“N OW C ONCERNING ” R EPLY T O T HEIR L ETTER — L IBERTY IN C HRIST —7:1—16:4 1 C ORINTHIANS 11:17-34 A BUSE OF THE L ORD ’ S S UPPER IN C ORINTH

 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 C OMING TOGETHER F OR T HE W ORSE Answering 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

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (11:17-34) 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 “ 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.” “ Coming Together For The Worse

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (11:17-34) 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. ” “ Coming Together For The Worse

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (11:17-34) 1 Corinthians 11:25,26 “ 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. ” “ Coming Together For The Worse

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (11:17-34) 1 Corinthians 11:27,28 “ 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. ” “ Coming Together For The Worse

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (11:17-34) 1 Corinthians 11:29-31 “ 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. ” “ Coming Together For The Worse

Abuse of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (11:17-34) 1 Corinthians 11:32-34 “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. ” “ Coming Together For The Worse

 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 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) 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 ) 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 )  From wrong motives ( Matthew 6:1-5 )  Following the rules of men instead of the will of God. ( Matthew 15:9 ) More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 “ 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... More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 “ 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 More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 “ That those who are approved 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) More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 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:” More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 “ 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. More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 “ 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) More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 ‘ Drunk ' 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) More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 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. More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 “'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) More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 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. More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

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 “Fellowship” Halls  Family Life Centers  “Multipurpose” Rooms  Gymnasiums  Game and Party Rooms  Ball Teams  Scout Troops More Harm Than Good—(11:17-22)

 “.. 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.” Meaning of the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26) 1 Corinthians 11:23,24 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.” Meaning of the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26) 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 Meaning of the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26)

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

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

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

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

 “ 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.” The Answer—Discern the Body (11:27-32) 1 Corinthians 11:28,29 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! The Answer-Discern the Body (11:27-32)

 “ 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.” The Answer—Discern the Body (11:27-32) 1 Corinthians 11:30-32 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 The Answer-Discern the Body (11:27-32)

 “ 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) 1 Corinthians 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)

 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

“N OW C ONCERNING ” R EPLY T O T HEIR L ETTER — L IBERTY IN C HRIST —7:1—16:4 1 C ORINTHIANS 11:17-34 A BUSE OF THE L ORD ’ S S UPPER IN C ORINTH