Lesson 34 (Gospel Doctrine): 1 Cor 11-16

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Lesson 34 notes: 1 Cor 11-16

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I. Trouble and Humiliation at the Lord’s Supper

• Last week we discussed divisions in the Corinthian congregation. Today, we continue with that theme. In 11:17-34 Paul addresses specific problems and divisions with regard to the Lord’s Supper.

A. I Do Not Commend You

• Read 1 Cor 11:17-22:
  
  

  (17) Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. (18) For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. (20) When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. (21) For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. (22) What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

• Do you find the condemnation in verse 17 to be particularly strong? What is Paul suggesting about the Corinthian churches current practice of the Lord’s supper?
  
  
• How did early Christian practice of the Lord’s supper differ from current modern practice? How was it similar? Can we make any useful inferences from these verses?
  
  
• How would you describe the nature of the divisions? What insights do verses 20-22 give us?
  
  
• What is verse 22 about? Is Paul suggesting that the Lord’s supper shouldn’t be a complete or full meal? That communal meals shouldn’t be part of their worship and are not the Lord’s supper? Or is it a condemnation of how they are eating the meal? What does it suggest about the proper way to eat the meal?
  
  
• John Barklay points out the following cultural backdrop to the eating of communal meals or dinner parties in the Greco-Roman world:
  
  

  It was common at dinner-parties in the Graeco-Roman world for the host to give more and better food to his most distinguished guests.[1]

  Jerome Murphy O’Conner gives further insight on why Paul mentions the fact that some were arriving and eating earlier than others:
  
  

  Only the wealthier members of the community could afford to arrive early and were concerned exclusively with the gratification of their own desires. Poorer members of the community might have worked all day without eating.[2]

• Do you think the divisions were related to social status? Do you think the Rich were bringing better food and wine and not sharing it? Why would this be a problem in Paul’s view? Why would it be a problem at the Lord’s supper?
  
  
• Do you see a link with Paul’s discussion here and last week’s lesson. Specifically, do you see a link with Paul’s reminder that the congregation (collectively as a group) is God’s temple:
  
  

  (16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. – 1 Cor 3:16

• What is the link between the heresies and the divisions? Can we tell in these verse what Paul is referring to when he talks about heresies? Is heresies really the right word (take a look at footnote 19a)?
  
  
• I think the use of the word heresy may be misleading in this situation (but really only because I think heresy as a pretty theologically or doctrinally loaded backdrop). As footnote 19a points outs the underlying Greek refers to sects or factions. Thus, the NRSV translate verse 19 as,
  
  

  (19) Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine.

  or the NIV,
  
  

  (19) No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.

• Still I am left wonder exactly what Paul is talking about in verse 19. How exactly do the differences or factions reveal who is genuine (a real or true Christian)?
  
  
• Given that Paul believes that these differences reveal who is genuine, might it make sense to think of things in terms of heresy?

B. You Proclaim the Lord’s Death Until He Comes

• Read 1 Cor 11:
  
  

  (23) For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, (24) and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (25) In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (26) For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (27) Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.

• Remember, this is the earliest surviving record that mentions the establishment of the Lord’s supper. What does Paul emphasize? What does he remind the Corinthian church of? Are there any difference in the way Paul talks about the Lord’s supper and the way the gospels do?
  
  
• What do you think Paul means when he writes that “I received from the Lord” in verse 23? Do you think Paul is saying that this was revealed to him or something else? Why emphasize that he received it from the Lord? Why not say something like, Cephas (or whomever) told hime about the last supper?
  
  
• What do you think Paul is talking about in verse 26? How is participating in the Lord’s supper about proclaiming “the Lord’s death until he comes?” Do you think 2 Cor 4:10-11 sheds any light on this idea?
  
  
  

  (10) Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (11) For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

  or the NRSV translation of these verses::
  
  

  (10) always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. (11) For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.

• Why would Paul emphasize or remind the Corinthians that they are proclaiming “the Lord’s death until he comes” when they participate in the Lord’s supper given the backdrop of the divisions or factions mentioned earlier.

C. Without Discerning The Body

• Read 1 Cor 11:27-34:
  
  

  28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 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.

• When Paul writes about eating and drinking unworthily, does the specific context matter? In this context, what does it mean to examine yourself? Does the specific context have application to us when we partake of the Lord’s supper?
  
  
• Does verse 29 and the phrase, “not discerning the Lord’s body”, help us understand what Paul specifically wants the members of the Corinthian church to examine before participating in the Lord’s Supper? A Modern translation may be helpful for this verse:
  
  

  (29) For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves. –NRSV

• Does 1 Cor 10:15-17 affect how you understand the phrase, “without discerning the body?”
  
  

  (15) I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. (16) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (17) For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

• What is verse 30 about? Is Paul suggesting that the division and improper approach to the Lord’s supper has led to sickness and death? Is he suggesting the Lord has punished members of the Corinthian church with sickness and death or that negligence led to sickness and death?
  
  
• I think verse 33 is a very important verse in some ways. What does verse 33 do?

III. Gifts of the Spirit

• Read 1 Cor 12:1-12:
  
  

  (1) Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. (2) Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. (3) Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. (4) Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. (7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (8) For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; (9) To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; (10) To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (11) But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (12) For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

• Why does Paul say he doesn’t want the Corinthians to be ignorant about spiritual gifts?
  
  
• Why does Paul mention other religions in verse 2? What is his point? What is he trying to contrast?
  
  
• How does Paul develop or weave the theme of unity into his discussion about spiritual gifts?
  
  
• How does verse 3 remind the congregation of what they have in common? Why remind them that proclaiming that Jesus is Lord is a spiritual gift?
  
  
• Why does Paul mention (at least briefly) a wide variety of different spiritual gifts? What is he trying to teach the Corinthians? Is it simply to create a list of the possible gifts? Does it suggest that no gift (besides maybe the one in verse 3) should be regarded as uniquely important?

Endnotes

• Barton, John, and John Muddiman (Editors), 2001, Oxford Bible Commentary, Oxford University Press, 1136.
  
  
• Brown, Raymond E. (editor), Joseph A. Fitzmyer (editor), and Roland E. Murphy (editor), 1990, The New Jerome Bible Commentary, Prentice Hall, 809.