Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 10:21

"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons." — 1 Corinthians 10:21 (ASV)

To make it clearer, Paul speaks of “the Lord’s table”—a term that the Corinthian converts from paganism would readily associate with “tables” used for pagan idol meals. Here is an example of an invitation from an ancient pagan letter: “Chairemon invites you to a meal at the table of the lord Serapis in the Serapeum, tomorrow the fifteenth from nine o’clock onwards.” To Paul, a Christian cannot at the same time participate in the meal at the table of the pagan god and the table of the Lord.