The Rock that Follows

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:4

Followed – This Greek word is ἀκολουθέω which is translated 99% of the time in the New Testament as “follow” and means to accompany something. So it is clear that Paul is suggesting that a spiritual rock, which provided them water, somehow followed Israel throughout the wilderness. Where in the world is he getting this? Rocks don’t willfully move, do they?

This is where Paul’s upbringing and cultural knowledge come into play. Paul is pulling directly from an ancient Jewish legend which was later written down in the Tosefta.

So the well, which was with Israel in the wilderness, was like a rock of the size of a k’bara, 6 and was oozing out and rising as from the mouth of this flask, travelling with them up the mountains and going down with them to the valleys. Wherever Israel encamped it encamped opposite them before the door of the Tabernacle.

Tosefta Sukkah 3:3

There is no Biblical text that supports a rock following Israel throughout the wilderness. But Paul, a Jewish Rabbi, believes this legend to be true and uses it to support his text to the Corinthians.

This should cause any critical thinker to pause. Is Paul’s letter to the Corinthians directly dictated by God? Are we to believe that God is agreeing with this Jewish legend? If this Jewish legend is true, than how many others should we account as true? Does this single teaching open up other extra-biblical texts to be read and studied as true?

Or should we understand Paul’s letters to be the work of his hands as a community elder addressing very real congregational problems? And these letters, written by a Jewish man, a Pharisee, are filled with wisdom on various topics, so much so that we can accept them as an authority in our lives. And not only wisdom, but they will equally be filled with Jewish commentary, tradition, and legend based on Paul’s personal growth and learnings as a Jewish man.

Perhaps the critical thinker can accept both concepts. Paul was definitely inspired by God, but also deeply influenced by Jewish tradition. His letters are the work of his hands as a Rabbi and community leader, but the early church fathers valued his letters so much they included them in what we now refer to as the Bible.