We Come Together As One Series

1 Cor 11:17-34 - We Come Together as One

From 1 Cor 11-14 Paul addresses the conduct of the Corinthians when they come together for worship.

• 1 Cor 11:2-14 Keeping to Good Traditions

• 1 Cor 11:17-34 Observing the Lord’s Supper

• 1 Cor 12:1-14:40 Using of the Spiritual Gifts

Last week, we heard how Paul argues for the keeping of good traditions and customs, specifically about the women having their heads covered when they meet.

• Man and woman have distinctive roles and Paul explains it theologically and from nature (from creation) that this is the good order that God has set.

• The woman is placed in a position of submission to the man and hence it has been a tradition for her to wear a head covering.

• Not because man is more “superior” than woman; both are mutually dependent. 11:11 “… in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.”

We do not have to throw out traditions and customs in the name of freedom. Keep what is good and appropriate.

• Don’t turn a good practice into something contentious and divide the Body of Christ. We don’t have to pick a fight over this head-covering issue.

• 11:16 “If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.” Not everything traditional is bad and not everything new is good.

Paul now addresses another issue that divides – the observance of the Lord’s Supper; the taking of the Holy Communion when the people of God gather.

1 Cor 11:17-22 ESV

17But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

Paul raises two issues with them when they come together for the Lord’s Supper:

(1) The disunity and segregation when they meet for the Lord’s Supper

(2) Making a mockery of the meaning of the Lord’s Supper by their bad behaviours

“I am not going to commend you on this,” Paul said twice (17, 22). “Your coming together for the Lord’s Supper is not for the better but for the worse.” (17)

• It would be better that they had not gathered than to come together and show such disunity and selfish behaviours.

From the book of Acts, we know it is customary for believers to meet in homes to break bread together and enjoy food and fellowship (cf. Acts 2:46).

• During such meals, which Jude calls “love feasts” (Jude 1:12) or some calls agape meals (from the Greek word love), they would take the Lord’s Supper.

• It was called the Lord’s Supper (20) because Jesus instituted it when He had His last supper (Passover feast) with the disciples on the night before He was betrayed.

• During the Passover meal, they had unleavened bread and wine, and hence they were used by Jesus to call us to remember Him.

We called it “holy communion” today, taking the word “communion” from 1 Cor 10:16 KJV “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

• The word ‘communion’ in Greek is “koinonia”, meaning fellowship. ESV and NIV translate it as “participation”.

• We are brought into a relationship with Christ and hence with one another in Christ.

But something was not right when they gathered for the Lord’s Supper, which was taken as part of their communal meal.

• The food was brought together for all to share, with the rich bringing more and the poor less.

• They call this meal the “love feast” or “agape meal” precisely because of the emphasis on showing love for one another and sharing their food with fellow saints.

However, as Paul described it, there were divisions and factions, observable ones.

• Those who came early went ahead to eat their own meals. They did not wait for the rest. There wasn’t any sharing of the food.

• Some were left hungry and others drank so much until they were drunk.