“Now Concerning” Reply To Their Letter—Liberty in Christ — 7:1—16:4

“NOW CONCERNING”REPLY TO THEIR

LETTER—LIBERTY IN CHRIST—7:1—16:4

1 CORINTHIANS 11:17-34

ABUSE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER IN CORINTH

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth- (11:17-34)

First question pertained to marriage – (Chapter 7)

The second question dealt with eating meat offered to idols – (Chapters 8-10)

Chapters 11:2-16:4 deal with a variety of topics, beginning with the issue of “headship” – 11:2-16

Next--abuses of the Lord’s Supper

COMING TOGETHER FOR THE WORSEAnswering Questions

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (11:17-34)

1 Corinthians 11:17-19

“Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for

the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear

that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you,

that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”

“Coming Together For The Worse



“Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's

Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who

have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not

praise you.”



1 Corinthians 11:23,24

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to

you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was

betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for

you; do this in remembrance of Me.”




“In the same manner He also took the cup after supper,

saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do,

as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.“ For as

often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the

Lord's death till He comes.”




“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and

blood of the Lord.But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread

and drink of the cup.”




“For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and

drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and

sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be

judged.”




“But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one

another.But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in

order when I come.”


Perverted worship is destructive to its participants – 17,20-22,29-32

Ones worship is vain when division and ungodly attitudes exist – 18,19

The Lord’s supper is to be according to the divine arrangement – 20-28,33,34

Abuse of the Lord Supper at Corinth (11:17-34)

Coming Together For The Worse

Regarding Worship

“I do not praise you” – The practice he is about to speak of was a detriment to them -

“Since you come together not for the better but for the worse” – (11:18,20,33) When the Church assembles. 'The Corinthian problem was not their failure to gather, but their failure to truly

be God's new people when they gathered.' (Fee p. 536)

1 Corinthians 11:17

“Now in giving these

instructions I do not praise you, since you come together

not for the better but for the worse.”


More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

Religious people can assemble to worship God and instead of gaining God's favor, they can bring upon themselves condemnation. (11:34) The sacrifice of the wicked

is an abomination to God - (Proverbs 15:8; 28:9)

Simply going through the motions not accepted - (Matthew 6:7; 15:8-9)

1 Corinthians 11:17






Religious people can assemble to worship God and instead of gaining God's favor, they can bring upon themselves condemnation. (11:34) From wrong motives

(Matthew 6:1-5) Following the rules of men

instead of the will of God. (Matthew 15:9)

1 Corinthians 11:17






“When you come together as a church” – when they convened for the worship of God – (God requires that his people assemble – Hebrews 10:24,25).

“I hear that” - "I am hearing" suggests ... continued information from various quarters.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 877)

“There are divisions among you” –The sectarian spirit previously mentioned, (18; 1:10-13; 3:3,4), was evident in their assemblies . . .

1 Corinthians 11:18

“For first of all, when you

come together as a church, I hear that there are

divisions among you, and in part I believe it.”



“Factions” – Gk., HAIRESIS, meaning “a choosing, a choice”; it is a much stronger word than “division” (see Galatians 5:20). “Dissensions” arising from

diversity of opinions and aims— Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon

The schisms naturally become factions or parties. . . . "Heresy is theoretical schism, schism practical heresy." — Robertson Word Pictures

1 Corinthians 11:19

“For there must also be

factions among you, that those who are

approved may be recognized among you.”



“That those who are approved - 1384 dokimos {dok'-ee-mos}; in the N.T. one who is of tried faith and integrity — Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon

“May be recognized among you” – 'When ungodliness manifests itself as division, keep your eyes open and the righteous will shine forth ... So, the divisions act as a black velvet background ... against which people approved of God are highlighted.' (McGuiggan p. 156)

1 Corinthians 11:19

“For there must also be

factions among you, that those who are

approved may be recognized among you.”



1 Corinthians 11:20 (ESV) “When you come together, it is not

the Lord's supper that you eat.” 1 Corinthians 11:20 (NIV)

“ When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,”

1 Corinthians 11:20 (ASV) “ When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not

possible to eat the Lord's supper:”

1 Corinthians 11:20

“Therefore when you

come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.”



“When you come together”- In the NT we always find the Lord's Supper in an assembly context. (Acts 2:42; 20:7)

They would have claimed that they were eating the Lord's Supper. - But Paul says that they were not –

“Not possible” ASV - an environment which fosters strife and division and the abuses cited in the following verses, truly partaking of the Lord's Supper was an impossibility.

1 Corinthians 11:20

“Therefore when you

come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.”



“For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others;” - 'some, apparently the rich, ate their own sumptuous meals before others (slaves and poor freedmen) were able to arrive.' (Fee p. 540)

“One is hungry and another is drunk” - 'The poor man, whose small store was insufficient, or who arriving late (for his time was not his own) found the table cleared.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 879)

1 Corinthians 11:21

“For in eating, each one

takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.”



‘Drunk'-3184. methuo {meth-oo'-o}; from another form of 3178; to drink to intoxication, i.e. get drunk: -drink well, make (be) drunk(en).

“I rather think that Paul meant that they were glutted with food and drink while others were (not "sober") but hungry . . . "What, have ye not houses to eat and drink in?" We'd hardly think he would be suggesting that they get "stoned" at home . . .” (McGuiggan p. 158)

1 Corinthians 11:21

“For in eating, each one

takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.”



Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? - Paul doesn't regulate such common meals "in the assembly", - in contrast he places them completely outside the assemblies of the church. He doesn't offer any solution that allows the Corinthians to keep them in the assembly, just as long as they.....

The Lord's Supper had God's approval, social meals when the church gathered for worship did not.

1 Corinthians 11:22

“What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink

in? Or do you despise the

church of God and shame those

who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.”



“'In the question: "Why do you not use your houses?"

there lies the graver one: "Why do you so use the

church?" This is the graver, for to use the church in this

manner is to degrade it, hence to look down on it, to despise

it ... Has the congregation forgotten so completely that

this is "God's gathering?" (Lenski p. 460)

1 Corinthians 11:22







We despise the church of God, when we make it into what we want it to be, i.e. a place of recreation and socializing.

These verses present serious questions for many modern religious bodies - In fact, many have even "gone WAY beyond" what the Corinthians were doing.

1 Corinthians 11:22







http://www.pvcc.org/pvflc/breakin_bread_cafe.html24

More Harm Than Good - 11:17-22

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper at Corinth – (11:17-34)


“Fellowship” Halls Family Life Centers “Multipurpose” Rooms Gymnasiums Game and Party Rooms Ball Teams Scout Troops

1 Corinthians 11:22







“ . . that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was

betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is

broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

1 Corinthians 11:23“For I

received from the Lord that

which I also delivered to

you:...”


Meaning of the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26)


Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-31;

Luke 22:14-23

“In the same manner He also took the cup after supper,

saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This

do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”




you: ...”



1 Corinthians 11:25

Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-31;

Luke 22:14-23

A communion – 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:33-34

A memorial – 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

A proclamation – 1 Corinthians 11:26




you: ...”



The only way to correct the abuse of a biblical practice, is to get back to the original instruction.

The only meal which the congregation is to sponsor, which Christians are to partake of when assembled for worship, is the Lord's Supper.




you: ...”



Acts 20:7 is the ONLY example of how often they came together. (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:1,2)

Paul is not dealing in our context with “WHEN” but “HOW”.

“As often as” - adverbial phrase modifying “proclaim” – NOT “eat” and “drink” – again the emphasis is on HOW – not WHEN!

1 Corinthians 11:26

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink

this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death

till He comes.”



‘Discern'-1252. diakrino {dee-ak-ree'-no}; (Verse 29) The verb

primarily means to separate, and hence to make a distinction,

discriminate. . . . implies a mental act of discriminating between

different things. . . . such discernment of the peculiar

significance and sacredness of the Lord's body shall make him shrink

from profanation and shall stimulate him to penitence and

faith.— Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament


The Answer-Discern the Body (11:27-32)

‘To distinguish, to judge correctly' (Willis p. 404)

'Failure to recognize the Lord's body, that is, reflect on his death, as they eat.' (Fee p. 563)

Part of this discerning, would be, distinguishing between this "supper" and all other suppers. (11:21)



“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this

cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be

guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”


The Answer—Discern the Body (11:27-32)

1 Corinthians 11:27

Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-31;

Luke 22:14-23

Not a meal for satisfying the fleshly appetite

“Worthy to partake” means how one “eats and drinks” not in a careless manner.

Must give the supper the “respect and dignity” deserved

Sin against the “body and blood” of the Lord!



“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of

the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and

drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the

Lord's body.”




Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-31;

Luke 22:14-23

“Examine himself “ - make sure in right frame of mind

No self-examination made - brings on God’s condemnation

Remembering the nature and purpose of the Supper

Memorial feast reminding us of the death and suffering of Christ!



“For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many

sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are

judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be

condemned with the world.”




Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-31;

Luke 22:14-23

“For this cause” refers to spiritual consequences of failing to partake in the proper manner

We escape the spiritual condemnation of God by having our minds right while partaking

Discipline or “chastening” would be brought on one to save their soul from being lost



“Therefore, my brethren, when you come together

to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is

hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come

together for judgment. And the rest I will set in

order when I come.”


Concluding Remarks— (11:33,34)


Their meal was congregational but not for the better but worse - (1 Corinthians 11:17,22).

Their meal was a common meal not the Lord’s Supper - (1 Corinthians 11:21,22,34).

Their meal was for selfish social purposes which was causing division - (1 Corinthians 11:18,22,33).


Concluding Remarks-- (11:33,34)

Concluding Remarks - 11:33-34

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper at Corinth – (11:17-34)


The assembly should - (vs. 33) All come together into one place For the “better” Come together without

divisions / factions / perversions Keep the Lord’s Supper (vs.

23) As “I delivered unto you” “Show the Lord’s death” “Discerning the Lord’s body” Common meals a work of the

home

“NOW CONCERNING”REPLY TO THEIR

LETTER—LIBERTY IN CHRIST—7:1—16:4

1 CORINTHIANS 11:17-34

ABUSE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER IN CORINTH

Documents

“Now Concerning” Reply To Their Letter—Liberty in Christ — 7:1—16:4