FRAMEWORKS:
1 Corinthians 11
In
this ‘Framework' we use our usual text PLUS comment style to enable
you, as simply as possible, to catch the sense of his writing.
FRAMEWORKS:
1 Corinthians 11: Rightly approaching the Lord's Supper
v.1-7
Recognition & Honouring
v.8-16
Paul's logic or theology
v.17-22
Abuse of the Lord's Supper
v.23-28
The Supper instituted by Jesus
v.29-34
Consequences of Abuse and right approach
[Chapter
Synopsis: This chapter
is all about attitudes. First it is about the attitude you have
when you come together, whether in pride and division or in humility
and unity, and the cultural norms of that time about had covering
reveal that. Second, bad attitudes were revealed in the way they
approached the Lord's Supper making it a free-for-all whereby
in their cliques, some got everything and others got nothing.
This, says Paul, shows you have completely forgotten the whole
holy purpose of the supper – to remember the wonder of Jesus going
to the cross and what he achieved through it. Because they has
disdained and dishonoured God in the way they behaved, God had
already brought disciplinary judgment to bear to bring them to
their senses, so some were ill and others had died because of
it. Changes needed to be made.]
v.1-7
Recognition & Honouring
v.1
(he
seeks to follow Christ's example so it's all right to follow his
example) Follow
my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
v.2
(remember
him and the traditions he passes on) I
praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to
the traditions just as I passed them on to you.
v.3
(yet
there is a hierarchy of honouring in the body of Christ)
But I want
you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head
of the woman is man, [Or of the
wife is her husband] and the
head of Christ is God.
v.4
(men
covered their heads in normal affairs of life, so in God's presence
they should seek to be different) Every
man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his
head.
v.5
(a
woman in the affairs [probably of home] worked without head covered,
so in God's presence seek to be different) But
every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours
her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
v.6
(but
in God's presence if she remains uncovered, she is being casual
and that is dishonouring God) For
if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her
hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her
hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
v.7
(yet
there is a relational order here – men to honour God uncovered,
as they were born, women, not to compete with her man, to be covered)
A man ought
not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God;
but woman is the glory of man.
[Passage
Synopsis: Perhaps
a key to understanding the historical and cultural context of
this passage is in verse 2 with the reference to ‘traditions'.
Observing customs and practices of that day meant heads being
covered or uncovered were in accord with traditional behaviour
for everyday life. This passage has created much speculation and
debate amongst scholars and commentators and we have shown it
with what we believe are reasonable assumptions, and these are
clearly different for them in their culture from ours today. Yet
Paul adds to what we have suggested with a gender theology based
on scripture in what follows. Perhaps the most important thing
to say is that in meeting together we seek, not to display ourselves
and our glory or reputation but to be humble before God.]
v.8-16
Paul's logic or theology
v.8,9
(Paul
now refers back to the Genesis order of gender creation)
For man did
not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created
for woman, but woman for man.
v.10
(thus
for a woman to take control of her head covering shows her concern
to be humble before and worship God, which is seen by the watching
angels) It
is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her
own [Or have a sign of authority
on her] head, because of the
angels.
v.11
(man
and woman are not independent) Nevertheless,
in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent
of woman.
v.12
(they
come from each other, there is no superiority) For
as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything
comes from God.
v.13
(so
is it right for a woman to turn up casually to pray) Judge
for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her
head uncovered?
v.14,15
(her
beauty is added to by her hair but handsome men don't need improving
by long hair) Does
not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long
hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair,
it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.
v.16
(note
the word ‘practice', the way they did then thing for the sake
of decency as they saw it) If
anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor
do the churches of God.
[Passage
Synopsis: Some interesting
points are made by Paul that are often missed. First (v.8,9),
men and women are ‘equal' in God's sight, no superiority. Second,
in their culture, what the woman decides to do, (v.10) conforming
to cultural norms, shows her attitude towards God. Third (v.11,12)
they are made by God to depend on each other, again with no superiority.
Fourth, cultural norms of the age (v.13-15) have the ability to
convey attitude towards God. Fifth (v.16) these were the practices
of that day in that Jewish culture.]
v.17-22
Abuse of the Lord's Supper
v.17
(however
there is a bigger disgrace in the church Paul has heard about)
In the following
directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more
harm than good.
v.18
(I
hear there are divisive cliques in the church which become apparent
when you meet) In
the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church,
there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.
v.19
(you
disagree which of you us right) No
doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of
you have God's approval.
v.20,21
(so
over the matter of the Lord's Supper it isn't really that because
you share food and drink ahead of the rest so some get left with
nothing) So
then, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you
eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own
private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another
gets drunk.
v.22
(eat
at home before you gather and stop humiliating those who have
nothing.) Don't
you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church
of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say
to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
[Passage
Synopsis: The way
the church meets for the Lord's Supper comes more fully under
Paul's spotlight now and yet again it is their divisions that
come to the fore. Some were hogging all the food and drink and
others were getting left out and that was disgraceful!]
v.23-28
The Supper instituted by Jesus
v.23,24
(think
how it came about: Jesus instituted it at the Last Supper speaking
through the bead of his own body which was about to be broken
or given up for them) For
I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord
Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had
given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is
for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
v.25
(similarly
with the wine he spoke of a new covenant his death would bring
in) In
the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup
is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it,
in remembrance of me.”
v.26
(so
when we come together like this we are honouring his death until
he returns again) For
whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord's death until he comes.
v.27
(so
if you do it disrespectfully you are disdaining what he did on
the cross) So
then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in
an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body
and blood of the Lord.
v.28
(so
check out your attitudes before you do it!) Everyone
ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink
from the cup.
[Passage
Synopsis: The reality
of the supper originated in the Last Supper, when Jesus explained
as they took the Passover bread and wine, that it pictured what
was about to happen to him and what it would achieve.]
v.29-34
Consequences of Abuse and right approach
v.29
(so,
if you disregard the meaning of the supper in the way you abuse
it, you will be inviting God's judgment on your life) For
those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ
eat and drink judgment on themselves.
v.30
(indeed
that is clearly seen to have already happened) That
is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have
fallen asleep.
v.31
(if
you were alert to this it wouldn't happen) But
if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would
not come under such judgment.
v.32
(this
is God's disciplinary judgment [to wake the rest of you up] not
a sign of them being written off) Nevertheless,
when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined
so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
v.33
(so
make sure you eat together as the one body you are) So
then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should
all eat together.
v.34
(if
you are hungry eat beforehand, to avoid this sort of thing happening)
Anyone who
is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet
together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will
give further directions.
[Passage
Synopsis: The bad
divisive behaviour he noted earlier means they are failing to
appreciate the wonder of what the supper is all about and in so
doing, they have already incurred God's disciplinary judgment.
They need to change to stop that happening.]