Avoid unworthy manner by examining myself through discerning the Body!

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 11

unworthy manner

Examine myself for a worthy manner

The eleventh chapter - context - 1 Cor. 11

The Lord’s supper is one of the subjects where the right, biblical behavior was not found in the corinthian community.

The Eucharist is an acted sermon, an acted proclamation of the death which it commemorates. Robertson and Plummer

qTherefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

But a human being must examine himself and thus to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

For/because whoever eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not discerne the body.

There are three ideas (found in vv. 27-29) that point out the same truth: pay attention when you participate in the Lord’s supper!

Idea #1: unworthy manner! NO!

Idea #2: examine! YES!

Idea #3: without discerning! NO!

Ideas #2 & #3 are flowing from idea #1. Actually, #2 and #3 are the solutions provided by the Apostle to avoid participating in the Supper by having a wrong, unworthy manner.

Verse 27 represents the problem. V. 28 contains the solution and V. 29 is the core of the solution.

The combined idea is this: avoid participating in the Supper with an unworthy manner by examining yourself through discerning the body and blood of Jesus Christ!

Unworthy manner

therefore/it follows that/consequently - embraces the full force of result. Thiselton.

Therefore: Everything that was said until now gets connected to the following statements! They are connected! They must be understood together.

whoever -

unworthily

In order to understand what a word means we need four things:

the proper translation - dictionary.

The meaning in the immediate context.

The meaning in the larger context.

Sometimes the social context found in history can help a lot.

Worthy - Rev. 4:11 - You are worthy, oh Lord

Nobody is worthy to receive the grace of salvation! It is grace!

Other texts where worthy word appears: Luke 10:7 (laborer is worthy/deserves his wages), Luke 12:48 (doing things worthy of beating), Rom. 16:2, 1 Cor. 6:2, Eph. 4:1 & Phil. 1:27, Col. 1:10, 1 Thess. 2:12 (anybody worthy to be called to salvation? Then what does it mean to be worthy? To act in a suitable manner, in a worthy manner to respond to the grace), 2 Tess. 1:3 (cum se cuvine), Heb 11:38, 3 John 6 (send them worthy of God!), Rev. 3:4, Rev. 16:6 (they are worthy to receive the pain).

The attitude and conduct should fit the message and solemnity of what is proclaimed! Thiselton.

Other translations:

Innappropriate, unsuitable attitude

- careless manner.

- despicable.

will be ! guilty - eschatological sense!

guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord

Guilty of the things he says he’s not guilty anymore: to participate in the Lord’s Supper means to proclaim the Lord’s death! That means being forgiven!

Guilty of the crime itself!

If my lifestyle and attitude at the Lord’s supper do not fit the entire amazing teaching and reality of Christ’s death and resurrection, I am guilty!

The people from Corinth were abusing others at the Lord’s Table by going ahead with their own private meals. Fee

To participate in the Lord’s supper having an unworthy manner, makes me guilty of the crime of Pilate & all the people around him, while eating the body of the One condemned thinking at the same time that I’m not part of those who killed Him!

Worthily, worthy manner: to examine myself and understand this: I am not worthy, but I am Your brother, I am saved by You, Your blood has been poured for my sins, and Your body was broken for me, so I am saved. Yes, in humility and gratitude I will participate in Your Holy Supper!

The Lord’s Supper is a commandment!

There is no such a thing like ‘you are not worthy to obey this commandment of Jesus’.

Does anybody ask somebody else: are you worthy enough to preach? Is anybody worthy enough to preach? Is anybody worthy enough to pray? is anybody worthy enough to receive confessions? Is anybody worthy enough to..?

We do not ask ourselves: am I worthy enough?!

BUT we must fulfill the commandments having a proper attitude

Can I love having disgust on my face?

Can I pray speaking foolish words?

Can I spread the gospel of forgiveness by having people I didn’t forgive?

Examine myself - v. 28

Before taking part in such a service it is important to conduct a rigorous self-examination. Morris

Examine myself in respect of what I am eating i.e. the relationship between myself and the body of Jesus Christ!

Examining myself doesn’t make me worthy but makes me avoid the unworthy manner (mă face să evit participarea la Cină în chip nevrednic).

What are some possible results of examining myself?

I am HOLY! Let’s start!

I am such a SINNER! I cannot be participating in the Lord’s Supper.

I am a child of God through Jesus Christ! This is not any loaf of bread or wine. This is the body of Jesus Christ and His blood was shed for me! Ah, by Thy grace I have the honor to participate in the Lord’s Supper! I was guilty but Jesus saved me, so now I know that by participating in the Supper I obey His commandment to do it, to proclaim His salvation through this special act.

What is the my goal? To examine my attitude towards the Lord’s Body! And toward the others that participate in the Supper!

2 Cor. 13:5 - testing myself in relation to my faith.

Discerne the body

(1) Lord’s body from the normal bread on the table; (2) discerning the body as referring primarily to respect for the congregation of believers as the body of the Lord

(2)

They forgot what the body means, when they acted so selfishly toward their humbler fellow-Christians. Lietzmann.

(i) 1 Cor. 10:16-17 - the biblical argument for this view.

“one loaf” is identified as the participating solidarity of the community of believers. Fee

(ii) the blood is not added to this statement!

Problem!: then what meaning would discerning have? It doesn’t make inner sense.

‘’ In this sense our verse states that they must recognize what characterizes the body as different, i.e., be mindful of the uniqueness of Christ, who is separated from others in the sense of giving himself for others in sheer grace. The Lord’s Supper, by underlining participation in, and identification with, the cruciform Christ, thereby generates the social transformation, which is Paul’s second concern. ‘’

The standard of the examination is the body and blood of Jesus Christ

While examining myself I might find myself in a position of self content. But that’s dangerous! My standard is not what I like but what the Bible says. So, the standard is the body and blood of Jesus:

Applications

The corinthians were behaving unworthy because of their lack of respect and value for the poor. They had to fix that by examining themselves through discerning the Body of Jesus: this is a unique, holy bread and wine; I cannot put to shame those that are not that wealthy as me.

Do we have the same problem? Are we demonstrating disrespect to one another because of the rank, money, etc? Are there other things that destroy our relationship within the church?

My question in examining myself: does my attitude towards others fit the body and blood of Jesus?

Disrespect: mean words.

Pride (I am mature and strong, but that guy is not; I am holy and he is lost).

Unforgiveness (We are told about Joseph but none of us is Joseph).

Gossip.

Hatred.

Point your problem

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 276: Why Everything Hurts

A man went to his doctor in an acute state of anxiety. “Doctor, you have to help me; I’m dying,” he said. “Everything I touch hurts. I touch my head and it hurts. I touch my leg and it hurts. I touch my stomach and it hurts. I touch my chest and it hurts. You have to help me, Doc; everything hurts.”

The doctor gave him a complete examination. “I have good news and bad news for you,” he said. “The good news is you are not dying. The bad news is you have a broken finger.”

We must stop! We must avoid behaving unworthily. How do we stop? By examining ourselves through discerning the Body and Blood of Jesus the Lord!

FINAL

What’s next? Spiritual gifts! We must reset our attitude towards the Lord’s Supper and only then spiritual gifts! We must reset our attitude towards everything before chapter 12!