OBSERVING THE LORD'S SUPPER-------1 CORINTHIANS 11:17 - 34

1 CORINTHIANS 11: 17 - 34

OBSERVING THE LORD'S SUPPER

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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.

The early church would come together to share meals and fellowship and would end the meal with the observance of Communion.  That was the plan, but the Corinthians didn't quite hit the mark.

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.

Rather than getting together for loving fellowship and spiritual enrichment, the congregation used this time to draw attention to themselves, shaming the poor brethren, arguing; generally making a mockery of the Lord's sacrificial death and scandalizing the church to the whole world.  

19) For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

When you have those in your midst that are not of you, you will be better able to recognize those who ARE of you.  There are many examples I could cite here, but just look at our politicians:  some know what The Constitution says/means and others want to interpret it to bend to how they WANT it to read.  It doesn't take long to know who to trust on the issue.

20) When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

Asking for clarification on what they came together to celebrate.

21) For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry and another is drunken.

The church is not practicing sharing, but selfishness and gluttony.

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.

Paul gave instructions to eat before meeting up with the church if you are hungry.  That way, there will be enough to share and no one will over do it.  "All things in moderation."  We are to be pure in heart, without prejudices, pride, bitterness, feelings of superiority, etc. Let us come together as one, loving each other and loving our God, which honors Him.

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:

Let us review how we are to observe the Lord's Supper in a way that honors Him:

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.

We are to remember His life, His sacrifice, and His death.

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.

Keeping Jesus forever before our eyes, as we anticipate His return for us.

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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.

You don't want to be guilty of the body and blood of Jesus Christ (His death).

28) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.

We are to participate in Communion with reverence, in awe of Jesus, with thanksgiving, and praise; focusing on Jesus.

29) For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

Here we go again:  are we sick and weak because we are disobeying God?  As we study His Word, we find little tidbits of what we are to be doing and how we are to do it to His glory.  To this, I say, "Keep studying."  When we dishonor Jesus (which the Lord's Supper represents), we will be chastised....and even killed.  It is serious business.

31) For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Therefore, let us search our own hearts when we participate in The Lord's Supper, and repent of our unrighteousness.  Let us love our Brethren, as God Himself loves them.

32) But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

Christians are chastised.  We are not condemned with the world, because we have been adopted into The Royal Family, and are thus sons of God.  This also confirms "once saved, always saved".  We do NOT lose our salvation due to something we do.  Likewise, we did not gain salvation due to something we did.

33) Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

When we sit down at God's table, let us wait on one another and meet their needs first.

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.

The Apostle obviously had other matters to discuss with the church he was mentoring and would address them when he saw the church leaders.

  We had a request to post the commentary after each verse, so here it is.  Would you prefer it posted this way or do you prefer the way we have been posting all of the verses we will be studying followed by the commentary for all of the verses?  Leave us a comment.  We love to hear from you.

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THE ROLE OF THE MAN AND THE WOMAN ----1 CORINTHIANS 11: 1 - 16

 1 CORINTHIANS 1: 1 - 16

THE ROLE OF THE MAN AND THE WOMAN

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1) Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

2) Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

3) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

4) Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.

5) But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven

6) For is the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn:  but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

7) For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God:  but the woman is the glory of the man.

8) For the man is not of the woman:  but the woman of the man.

9) Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

10) For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

11) Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither is the woman without the man, in the Lord.

12) For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

13) Judge in yourselves:  is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

14) Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

15) But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her:  for her hair is given her for a covering.

16) But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

COMMENTARY

   This is certainly something that you don't hear preached at church on Sundays.  This is the Apostle Paul writing to his church in Corinth, where he poured himself into teaching this congregation.  Here, he is talking about the accepted order according to God:  the role of men and women in preaching and praying in church.

Verse 3)  God the Father has authority over Jesus and Jesus submitted to The Father's will, thus buying our salvation.  Jesus has authority over man, whether saved or lost, every knee will bow to Jesus; man has authority over woman; parents have authority over children.  This is God's will, His plan.  This scripture does not say women are illiterate, ignorant, without faith.  What it says is that when women obey God, they submit to the position of man out of love for God, as Jesus submitted to The Father, although He is fully God!

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Verses 4, 5)  Women were allowed to pray and prophesy(teach) in some settings, but there needed to be a distinction between the authority of the praying and teaching.  They were not men, so the women needed to wear the head covering.  If the women wanted to demand equality to man in these activities, they disgraced themselves and their husbands.  Likewise, men who wore a covering disgraced Jesus, Who is the head of man.

Verse 6)  In those days, prostitutes shaved their heads.  Apostle Paul was saying it would be as a prostitute in a position of authority praying and prophesying.

Verse 7)  Here is God's design:  man is not to wear a hat (head covering) in church or when he is praying or prophesying.  Man was made in the image and glory of God.  Woman was made in the image of God, also, but for the glory of man.  Man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man.  The angels were present at creation, so they know God's unique design for man and woman.  So it would be an insult to the angels, who have great strength and power and submit to God's plan, when the woman doesn't.

Verses 8, 9) Here is the bottom line on the headdress:  the covering was a symbol of submissiveness.  Man was created in the image of God but also to be the glory of God.  His power and authority comes directly from God.  Man was created first and was given dominion over all that was created (Genesis 2:7).  Woman was created in the image of God, also, but for the glory of man.  She was made "for the man's sake".  Her role is to come under the leadership, protection, and care of man; to be his helpmate  (Genesis 2:20 - 22).

Verses 11, 12)  All things were created for God's good pleasure.  Man and woman have the same value to Him.  Woman originates from man and man is born from woman.  All begins with God.  Man has no innate superiority over woman; likewise, woman has no innate superiority over man.  We are created for different roles and to work together for the glory of God.

Verse 16)  After citing accepted cultural practices and nature, there wasn't much more to argue about.  Apostle Paul ended this discourse by saying, basically, that the apostles and churches were going to honor God by the man not having his head covered while praying and prophesying and the woman having her head covered, even if her covering was just with her long hair.

   Dr. MacArthur tells us in another commentary, of which I will have to locate again, that had Adam and Eve conducted themselves in this proper manner, we would have been able to live as God had originally intended, rather than living under the curse of sin.  Had Eve referred to Adam regarding eating the fruit, surely he would have declined the offer.  It's food for thought:  when God's order is breached, turmoil ensues.  Man is the head of the household and is RESPONSIBLE for it in every way.  Woman is to support him.  Be careful who you marry.

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