- 1 Corinthians 11:24-34
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- 1 Corinthians 11:24
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.
The Lord Jesus had just finished celebrating the Passover with His
disciples. (Luke 22:15 KJV) And he said
unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I
suffer: Now something new has happened,
dovetailing the Passover, the Lord now institutes the Lord’s Supper.
Celebrating the Passover has now ended because the Passover would now be
celebrated symbolically in the Lord Jesus and only by His Elect.
(1 Cor 5:7 KJV) Purge out therefore the old
leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our
passover is sacrificed for us: So the era of
celebrating the Passover has ended. (Exo 12:17 KJV) And ye shall observe the
feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your
armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your
generations by an ordinance for ever. We read in the Exodus verse that the
Passover was to be celebrated forever. Now this would mean that even in the
New Heaven and New Earth the Passover was to be celebrated, simply because
there is no end to something that lasts forever. However, we read in 1
Corinthians 5:7 that Christ is our Passover which means that the Passover is
celebrated in Christ and only those who have become saved can celebrate that
Passover, which is Christ. Those who have become saved are saved for
eternity and that is the way we fulfill the keeping of the Passover
commanded us in Exodus.
The next point in this verse is that we read that Christ broke bread and
gave it to His disciples to eat. As He was giving them this bread, He said
it was ‘His body.” Now, we can easily summarize that Christ was giving them
bread and speaking in symbolic terms referring to it as His body. The Roman
Catholic belief in Transubstantiation is an absolute heresy. They try to
enforce their doctrine by using the following verses:
(John 6:53-57 KJV) Then Jesus said unto
them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. {54} Whoso eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at
the last day. {55} For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink
indeed. {56} He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me,
and I in him. {57} As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the
Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Now from the 1 Corinthians verse, we read that the Lord Jesus Christ gave
bread and said “This is my body.” Where was Christ standing when He made
that statement? He was standing in his body and was not giving His body to
His disciples to physically eat. If they physically ate Him, then that would
be cannibalism and it would mean that He would have been killed at the Last
Supper, and could not have been crucified. When the Lord entered the time of
His suffering, He entered it in His full body and not yet shedding blood. So
the idea that Christ is giving His flesh in the ungodly Mass of Rome is
blatant heresy which must be rejected by all true Christians. It is very
plain from the 1 Corinthians verse that the Lord was only speaking
symbolically of His body.
The next point the Lord Jesus makes is that His body was broken for us. The
new bible versions leave out the word “broken” which means they disavow the
sufferings of Christ. It is an outright denial of the sufferings of Christ.
In Leviticus chapters 4 and 5, we read about the animals which were used for
sacrifices and we read about the way the bodies of the animals were killed.
These animal sacrifices were all symbolic of the sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus. When the Lord Jesus used the word “broken,” He was stating that the
sacrifice which He was going to suffer was going to be a full and final
sacrifice. There would be nothing withheld because the sacrifice had to be
total for His Elect. This totality meant His body was to be fully involved
and killed just like the animals used in the Old Testament Sacrifices.
The final point the Lord Jesus makes is that this symbolic Supper is to be
performed by the church as a remembrance of the sufferings of the Lord
Jesus. There is nothing in Scripture which gives a specific number of times
it must be done, so it is left up to the individual churches. I have been in
churches that have communion weekly and monthly. There is also nothing in
Scripture which teaches that this is anything more than a remembrance.
Taking the Lord’s Supper does not grant someone salvation nor does it
guarantee salvation. Salvation comes by grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a matter of fact, only believers should be partaking in the Lord’s
Supper.
- 1 Corinthians 11:25
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.
Immediately after the Lord gave out the bread, he then gave the second part
of the Supper. This time He gave the cup and stated that this is the “new
testament.” The word “testament” may also be understood as covenant.
(Jer 31:31-33 KJV) Behold, the days
come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel, and with the house of Judah: {32} Not according to the covenant that
I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring
them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was
an husband unto them, saith the LORD: {33} But this shall be the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD,
I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and
will be their God, and they shall be my people.
We read that the new covenant was prophesied by Jeremiah. Under the old
covenant, people approached God by means of bringing their own sacrificial
animals to the Temple. (Heb 8:13 KJV) In
that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which
decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Now through the new covenant, the Christian approaches God through the Lord
Jesus Christ. The sacrifice He performed on Calvary had paid for every sin
of God’s Elect, and now we are able to enter into the Throne Room of God
because of it. (Heb 4:16 KJV) Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need. The new
covenant is eternal while the old covenant was voided at the cross of
Christ. The old covenant was a covenant of works and the new covenant is the
covenant of grace.
Now the Lord Jesus is prophesying here that because His body was to be
sacrificed, it would also mean that His blood was going to be shed for the
Elect. (Mat 26:28 KJV) For this is my
blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of
sins. Again, the juice in the cup was only
symbolic of the impending sacrifice of Christ.
It must also be rightly understood, that those believers who were saved in
the Old Testament were also saved by grace. The animal sacrifices did not
gain anyone salvation, if they did then the entire of nations of Israel and
Judah would have become saved. The fact is that only a very few were saved
in the Old Testament. Grace salvation was accomplished because in principle,
the Lord Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world and God had
already named who He was going to save.
(Rev 13:8 KJV) And all that dwell upon
the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life
of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
This verse reveals both truths. The first part tells us that the names were
already written in the Lamb’s book of life and then we learn that the Lamb
was already slain before the foundations of the world.
- 1 Corinthians 11:26
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show
the Lord's death till he come.
As I mentioned before, there is no set amount of times the Lord’s Supper is
to be celebrated. It is decided by the church how many times they wish to
celebrate it. Now in this verse, we read the words “ye do show” which
carries with it the meaning of “proclaiming or preaching.” Every time a true
church of God takes communion, it is a testimony that that church or
assembly is a church of Christ. That true church of Christ is proclaiming
the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ each time they partake in communion
as it is a corporate testimony. This verse also teaches that the Lord’s
Supper is to be celebrated as a testimony until the Lord returns on the last
day. Then once the Lord returns, there will be no need for a remembrance
because the faith will now be sight. (2
Cor 5:7 KJV) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
- 1 Corinthians 11:27
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.
There are two ways in which a person takes the Lord’s Supper unworthily. The
first way is that an unsaved person should not partake of the Lord’s Supper,
simply because they have not been made worthy through salvation.
(Rev 3:4 KJV) Thou hast a few names even in
Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in
white: for they are worthy. The
second way in which people should not partake of the Lord’s Supper pertains
to Christians. Christians must not treat the Lord’s Supper as common or come
with an irreverent spirit. Any Christian who is partaking of some kind of
sin on a regular basis should also not take communion. This is because of
what Communion represents. It is a solemn occasion which causes us to
remember the Lord’s death for our sins plus it was instituted by Jesus
Himself. Therefore, it is a very serious and solemn memorial and is not to
be treated as a church custom among many. Paul bases this statement on the
attitude of the Corinthian Christians who completely skewed the meaning of
the Lord’s Supper toward an atmosphere of reveling. The way we are guilty of
the body and blood is if we turn communion into some type of show time in
the church, then we are treating the body and blood of Christ with
disrespect, just like those who crucified Him.
- 1 Corinthians 11:28
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and
drink of that cup.
In an effort to stave off the judgment of God upon us, it behooves us that
before we take communion, that we should examine ourselves closely. It is
not a time to look at someone else’s sins but our own. If we find that we
are questionable at this time, then it is no sin to not partake of the
Lord’s Supper at that time. By not partaking, we are judging some sin or
situation in our life so serious, that it prohibits us from taking
communion, which should result in further cleaning up of our life, and
rectifying and forsaking the sin which has kept us from partaking of the
Lord’s Supper. As a Christian, to not partake of the Lord’s Supper is like
removing our testimony, since the Lord’s Supper is a proclamation of our
identification with the Lord through salvation. So this is why the true
believer will live a life which glorifies God so their testimony can be seen
at the Lord’s Table.
- 1 Corinthians 11:29
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh
damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
First, if a person is a true believer, they will never suffer damnation of
Hell since all their sins have been paid for. The word “damnation” in this
verse is the word for “judgment.” Unbelievers already have the wrath of God
abiding on them but the true believer can bring judgment upon themselves by
living a life in opposition to the principles of Scripture. Any Christian
who does not understand the deep spiritual and solemn nature of the Lord’s
Supper is in danger of being judged by God. Yes a believer can suffer the
judging hand of God. Remember when David sinned with Bathsheba? The
consequence of his sin was the death of his child. This is why we are never
to treat communion as something common.
- 1 Corinthians 11:30
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Since many of these Corinthians were treating the Lord’s Supper as some type
of pagan festival, the Lord was beginning to send judgment into this church
and this why Paul was trying to help them correct their attitude toward it.
First consequence was that many were weak. The word for “weak” is the word
in Greek which is normally associated with both spiritual and physical
weakness. This word can also carry with it the meaning of sickness. If a
Christians treats the Lord’s Supper as a commonality, they may suffer a
weakness in their spiritual life. They may also suffer weakness of body too.
Second consequence is that those who treat the Lord’s Supper as common may
suffer serious bodily sickness which could cause them to be house bound and
unable to attend worship services. Then the third and final consequence is
physical death itself. Yes, God can take the life of a Christian if they are
walking opposite the Word of God. (John
15:2 KJV) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and
every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more
fruit. Notice the words “in me” in this verse.
Christians are “in Christ” and this is not said of any other human beings.
So if a Christian does not bear fruit, God can take away that branch.
- 1 Corinthians 11:31
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
The key is to be able to know and understand that if we are sinning, we are
to expunge that sin from our life. If we do that, then we will not face the
judgment of God in our life. This is why the Christian needs to be
constantly examining themselves concerning their walk.
- 1 Corinthians 11:32
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should
not be condemned with the world.
In case a Christian does not believe they are sinning or they are oblivious
to a certain sin in their life, they will receive the chastening of the
Lord. In other words, if the Christian does not want to get the sin out of
their life, the Lord will do it, and it will probably hurt a lot more. The
word “condemned” in this passage carries with it the meaning of
“condemnation or passing of a sentence.” God does not deal with the true
Christian as He does with the unbelieving world.
(Heb 12:7 KJV) If ye endure chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth
not? God’s desire for the true Christian is
continued growth in sanctification. This is why He deals with the world
differently. The unbelieving world couldn’t give two hoots about the Lord
Jesus Christ as they just continue to live in sin and pile sin upon sin. The
Christian is not condemned with the world because the Lord Jesus already
paid for the sins of the true believer. The unbelievers will have to stand
for their own sins on Judgment Day which means they will have to pay for
their sins in an eternity in Hell. The word “chastened” in this verse
carries with it the meaning of “discipline.” God’s desire is to bring His
children back into line by using various methods of discipline. There is a
world of difference between condemnation and discipline.
- 1 Corinthians 11:33
Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for
another.
The Apostle Paul now brings the matter to close. He tells them that when
they come together, either for a feast or the Lord’s Supper, they need to
show respect unto the other brethren by waiting for them. This way the whole
congregation will be in unison. In the body of Christ, the social status
means nothing because if a person is a true believer, then Christ has paid
for their sins and there is no social stratification at the foot of the
cross. The sacrifice of Christ was efficacious for both rich and the poor
Christians.
- 1 Corinthians 11:34
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.
Paul reminds them that if anyone is hungry, let them eat before they come to
the assembly. This way the congregation will not be condemned. The Lord’s
Supper was not a place where someone can bring an appetite to. It was not to
be a banquet but a solemn occasion remembering the death of the Lord Jesus.
There needed to be a separation between the feasts and the Lord’s Supper.
There should also be this separation in the modern church. If the two are
combined, then the focus will be on the eating and not on the Lord Jesus
Christ. If the two are separated, then they will not provoke the Lord to
judge that congregation. Then Paul ends up this chapter stating that when he
comes to Corinth, he will take care of the other church matters, whatever
they may be and knowing Corinth, they were probably so many that he couldn’t
solve them by E-Mail.
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