The Lord’s Supper – Part 1 – 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Carnality at the Communion Table Corrected

There was carnality at the communion table in Corinth! In this section of the Epistle, the Apostle Paul rebukes them for their disorderly conduct at the Lord’s Supper and outlines the Divine order for the ordinance.

Having commended the Corinthians regarding headship (Vs. 1-16), Paul now brings correction concerning their approach to the Lord’s Supper. The transition is very clear in verse 17 (compare with verse 2). This is the major doctrinal passage on the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament and is critical for our understanding of this special ordinance. The section covers three areas: the rebuke concerning the Lord’s Supper (Vs. 17-22), the revelation of the Lord’s Supper (Vs. 23-26), and the requirement of the Lord’s Supper (Vs. 27-34).

The Rebuke Concerning the Lord’s Supper (Vs. 17- 22)

Paul rebukes them for their carnal behaviour at the communion table. They were behaving:

Divisively (Vs. 17-19)

1. The Ruin from the Division (Vs. 17)
   1. “I praise you not” = Paul repeats the phrase in 22b. A spiritual person never endorses carnal division in a church! Carnal division drew a censure from Paul, not a commendation. Only carnal people enjoy or endorse division in a church.
   2. “not for the better, but for the worse” = their assembling together as a church was resulting in the tearing down of the church rather than the building up of the church.
2. The Report of the Division (Vs. 18)
   1. Paul had received a report of the divisions in the Corinthian church. The word ‘divisions’ comes from the Greek word ‘schisma’, meaning a split or gap. Used in the papyri for a splinter of wood (RWP). A division of a group into opposing factions, tear, cleft, rent, crack (Logos).
   2. Paul took these reports as credible but not infallible – “I partly believe it”. Paul knew that while the reports presented to him were accurate in general, there could also be bias in them.
   3. Evidently, they were accurate enough for Paul to act to correct the situation.
3. The Refining from the Division (Vs. 19)
   1. Paul now uses a second word for their division – ‘heresies’. The word means a choice, taking sides, holding views of one party (RWP). “A circle of people with a common purpose who dissent from another group; faction; party; sect” (Logos)
   2. The only good thing Paul saw coming out of this season of division was that it would expose the faithful from the carnal. It would remove the dross from the assembly.
      1. There’s nothing like church troubles to reveal where hearts are truly at in a church!

Selfishly (Vs. 20-21a)

1. The Lord’s table had been hijacked as an opportunity for self- centred feasting and revelling. The phrase “taketh before” means “to take in advance, that is, (literally) eat before others have an opportunity” (Strongs)
2. Those with means to eat well did so in such a way as to humiliate the poorer members of the assembly – “everyone taketh before other his own supper: an done is hungry, and another is drunken…and shame them that have not” (Vs. 21-22).
3. It was a common practice in the early church to hold a love feast before the Lord’s Supper, following the example set by Christ and the Apostles, who ate the Passover meal before the institution of the Lord’s Supper (See Jude 1:12 – “feasts of charity”). There was nothing wrong with this practice, but it had hijacked the Lord’s Table observance, turning it into something foreign to the spirit and the divine pattern and order.
4. Note: A fellowship meal can reveal a lot about a person’s spirituality or lack thereof! Bringing a small plate with 10 Jatz crackers and a grass green dip that is 3 days out of date is carnal! A love feast is an opportunity for you to love the brethren by feeding them.

Sinfully (Vs. 21b)

1. Some of the members of the church were even getting drunk – “drunken”. The word means “intoxicated”.
2. Instead of being holy, they were having a party! Having a sip at the Supper and getting tipsy at the table!

Carelessly (Vs. 22)

1. Their carnal actions in the assembly revealed an underlying spirit of arrogance and carelessness toward God’s church. There was a shocking lack of soberness in their approach to holy things.
2. Note that Paul refers to the church as “the church of God”. When we take to heart that the local church is God’s assembly, it encourages a spirit of reverence in our approach to it.
3. What high and holy things we are privileged to participate in in God’s church. We should approach them with joy and gladness, but also with a reverent and worshipful attitude.
4. An understanding of the nature of the church will act as a restraint on bad attitudes and bad behaviour in the assembly! When you engage in carnal division, you are forgetting the holy character of God’s church. To damage God’s church is a very serious matter!
5. 1 Cor. 3:17 “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
6. Note: Imagine going into the Lord’s Table observance after such a fellowship meal! Some would go into it with pride in their hearts – they could afford to eat, unlike the poorer members of the flock. Others would go to the Lord’s Table with hurt in their hearts, having suffered humiliation and neglect from the wealthier, puffed-up members of the church. Carnal Christians are often cruel Christians!

The Revelation of the Lord’s Supper (Vs. 23-26)

Paul reminds them of the Divine order for observing the Lord’s Supper. Note the words “received” and “delivered”. God revealed the order for the Lord’s Supper ordinance to Paul, and Paul delivered it to the churches.

The Setting of the Lord’s Supper (Vs. 23)

1. The historical setting for its institution was Passover night. Read Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:17-22.
   1. Matthew’s Account (Matt. 26:26-30): “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
      1. The bread – He blessed it, brake it and gave it. Christ gave Himself for us and to us at the cross.
      2. The cup – He gave thanks and gave it to them. The cup represents the blood of the New Covenant shed for the remission of sins.
      3. The prophecy – Christ declared He would not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper in anticipation of Christ’s coming and the Father’s kingdom.
      4. The hymn – they concluded with a hymn. Imagine what that must have been like…the last time they sang together before the cross. The Son of God sang a hymn with His disciples!
   2. Mark’s Account (Mk. 14:22-25): “And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” Very similar to Matthew’s account. Includes statement that “they all drank of it”. All the disciples drank from the communion cup.
   3. Luke’s Account (Lk. 22:14-23): “And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.”
      1. Christ speaks of His desire to eat the Passover with His disciples before the suffering of the cross.
      2. A Passover cup precedes the Communion cup.
      3. Luke’s account makes Christ’s words personal and touching – “This is my body which is given for you…This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” Christ gave His body and shed His blood for you. Make it personal.
      4. The shadow of the cross hung over the scene. Christ spoke of His impending betrayal and suffering.
   4. John’s Account (John 13-17): John provides a lot of detail that the other Gospel writers do not, such as:
      1. Chapter 13: Christ washing the disciples’ feet, identification of Judas as the betrayer and the New Commandment to love one another.
      2. Chapter 14: Christ’s promise of mansions in glory and His return; the declaration of Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, and the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
      3. Chapter 15: Discourse on the vine and the branches and warning of the world’s hatred for His followers.
      4. Chapter 16: More teaching on the Holy Spirit and words of comfort for the disciples in light of His soon departure from the world. John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
      5. Chapter 17: The High Priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus for His disciples and ultimately for us.
      6. All of this took place on Passover Night in the Upper Room, where our Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper.
2. The present setting for its continuation is the local church. This is a church ordinance and should therefore be observed in the context of a New Testament church. See Vs. 17, 18, 20 & 33 – there are four mentions of their “coming together” in this discourse on the Lord’s Supper. Throughout the passage, Paul refers to “YE”, which is plural and refers to the church as a whole. There is no example in the New Testament of the Lord’s Supper being taken by an individual or a family in any context outside of the assembly.
   1. It is not for an individual.
   2. It is not for a family.
   3. It is for individuals and families within the local church!

The Sequence of the Lord’s Supper (Vs. 24-25)

1. The Bread (Vs. 24)
   1. Thanksgiving is to be offered for the bread.
   2. The bread is to be unleavened, symbolic of Christ’s sinless body.
   3. The bread is to be broken, symbolic of Christ’s sufferings. His body was scourged and pierced (by the nails and the spear). 1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
   4. The bread is to be eaten, symbolic of our believing on Christ and receiving Him as our Saviour, also, of our ongoing communion with Christ.
2. The Cup (Vs. 25)
   1. Thanksgiving is to be offered for the cup.
   2. The cup is to be pure grape juice. Note that the word ‘wine’ is never used in connection with the Lord’s Table. Christ called it “the fruit of the vine” (Mt. 26:29, Mk. 14:25) and here Paul simply refers to the “cup”. The purity of the juice reminds us of the purity of Christ’s sinless blood.
   3. The cup is the symbol of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood.
   4. Each is to drink of the cup.

To be continued…

Conclusion

What is your attitude towards God’s church? How do you approach His table?

Sermon 29 in 1 Corinthians Series

Sermon Audio Id: 32826112664892