A Corinthian Problem

I Corinthians 11: 17-34

Much confusion reigns about the argument Paul uses in this chapter because most people do not consider the argument as it is set forth. This section has been used to justify a number of views of elements of the Lord’s Supper that Paul’s concern has been lost in those other considerations. In essence Paul wants the church to stop their misbehavior at the Lord’s Supper because it is harmful to them. If we view the whole argument he says:

“But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? 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 will not praise you” (I Cor. 11: 17-22).

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which 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.’ 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.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (I Cor. 11: 23-26).

“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world” (I Cor. 11: 27-32).

“So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come” (I Cor. 11: 33-34).

Note the link points in each section: verse 23 begins “For I delivered …” indicating the reason he was not about to praise them because he had passed on to them exactly what he had been given himself. And their behavior showed they were not merely ignoring what he had taught them they were dishonoring the Lord. This is why the next section begins at verse 27 with “Therefore whoever eats or drinks …” the conclusion to be drawn from the previous section. They are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord because they are misusing the Supper – hence the reason why things were going so wrong in the Church. Then the last section begins “So then my brethren …”

In reality the essence of Paul’s solution to the problem described in verses 17-22 is in this last section. “Wait for one another and if you are hungry eat at home so you do not come together for judgment.” That is indicated by his next statement “and the rest I’ll deal with when I come.” If we lose sight of what Paul is seeking to achieve with this line of argument we cannot discern rightly how the parts are meant to be understood.

So if the first section and the last contain the problem and its solution what are the functional parts of sections two and three? The “therefore” of section three makes it clear that section two is the basis of his argument in three. So what is his argument in three? Anyone who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself, so each of you examine yourself and so eat. And why do they eat and drink judgment to themselves? Because as section two shows, their actions in the Supper ritual proclaim Christ’s death but their acting toward one another denies what they are proclaiming.

Which leads to the key thought: what does Paul mean by “eating and drinking unworthily?” And from the context (verses 17-22) that is eating, while leaving some hungry and drinking with some getting drunk. That makes sense of the proposed solution – “wait for one another and if you’re hungry eat at home.” After urging them to examine themselves, Paul adds an explanation of why the church is in such a poor state – they do not judge themselves as they ought.

If, therefore, section three applies the principle they ought to have learned from section two what does the Lord’s Supper picture in this instance; why does Paul explain it as he does? In particular what is it about his death, proclaimed in the Supper, that applies to the Corinthians and the way they were celebrating the Lord’s Supper. The two truths are that Christ died for his people and his blood was shed to establish the New Covenant of which they are a part. It is true this happened as God ordained it but the means by which it happened was that one of his own betrayed him. If, then, even the betrayer was given the Supper by what right did they cut off some congregation members [for whom Christ also died] from the meal?

Paperback version available soon

The 2nd Edition of “Discerning the Body” was submitted for publishing to lulu.com today. It should be available tomorrow at $US14.97 and will be posted directly to you. Overseas customer may have to check the price of shipping but we might be able to organize a way for you to get your own copy. I will add a link so it can be purchased as soon as they notify me of the details. Updated: here’s the link for purchase.

Finally

My ebook is published. Here’s the link to purchase it:

http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/discerning-the-body/18820936