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1
Corinthians Chapter Eleven
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Order in the Gathering
of the Church
A. The church should imitate
the apostle (v.1):
B. Every woman who prays or
prophesies should have her head covered (v.2-16):
1. The order of the authority
set by God (v.2-3);
2. Every woman who has not had
her head covered dishonors her head (v.4-6).
3. Spiritual reasons why woman
should have her head covered (v.7-15).
4. It is beyond all
contentions (v.16).
C. Man should take part in the
bread-breaking gathering in an worthy manner (v.17-34):
1. Blame for the wrong
condition of the bread-breaking gathering (v.17-22).
2. Spiritual meaning of the
bread-breaking gathering (v.23-26).
3. If one does not part take
in the bread-breaking gathering, he must be chastened by the Lord (v.27-34).
II.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1Cor. 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I
also imitate Christ.”
YLT: “Followers of me become ye, as I also
of Christ.”
Meaning
of Words: “imitate”:
follow, copy;
Literal
Meaning: this
verse is supposed to be the conclusion of the previous chapter.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
If
one imitates Christ, we shall imitate the man so that we will also become men
who imitate Christ. Otherwise, we should not imitate anyone.
2)
The
shepherds of the church should become examples that all believers imitate, but
not be idols that believers adore. The ultimate purpose of our service in the
church is not bringing men to us, but to Christ.
1Cor. 11:2 “Now I praise you,
brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I
delivered them to you.”
YLT: “And I praise you, brethren, that in
all things ye remember me, and according as I did deliver to you, the
deliverances ye keep,”
Literal
Meaning: “now
I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things”, Paul praises when
praise is needed and blames when blame is needed (see v.17). He is open and
sincere. He just focuses on the issue rather than the person, which is worthy
of emulation.
“And keep the traditions
just as I delivered them to you”, it suggests that the epistle that the church
at
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
Remember
your leaders who have spoken to you the word of God; and considering the issue
of their conversation, imitate their faith (Heb. 13:7).
2)
To
the Lord’s workers, we believers should not only consider (“remember”) what we
have learned, received, heard and seen from them but also put them into
practice (see Phil. 4:9) and “keep” them.
1Cor. 11:3 “But I want you to know
that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of
Christ is God.”
YLT: “and I wish you to know that of every
man the head is the Christ, and the head of a woman is the husband, and the
head of Christ is God.”
Literal
Meaning: “but
I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ”, note that here it
does not say “Christ is the head of the church”, so it does not refer to the
relationship between Christ and the church, but that between Christ and “every
man”. The Scriptures mentions that Christ gave him head over all things to the
assembly and He is the head of the church (see Col. 2:19; Eph. 4:15). He is the
head of all. And on the other hand, Christ is the head of everyone. That is to
say, he is the head of every individual believer.
“The head of woman is man”, in the
paragraph from verse three to sixteen that mentions “covering”, it relates to
“man” or “woman” rather than “brother” or “sister”, which indicates that
“covering” is related to the arrangement of God in His creation, not the
position of brothers and sisters in Christ.
Male and female in position
are equal (see Gal. 3:28). However, according to the creation of God, the
functions of male and female are different. Man functions as head and plays the
role of Christ. And woman functions as body and plays the role of the church
(there is also someone who holds that woman functions as heart and plays the
role of human beings). Actually, the head and the body are both essential with
different functions. “Head” does not mean the man has the right of bullying the
woman. Instead, he should nourish and cherish the body (Eph. 5:29), that is,
take care of the body.
“And the head of Christ is
God”, it is not “the Father is the head of the Son”, for it is not the
relationship between God the Father and God the Son in the divine Trinity.
Here, it mentions the relationship between God and Christ of God who was sent
by God and anointed by God.
In the government of God,
God has set three different kinds of heads in the universe ---- God is the head
and Christ is the head and man is the head. In other words, God has set Christ
as the delegated authority of God and man as the delegated authority of Christ.
This is the arrangement of God in order to maintain His testimony in the world.
God is the head of Christ, and yet Christ is still equal with God (Phil. 2:6).
Therefore, though man is the head of woman, they are still equal.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
order that God has set in the universe is: God, Christ, man and woman.
Therefore, we should learn: in the church, everything should be according to
the will of the Lord. In a family, the authority of the husband as the head
should be honored in everything.
2)
“The
head of Christ is God”, since God sent Christ to come to the world, Christ on
the earth always called himself “the son of man”. This is Christ’s reality of
having head covered before God. “The head of every man is Christ”. We should
also obey Christ in everything so that we will honor the authority of Christ.
3)
The
Lord says, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). This is the oneness of God
and Christ in service. And He also says, “the Father is with Me” (John 16:32).
This is the fellow works. And He also says “Father is greater than I” (John
14:28). This is the authority in works. Therefore, “the head of Christ is God”.
Such authority is built on the closest fellowship and their official responsibilities.
The relation of Christ with everyone who believes Him is also like this. “The
head of every man is Christ”. Each believer can say my Lord is with me. I am
not alone, for my Lord is with me, but the Lord is greater than me. I am under
His authority. He is always with me and works with me.
4)
It
is not doubt that sexual equality means that male and female have the equal
human dignity and value. However, they have different functions in the church,
so they have different responsibilities and authority (right).
1Cor. 11:4 “Every man praying or
prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.”
YLT: “Every man praying or prophesying,
having the head covered, doth dishonour his head,”
Literal
Meaning: “every
man praying or prophesying”, “prophesy”: to speak for God.
“Having his head covered,
dishonors his head”, man should not cover his head, for man stands for Christ.
If man has his head covered, it contrarily confesses that everyone should not
cover his head before Christ and Christ should have His head covered before
everyone. If man has his head covered, he has dishonored his head.
1Cor. 11:5 “But every woman who prays
or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and
the same as if her head were shaved.”
YLT: “and every woman praying or
prophesying with the head uncovered, doth dishonour her own head, for it is one
and the same thing with her being shaven,”
The
Background: in
the ancient times, only the nun who had no husband had her hair shorn. And
harlots or women who were suspected of adultery by husbands had her head
uncovered (see Num. 5:18). Therefore, it was the mark of harlots of having
their heads uncovered. Having one’s hair shorn or having one’s head uncovered
dishonors the man and shows that the woman has no husband.
Literal
Meaning: “but
every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered”, God especially
commands this thing, namely, every woman who prays or prophesies should cover
her head. No matter prophesying before men or praying before God, they should
always cover her head in all actions concerning God.
Here, it suggests that woman can pray
and prophesy in the church and. If a woman has gifts and has been called by
God, she can pray and prophesy.
“Dishonors her head, for
that is one and the same as if her head were shaved”, if the woman has her head
uncovered when praying or prophesying, she has dishonored her head and has
dishonored her man, for she has disordered the different sexes in the church.
“As if her head were shaved”,
it suggests that it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved (v.6).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
meaning of the woman who has her head covered is: I am under the authority of
God and I receive the position. I can never say that I am favored so that I can
abolish the authority of God. I hate to think about it and I receive God’s
authority. Everyone receives Christ as his head, just like Christ receives God
as His head. In like manner, woman will also receive man as her head.
2)
Having
one’s head covered is covering one’s head as that I have no head. In practice,
it seems that only women in the church have their heads covered. However, in
fact, Christ has His head covered before God and every man has his head covered
before Christ.
3)
God
ordains that man is the head of woman. This is spoken to women who have been
Christians. Today, in the days during which the authority of God is not
acknowledged, only in the church, the Lord has such commandment. Therefore,
such commandment has become the problem whether we are Christians or not. To
take it more seriously, if you are an unbelieving man in the world, the Lord
will not ask you to have your head covered. However, if you are a Christian,
you should obey this commandment.
4)
God
asks Christians to receive the commandments concerning the government of God in
the church. God asks woman to have her head covered so that His government will
be manifested on the earth. That woman has her head covered is not for herself,
but for delegated authority. For oneself, because I am a woman. For delegated
authority, because it the represents every man and represents Christ.
1Cor. 11:6 “For if a woman is not
covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn
or shaved, let her be covered.”
YLT: “for if a woman is not covered -- then
let her be shorn, and if a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven -- let her
be covered;”
Literal
Meaning: “for
if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn”, Paul means that there is no
woman who has hair but have her head uncovered. If a woman is not covered, let her also
be shorn or shaved.
If woman wears long hair, it shows that she receives the government
concerning the woman ordained by God. Then, when she prays and prophesies, she
should also receive the government ordained by God and cover her head. A woman
should not receive a half of God’s government.
God has covered the head of a woman with hair (see v.15). Therefore
those who have received the authority of God should cover their hair again. If
one does not cover her head, it is profitable for her to have her hair shorn.
In other words, if one receives what is of God, he will receive more from God.
If one does not receive what is of God, he has just abolished what has received
from God.
“But if it is shameful for a woman to
be shorn or shaved, let her be covered”, if a woman feels it is shameful to be
shorn or shaved, she will cover her head. One should either have her hair shorn
or shaved or have her hair covered. A woman should not cover her head while
wearing her long hair.
1Cor. 11:7 “For a man indeed ought
not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the
glory of man.”
YLT: “for a man, indeed, ought not to cover
the head, being the image and glory of God, and a woman is the glory of a man,”
Literal
Meaning: “for
a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of
God”, God created man according to His image (Gen. 1:26) in order to manifest
Him and glorify Him. And God created Adam first and Eve afterwards (Gen. 2:7).
Therefore, man firstly owned the image and glory of God and represented God on
the earth. Therefore, man should not cover his head so as not to cover the
image and glory of God.
“But woman is the glory of
man”, woman is from man (see v.8; Gen. 2:22), so is the glory of man.
Nevertheless, the glory of man should not be manifested before God, so the
woman should cover her head. Meanwhile, if woman does not cover her head, the
truth that man is the head can not be manifested.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
God
creates man for the purpose of manifesting the image and glory of God on the
earth by man. However, man sinned and fell into corruption and was somewhat
like the devil. Today, God comes to saved us and recovers his original purpose.
Therefore, we Christians should regard the manifestation of God’s image and
glory as the chief mission.
2)
“Woman
is the glory of man”, it shows that man can manifest his glory through woman.
Man is not perfect without woman. Therefore, neither is man independent of
woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord (see v.11).
3)
“Woman
is the glory of man”, it indicates that the church is the glory of Christ. The
church is not only the fullness of Christ but also the glory of Christ, for
fullness is the content of glory and glory is the manifestation of fullness.
The content of the church is the fullness of Christ and the testimony of the
church is the glory of Christ.
1Cor. 11:8 “For man is not from
woman, but woman from man.”
YLT: “for a man is not of a woman, but a
woman of a man,”
Literal
Meaning: “for
man is not from woman”, the origin of man is of God’s creation. God did not
create woman first and then woman beget the man, so here it means that man is
not from woman.
“But woman from man”, God
created Adam first and took a rib from him to build a woman, namely, Eve (Gen.
2:21-23), so here it mentions that woman is from man.
1Cor. 11:9 “Nor was man created for
the woman, but woman for the man.”
YLT: “for a man also was not created
because of the woman, but a woman because of the man;”
Literal
Meaning: “nor
was man created for the woman”, God did not create man for woman, but for
Himself.
“But woman for the man”,
woman was created to be a helpmate for the man (Gen. 2:18).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
order in creation was different. Woman was from man (see v.8) and was built for
man. Therefore, woman should obey and cover her head for the sake of creation.
2)
Woman
was created for the man. Man is imperfect without woman.
1Cor. 11:10 “For this reason the woman
ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.”
YLT: “because of this the woman ought to
have authority upon the head, because of the messengers;”
Literal
Meaning: “for
this reason the woman … because of the angels”, Satan, the archangel, rebelled
against God for it desired to life up himself like God (Is. 14:13-14). When he
fell, he drew the third part of the angels (Rev. 12:4). In other words, some
angels fell because of disobeying the authority of God. Therefore, God bears
witness of obedience to angels through men who are some little inferior to the
angels (Heb. 2:7), showing that God is glorified in all those who have been
redeemed by Him.
“Ought to have a symbol of authority on
her head”, today, the woman covers her head and has the symbol of authority on
her head so that the angels will see it. It is the best testimony to the fallen
angels as well as those who have not fallen, testifying that God has got what
He desires in the church.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
It
is beautiful that sisters cover their heads in the church, for it is not only
keeping the teachings of God but also showing the obedience before God and
confessing the order and authority of God in the universe (see v.3).
2)
That
woman wears long hair is God’s sovereignty. And that woman covers her head is
man’s amen. Therefore, if woman does not cover her head, she does not amen
God’s arrangement and has rebelled against the authority of God.
3)
The
glorious cherub has fallen from archangel to Satan on account of its
disobedience of the arrangement of God’s sovereignty (see Is. 14:12-15; Ezek.
28:16-17). Therefore, that the woman covers her head testifies against it so as
to condemn it and humiliate it.
4)
It
is the mark of obeying the authority of having one’s head covered. The
authority means that one emptied himself and denies himself with perfect
willingness for the sake of the one whom he loves (see Eph. 5:25). Once a woman
has known the foundation of the authority, she will obey the authority spontaneously.
5)
There
is the mark of authority on the woman’s head. In fact, it is the best
protection to the woman of hiding under the authority arranged by God.
1Cor. 11:11 “Nevertheless, neither is
man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.”
YLT: “but neither a man apart from a woman,
nor a woman apart from a man, in the Lord,”
Literal
Meaning: “nevertheless
…in the Lord”, “nevertheless” shows that having one’s head covered is merely
external testimony. The internal reality is not so stiff. Male and female are
equal and rely on each other in the Lord’s arrangement.
“Neither is man independent
of woman, nor woman independent of man”, it means that woman can not be without
man and man cannot be without woman. Woman cannot say that she is superior or
more special than man. And man can also not say that he is superior or more
special than woman. They respect and support each other.
1Cor. 11:12 “For as woman came from
man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.”
YLT: “for as the woman of the man, so also
the man through the woman, and the all things of God.”
Literal
Meaning: “for
as woman came from man”, from the view of creation, woman exists for the
purpose of being man’s spouse and helping him.
“Even so man also comes
through woman”, from the view of procreation, man was born through woman.
“But all things are from
God”, “all things” here especially refer to man and woman. Both of them exist
for the sake of God’s will and live by Him. Therefore, everyone should see his
value and function from the view of God and obey the arrangement of God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
All
things are from God. God has His purpose of creating man and woman and has
different arrangements concerning both of them. Therefore, no man can be proud
and no woman can give up. Instead, everyone should fulfill his or her own
responsibility in his or her own position.
2)
God
created man and woman. Woman came from man and man came through woman, showing
that both of them were equal. However, the thing of having the woman’s head
covered is of God who marks the difference between man and woman.
1Cor. 11:13 “Judge among yourselves.
Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?”
YLT: “In your own selves judge ye; is it
seemly for a woman uncovered to pray to God?”
Meaning
of Words: “judge”:
distinguish, discern; “proper”: right, suitable or proper;
Literal
Meaning: “judge
among yourselves”, Paul here asks women themselves to judge the thing of having
their heads covered before God with an imperative tone.
“Is it proper for a woman
to pray to God with her head uncovered?” ---- Is it proper for a woman to not
cover her head before God or in her own feeling when doing things relating to
God just like praying?
1Cor. 11:14 “Does not even nature
itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?”
YLT: “doth not even nature itself teach
you, that if a man indeed have long hair, a dishonour it is to him?”
Literal
Meaning: “does
not even nature itself teach you”, “nature”, the inherent nature;
“That if a man has long
hair, it is a dishonor to him?” ---- When a boy is grown enough to the point of
being able to discern different sexes, he will spontaneously draw a conclusion:
the greatest distinction between male and female in appearance lies in hair. A
normal man does not wear long hair, lest he should be mistakenly assumed to be
a woman. It is shameful that there is no distinction between male and female.
1Cor. 11:15 “But if a woman has long
hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.”
YLT: “and a woman, if she have long hair, a
glory it is to her, because the hair instead of a covering hath been given to
her;”
Literal
Meaning: “but
if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her”, according to the natural
disposition of women, they like long hair and boast of their beautiful hair.
“For her hair is given to
her for a covering”, the hair is given to her as a covering.
1Cor. 11:16 “But if anyone seems to be
contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.”
YLT: “and if any one doth think to be
contentious, we have no such custom, neither the assemblies of God.”
Meaning
of Words: “contentious”:
fond of strife, disputatious; “custom”: tradition, usage;
Literal
Meaning: “but
if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom”, “but if anyone
seems to be contentious”, it does not means that one is contentious in his
natural disposition, but that they desire to contend for the matter of covering;
“we” refers to Paul and other apostles; “have no such custom”, there are two
kinds of meaning: 1) one should not retort upon the teaching of the apostles,
for there is no such custom. 2) One should not retort upon the matter of the
woman’s covering.
“Nor do the churches of
God”, “the churches of God” referred to the churches of God at that time in
1Cor. 11:17 “Now in giving these
instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better
but for the worse.”
YLT: “And this declaring, I give no praise,
because not for the better, but for the worse ye come together;”
Literal
Meaning: “now
in giving these instructions I do not praise you”, “instruction”: commandment;
“not praise”, it shows that there is something wrong with them.
“Since you come together
not for the better but for the worse”, the purpose of the gathering is the
pursuit of better spiritual condition, but the gathing of the Corinthians
brought worse effect.
1Cor. 11:18 “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.”
YLT: “for first, indeed, ye coming together
in an assembly, I hear of divisions being among you, and partly I believe ,”
Literal
Meaning: “for
first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are
divisions among you”, “divisions”: the church at
“And in part I believe it.”
---- I believe it to an extent.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
Divisions
and strife with one another may causes the worst loss to the church (v.17),
thus keeping the body of Christ from growing ---- the body of Christ cannot be
built but be destroyed.
2)
Though
Paul did not deny the report of the church at
1Cor. 11:19 “For there must also be
factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”
YLT: “for it behoveth sects also to be
among you, that those approved may become manifest among you;”
Literal
Meaning: “for
there must also be factions among you”, the divisions in the church at
“That those who are
approved may be recognized among you”, “who are approved”: who have been tried
and praised. When there are divisions in the church, those who really love the
Lord and refuse to follow men will be manifested in such a contentious condition.
Therefore, division to believers is a trial that will approve their real
spiritual condition.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
preciousness of light cannot be manifested in darkness. The normal Christians
will manifest their function of mainstay when the spiritual condition is
abnormal.
2)
God
allows some difficulties in the church so that “those who are approved may be
recognized”. Oh, all the difficulties in the church over the past two thousand
years, no matter what is internal or external, are opportunities of thorough
“expositions”. Men can not discern who is really approved in peacetime. When
the difficulty comes, there will be disorder and the brilliancy of the
testimony of the overcomers will yet shine forth. How about our spiritual
condition today in such a disordered situation?
1Cor. 11:20 “Therefore when you come
together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.”
YLT: “ye, then, coming together at the same
place -- it is not to eat the Lord's supper;”
Literal
Meaning: “the
Lord's Supper” is the Lord’s table (1Cor. 10:21). Most of the Christians today
call it bread-breaking gathering or the Holy Communion. Actually, in the early
church time, “the Lord’s Supper” includes the loving feast (see 2Pet. 2:13;
Jude 12).
The Lord’s Table focuses on the blood
and body of Christ (see 1Cor. 10:16-17), through which we have satisfaction.
The Lord’s Supper focuses on the remembrance of the Lord, through which the
Lord has satisfaction.
1Cor. 11:21 “For in eating, each one
takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.”
YLT: “for each his own supper doth take
before in the eating, and one is hungry, and another is drunk;”
The
Background: from
the New Testament, we can see that believers were frequently gathered in the
early church time to have fellowship and eat food and break the bread
thereafter (see Acts 2:46). They called such meal before the bread-breaking
gathering the loving feast. Later, the churches in different places put the
loving feast and bread-breaking gathering together and called it “the Lord’s
Supper” (see v.20), or “the Lord’s Table” (1Cor. 10:21). Later, the loving
feast gradually disappeared, and there was only the bread-breaking gathering
(or “the Holy Communion”).
Literal
Meaning: “for
in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others”, “in eating”: in the
loving feast, not the bread-breaking gathering; “each one takes his own supper
ahead of others”, it meant that they were divided into different groups or
individuals in the gathering and enjoyed themselves and totally ignored the
existence of other groups or believers, thus depriving of the meaning of the
loving feast at all.
“And one is hungry and
another is drunk”, since some individuals or groups were comparatively poor,
they had little food to eat and were even hungry. However, there were also some
rich individuals or groups who ate full and were even drunken.
1Cor. 11:22 “What! Do you not have
houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the
YLT: “why, have ye not houses to eat and to
drink in? or the assembly of God do ye despise, and shame those not having?
what may I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I do not praise!”
Literal
Meaning: “What!
Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?” ---- Paul was rebuking believers
at
“Or do you despise the
“What shall I say to you? Shall I
praise you in this? I do not praise you.” ---- Paul rebuked them for this
condition without any dissimulation.
1Cor. 11:23 “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;”
YLT: “For I -- I received from the Lord
that which also I did deliver to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which
he was delivered up, took bread,”
Literal
Meaning: “for
I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you”, it shows that
when the apostle Paul preached at
“That the Lord Jesus on the
same night in which He was betrayed took bread”, it is quoted from the Gospel of Matthew (26:26).
1Cor. 11:24 “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."”
YLT: “and having given thanks, he brake,
and said, `Take ye, eat ye, this is my body, that for you is being broken; this
do ye -- to the remembrance of me.'”
Literal
Meaning: “and
when He had given thanks, He broke it and said”, “give thanks”: be grateful to
God; “break”: to break the bread into pieces so that every one can take a bit.
“"Take, eat; this is
My body which is broken for you”, “which is broken for you”, the Lord
prophesied that He would give His life for all believers.
“Do this in remembrance of
You can never remember one
whom you do not know, nor remember one thing which you have not experienced.
That the Lord asks us to remember Him shows that we have known Him and we have
seen Him in
Spiritual
Meaning: “bread”
symbolizes the body of the Lord Jesus; “break” indicates that His body is
broken on the cross for the sake of us.
Concerning the spiritual meaning of the bread and cup, there were
different views through out the past two thousand years as below:
1)
The
“transubstantiation” in the Roman Catholic church: After thanks-giving, the
bread and cup became the body and blood of Christ.
2)
The
“consubstantiation” of Martin Luther: After thanks-giving, Christ would hide
in, existed in and be united into the bread and cup.
3)
The
“spiritual blessing” of Calvin: After thanks-giving, the bread and cup carried
spiritual power and blessing, which could only be obtained though eating the
bread and drinking the cup.
4)
The
“typology” of Zwingli: The bread and cup themselves were only a symbolical
representation. Believers’ faith, love and hope would be stimulated through
eating the bread and drinking the cup in remembrance of the Lord.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
Christ
was “broken” for us and delivered His divine life to us so that we had become
the mysterious body of Christ (see 1Cor. 12:17, 27) by partaking of His life.
2)
The
Lord has given Himself to us. And what can we give to Him?
3)
The
Lord is so great and surpassing that He can ignore us. He is infinitely
superior to man. He is so great that He needs not to care us. However, He
humbles Himself and desires us to remember Him. However, it is a pity now that
the condition of the Christianity has gradually made the Lord’s loving
commandment fall into oblivion. Many churches pay poor attention to the
bread-breaking gathering, and even have seldom gathered together to break the
bread to remember the Lord.
4)
Since
we have all partake of that one loaf and have communion of the body of the
Christ (see 1Cor. 10:16-17), we are jointed together and have the same concern
one for another.
1Cor. 11:25 “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."”
YLT: “In like manner also the cup after the
supping, saying, `This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do ye, as
often as ye may drink -- to the remembrance of me;'”
Literal
Meaning: “in
the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying”, “after supper”, it
referred to the supper of the Passover that the Lord Jesus had with His
disciples on the earth. Here, it is after the communion of the bread.
“"This cup is the new
covenant in My blood”, “covenant”: contract or will; the Lord means that He
makes the New Testament according to the blood that He shed for us (Heb.
9:14-15).
“This do, as often as you
drink it, in remembrance of
Spiritual
Meaning: “cup”
symbolizes the “portion” that we have received before God. In Adam, the portion
to sinners was “the cup of God’s wrath” (see Rev. 14:10). However, since the
Lord Jesus had drunk that cup (see John 18:11) on the cross, the nature of the
cup had been transformed ---- from “the cup of God’s wrath” to “the cup of
blessing” (see 1Cor. 10:16; Ps. 23:5). The blood of the Lord Jesus on the cross
granted the remission of sins to those who believe Him. Thus, all the blessings
of God and even Himself have become our portion in the cup (see Ps. 16:5), so
the cup is called “the cup of salvation” (see Ps. 116:13).
Believers partake of the cup of salvation, showing that we have
communion of the blood of the Christ (see 1Cor. 10:16), namely, having
fellowship with the blood of Christ.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
“Curse
to Him, and blessing to us”. He bears the punishment of sins for us so that we
can partake of the best blessing.
2)
The
meaning of the bread-breaking gathering is to remember the Lord (see v.24).
Such remembrance is distinct from the remembrance of any historical figure in
the world. The latter remembrance is only recalling their great achievements in
the past. The former one is that we believers “eat” the body of the Lord and
“drink” the Lord’s precious blood with our spirit and enjoy His fullness and
imbibe His fatness so that all that is of Him will become our spiritual
provision, and such remembrance is of significant value.
3)
The
true remembrance of us to the Lord is receiving redemption accomplished by Him
and receiving the Lord Himself who died for us and receiving Him as our life
and portion through eating the bread and drinking the cup.
1Cor. 11:26 “For as often as you eat
this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.”
YLT: “for as often as ye may eat this
bread, and this cup may drink, the death of the Lord ye do shew forth -- till
he may come;”
Literal
Meaning: “for
as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup”, the Lord set the supper in
order that all those who had been redeemed by Him could remember His death. He
foresaw that many people would think the cross was old, so He commanded His
disciples to remember His death in the supper. The Lord desired us to keep His
cross in our spirit and mind freshly. If the cross in us is not old, we will
surely have closer fellowship with the Lord.
It is amazing that the bread is always
mentioned with the cup together in the Scriptures. And man may think that the
bread is supposed to be mentioned with the fruit of the vine together and the
cup with the tray together. However, it is of profound meaning of the
collocation of words in the Scriptures. Every time the bread is mentioned, it
is always in connection with life (John 6:33, 35 the original). The bread
indicates that the Lord has delivered His life to us. It is not only we are
united with the Lord but also that we believers are also jointed together. We
have not only fellowship with Christ but also that with the Christ.
The bread relates to the communion and
fellowship of life. The cup refers to partaking of all the rich blessings in
the New Testament (see v.25 “the spiritual meaning”).
“You proclaim the Lord's
death till He comes”, “proclaim”: set forth, exhibit; “proclaim the Lord's
death”, show the Lord’s death to men;
Why do the bread and the
cup proclaim the Lord’s death? Because man’s blood is in the flesh. When one’s
blood and flesh are divided, it only declares that he has been dead. Now the
Lord’s blood and flesh are divided ---- His blood in the cup and His flesh is
the bread.
When you see the bread, you
will see there will be bread only if the wheat is crushed. Thus, you will see
the Lord’s death. There will be no wine if the vine is not pressed. The vine
pressed by the vine proclaims the Lord’s death.
“Till He comes”, supper is
the last meal of a day. The daylight had never come until the past two thousand
years, it is still dark. The church never ate the breakfast until the daybreak.
When we see the Lord face to face, the supper will pass away.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
Lord’s body was broken for us and His blood was shed for us. He made the
covenant according to His blood ---- the crucified Christ is the foundation of
all blessings in the New Testament.
2)
The
bread and the cup “proclaim the Lord's death till He comes”, which indicates
that the significance of the bread and the cup includes all the full meanings
concerning the humanity and the death of Christ as well as His second coming
---- which is His ultimate full manifestation.
3)
The
stable foundation of the bread-breaking is the crucified Christ ---- “proclaim
the Lord’s death”. The glorious hope of the bread-breaking is the ultimate full
manifestation of Christ ---- “till He comes”.
4)
All
of us who partake of the bread-breaking should “have fellowship with His
sufferings” ---- “proclaim the Lord’s death” and will “be glorified with Him”
(Rom. 8:17) ---- “till He comes”.
1Cor. 11:27 “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.”
YLT: “so that whoever may eat this bread or
may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, guilty he shall be of the body and
blood of the Lord:”
Literal
Meaning: “therefore
whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner”,
what is crucially important when eating the Lord’s bread and drinking the
Lord’s cup is “being in a worthy manner”. Therefore, we shall eat in a worthy
manner. “Unworthily”, it is not man that is unworthy but man’s attitude that
counts. If the problem lies in man, it does not matter, because how can you
come if you are not of God? Since the problem is whether it is worthy, it
indicates that man eats with a wrong attitude. We should never receive the body
flippantly without any respect for the Lord’s body.
“Will be guilty of the body
and blood of the Lord”, “be guilty”: sin against; it will bring judgment to
those who have fellowship with the bread and the cup (see v.29-30).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
most important and holiest gathering in the church is the bread-breaking
gathering in remembrance of the Lord. If man is flippant in this gathering, he
just “despises” the Lord and will be severely judged by the Lord and even fall
ill and even die (see v.30). We should be in fear.
2)
It
is one thing that is supposed to bring us spiritual profit yet brings about
loss. Therefore, we believers do not hold that as long as one comes to the
gathering, everything will go well. And we should also pay attention to our
attitude towards the gathering.
1Cor. 11:28 “But let a man examine
himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”
YLT: “and let a man be proving himself, and
so of the bread let him eat, and of the cup let him drink;”
Literal
Meaning: “examine
himself”, to examine whether we are fit for the Lord’s requirements. When we
take part in the bread-breaking gathering, we should examine things as below:
1)
Do
we really know and honor the spiritual meaning of the bread and the cup?
2)
Do
we have sins that have not been remitted? If we have sin when coming to remember
the Lord, we will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, won’t we?
3)
Do
we still have strife with others?
4)
Do
we still despise or hate others?
1Cor. 11:29 “For he who eats and
drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not
discerning the Lord's body.”
YLT: “for he who is eating and drinking
unworthily, judgment to himself he doth eat and drink -- not discerning the
body of the Lord.”
Literal
Meaning: “for
he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner … not discerning the Lord's body”,
“eats and drinks”: eat the bread and drink the cup; “not discerning the Lord's
body”, one does not discern the bread that symbolizes the Lord’s body from
other secular food. That is to say, such man does not cherish the divine bread
but regard the bread common.
“Eats and drinks judgment to himself”,
the flippant attitude towards the bread and the cup will bring us under the
judgment of God and cast us into sins.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
If
a believer has truly discerned that the bread he takes is the Lord’s body, he
will in no wise cause divisions in the church and destroy the Lord’s body while
taking part in the bread-breaking gathering.
2)
The
more a normal Christian takes the bread and drinks the cup, the more will he
enter into the loving bowel of the Lord and the more will he be willing to have
fellowship with and love members that the Lord have saved by His blood and be
united with one another.
1Cor. 11:30 “For this reason many are
weak and sick among you, and many sleep.”
YLT: “Because of this, among you many weak
and sickly, and sleep do many;”
Literal
Meaning: “weak”:
it refers to physical and mental and spiritual weakness, including weakness in
faith and conscience (see
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
Lord often disciplines His disciples by physical weakness or illness so as to
bring their spiritual life into a wholesome condition. Therefore, once we
believers are ill, we should ask the Lord whether we have sinned against the
Lord. If it is, we shall remit and confess our sins and thus be often healed
without medicine.
2)
If
believers sins without confession and do not remit even in illness, they may be
most severely chastened by the Lord and even be dead in the flesh, just as the
people of
1Cor. 11:31 “For if we would judge
ourselves, we would not be judged.”
YLT: “for if ourselves we were discerning,
we would not be being judged,”
Literal
Meaning: “judge
ourselves”: examine ourselves and make right judgment upon ourselves and see
that whether we are fit for taking the bread or drinking the cup in our present
condition; Therefore, we will not be judged or disciplined by God on account of
taking part in the bread-breaking gathering.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
The
church should not receive anyone without judging his obvious sins or
disregarding his heretical words. And it is the Holy Spirit not men that will
ordain with whom we can have fellowship with. However, we believers should
personally take the responsibility of judging ourselves before the Lord and see
that whether our own condition of the fellowship is normal.
2)
To
examine and judge ourselves make us less judged by God. Today, as long as we
live in the flesh, if we always live under the light of the judgment-seat on
that day, we will surely adjust our walking so as to pass the judgment of God
in the future.
1Cor. 11:32 “But when we are judged,
we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”
YLT: “and being judged by the Lord, we are
chastened, that with the world we may not be condemned;”
Literal
Meaning: “but
when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord”, “chasten”: it is concerned
with education and clarification and remedy. Though to be chastened is serious
and even leads to illness and death, it is still grace, for it delivers us from
worse death ---- condemnation.
“That we may not be condemned
with the world”, “be condemned”: it is relevant of punishment and perdition.
However, our end is different from men in the world. We will never perish for
ever, and yet we may only be punished seriously.
1Cor. 11:33 “Therefore, my brethren,
when you come together to eat, wait for one another.”
YLT: “so then, my brethren, coming together
to eat, for one another wait ye;”
Literal
Meaning: this
verse is an echo to verse 21, showing that they had to wait for one another in
the loving feast before the gathering and eat together and love one another.
1Cor. 11:34 “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.”
YLT: “and if any one is hungry, at home let
him eat, that to judgment ye may not come together; and the rest, whenever I
may come, I shall arrange.”
Literal
Meaning: “but
if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home”, if one was too hungry to wait for
others, he was advised to eat at home before going to the gathering instead of
eating in the place where they were gathered.
“Lest you come together for
judgment”, it one took part in the gathering and was yet in a bad condition, he
might be judged by the Lord.
“And the rest I will set in
order when I come”, “the rest”, it refers to all the problems in the practical
church life. “Set in order”, teach;
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
The
Knowledge of the Woman’s Covered Head
A.
The
covering is worthy of the order in the universe (v.2-3).
B.
The
covering is worthy of the distinction between the fair of man and woman
(v.4-6).
C.
The
covering is worthy of the order in God’s creation (v.7-8).
D.
The
covering is worthy of the purpose of God’s creation (v.9).
E.
The
covering is worthy of the testimony in spiritual sphere (v.10).
F.
The
covering is worthy of human nature (v.13-15).
G.
The
covering is worthy of the order of obedience in the church (v.16).
The
Reasons for the Woman’s Covered Head in the Gathering
A.
That
the woman has her head covered is a becoming manner (v.4-6);
B.
That
the woman has her head covered manifests glory (v.7-9);
C.
That
the woman has her head covered is for the sake of angels (v.10);
The
Knowledge that We Should Have About the Bread-breaking Gathering
A.
Which
is set by the Lord personally (v.23);
B.
Which
is a commandment of the Lord to us (v.24-25);
C.
Which
is in remembrance of the Lord (v.24-25);
D.
Which
proclaims the death of the Lord who shed His blood for us (v.24-26);
E.
Which
should be done before the Lord’s second coming (v.26);
F.
Which
is for the purpose of hoping for the Lord’s second coming (v.26);
Sins
of Eating the bread or Drinking the Cup of the Lord in an Unworthy Manner
A.
If
one does not discern the Lord's body, he will eat and drink judgment to
himself(v.29);
B.
If
one does not judge himself, he will be judged and be chastened by the Lord
(v.31-32);
C.
If
one eats without waiting for others, he has come for judgment (v.34);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou