1 Bishop W. R. Turner Jr. Living Word Temple of Restoration May 27, Corinthians: Chapter 11

Chapter 11Breakdown Concluding the teaching on liberty (11:1) Doctrine of Worship (11:2-34) Teaching on Authority (11:2-16) Teaching on Communion(11:17-30) 2

Concluding the Teaching on Liberty (11:1) Paul appeals to the believers to follow his example as he is following Christ’s Christ is the supreme rule/example and foundation of all things pertaining to the church Paul can appeal to the church to imitate him based on his connection to Christ Paul’s desire is that the people of Corinth would come to maturity in the context of Grace The goal is not legalism, but rather applying principles by the guidance of the Holy Spirit The model is Christ himself (supreme sacrifice motivated by love) 3

Doctrine of Worship (11:2-34) Chapter 11 emphasizing a teaching by Paul on proper worship practices In order to teach on worship Paul first establishes the principle of headship (11:2-6) He gives evidence from scripture to support headship (11:7-16) Paul then Discusses the Ordinance of Communion The Corinthians improper keeping of the ordinance (11:17-22) Paul Offers teaching and corrective instruction on the keeping of the ordinance (11:23-26) Potential Consequences for not properly keeping the ordinance (11:27-34) 4

Teaching on Authority (11:2-16) Paul praises the Corinthians for keeping the ordinances he had given to them (vs. 2) The word ordinance here refers to the teachings and traditions Paul had instructed them in While the Corinthians prided themselves on their knowledge the Apostle is constantly exposing deficiencies in this knowledge they were so proud of (see vs. 3) He then lays out the principle of headship – authority Christ Does the will of God the father Christ is the head of the Body of Christ The Hus 5

Teaching on Authority cont. (11:2-16) Paul lays out the principle of headship – authority (vs. 3) We are dealing with functional subordination rather than qualitative difference The Head of Christ is God Christ Does the will of (is submitted to ) God the father This relates to Christ in terms of his salvific work (role) in redeeming humanity In terms of his divinity Christ is equal with God the Father in every way The Man comes next with Christ being the head of the man Christ is the head of the church (Body of Christ) and first among all humans The woman is next in the creative order with the man being the head of the woman This speaks to the creative order & authority that has been established by God 6

Teaching on Authority cont. (11:2- 16) Based of the foregoing headship principles (authority) Men should not enter public worship with a head covering (vs. 4) A head covering would denote that there is some authority between Christ and the man Women Should enter public worship with a head covering (vs. 5) The woman wears a head covering to indicate that there is an authority that exists above her Paul’s sees a woman's refusal to have a head covering as a serious offense He deals with a woman participating in public worship without the proper attire as being and un-submitted woman He likens it to behaving like a prostitute 7

Teaching on Authority cont. (11:2- 16) Paul begins to cite evidence for the principal of headship Man was created in the image a glory of God This speaks to the fact that dominion was given to the man before the woman was created The woman was created for the man (vs. 8, 9) Women we created in the image a glory of the man This speaks to the fact that the dominion of the woman was delegated through the man In every other way men and women are partakers of the image of God in the same way (equally) Women ought to have a covering as a sign of the divine order they are participating in (vs. 10) Paul offers this in respect to the angels who are participants in worship also 8

Teaching on Communion (11:17-34) Paul could not praise the Corinthians for the way in which the observed communion (vs. 17) The outcome of coming together was not edification (vs. 17) The came together in a divisive spirit (vs. 18) There coming together constituted a supper but “not the Lord’s Supper” (vs. 20) They were not eating together (vs. 21) Some were being left out – hungry (vs. 21) They were abusing the poor at the feasts Some of the participants were getting drunk (vs. 21) 9

Teaching on Communion cont. (11:17-34) Paul offers corrective teaching on keeping the ordinance of communion (vs. 23) Paul’s authority for this teaching is Jesus himself (vs. 23) Paul had given this teaching to them previously (vs. 23) This teaching follows the events of the Last Supper Christ’s Example Took bread and broke it “Take eat, this is my body which is broken for you.” Took the cup “This cup is the new testament in my blood, this do ye, as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me” 10

Teaching on Communion cont. (11:17-34) Paul closes the teaching with a warning (vs. 27) Communion should not be taken with a careless of irreverent attitude (vs. 27, 29) Communion should ne approached with an attitude of self- examination (vs. 28) Those who eat and drink unworthily can bring damnation on themselves – judgment Evidenced by some who are sick, and others who have died (vs. 30) Here the word for death is always used of believers Judgment here refers to temporal rather than eternal judgment (vs. 32) The rule is communion is to show concern for what we are doing and for other with whom we are sharing the meal (vs. 34) 11