1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Just a reminder the whole book to this point is Paul addressing the the Corinthian church that honestly was a mess. Full of division of the body about everything from meat sacrificed to idols all the way to sexual sins up to and including incest happening within the body to the level that even the idolatrous gentile Greeks were asking “what are you people doing?”
And just in case someone would hear that and think that could never happen in my church, here was a church started by Paul, led by men who learned directly from Paul, with this letter and eventually 2 letters from Paul to give pastoral counsel and advice that’s in this mess. We have 21 letters. 4 Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the prophecy of Revelation and the church today may be in worse shape than they were then!
Paul had just addressed head coverings the first half of the chapter but now here starts to address their division and behavior in relation to the Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper
17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
1 Corinthians 11:17 “17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.”
Paul lets them know he’s not about to give them gold stars and “good jobs”. He’s chastising them because the way they are having the Lord’s Supper or communion doesn’t help them but hurts them.
Then he goes on to tell them why:
1 Corinthians 11:18 “18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.”
He goes back to the divisions in the church.
1 Corinthians 11:19 “19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”
the heresies he’s talking about
1 Corinthians 11:20–22 “20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.”
The way you all are doing the Lord’s Supper isn’t the Lord’s Supper, it’s a sham. What they were doing was a highfalutin’ party for the wealthy to go to the hall and they were feasting and drinking enough to get drunk while they put the poor out in the shed with nothing to eat
If you’re going to do that at all, do it in your own house, not the House of God!
1 Corinthians 11:23–25 “23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Paul explains to them he learned what the Lord’s Supper was the same way they did…from the apostles recounting the words of Jesus. Same way we learn today, the Word of God.
He recounts to them from Matt 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:17–20 what Jesus said
1 Corinthians 11:24 “24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.”
remembrance: cἀνάμνησις (anamnēsis) Hebrews 9-10 the sacrifice of Jesus is once using the sacrifice was happening year after year after year by the high priest.. the once sacrifice of Christ is superior because it happens once for whom it’s made
Hebrews 10:1–3 “1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance (anamnēsis) again made of sins every year.”
our remembrance is of Jesus again and again and again forgiving the sins of His people. We are not to be reminded again and again and again of our sins but that if we are saved by His mercy and His finished work we are forgiven!
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Guarding or fencing the Table
Guarding is necessary because of the seriousness of the issue
1 Corinthians 11:29 “29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
Damnation is strong and is the right word
If you partake of the supper without a recognition of and a proper relationship to Jesus Christ and the means by which your forgiveness of sins has been obtained by His self sacrifice
This is what you are doing if you are partaking the Lord’s supper in an unworthy manner.
Coming to the Lord’s supper to get drunk is definitely not the proper way. I can imagine less obvious ways though.
Seeing participating in the Lord’s Supper as THE means of salvation, it’s not. Only Jesus.
Participating in the Lord’s Supper to be able to or to make up for (atone) sins in your life rather than repenting and asking the Lord’s forgiveness.
I’m only sounding as serious as scripture is: 1 Corinthians 11:30 “30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
Paul is clear here. God’s judgement up to and including death for some was coming for those who knowingly profanes the sacrament of communion and is a danger for any who would not “examine himself”
1 Corinthians 11:31 “31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” We either examine ourselves and partake or don’t properly or God is perfectly just in judging us for it
But vs 32 is a beautiful reminder. 1 Corinthians 11:32 “32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” When we cast ourselves at the foot of the Cross and put ourselves willingly at the merciful chastisement of Christ we take ourselves out of danger of the same judgement the Father has for the world
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
Paul then gives us the way we should come to the Lord’s Supper, in unity with each other and not to satisfy the flesh.
Paul is showing them the pastoral love necessary for the care of their souls in this letter, and the rest of the matter he’ll address when he gets there.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Guarding the table does not mean you must have perfection of repentance before partaking.
Addendum
Addendum
