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Textual analysis reveals ritual eating and sexuality as unifying motifs in 1 Corinthians 8–11, indicating ancient Israelite cultic roots underlying Paul's teachings.
The cultic practices of ancient Israel, specifically with respect to ritual eating and sex, serve jointly as a unifying motif for 1 Corinthians 8–11. Eating and sexual intercourse are viewed as sacred acts because of their generative capacity. Sex and food were highly regulated in ancient Israel, yet eating was an essential part of Israelite ritual, while sex was forbidden. Paul’s discussion of various issues in 1 Corinthians 8–11 is linked in his discourse by the common thread of the generative and communicative power of food and sex.
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Benjamin D. Giffone (2026) studied this question.
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