1 corinthians 11:17-34

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

"Now Concerning"—Reply

To Their Letter – Liberty In Christ – 7:1-16:4Abuse of the Lord’s

Supper at Corinth

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, first the issue of “headship” – 11:2-16

Next – abuses of the Lord’s supper

Answering Questions

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

Coming Together For The Worse



1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (NKJV) 17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come

together not for the better but for the worse. 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. 19 For there

must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be

recognized among you.



1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (NKJV) 20 Therefore when you come together

in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of

others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 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?



1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (NKJV) Shall I praise you in this? I do not

praise you. 23 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; 24 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 11:17-34 (NKJV) 25 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."

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you

proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.



1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (NKJV) 27 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. 28 But let a

man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink

of the cup.



1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (NKJV) 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and

drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and

sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves,

we would not be judged.



1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (NKJV) 32 But when we are judged, we are

chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33

Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 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

Regarding Worship

Coming Together For The WorseAbuse of the Lord’s Supper at Corinth – (11:17-34)

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

More Harm Than Good - 11:17-22



1 Corinthians 11:17 (NKJV)

17 Now in giving these

instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

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 - (Pr 15:8; 28:9)

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

From wrong motives (Mat 6:1-5)

Following the rules of men instead of the will of God. (Mat 15:9)





17 Now in giving these

instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

“When you come together as a church” – when they convened for the worship of God – (God requires that his people assemble – Heb 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 . . .





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





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)





19 For there must also be

factions among you, that those

who are approved may be recognized among you.





20 Therefore when you come together in one

place, it is not to eat the Lord's

Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:20 (ESV) 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you

eat. 1 Corinthians 11:20 (NIV)

20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 1 Corinthians 11:20 (ASV) 20 When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not

possible to eat the Lord's supper:





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 of 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.




“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)


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)


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.


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)









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.

23http://www.pvcc.org/pvflc/breakin_bread_cafe.html




24




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




23 For I received from the Lord

that which I also delivered to

you:

1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (NKJV)

23 . . . that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24

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." Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-

31; Luke 22:14-23

Meaning Of The Lord’s Supper – 11:23-26






you:


25 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."

Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-31; Luke 22:14-23


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

A memorial – 1 Cor. 11:23-25

A proclamation – 1 Cor. 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 Cor. 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 (NKJV) 26 For as often as you eat this

bread and drink this cup, you proclaim

the Lord's death till He

comes.

The Answer-Discern The Body: 11:27-32



‘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




‘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)





27 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.





28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of

the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an

unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning

the Lord's body.





30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not

be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are

chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the

world.

Concluding Remarks - 11:33-34




33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

34 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.

Not demanding to wait until all arrive –

but the manner in which the supper is

observed – unity,

harmoniously, with one accord!




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

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

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




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

39

Charts by Don McClainPrepared July 16,17, 2011

Preached July 17, 2011West 65th Street church of Christ

P.O. Box 190062Little Rock AR 72219

501-568-1062Prepared using PPT 2010 –

Email – [email protected] More PPT & Audio Sermons:

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The Head covering - Principles of Headship & Submission – (11:2-16)

Praying, Prophesying and the Covering



Luke 22:14-23 (NKJV) 14 When the hour had come, He

sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He

said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat

this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will

no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of

God."

Luke 22:14-23 (NKJV) 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take

this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and

gave it to them, saying,

Luke 22:14-23 (NKJV) "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20

Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup

is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. 21

But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the

table.

Luke 22:14-23 (NKJV) 22 And truly the Son of Man

goes as it has been determined, but woe to that

man by whom He is betrayed!" 23 Then they

began to question among themselves, which of them it

was who would do this thing.

1 corinthians 11:17-34

Documents

lords body

worse1 corinthians

lords death

worse2 abuse

lord jesus

unworthy manner eats

drinks judgment

remembrance of