compare the base of G1166 (δεικνύω)) of the same meaning · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
standeth
ἑστάναιhestanai
G2476
to stand (transitively or intransitively) · verb — perfect active infinitive
heed
βλεπέτωblepetō
G991
to look at (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active imperative, 3rd person singular
lest
μὴmē
G3361
(adverb) not · particle — negative
fall
πέσῃ.pesē
G4098
to fall (literally or figuratively) · verb — second aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Romans 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your…
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
1 Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
Matthew 26:40-41 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Matthew 26:33-34 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
Revelation 3:17-18 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, a…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 10:6-14
The apostle, having recited their privileges, proceeds here to an account of their faults and punishments, their sins and plagues, which are left upon record for an example to us, a warning against the like sins, if we would escape the like punishments. We must not do as they did, lest we suffer as they suffered.
I. Several of their sins are specified as cautions to us; as, 1. We should shun inordinate desires after carnal objects: Not lust after evil things, as they lusted, Co1 10:6. God fed them with manna, but they must have flesh, Num 11:4. They had food for their supply, but, not content with this, they asked meat for their lusts, Psa 106:14. Carnal desires get head by indulgence, and t…
thinketh he standeth--stands and thinks that he stands [BENGEL]; that is, stands "by faith . . . well pleasing" to God; in contrast to Co1 10:5, "with many of them God was not well pleased" (Rom 11:20).
fall--from his place in the Church of God (compare Co1 10:8, "fell"). Both temporally and spiritually (Rom 14:4). Our security, so far as relates to God, consists in faith; so far as relates to ourselves, it consists in fear.
Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 10:12
Let him that thinketh he standeth - Ὁ δοκων ἑσταναι· Let him who most confidently standeth - him who has the fullest conviction in his own conscience that his heart is right with God, and that his mind is right in the truth, take heed lest he fall from his faith, and from the state of holiness in which the grace of God has placed him. I have already shown that the verb δοκειν, which we render to seem, to think, to suppose, is used by the best Greek writers, not to lessen or weaken the sense, but to render it stronger and more emphatic. See the note on Luk 8:18.
In a state of probation every thing may change; while we are in this life we may stand or fall: our standing in the faith depends…
Paul says this to those who, relying on their knowledge that it was lawful to eat anything, were a cause of scandal to their weaker brethren. Thinking that they had risen to a higher level, they in fact declined because of the teaching of the false apostles and condemned Paul when they were the guilty ones.
A hermit said to a brother, 'Do not measure yourself against your brother, saying that you are more serious or more chaste or more understanding than he is. But be obedient to the grace of God, in the spirit of poverty, and in love unfeigned. The efforts of a man swollen with vanity are futile. It is written, "Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12); "let your speech be seasoned with salt" (Col. 4:6) and so you will be dependent upon Christ.'
[Syncletica] also said, 'We have no security in this world. The Apostle said, "Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). We are sailing on uncharted seas, as the psalmist David said, "Our life is like a sea." Yet some seas have dangerous reefs, some are full of sharks, some seas are calm. It seems as if we are sailing in calm waters, while men of the world are sailing in rough weather. We are sailing in daylight, led by the sun of righteousness, while they are being driven along in the night of ignorance. Yet it often happens that worldly men, sailing in darkness and through storms, are so afraid of danger that they save the ship by calling upon God and by watchfulness, while we, in our calm waters, become careless, leave the proper course of righteousness, and are sunk.'
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Backsliders · 8:22; — 8:22;
Backsliding · Warnings against — Warnings against
Heedfulness · Necessary: Against presumption — Necessary: Against presumption
Humility · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Presumption · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Pride · 4:1; — 4:1;
Watchfulness · 36:18-21; — 36:18-21;
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
on 1 Corinthians 10:12
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth,.... Since the Jewish fathers, who enjoyed such peculiar favours and eminent privileges, had such various judgments inflicted on them; since they stood not, but many of them were visible instances of God's displeasure; they were overthrown and cast down, their carcasses fell in the wilderness, and entered not into the land of rest; therefore all such persons who think themselves safe and sure, trusting to themselves, or depending upon the knowledge and gifts they have, the favours and privileges they enjoy; everyone of these should
take heed lest he fall. This advice was exceeding proper, whether it be considered as spoken to true believers, or fo…
1 Corinthians 10:6-12
6. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
6. Haec autem typi nobis fuerunt, ne simus concupiscentes malorum, sicut illi concupiverunt.
7. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
7. Neque idololatrae sitis, quemadmodum quidam eorum: sicut scriptum est. (Exodus 32:6.) Sedit populus ad edendum et bibendum, et surrexerunt ad ludendum.
8. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
8. Neque scortemur, quemadmodum et quidam eorum scortati sunt, et cecider…
Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Paul gives the Corinthians a final warning against falling into sin (cp. Rom 11:20-22) and reminds them that God is faithful (see 1 Cor 1:9; cp. Deut 7:9; 1 Pet 4:19). God will not allow them to be tempted (or tested; cp. Jas 1:2-4) beyond their ability to endure, but will always provide a way out.
