance of Israel was the figure. In summary, today as Christians, we should be ever so careful and mindful of how are to live. We have been delivered from sin just as Israel has been delivered from Egypt. Romans 6:1 and 2 Peter 2:20-22, lets us know that sin will not enter into heaven whether christian or not.

Reference Resources Commentary James Coffman 1 Corinthians 9 and 10 blueletterbible.com 2

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