By: Gen. Jim – 8/8/25
“… Let us eat & drink, for tomorrow we die!” – 1 Cor. 15:32
Memander: A Greek dramatist & the best – (480-406 B.C.) known rep. of Athenian New comedy (writing 108 comedios). He is noted for his wise quotes.
After Paul quotes him, Paul makes his own wise saying: “Evil company corrupts good habits,” 1 Cor. 15:33 NKJV. Another version reads: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Paul is warning & good advice is in reference to those who deny the resurrection (vss.29-32); then Paul quotes the Greek proverb (from the Attic poet/dramatist Menander): “Let us eat & drink, for tomorrow we die.”
Memander was a thinker, he writes: “Everything is destroyed by its own particular vice: the destructive power resides within. Rust destroys iron, moths destroy clothes, the worm eats away the wood; but the greatest of all evils is envy, impious habitant of corrupt souls, which ever was, is, & shall be a consuming disease.” He also wrote, “By associating with wise people you will become wise yourself.” I’m sure Paul read from Memanders writings, for he was a learned man. How else did he know what this Gk. poet wrote? (Verse 32, “Let us eat & drink, for tomorrow we die!”, was taken from Comedy, “Thais”.) He continues: “The character of a man is known from his conversations”; “know thyself means this, that you get acquainted with what you know, & what you can do.”
When one reads Memander’s writings they will discover he is pretty much against women: “of all the wild beasts of land or sea, the wildest is woman.” (read for yourself other jabs at the female sex). Try this one: “Marriage, if one will face the truth, is an evil, but a necessary evil.”
Paul, as I have quoted from vs.33, writes, “Evil company corrupts good habits,” was he also quoting from “M”? Menander had written: “It must be that evil communications corrupt good dispositions.”
Isaiah 22:13
“But instead, joy & gladness, slaying oxen & killing sheep, eating & drinking wine: ‘Let us eat & drink, for tomorrow we die!”
Did Paul quote Isaiah’s 22:13? All this related to Paul’s ad hominem arguments for the resurrection. Paul likens his fight with the anti-resurrectionists as fighting with beasts in the arena. The fighting “with wild beasts in Ephesus” (15:32) must be understood metaphorically, not literally; such a metaphor was a common phenomenon in the moralistic literature of Hellenism (see Ignatius, Romans 5:1, referring to his captors: “from Cyria to Rome. I am fighting with wild beasts, by land & sea.”
Isaiah 22:12-14, these reckless words of those who celebrate their commitment to the revolt against Assyria are taken out of their own mouths in the dreadful sentence of DOOM which follows. God called Judah to weep & mourn, to baldness with sackcloth, but Judah did the opposite, they had a BIG PARTY… eating & drinking! Then their infamous words, “Let us eat & drink; for tomorrow we shall die!” (vs.13).
The Jews of Isaiah’s day were at the same moment scrupulously religious & fundamentally irreligious. They performed the motions of worship, but without belief; they used His name but did not love nor trust Him.
Today?
Same spirit. The Church (with exceptions) is in the same horrid backslid condition. I need not elaborate, you all know it’s true. Leaders are putting on BIG RELIGIOUS SHOWS, drawing in large amounts of $ all-the-while their hearts are FAR from God. Are we any better than ancient Israel/Judah? Eating, drinking, fornicating… we say, “In God we trust” as nation but the truth is we do not trust Him. Some ministers border as being Billionaires! Most are Millionaires! (the “flash & trash” type). While DOOM hangs over America, the Church plays “Church”! Yep! True! Whores, whoremongers, pimps, prostitutes are behind pulpits preaching, “Have Your Best Life Now” … “Come as you are, stay as you are” … no need to repent – “God love you”, “God is crazy about you”, blah, blah, blah.
Our actions & the lack of them will be decisive for our destiny, as a nation & individually.
Both Isaiah’s & Paul’s quotes (& Menander’s) reflects the language of all those who have sought their portion in this life, since the beginning of time.
Ancient Poem
“Alas, alas! What miserable creatures are we, only the semblance of men! And so shall we be all when we come to die. Therefore let us live joyfully while we may.”
Domitian had an image of death hung up in his dining-room, it is said, to show his guests that as life was uncertain, they should make the best of it by indulging themselves. On this martial, to flatter the emperor, whom he styles god, wrote the following epigram: “Sit down to table – drink heartily – anoint thyself with spikenard; for God himself commands thee to remember death.”
Another adage says, “Eat, drink, & play, while here ye may: No revelry after your dying day.”
Anacreon explains:
“While no tempest blots your sky,
Drink, & throw the sportful dye:
Ere you push the goblet round;” vol.IV.
[Anacreon, 6th century B.C. Greek poet] Addison (Joseph Addison, 1672-1719, English essayist & poet) wrote: “Lest some fatal illness cry, ‘Drink no more the cup of joy.’”
Back to 1 Cor. 15:32
As already stated, Paul’s “Let us eat & drink, for tomorrow we die” was his ad hominem arguments for the resurrection (15:29-34).
By reason of their personal nature, ad hominem arguments are usually ad hoc (for this cause, for this reason). Paul’s citation of Isa. 22:13 reflects contemporary anti-Epicurean sentiments, which believed the Epicureans taught this very philosophy. (see the discussion in Malherbe, “Beasts”, pp.76-79). Scholar/historians points to plutarch’s anti-Epicurean writings – the language of “eating & drinking” was a formula for the dissolute life (see 1098C, 1100D & 1125D, Lean Morris, The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, TNTC, 1950).
If!
If, Paul reasons, there is no resurrection, such a death-facing life is without gain. He argued that one may as well go the way of despair & “eat & drink, for tomorrow we die.” So, to him, to be without hope in the resurrection life is a constant round of NOTHING!
` Paul does not leave his hearers/readers in despair: “Awake to righteousness, & do not sin…” vs.34. I believe he meant not to sin by disbelieving in the resurrection. In typical diatribe style, the argumentum ad absurdum turns ad hominem, hence, a word of exhortation for the believers to mend their ways and not to believe that there is no resurrection. The Church at Corinth must not fall into unbelief. They are to live not in the spirit of “eating & drinking” = no hope but death awaits them, so live it up now! This same “spirit” prevails among those who believe “once saved always saved” … no matter how in the Hell one lives, Heaven is theirs! Are they Biblically sure about this??
Fin
So, If there is no bodily resurrection, Paul exclaims, one might as well follow the hedonistic motto, which quotes Isa. 22:13 & Menander’s Comedy, “Thais”. As the Latin motto Corpe Diem, “Seize the day” comes into play.
This “eating & drinking” spirit is only a temporary cover-up for ultimate despair. Why do people become food addicts & alcoholics & drug addicts?
“Tomorrow we die!” reveals a fatalism that is the opposite of hope & trust. How many in this generation, in this hour have lost all hope & trust in Christ?
The Sollution to the Pollution
Repent! Sorrow over sin & a genuine turning to God (if never a believer) or a turning back to God (if a backslidder). “Hope” & “Help” is only a prayer away.