John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 10:9

"Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents." — 1 Corinthians 10:9 (ASV)

Neither let us tempt Christ. This part of the exhortation refers to the history recorded in Numbers 21:6. For the people, having become weary of the long time, began to complain of their condition and to protest to God—“Why has God deceived us?” etc.

Paul speaks of this murmuring of the people as a tempting, and not without good reason, for tempting is opposed to patience. What reason was there at that time for the people to rise up against God, except this: that, under the influence of base desire, they could not patiently wait for the arrival of the time appointed by the Lord?

Let us, therefore, take notice that the source of that evil against which Paul here warns us is impatience, when we wish to go before God and do not allow ourselves to be governed by Him, but rather wish to bind Him to our own inclinations and laws. God severely punished this evil in the Israelite people. Now He remains always the same—a just Judge. Let us therefore not tempt Him, if we do not want to experience the same punishment.

This is a remarkable passage as proof of the eternity of Christ, for Erasmus’s objection has no force—“Let us not tempt Christ, as some of them tempted God”—for to supply the word God is extremely forced.

Nor is it surprising that Christ is called the Leader of the Israelite people. For as God was never favorable to His people except through that Mediator, so He conferred no benefit except through His hand.

Furthermore, the angel who first appeared to Moses, and was always present with the people during their journeying, is frequently called יהוה, Jehovah. Let us then consider it a settled point that this angel was the Son of God, and was even then the guide of the Church of which He was the Head.

As for the term Christ, since its meaning corresponds with His human nature, it was not yet applicable to the Son of God at that time. However, it is assigned to Him by the communication of properties, as we read elsewhere that the Son of Man came down from heaven (John 3:13).