Bible Study - 1 Corinthians Chapter Eleven

1 Corinthians 11:1–16 ESV

1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 ESV

17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

Study Questions

Verses 1-10

1 Corinthians 11:1–10 ESV

1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

1. Why was Paul able to encourage the Corinthians to imitate him?

Because he himself was a follower of Christ.

2. What did Paul find commendable among the Corinthians?

They remembered the teaching and traditions Paul had given them. Their letter evidently made this clear.

This shows again that the Corinthians apparently often had the “right” answers and were thinking “rightly”. But what they lacked was the greater spiritual wisdom in the right use of their knowledge when it came to practical things.

3. Is Paul speaking of women or wives in verses 1-10 with reference to head coverings in the church?

Wives — This is going to be very important.

Read the following for context for questions 4-8

Paul referred to the Corinthian’s frequent application of the “All things are lawful” principal in previous chapters. However, with reference to meat offered to idols (ch. 8), and spiritual liberty (ch. 9), Paul brought to bear the counterbalancing principal that “Not all things are helpful.” In each of these cases, Paul was highlighting a greater (or a more fundamental) principal that the Corinthians were missing. It appears that at least some of the Corinthian wives had rejected the custom of covering their heads, and their letter to Paul must have asked for clarification about this as well (and likely with their usual expression “All things are lawful”).

4. Where does Paul land on the question of whether wives should cover their heads?

The should do so (6)

Verses 11-16

1 Corinthians 11:11–16 ESV

11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.

5. Is a husband independent of his wife in the Lord? Is a wife independent of her husband?

No. They stand “together” with separate “functions” — This is the “complementarian” view of the roles of men and women.

God clearly ordained these roles and positions in the family. It is very unpopular today to hold these views of men and women, but it is unbiblical to think otherwise.

6. What greater principal(s) does Paul remind the Corinthians of for his reasons for why wives should cover their heads? How will the church be counter-cultural if we abide by these verses?

The principal that men and women are different. And that men have been given the biblical role of leadership in the family. The “head coverings”, are NOT the real issue here. The issue is the recognition of the unique way God has created men and women…AND the recognition of where authority rests.

So it’s not the head coverings themselves…it’s the recognition of these larger truths.

7. Is this passage prescriptive or descriptive for the church today? How should the church in 2020 follow the teaching of 1 Corinthians 11:1-10

It is descriptive in the sense that head coverings are no longer a “thing” in our culture. But what remains a “thing” is the need to see the genders as they are: separate, and with different roles, responsibilities, and functions.

8. What light does verse 16 shed on the entire discussion of whether wives were required to wear head coverings in the church?

The issue of the head coverings is the same as the issue of offering meat to idols, or the use of other Christian liberties that actually become a stumbling block to weaker brethren.

The women could say, “Wearing this head covering does not change anything. So it doesn’t matter if I wear it or not.” And they would have been “right” in the sense that the head covering did not transform them into spiritually minded people.

It’s not the “presence” of the head covering that matters…it’s the “absence” of the head covering that does…because its absence is what actually creates a needless problem. The argument might have been made that because the head coverings didn’t actually “do” anything, their presence was needless. BUT…while its true that their presence did not bring magical/mystical/spiritual power…their absence revealed was likely revealing a heart of selfishness and rebellion, which created all sorts of problem in the Corinthians church.

Consider it in view of the meat offered to idols. How many people do you think were actually interested in observing the entertainment offered at those temples…and were trying to justify their presence there by saying, “Hey…I’m only eating here!”

Verses 17-22

1 Corinthians 11:17–22 ESV

17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

9. Does performing the functions of the Lord’s Supper always mean that the Lord’s Supper has been observed?

Certainly not.

10. List the things Paul mentions that condemns the Corinthian’s practice of the Lord’s Supper.

Divisions - participating in the meal separately

11. What external influences might have provided the opportunity to introduce such unthinkable practices within the church at Corinth?

No doubt, many of the “ordinances” of the pagan worship in Corinth included much debauchery and chaos.

When the church observed the Lord’s Supper…it should look NOTHING like this.

Remember…these are NEW Christians living in a highly pagan culture.

Verses 23-30

1 Corinthians 11:23–30 ESV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

12. What is to be the sole focus of the mind when partaking of the Lord’s Supper?

The remembrance of Christ and His death for us.

13. What does the church show when they partake of the Lord’s Supper?

The Lord’s death. It reminds the world of the essential doctrine of the Lord’s sacrificial death.

Baptism…the second ordinance…reveals the essential doctrine of the new birth from death.

14. Who is to perform the examination prior to partaking of the Lord’s Supper?

The individual…it’s not on me to judge you before offering you the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper.

Verses 31-34

1 Corinthians 11:31–34 ESV

31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

15. How does our judgment of ourselves save us from judgment?

The man who lacks self-discipline and judgment will spend his life being judged by others for his crimes, laziness, etc. If we hold ourselves accountable…we will face the judgment of others much less.

The formula of Discipline in our lives

First…there is FORMATIVE DISCIPLINE. We learn right behavior

Second…there is CORRECTIVE DISCIPLINE when we fail to meet the standards of behavior we have been taught.

Third…SELF DISCIPLINE. The correct application of FORMATIVE and CORRECTIVE discipline in our lives SHOULD lead to self-discipline.

16. What is the purpose of the Discipline of God according to verse 32?

To save us from being caught up in the condemnation of the world!