And were all baptized unto Moses— The Apostle is here warning the Corinthians against the commission of some vices, from too great a dependance on their Christian privileges. And this he does by reminding them of the Israelites; many of whom, though they enjoyed similar privileges, yet by their sins fell under the displeasure of God. The like expression is used by our Apostle in speaking of Christian baptism, Galatians 3:27 where he says, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ;" which in Acts 8:16 is expressed by "being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus," that is, into his doctrine. Moses was a legislator appointed by God to introduce a new institution of his worship among the Jews. And in this respect, Hebrews 3 he is compared with Christ, though in a lower degree, as the Christian institution is of a more excellent and spiritual nature. Wherefore as baptism is the initiatory ordinance of the Christian profession, and the Israelites, at their passage through the Red Sea, were entering upon their new establishment, under the conduct of Moses; the Apostle calls what then happened to them, in a similar manner, by the word baptism. The character of legislator is given only to Christ and Moses, as each of them promulged a divine institution, though in many respects of a very different nature. And therefore persons were never baptized in the name of any other divine instructor. Hence the Apostle puts this question to the Corinthians, ch. 1 Corinthians 1:13. "Were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" Some propose to read, All, even to Moses; that is to say, all, not excepting Moses, were baptized. See Heinsius, Ward, &
Related Commentaries of 1 Corinthians 10:2
1 Corinthians 10:2
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;