1 Corinthians 10:3

Spiritual meat. Or, “spiritual food.” The word “meat” is used with its Old English meaning of “food” in general rather than flesh. The word “spiritual” signifies that the food was not provided naturally. Furthermore, Paul was probably also thinking of the spiritual significance of the manna (John 6:32, 33, 35) in the same way as he identified the spiritual Rock as Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). All the Israelites were fed and nourished in this miraculous way in the wilderness. Their food was given to them directly by God. In this way all of them were given dramatic proof that they were protected and cared for by God. In that waste place there was no other food for them; they were absolutely dependent on the bread that fell from heaven (see Ex. 16:3). If anyone refused to eat the manna, he would perish. Similarly there is no other source of food for the Christian than that which comes from heaven and is personified in the Saviour. The temporal manna supplied for material sustenance sufficed for the earthly needs of the Israelites, but its effect was only temporary, and those who partook of it eventually died. Those who partake of the Word of God, even Jesus Christ, will not perish, but will live forever (see John 6:48-51, 53, 54, 58, 63). In this earthly wilderness men endeavor to feed their minds on human philosophies and inventions, but there is no hope of peace or happiness apart from Christ (see Matt. 11:28, 29; John 10:10; 15:6; 1 Cor. 1:21, 25, 30). Even as the manna had to be gathered every day, in an amount sufficient for the day’s need, so must men take the appropriate daily portion of nourishment from the Word of God in order to maintain a vigorous, vital Christian experience (see Ex. 16:16, 21; Job 23:12; Matt. 6:11).