Untitled Sermon
66.7 ἀναξίωςb: pertaining to being proper in not corresponding to what should happen—‘improperly, in an improper manner.’ ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ κυρίου ἀναξίως ‘anyone who eats the Lord’s bread and drinks from his cup in an improper manner’ 1 Cor 11:27. For another interpretation of ἀναξίως in 1 Cor 11:27, see 65.19.
65.19 ἀνάξιος, ον; ἀναξίωςa: pertaining to not corresponding to a comparable merit or worth—‘not being worthy, not meriting, unworthily.’
ἀνάξιος: εἰ ἐν ὑμῖν κρίνεται ὁ κόσμος, ἀνάξιοί ἐστε κριτηρίων ἐλαχίστων; ‘if you are to judge the world, are you not worthy to judge small matters?’ 1 Cor 6:2.
ἀναξίωςa: ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ κυρίου ἀναξίως ‘anyone who eats the Lord’s bread and drinks from his cup without being worthy’ 1 Cor 11:27. For another interpretation of ἀναξίως in 1 Cor 11:27, see 66.7.
Instruction, Community — (NT) A text offering instructions relevant for the entire Christian community.
Brake. Bengel says: “The very mention of the breaking involves distribution and refutes the Corinthian plan—every man his own” (ver. 21).
20. When … therefore—Resuming the thread of discourse from 1 Co 11:18.
this is not to—rather, “there is no such thing as eating the LORD’S Supper”; it is not possible where each is greedily intent only on devouring “HIS OWN supper,” and some are excluded altogether, not having been waited for (1 Co 11:33), where some are “drunken,” while others are “hungry” (1 Co 11:21). The love-feast usually preceded the Lord’s Supper (as eating the Passover came before the Lord’s Supper at the first institution of the latter). It was a club-feast, where each brought his portion, and the rich, extra portions for the poor; from it the bread and wine were taken for the Eucharist; and it was at it that the excesses took place, which made a true celebration of the Lord’s Supper during or after it, with true discernment of its solemnity, out of the question.
24. brake—The breaking of the bread involves its distribution and reproves the Corinthian mode at the love-feast, of “every one taking before other his own supper.”
25. when he had supped—Greek, “after the eating of supper,” namely, the Passover supper which preceded the Lord’s Supper, as the love-feast did subsequently. Therefore, you Corinthians ought to separate common meals from the Lord’s Supper [BENGEL].
in remembrance of me—Luke (Lu 22:19) expresses this, which is understood by Matthew and Mark. Paul twice records it (1 Co 11:24 and here) as suiting his purpose. The old sacrifices brought sins continually to remembrance (Heb 10:1, 3). The Lord’s Supper brings to remembrance Christ and His sacrifice once for all for the full and final remission of sins.
28. examine—Greek, “prove” or “test” his own state of mind in respect to Christ’s death, and his capability of “discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Co 11:29, 31). Not auricular confession to a priest, but self-examination is necessary.
so—after due self-examination.
of … of—In 1 Co 11:27, where the receiving was unworthily, the expression was, “eat this bread, drink … cup” without “of.” Here the “of” implies due circumspection in communicating [BENGEL].
let him eat—His self-examination is not in order that he may stay away, but that he may eat, that is, communicate.
29. damnation—A mistranslation which has put a stumbling-block in the way of many in respect to communicating. The right translation is “judgment.” The judgment is described (1 Co 11:30–32) as temporal.
not discerning—not duly judging: not distinguishing in judgment (so the Greek: the sin and its punishment thus being marked as corresponding) from common food, the sacramental pledges of the Lord’s body. Most of the oldest manuscripts omit “Lord’s” (see 1 Co 11:27). Omitting also “unworthily,” with most of the oldest manuscripts, we must translate, “He that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, IF he discern not the body” (Heb 10:29). The Church is “the body of Christ” (1 Co 12:27). The Lord’s body is His literal body appreciated and discerned by the soul in the faithful receiving, and not present in the elements themselves.
30. weak … sickly—He is “weak” who has naturally no strength: “sickly,” who has lost his strength by disease [TITTMANN, Greek Synonyms of the New Testament].
sleep—are being lulled in death: not a violent death; but one the result of sickness, sent as the Lord’s chastening for the individual’s salvation, the mind being brought to a right state on the sick bed (1 Co 11:31).
31. if we would judge ourselves—Most of the oldest manuscripts, read “But,” not “For.” Translate also literally “If we duly judged ourselves, we should not be (or not have been) judged,” that is, we should escape (or have escaped) our present judgments. In order to duly judge or “discern [appreciate] the Lord’s body,” we need to “duly judge ourselves.” A prescient warning against the dogma of priestly absolution after full confession, as the necessary preliminary to receiving the Lord’s Supper.