1 Corinthians 10:3,4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Spiritual meat—spiritual drink— It is not necessary to understand by the same meat and drink,—the same by which genuine Christians are supported; for that could not properly be said of any Israelites who were not true believers: but the meaning is, that they all, good and bad, shared the same miraculous supply of food and drink, which was πνευματικον, signifying somewhat spiritual. It is observable, that St. Paul, speaking of the Israelites, uses the word all five times in the compass of the foregoing verses; besides that, he carefully says the same meat, and the same drink, which we cannot suppose to be done by chance; but emphatically to signify to the Corinthians, (who probably presumed too much upon their baptism, and eating of the Lord's supper, as if that would recommend them to God) that though the Israelites, all to a man, ate the very same spiritual food, and drank the very same spiritual drink, yet they were not all to a man preserved; but many of them, notwithstanding, sinned, and fell under the avenging hand of God in the wilderness. The Jews have a tradition, that the water which issued from the rock in Horeb, Exodus 17:6 followed the Israelites through the wilderness: it has been objected, however, that this stream did not constantly follow them; for in that case they would have had no temptation to have murmured for want of water, as we know they did at Kadesh in the circumstances so fatal to Moses; nor would they have had any occasion to buy water of the Edomites, as they proposed to do, Deuteronomy 2:6. To this Mr. Mede replies, That perhaps the streams from the first rock at Rephidim failed, for a further trial of their faith; and at Kadesh God renewed the like wonder: but that, likewise, might probably fail, when they came into the inhabited country of the Edomites, which was not till near the end of their wanderings. But it should be observed, that the Apostle does not speak of the real, but the spiritual rock; namely, Christ; whom that rock in the wilderness signified. The word was frequently bears this import; and instances of the like use of it every where abound in Scripture. This rock was indeed a striking representation of Christ, the rock of ages, the sure foundation of his people's hopes; from whom they derive those streams of blessings, whichfollow and minister to them through all this wilderness of mortal life, and will end, for every faithful soul, in rivers of pleasure at the right hand of God for ever. See Locke, Hammond, and Mede's Diatrib. on the place.