Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?

Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not they, that eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar ?

See Israel according to the flesh! are not those eating the sacrifices in the fellowship of the altar?

Look at the Israelites - the nation and their ritual. Are not those who eat the sacrifices joint-partakers in the altar?

See Israel after the flesh: do not those who take as food the offerings of the altar take a part in the altar?

Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices share with the altar?

Behold Israel after the flesh He establishes it by another example, that such is the nature of all sacred observances, that they bind us in a kind of fellowship with God. For the law of Moses admits no one to a feast upon a sacrifice, but the man who has duly prepared himself. I speak not of priests merely, but of those among the common people who eat of the remains of the sacrifice. Hence it follows, that all who eat of the flesh of the sacrificed victim, are partakers with the altar, that is, of the sanctification, with which God has set apart his Temple, and the sacred rites that are performed in it. This expression after the flesh, may seem to be added in order that the Corinthians, on comparing the two, might set a higher value on the efficacy of our Supper. "If there was so much virtue in the ancient figures and in those rudiments of youthful education, how much more must we reckon that there is in our mysteries, in which God shines forth much more fully upon us!" At the same time, it is more simple, in my opinion, to say that Paul intended merely by this mark to distinguish the Jews that were still under the law from those that had been converted to Christ. Now there was a contrast that remained to be made -- that if the sacred rites appointed by God sanctify those who observe them, pollution, on the other hand, is contracted from the sacred rites rendered to idols. [1] For it is God alone that sanctifies, and hence all strange gods pollute. [2] Again, if mysteries [3] unite and connect believers with God, it follows, that the wicked are in like manner introduced by their superstitious rites into fellowship [4] with idols. But the Apostle, before proceeding to this, answers by an anthypophora [5] (anticipation) a question that might be proposed by way of objection.

Footnotes

1 - "Des saerifiees et autres eeremonies des idoles;" -- "Sacrifices and other ceremonies rendered to idols."

2 - "Rendent profanes ceux qui les seruent;" -- "Render profane those who serve them."

3 - "Les sacremens;" -- "The sacraments."

4 - "Vne conionetion et union auec leurs idoles;" -- "A connection and union with their idols."

5 - Anthypophora (anthupophora) is a figure of speech, by which a speaker anticipates the objections of his opponent, and answers them. -- Ed

Behold Israel - Look at the Jews. The design here is to illustrate the sentiment which he was establishing, by a reference to the fact that among the Jews those who partook of the same sacrifices were regarded as being one people, and as worshipping one God. So, if they partook of the sacrifices offered to idols, they would be regarded also as being fellow-worshippers of idols with them.
After the flesh - See Romans 4:1. The phrase "after the flesh" is designed to denote the Jews who were not converted to Christianity; the natural descendants of Israel, or Jacob.
Are not they which eat of the sacrifices - A portion of the sacrifices offered to God was eaten by the offerer, and another portion by the priests. Some portions of the animal, as the fat, were burnt; and the remainder, unless it was a holocaust, or whole burnt-offering, was then the property of the priests who had officiated, or of the persons who had brought it; Exodus 29:13, Exodus 29:22; Leviticus, Leviticus 3:4, Leviticus 3:10, Leviticus 3:15; Leviticus 4:9; Leviticus 7:3-4; Leviticus 8:26. The right shoulder and the breast was the part which was assigned to the priests; the remainder belonged to the offerer.
Partakers of the altar - Worshippers of the same God. They are united in their worship, and are so regarded. And in like manner, if you partake of the sacrifices offered to idols, and join with their worshippers in their temples, you will be justly regarded as "united" with them in their worship, and partaking with them in their abominations.

Behold Israel after the flesh - The Jews not yet converted to Christianity: the latter being Israel after the Spirit. As the design of the apostle was to withdraw his converts at Corinth from all temptations to idolatry, he produces two examples to show the propriety of his endeavors.
1. All who join together in celebrating the Lord's Supper, and are partakers of that one bread, give proof by this that they are Christians, and have fellowship with Christ.
2. All the Israelites who offer sacrifice, and partake of those sacrifices, give proof thereby that they are Jews, and are in fellowship with the object of their worship: so they who join in idol festivals, and eat things which have been offered to idols, give proof that they are in communion with those idolaters, and that they have fellowship with the demons they worship.

Behold Israel after the (p) flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices (q) partakers of the altar?
(p) That is, those who yet observe their ceremonies.
(q) Are consenting and guilty, both of that worship and sacrifice.

Behold Israel after the flesh,.... So the apostle calls them, to distinguish them from the Israel of God, the spiritual Israel, whether Jews or Gentiles; who are born again, believe in the true Messiah, worship God in a spiritual manner, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in fleshly things; but these were the descendants of Jacob or Israel by carnal generation, were carnal men, in the flesh, in a state of unregeneracy, and were employed in a carnal worship, in the observance of carnal commandments and ordinances; these the apostle directs to, to see, consider, and take notice of what they were doing; from whence some instruction might be taken, for the further clearing of the present point:
are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? yes, they are. The priests and Levites who waited at the altar, and ministered about holy things there, who brought the sacrifices and laid them upon the altar of the burnt offerings, where the altar consumed and devoured one part by fire, and that which was left they ate among themselves; and so as they had communion with one another in eating, they partook of the altar, of the things, or sacrifices of the altar, and showed themselves to be of the Jewish religion, and professed and declared that they worshipped the God of Israel, and would be thought to have communion with him in so doing; in like manner, such who eat of things sacrificed to idols, declared themselves to be idolaters, to be of the Pagan religion, to be worshippers of idols, and to have fellowship with them.

Israel after the flesh--the literal, as distinguished from the spiritual, Israel (Romans 2:29; Romans 4:1; Romans 9:3; Galatians 4:29).
partakers of the altar--and so of God, whose is the altar; they have fellowship in God and His worship, of which the altar is the symbol.

Consider Israel after the flesh - Christians are the spiritual "Israel of God." Are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar - Is not this an act of communion with that God to whom they are offered? And is not the case the same with those who eat of the sacrifices which have been offered to idols?