Lesson Five                                                                                                                     October 11,

Tucson                               EATING THE LORD’S SUPPER                                            1998

 

TEXTS: 1 Corinthians  10:16-17; 11:17-34.

I.       THE LORD’S SUPPER IS, AT ONCE, THREE THINGS—A DECLARATION, A MEMORIAL, AND A PROCLAMATION.

A.     The Lord’s Supper is A DECLARATION. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17.

1.      The Greek word translated “communion” in 10:16 is koinonos. According to Thayer, koinonos means “fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse.” In 10:16, the NASB translates koinonos “sharing.”

2.      When we partake of the cup and bread, we do not enter into fellowship with the blood and body of Christ. Rather, we declare that we have already entered fellowship with the blood and body of Christ and that we are one body with all who likewise partake and likewise have fellowship with the blood and body of Christ. The NASB renders 10:17, “Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.”

3.      Therefore, we eat the Lord’s Supper that we might declare ourselves to be in fellowship with Christ and His church.

B.      The Lord’s Supper is A MEMORIAL. 1 Corinthians 11:23-24. We eat the Lord’s Supper that we might remember Christ. Primarily, we must remember Christ’s death and that fact that He died for us and for the remission of our sins (Matthew 26:28). But, we must also remember:

1.      The new covenant forged by His death and our responsibilities under it (Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:15-20; 13:20; Matthew 26:28);

2.      That Jesus arose, ascended, and will one day come again (Matthew 26:29); and

3.      Our need to be thankful to Him for all that the Lord’s Supper is designed to bring to mind (11:24-25).

C.     The Lord’s Supper is A PROCLAMATION. 1 Corinthians 11:26. “Proclaim” in 11:26 is kataggello. Kataggello appears 17 times in the New Testament. In the NKJV, it is translated “preach” or “preached” 10 times, “proclaim” 4 times, “teach” 1 time, “is spoken” 1 time, and “declaring” 1 time. Therefore, we eat the Lord’s Supper that we might proclaim or preach the Lord’s death till He comes.

II.      THE PROBLEM IN CORINTH. 1 Corinthians 11:17-22.

A.     Apparently the Corinthians had two problems when they came together as a church (11:18A).

1.      First, the congregation was divided and separated along class lines, i.e. some of the rich had divided and separated themselves from the poor (11:18-19, 21-22). A different manifestation of the same type of problem is discussed in James 2:1-13.

2.      Second, when the congregation came together in one place, it was not to eat the Lord’s Supper (11:20).

a.      When the congregation came together in one place, it was not to eat the Lord’s Supper for in eating the Lord’s Supper they were:

1).     treating it as if it was their own supper intended to satisfy physical rather than spiritual hunger (11:21, 34);

2)      not waiting for one another (11:21, 33); and  

3)      not sharing with one another (11:21-22).

b.      Many say that the Corinthians were not eating the Lord’s Supper because their perversion of the “love feast” made it impossible for them to eat the Lord’s Supper.

1)      Those who espouse this view believe that the “love feast” of Jude 12 was a meal which Christians came together as a church to eat just before they ate the Lord’s Supper.

2)      Those who espouse this view believe that Paul was discussing the Corinthians’ perversion of the “love feast” in 11:21-22 and perhaps even 11:33-34.

3)      With the proliferation of “fellowship” meals and halls, more and more brethren have come to espouse this view. This shift in thinking is vividly illustrated by comparing interpretations of our text by brethren writing in the same publication. In the Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary (a Gospel Advocate Company publication):

i.       For 1946, Guy N. Woods wrote, “The Corinthians had abused the supper by turning it into a common meal. Some were even getting drunk at the Lord’s table.”

ii.       For 1950, Roy H. Lanier, Sr. wrote, “To discern the Lord’s body is to see in the bread and cup that which Jesus intended. Those who made a meal of the supper failed to see in it the Lord’s body. They saw satisfaction for physical appetite, not food for the soul in communion with the Lord.” Neither brother Woods or brother Lanier even mentioned “love feasts” in their comments.

iii.      For 1968, Leslie G. Thomas wrote, “The ‘Lord’s Supper’ was one thing, while their ‘own supper’ was something else. There is no evidence whatsoever to the effect that they had changed the Lord’s supper into a feast for their physical enjoyment. They had two suppers when they met for worship” (the italics were supplied by brother Thomas).

d.      Unfortunately, we do not have time to speak about “love feasts” in this lesson. Therefore, let me simply say that I strongly disagree with those who espouse this view and that I believe I can give strong evidence to support my opposition.

3.      These two problems were the result of the Corinthians despising (thinking little or nothing) of the church of God (11:22). Given 11:18, I think it is wise for us to consider that “the church of God” in 11:22 may refer to the assembly of people rather than the people who assemble. If this is the case, Paul is reminding us that when we come together as a church, we must always appreciate the holiness of such gatherings and conduct them and ourselves in them exactly as God has prescribed, without addition or subtraction. If we fail to do so, we despise the church of God. The Corinthians despised the church of God, for instead of eating their own common supper in the family gathering, they ate it in the Christian assembly and dared to call it the Lord’s Supper when the Lord’s Supper is anything but a common meal.

 

4.      These two problems resulted in the Corinthians shaming those who had nothing (11:22).

5.      To solve these two problems, Paul once again delivered to the Corinthians that which had received from the Lord regarding the Lord’s Supper (11:23-26) and then proceeded to discuss various issues involved in eating the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner (11:27-34).

III.    EATING THE LORD’S SUPPER IN A WORTHY MANNER. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

A.     The Lord Jesus, on the same night in which He was betrayed, took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to the disciples to divide among themselves (Luke 22:17-18). He then took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to the disciples, and then explained to them what they were to do with it and why they were to do it (11:23-24; Matthew 26:26). In the same manner He also took the cup after they had eaten (not after supper) and explained to them what they were to do with it and why they were to do it  (11:25; Luke 22:17-18, 20). Afterwards, they sang a hymn (Matthew 26:30).

1.      In 11:25-26, the cup refers to the contents, not the container. It is akin to saying, “The kettle is boiling,” i.e. its contents are boiling, not the kettle itself. First, we don’t drink cups, we drink their contents. Second, we don’t divide cups, we divide their contents (Luke 22:17-18). Given Luke 22:17-18, 20, it appears that the using multiple containers is, if anything, even more scriptural than using a single container. Also, contrary to Catholic practice, all should drink just as surely as all should eat (Matthew 26:27).

 

2.      The bread and cup are not the literal the body and blood of Christ. They are figurative representations of the body and blood of Christ to help us remember the literal body and blood of Christ. The Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation is clearly false for when Jesus first said these words He had not been crucified; had it literally been His blood, Jesus and His disciples would have sinned for the Law of Moses strictly forbids the drinking of blood; and Paul continues to call what we eat after it has been blessed BREAD (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)! 

B.      That all might remember or perhaps learn what the Lord’s Supper is (we must remember that the Lord’s Supper is, among other things, a proclamation), I believe we should give a short “table talk” in addition to singing a song to prepare our minds for the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. This would certainly be in keeping with the example we have been given.

IV.    EATING THE LORD’S SUPPER IN AN UNWORTHY MANNER. 1 Corinthians 11:27-34.

A.      “In an unworthy manner” in 11:27 is anaxios. Anaxios appears only 3 times in the New Testament, in 1 Corinthians 6:2; 11:27, 29. However, anaxios is a compound word formed by combining a + axios. Axios appears 41 times in the New Testament. When prefaced with the Greek equivalent of the word “not,” axios seems to carry the same meaning as anaxios. Clearly, there is a sense in which no one is worthy to eat the Lord’s Supper in any manner. Luke 7:7; 15:19, 21; John 1:27; Acts 13:25. However, since Jesus wants Christians to do so, there is a sense in which some are worthy to eat the Lord’s Supper. Revelation 3:4. There is also a sense in which even unworthy people can eat the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner. Romans 16:2; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 3 John 1:6.

B.      We eat the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner when:

1.      We do not follow the Lord’s instructions regarding the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 10:13-14; Acts 13:44-46);

2.      The Lord is not the highest priority in our life (Matthew 10:37-38);

3.      We make light of the Lord’s Supper—as, for example, when we do not eat the Lord’s Supper as often as it is served (Matthew 22:1-8);

4.      We do not discern the Lord’s body (11:29)—whether His literal physical body or his figurative spiritual body, the church. When we eat the Lord’s Supper, we should certainly discern the Lord’s physical body on the cross. However, when we eat the Lord’s Supper, we should also discern the Lord’s spiritual body, i.e. the church.

a.      Consider the following:

1)      “Discerning” in 11:29 and “we would judge” in 11:31 are the same word in the Greek (diakrino).

2)      The object of diakrino in 11:31 is “ourselves.”

3)      There were divisions and factions among the Corinthians over class differences and other matters. 11:18ff.

4)      The Lord’s Supper is a declaration that we are one body with all who eat. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 21.

5)      Any lack of unity for which we are responsible bars acceptable worship. Matthew 5:23-24.

b.      Given these considerations, it seems to me that we must allow for the possibility that the Lord’s body in 11:29 is His figurative spiritual body, the church. “The Lord’s Supper was ordained by Christ to prompt people to love him and his body, the church. It is a ‘love’ feast. It must be observed in unity. No one should dare observe it if he is not in harmony with his brethren. To observe the Lord’s Supper and at the same time be slandering a brother, or disregarding a brother’s needs, or agitating division within the body, it to profane and make a mockery of it. Such would be to blaspheme the very life he hypocritically professes to be sharing—the Life of Jesus!” (Paul T. Butler).

c.      Even if Paul was not specifically referring to the Lord’s body in 11:29, given these considerations, I still believe we must discern the church in order to eat the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner.

C.     Whoever eats the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner:                     

1.      Is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (11:27). If we eat the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner, instead of enjoying the benefits of Jesus’ death on the cross, we stand in the same place as those who nailed Him to the cross. See Hebrews 10:26-31, 24-25!

2.      Eats and drinks judgment or condemnation to themselves (11:29, 32, 34).

3.      Is spiritually weak and sick, and perhaps even dead (11:30).

4.      Is chastened by the Lord (11:32). “We are chastened” in 11:32 is paideuo. Paideuo is training that includes whatever is necessary to produce the result intended by the training. It may include corporal punishment (Luke 23:16, 22; 2 Corinthians 6:9; Hebrews 12:6), teaching (Acts 7:22; 22:3; Titus 2:11-12), correction (2 Timothy 2:24-26; Hebrews 12:9), disfellowshipping (1 Timothy 1:18-20), and rebuking (Hebrews 12:5; Revelation 3:14-19).

5.      Must repent or perish (11:32).

D.     To avoid eating the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner, we must:

1.      Examine ourselves before and during the Lord’s Supper (11:28) to make sure we are not eating the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner.   

2.      If we are eating the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner, we must not despise or be discouraged by the chastening of the Lord. Rather, we must be trained by it (11:32; Hebrews 12:5-11).

3.      Wait for and share with our brethren that we might eat the Lord’s Supper together (11:21, 33).

4.      Eat the Lord’s Supper to satisfy spiritual hunger in the assembly of the church, eat our own supper to satisfy physical hunger at home, and not in any way confuse one with the other (11:21-22, 34).