1 Corinthians 11
AI Bible study · KJV · Grammatical-historical hermeneutics
Summary
Paul addresses two primary abuses regarding public worship in the Corinthian church: disorder concerning proper attire and conduct during prayer and prophecy, and the shameful schisms occurring during the Lord's Supper. He corrects these errors by grounding proper conduct in the created order and the historical institution of the ordinance.
- Paul praises the church for holding to traditions but immediately corrects their behavior regarding headship in worship (vv. 1-2).
- He outlines the theological hierarchy of headship—Christ, man, woman, God—to explain why specific decorum is required (vv. 3-16).
- He transitions to a sharp rebuke of their conduct during the Lord's Supper, noting that their divisions make their gathering worse, not better (vv. 17-22).
- He recounts the historical institution of the Lord's Supper to restore its proper meaning and solemnity (vv. 23-26).
- He issues a warning against unworthy participation and instructs the community to practice self-examination and patience with one another (vv. 27-34).
- The order of headship: Christ, man, woman, God (v. 3).
- The presence of angels as spectators of worship order (v. 10).
- The division between the 'have-nots' and the 'haves' (v. 22).
- The institution of the Lord's Supper by Jesus during the night of his betrayal (v. 23).
- Physical consequences of spiritual neglect: weakness, sickness, and death among the congregation (v. 30).
This passage is foundational for understanding the theology of corporate worship, illustrating that external behaviors and communal practices must reflect the internal reality of Christ's headship and the significance of his atoning death. It establishes the Lord's Supper as a sacred memorial that demands self-examination and unity.
Corporate worship is not a space for personal preference or social division, but a sacred assembly requiring order and reverence in honor of Christ's authority and sacrifice.
Themes
Paul moves from the theological foundations of authority in the created order (the headship argument) to the practical application of that authority in the observance of the sacraments (the Lord's Supper).
Paul moves from the theological principle (creation and headship) to practical instructions (head coverings), then transitions to the Lord's Supper.
Paul uses probing questions to force the Corinthians to evaluate the propriety of their conduct based on common sense and the nature of their faith.
Paul structures human relationships within a divine hierarchy that reflects the created order, asserting that Christ is the head of every man, the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.
- κεφαλή (kephalḗ) [G2776] (head)
- Created for the man (v. 9)
- Image and glory of God (v. 7)
The Table is not a common meal but a sacred act of remembering Christ's broken body and shed blood, which demands distinct reverence and unity.
- Remembrance (ἀνάμνησις)
- New testament in my blood (v. 25)
- Shew the Lord's death (v. 26)
Believers must participate in the Table with sober assessment of their own hearts and conduct, or they risk divine chastisement.
- Examine himself (δοκιμάζω)
- Chastened of the Lord (v. 32)
- Judge ourselves (v. 31)
- If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (v. 31)
- Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (v. 1)
- Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (v. 24)
- Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (v. 28)
- Tarry one for another. (v. 33)
- Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. (v. 4)
- Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (v. 27)
- For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself. (v. 29)
Context
- Corinth was a cosmopolitan, urban center with significant cultural diversity, where social rank often spilled over into public and religious gatherings.
- The 'love feast' or communal meal was often associated with the Lord's Supper in the early church, which is likely the context of the abuse Paul describes.
- In the Greco-Roman world, head coverings for women were a clear social signifier of modesty and domestic submission; an uncovered head could carry connotations of public immodesty or social rebellion.
- Matthew Henry observes that the Christian religion sanctions national customs where they are not against the principles of truth, suggesting that the propriety of these actions is tied to how they were perceived by the culture of the day.
- Chapter 11 marks the transition to instructions for orderly public assembly, which continues through the discussion of spiritual gifts in chapters 12-14.
- Paul grounds his argument for headship in the Genesis creation narrative, contrasting the 'man not of the woman' with the creation of the woman from the man (Gen 2:21-23).
- The account of the Last Supper directly mirrors the synoptic tradition found in Matthew 26 and Luke 22.
- 1 Corinthians 11:7 references the 'image and glory of God' directly from Genesis 1:26-27.
- κεφαλή (kephalḗ) [G2776]: In this context, used to denote authority or order. Modern debates often contrast this with the meaning 'source,' but the subordinationist language (vv. 3, 7) points toward governing structure.
- παράδοσις (parádosis) [G3862]: 'Traditions' or 'transmissions'; refers to authoritative apostolic instruction passed down.
- καταγγέλλω (kataggéllō): Translated 'shew,' but carries the sense of public proclamation or announcement, emphasizing the Table as a witness to the world.
- The mention of 'angels' (v. 10) as witnesses to the propriety of worship is a distinct, often overlooked detail.
- Paul explicitly links physical illness and death in the congregation to the misuse of the Lord's Supper, indicating that God actively disciplines the church for sacrilegious behavior (v. 30).
- Regarding the head covering: A long-standing debate exists between those who view this as a universal, abiding command regarding gender roles in worship, and those who view it as a cultural application of the broader principle of propriety and modesty that may change with custom. Matthew Henry and others acknowledge the need for both principles and context.
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