1st Corinthians 11
Chapter Outline
Chapter introduction I
Instruction about head
covering 2-16
The Lord’s supper 16-26
Self-examination 27-34
Paul divided the eleventh
chapter into three main sections: (1) instructions of head covering. The first
section explains the history behind the Hebrew custom of the
covering of the head while worshiping God. We will explore this subject as we
interpret this section. (2) The "LORDS supper," as Paul calls it, is
a sacred symbolic sharing of the body and blood of Jesus the Christ. Paul
explains why Christians celebrate this custom and what it signifies. (3)
Self-examination. Examine oneself for sin and the symbolism of the
elements before taking the elements of the Lord's supper.
Words to research:
•
Traditions
•
Prophesies
•
Dishonors
•
Glory
Significant phases to research:
•
“Christ is the head of every man”
•
“man is the head of the woman”
•
“God is the head of Christ”
•
“dishonors his head”
•
“dishonors her head”
•
“her head shaved”
•
“he is the image and glory of God”
•
“woman is the glory of man”.
•
“a symbol of authority”.
•
her head uncovered
•
“because of the angels”.
•
According to Jewish custom; if a man
has long hair, it is a disgrace to him
In your detailed observation,
you will come up with questions then answer them in the interpretation phase.
•
Is there a hierarchy in mankind’s
relationship to God?
•
If so, is it applicable today?
•
Do traditions or customs carry the force of
law?
•
Why is a woman's hair a symbol of authority
to angels (V10)?
•
Why did the author need to clarify
relationships?
•
What is the key verse in this section?
•
Why is the Hebrew custom of long hair on men
a disgrace?
•
Why is a shaven head on a woman a disgrace?
Our interpretation will address
important words and phrases identified and answer questions brought to light in
our observation of the section.
•
“Tradition” (V2) is
translated from the Greek word “paradosis” G3862,
a feminine noun, which has two applicable meanings in Vine's Expository
Dictionary of New Testament Words.
•
In a broad sense, it means the same today as
it did in ancient times.
•
Instructions or customs passed down.
•
Does tradition carry the same weight as
law?
•
The Jewish cultural traditions were passed
down by Rabbis, who interpreted the law [n3].
•
All Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
•
Hebrew traditions, although based in Hebrew
law, have been established through interpretation and may differ from
one Rabbi to the other.
•
In our Bible, we will find different words
used in different translations.
•
Researching words will often show more than
one meaning.
•
This is where context comes in.
•
Is having long hair breaking Hebrew law?
•
Yes, and no!
•
Lev 19:27 states,
men are not to cut the hair on the sides of their head.
•
Traditions
•
Over time, traditions often become doctrine.
•
For example, the Roman Catholic church’s liturgy,
such as the Eucharistic service (Holy Communion).
•
Although not law, this tradition complies
with Jesus’s command to remember Him.
•
Christians regularly practice Communion in
faith and reverence
•
The Roman Catholic Church believes that the
wine becomes the blood of Christ (Transubstantiation).
•
“Transubstantiation is a religious term used
to describe what happens when the bread and wine used at Mass are turned into
Christ’s actual body and blood.”1
•
What did Jesus say about the wine in the
cup?
•
Matthew twenty six records the events of the
last Passover supper.
•
Mat 26:28 Jesus states “this is my blood of
the covenant,...” (all available translations say these words”
•
Is there a Hebrew law forbidding the
drinking of blood?
•
Gen 9:4 forbids
the eating of flesh with its blood.
•
We know that Jesus followed Jewish law
because He said: I have not come to destroy the law … but to fulfill (Mat 5:17).
•
These facts leave us with only one
conclusion, Jesus calling the wine blood did so in a symbolic sense.
•
Look first at Bible usages of the word blood
(G129
haima)
•
1. B or C would make sense in the context it
is written.
•
Definition found in Vines expository
dictionary clarifies how the word blood is used (A-1,
d.)
•
There are several examples where haima
(blood) is used as a metaphor (Rev 17:6; Mat 16:17;
Eph 6:12; Gen29:14).
We discovered several
significant phrases pertaining to the head of the believer male and female.
•
This was a “tradition”
based in Hebrew antiquity.
•
The Jew would wear a head covering as a
statement of his unworthiness or humility.
•
Verses 2-16 deal with head covering to include
the length of hair.
•
Paul established what appears to be a
hierarchy in verse 3, with God
(the Father) as the head (kephalē G2776).
•
Refer to Vines Expository dictionary G2776
Ba for an explanation.
•
The head is the seat of the soul and the
spirit and the body submits to the head.
•
God (the Father) is the head of Jesus the son
of man.
•
Incarnate Jesus submitted to the Father.
•
Man was created by the triune God through and
for the Son.
•
The anointed one of God (Jesus) is the head
of every man
•
Therefore we can deduce that the head is a
metaphor for the seat of the soul and spirit The head rules the body as Christ
rules the churchV4.
•
To cover the head is to conceal the
glory, God’s gift to man, of a soul and
spirit.
•
Therefore to prophesize or pray with the head
covered is concealing or disgracing God’s gift.
•
Man (Adam) was formed by God (‘Elohiym)
from the dust of His creation.
•
Woman (Eve) was created by God from
man.
•
God the Son as the creator is the head of
every man.
•
Because God breathed life into the man (Gen 2:7).
•
Because woman was created out of man, the man
is her head, as Christ is man’s head.
•
The woman’s crown of glory is said to be her
hair.
•
See also Outline
of Bible usage
According to Jewish tradition,
it is a disgrace for a man to cover his head when praying or prophesizing.
It is equally disgraceful for a
woman not to cover her crown of glory (her head) when praying or
prophesizing.
“Prophesies” are not
necessarily a prediction of the future.
•
The word prophesies found in Vv. 4,5 was
translated from the Greek word prophēteuō, G4395
a verb.
•
The primary meaning of prophēteuō is telling
forth the Divine counsels, e.g., Mat 7:22; 26:68; 1Cr 11:4, 5; 13:9; 14:1, 3-5, 24, 31, 39; Rev 11:3
•
Is all prophesies always of divine origin?
•
The word prophesies written in V. 4,5 with
the phrase “or prayer.”
•
It is assumed that Paul is referring to
divine inspired prophesies in this section.
•
In prophesizing is giving mankind God’s word.
•
Therefore sacred and holy giving the glory to
God.
•
Prayer is talking to God and therefore is
also sacred and holy.
•
Verses 9-10 are challenging to interpret.
•
Man was created by God for His purpose.
•
Woman was created from man (Adam) as a helper
and mate for the man Gen 2:18.
•
The man was to keep his hair short in
reverence and subjection to God as his head.
•
The woman’s head/hair shows she is under the
authority of her husband.
•
The evidence (hair) of being under the man’s
authority is for the angels to see.
•
There were angels in those days who found
human women sexually attractive (Gen 6:4; Num 13:33).
•
As we have stated, man is under the authority
of creator God.
•
The woman is under the authority of her
husband; it was this way from the beginning.
•
Therefore all come under the authority of the
creator God with the spiritual authority given to the man.
•
However, when a woman prays or prophesies,
she does so independently of any man including, her husband
•
Therefore, she must cover her head (hair) in
reverence to God when praying or prophesizing.
This section is controversial
and must be taken in the context of the practices of Corinth's pagan
religions.
•
The Holman Christian Study Bible gives us
insight into the relationship of head covering and the pagan culture of
Corinth.
•
“There were problems when the Christians at
Corinth met for *worship. Paul probably learned that from Chloe’s servants.
First of all, they did not agree on the way that men and women showed their
respect to God.”
WHERE DO WE STAND WITH OUR
INTERPRETATION
This section is broken into two
paragraphs, with the following key phrases to investigate further.
•
“there are divisions among you V. 18
•
it is necessary that there be factions V. 19
•
that those who are approved may be
recognized V. 19
•
not to eat the Lord's Supper V. 20
•
Don't you have homes in which to eat and
drink? V. 22
•
Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate
those who have nothing? V. 22
•
For I received from the Lord what I also
passed on to you V. 23
•
and when he had given thanks, broke it …
my body, which is for you
•
V. 24
•
Do this in remembrance of me
•
the cup, after the bread V. 25
•
new covenant in my blood
•
Do this, as often as you drink it,
•
eat this bread and drink the cup
In our interpretation, we will
look at each of these key phrases.
•
“there are divisions among you”
•
The word divisions is plural, which means
there was more than one point of contention within the church.
•
From our studies of 1st Corinthians
chapter one of church divisions stemmed from declaration of allegiance (1Cor 1:10-17).
•
Now Paul addresses the second point of
division, they were making the LORDS supper a time of fellowship within their
pear group.
•
Paul speaks of the necessity of having two
factions (V.
19).
•
Those approved.
•
Those who were appointed as elders and
teachers.
•
Our assumption is that Paul was the earthly
approving authority.
•
Those who were to be taught by those
approved.
•
We know from 1Cor 1: 10-13
that Paul received a report of strife and subsequent division in the church.
•
It is reasonable to assume that Paul has
already addressed the root problem; he now was addressing a subsequent issue.
•
From the paragraph context, it appears that
there was a division on the “Lord’s supper”
•
The word Lord in Greek Kyriakos g2960.
•
koo-ree-ak-os'; from G2962;
belonging to the Lord (Jehovah or Jesus):—Lord's.
•
Supper in Greek deipnon g1173
a neuter noun meaning the main meal of the day.
•
It seems as though the church was using the
Lords supper's liturgy as a main meal.
•
They missed the pronoun “this” in verse 26.
•
Paul says that when they partake of the
liturgy of eating the bread and drinking the cup, it is to be
treated as a sacrament not, as a meal unto itself. See also V20
•
“Do this in remembrance of me”
•
Clearly this command from Jesus was to make
the drinking of the cup and the eating of the bread special.
•
It was not meant to be a meal rather an
observance.
•
It seems that the church had lost the meaning
of the Eucharist [n1].
•
Why the cup after the bread?
•
The author sets these two elements of the
Communion table apart from the usual Passover meal by using the article “the”.
•
The bread comes before the cup because Jesus
suffered degradation, next the breaking of His flesh by the scourge and finally
the piercing of His body on the cross.
•
Without these actions His blood would not
have been shed.
•
The redemptive act of shedding His blood was
continual throughout his ordeal but was finished on the cross.
•
Therefore the cup comes last in the
remembrance of God’s Lamb.
•
“New covenant in My blood.”
•
The old covenant was the Abrahamic covenant
was sealed animal’s blood (Gen 15:9).
•
Involving Israel exclusively, whereas the new
covenant tenants were sealed with Christ’s blood.
•
Promises of God.
•
The promise of atonement for our sins.
•
The promise of personal resurrection to
eternal life.
•
To receive these tenants require faith and:
•
Repentance of individual sins (Act 2:38).
•
Acceptance of Jesus as your sacrifice (Jhn 1:29, 36).
•
Belief that Jesus is the Christ the risen Son
of God (Mar 1:1
•
Paul lays out in general terms the
requirements of salvation in Rom 10:9-13.
WHAT DO OTHER THEOLOGIANS SAY?
Commentary
by A.R. Fausset [n4]
Paul calls for soul searching.
•
Looking at a few key phrases:
•
unworthy manner V. 27a
•
against the body and blood of the Lord V27b
•
examine himself V. 28
•
without recognizing the body V. 29
•
have fallen asleep V. 30
•
judging ourselves V. 31
•
judged by the LORD, we are disciplined V. 32
•
may not be condemned with the world V. 33
•
he should eat at home V. 34
Now that we have identified key
phrases, what questions need to be answered?
•
What was happening during this period within Corinth and the church?
•
Had a plague struck the church as judgment?
•
Are we to examine our lives, how, and for
what?
•
What does it mean to recognize the body?
•
What body is Paul speaking of?
•
How does the Lord discipline his children?
•
In verse 33, is Paul saying every time the
church comes together to eat?
In our study's interpretation
phase, we will examine each verse in light of the phrases identified and the
questions.
•
To understand the metaphor fallen
asleep
,we must see how this phrase is used elsewhere in Scripture.
•
sleep (10x), fall
asleep (4x), be
asleep (2x), fall
on sleep (1x), be
dead (1x).
•
NASB Strong's g2837 matches
the Greek κοιμάω (koimaō), meaning dead.
•
By what standard shall we judge ourselves?
•
We shall look within and remember the body
broken for us and the blood freely given as an atonement for our sins.
•
Said simply; we should acknowledge Jesus, in
our hearts, as the sacrifice for our sins.
•
Failure to remember the sacrifice of Christ
before taking the bread and the cup, we bring judgment upon ourselves.
•
may not be condemned with the world V. 33
•
Our Lord disciplines those he loves (Pro 3:12).
•
The discipline spoke of in verse 33 to be
given to correct sinful actions.
•
If these actions were not corrected, then the
sinner would continue in his sin unto death.
What does it all mean?
•
What was happening during this time period
to cause Paul to write this chapter?
•
We know from chapter one that there were
divisions within the church.
•
Allegiance to different teachers.
•
Some followed the teaching of Peter and the
kingdom of Christ.
•
Some followed the teaching of Apollos, who
was eloquent in speech but was not an apostle (commission by Christ).
•
Some followed Paul, who taught salvation
through faith plus nothing.
•
Economic separation.
•
Corinth was a wealthy city chiefly because of
its geographical location.
•
Some within the church were not wealthy.
•
Because some were poor in spirit and
training, they participated in the Lord's supper as their main meal, a time of
fellowship, missing its significance.
•
Had a plague struck the church in Corinth
as judgment V.
30?
•
Ignorance, self-indulgence, and lack of
reference were their plague.
•
Paul tells us those who God judges are
disciplined (V. 31-32).
•
To avoid this discipline, Paul tells us to
examine ourselves before we take communion.
•
Not all illness is God’s judgment.
•
Sin can bring about illness in the body, but
not all illness in the body is a direct result of sin.
•
An example might be cancer.
•
How are we to examine our lives, and to
what standard?
•
In Verses 27-33,
Paul tells us to examine our souls to ensure that the significance of the bread
and the cup are not lost.
•
Although Paul does not say here, this is also
a time to search the soul for sin [n5] (1Cor 5:7).
•
Notice the article “the n2 ”
preceding the words bread and the cup telling us that the bread and cup are
singular and special.
•
This article separates eating a meal from a
reverent remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice.
•
What does it mean to recognize the body?
•
This is not just giving thanks for our daily
bread.
•
We are to remember what Jesus did on Calvary.
•
Jesus
was humiliated, scorned, and scourged with a flagrum4,
and suffered death by crucifixion.
•
Jesus suffered that we may not suffer; He
died in our place.
WHAT DO THE THEOLOGIANS SAY
ABOUT
VERSES 27-34
Holman’s
Study Bible commentary
Paul clarifies issues of concern.
First that men should not cover their heads to reflect Gods glory on them when
praying or prophesizing, while women should cover their head, when praying or
prophesizing, to cover their glory. The second issue was of sharing in
communion. Paul explains that when sharing the bread and the cup they are
sharing in the body of Christ given for them and by drinking of the cup they
share in the blood spilled for the remission of sin. Paul’s final that was
about the need to look within, to search out anything displeasing to God and
then to repent of that sin.
Bibliography
1. PHD F. Alan Tomlinson.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Holman’s Study Bible. Holman
Bible Publishers. Database © 2010 WORDsearch Corp.
2. Vine, W. "Tradition -
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words." Blue Letter
Bible. Last Modified 24 Jun, 1996.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/dictionary/viewtopic.cf
“Get Catholic Answers.” Catholic
Answers. Accessed October 6, 2020. https://www.catholic.com/.
3. The Search for Leaven -
Jewish Voicewww.jewishvoice.org/read/blog/unleavened-bread-th…
4. flagrum -
https://www.bible-history.com/past/flagrum.html
Notes & Credits
•
[n1] NOUN
•
the Christian ceremony commemorating the Last
Supper, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.
•
the consecrated elements, especially the
bread. (Oxford
dictionary)
•
[n2] “the is a definite article and would
specify a single experiment” (Everyday English handbook by Leonard Rosen)
•
[n3] The word law in the context of this
chapter refers to the law given to Moses.
•
[n4] Andrew
Robert Fausset (1821–1910) was an Irish Anglican clergyman, now known
as a biblical commentator. He was an evangelical preacher and author.
•
[n5] The day before the Feast, Jewish
tradition calls for a search through the entire house to remove all leaven.
Every cupboard, drawer, nook, and cranny is examined, and some families have
even used a feather to clean out every last crumb. In the New Covenant, leaven
is used as a metaphor for sin.
