This was the problem that was facing the Church at Corinth they were not making this distinction, 1 Cor. 11:17-22, i.e. v 20 "When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper" he is saying, it is impossible to eat the Lord's supper with the attitude laid out in 17-19). Maybe this personal Illustration will aid in understanding how some would feel: Several years ago, we were invited to speak at a Homecoming. It was a long ways from home and we were invited to preach both services. At the time, we were unaware of their Homecoming Day and of course, we did not bring any food. After the service, we were invited to stay. However, every family spread their food mostly for themselves. It was not such as we do here, where everyone shares. Needless to say, you did not have the liberty to help yourself and it was rather awkward. There had to be division in the church for such an attitude to be created. Now that somewhat illustrates how some would feel at Corinth. See 1 Cor. 11: 18-22. (For this type of division and lack of understanding, there must be false teaching. 2 Peter 2:1)
"When the Corinthian Christians come together, they all sit in their groups and cliques. Instead of sharing their food and drink, each person consumes whatever he or she has brought with them. Paul says that if they aren't going to express their life together by mixing and sharing, they might as well stay at home. Sadly, some of the poorer people have little food to bring—and have to watch while others gorge themselves." Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 585). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
"The letter to the Corinthians is earlier than the earliest of the gospels, this is actually the ?rst recorded account we possess of any word of Jesus." Barclay, W. (2002). The Letters to the Corinthians (3rd ed., p. 121). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.
The Communion Service is about Christ: Paul delivered unto us that which he had received from Christ, 1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: Paul received the gospel by the revelation of Christ, Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. In this reference, we have our authority for a most significant part of our worship in the church. And since the letter to the Corinthians is written before Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we know that Paul received from Christ these instructions. Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. Christ was already resurrected from the dead and at the right hand of the Father, therefore Paul was in the presence of our Resurrected Saviour.
"In remembrance of me" does not occur in Matthew or Mark because Christ was present bodily. Therefore you can truly see that Paul was taught by Christ Himself. "Remembrance of me" denotes a view to the future, a purpose. Keep in mind the disciples did not see the Church Age. Also, the book of Luke was written after 1 Corinthians and Luke traveled with Paul, therefore, if Luke wrote the book of Luke he had benefited from Paul's revelation. (Luke does not claim authorship not does he claim authorship for the book of Acts. Most believe he is the author of both)
"The same night he was betrayed took bread:…." Oh, the agony, the pain, He must have felt; but yet as the God-Man, He partook of our infirmities. And you can project yourself somewhat into His feelings. But yet His mind, a selfless mind, and with the Judas at the table, the cross before Him, He gave us something to do in remembrance of Him.
"..this is my body which is broken for you", 11:24, And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. His body was given in our behalf, In His body, He suffered, Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…" His flesh was ripped and torn as you can visualize when you read of the beating He suffered and if you saw the "Passion of the Christ". But there was no bone broken in His body. I certainly think of His suffering when I read this. I believe there is something here we overlook: When this was first instituted He was there in body and they understood the bread was a symbol of Him. He broke the bread and gave it to the disciples: he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. The bread is here broken and in a few moments, we will say, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
The New Covenant is sealed by the Blood of Christ.
1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. This cup is the new covenant and it came at the price of the Blood of Christ. The old covenant was confirmed by the blood of bulls but the New Covenant is established with Christ own blood, Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
He purchased our redemption with His own Blood, Heb.9:12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. The relationship of the Old Covenant was based on the keeping of Law, Ex. 24:1-8. The New Covenant is a new way: Christ and His shed blood, Heb. 10:16-20 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And the free Grace of God is offered to all, Rev. 22:17.
Deu 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh. "…The blood is the life" and Christ shed His blood for life. "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin." The way of life is opened to all, not on our ability to keep the law, but on Christ who met all the demands of the law for us.
The Lord's Supper speaks forth the LORD's death, 11:26, One of the first sermons I preached was "The Cup Which Jesus Drank" and my text was from, Mat 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. As we partake of the cup let us think of the cup which Jesus drank! It certainly was a cup of suffering and a cup of Identification and much more. Is that not what is being said to us in verses such as: And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Again, If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: Is that not what He is asking by the presenting of bodies and the renewing of our minds, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We are to examine our self and then partake of the Lord's Supper, 11:27.28. "examine" means to acknowledge the sin and confess it – to see the sin as God see it. Do you have a need for Christ? Let me illustrate it this way: Sin cannot shut you out but your attitude toward can bring the chastening hand of God. Now look down in verse 29, "damnation" that is not eternal damnation but it is God condemning His own (saved) in their unconfessed sin, ( As in Chastisement Heb. 12:3-5).
Examine your self does not mean to see if you are perfect: it is for sinners who need a Saviour: Therefore the phrase which forbids people to eat and drink unworthily does not shut out the man or woman who is a sinner and knows it. An old Highland minister, seeing an old woman hesitate to receive the cup, stretched it out to her, saying: 'Take it, woman; it's for sinners; it's for you.' If the table of Christ were only for perfect people, none might ever approach it. The way is never closed to the penitent sinner. To all who love God and their neighbors, the way is always open; and, as Isaiah had it, Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
The Communion Service speaks forth His coming again, an eschatological aspect. 1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. That means you don't value His sacrifice and confess your sins. And I believe a direct reference to the Church the Body of Christ. You know we are joined together by the Holy Spirit.
As we look backward to remember, we are to look forward in anticipation to the coming of Christ. In doing this, we are to be followers of Christ as in discipleship. It is the judging of our body that comes into play now. In the time you were saved, you were placed into the body of Christ and in the Communion Service you are to judge your body. If you put these verses in context, v27- 32), we are told to examine (judge) ourselves with a view to meeting our Saviour. The emphasis is on "denying our self and taking up our cross and following Him. If you as a man are not reading and studying the Word of God, leading you family, interceding for them in prayer, faithful in church (body of Christ) worship and Bible Study, you are not denying yourself and following Christ. The same is true to all people regarding their place as defined in the Word of God.
What is it in your life that robs you: in your time , your possessions, your study of the word and prayer? In these verses, there is the Body of Christ (that we discern), our body (that we are to examine), and the Body (Church) of Christ (to take up our cross and follow Christ).
11:30) explains the meaning of damnation as used in 11:29. It is the Child of God, in v30 that is being chastised for unconfessed sin, (not that all sickness is the result of chastisement – sickness can be for God's glory) . The damnation is not eternal damnation but the condemning of the chastening hand of God.
We, the Child of God, are to judge ourselves and that is the purpose of examining ourselves. But judging ourselves is not just confined to the partaking of the Lord's Supper but should be a daily practice.
The chastening of our Father comes gently at first but gets more severe if we are rebellious even to death.
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