What shall I say to you? shall | Take, eat; this is my body, I praise you in this? I praise you not. 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: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, you? How shall I sufficiently express my disapprobation of such conduct? TI praise you not. Whatever praise you may merit in other respects, I cannot praise you for conduct so utterly unbecoming the disciples of Christ, so inconsistent with that spirit of love which should characterize them. which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 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. 26 For as often as ye eat this tion of the supper in the church. But, as the brethren had so widely departed from the prescribed form of observance, he now repeats his instructions. T The same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. See note on Matt. xxvi. 26. The time of its institution increases its interest and its solemnity. 24. And when he had given thanks. Matthew says, "and blessed it"; but the two forms are substantially alike. Take, eat, &c. See note on Matt. xxvi. 26. 25. After the same manner. Greek, likewise. He took the cup, when he had supped, saying, &c. See notes on Matt. xxvi. 27, 28. Barnes and others suppose the phrase "when he had supped" affords proof that the whole service of the supper, both eating and drinking, was after the conclusion of the paschal feast: and that this was urged by the apostle to show the impropriety of the Corinthian custom. To me, this seems to be an unnatural conclusion. The simple idea expressed is, that after Jesus had partaken of the bread with his disciples, he gave them the cup. However true it may be, that the Lord's supper was instituted at the close of the paschal feast, or even after its ceremonies were fully ended, and that it was designed as an institution entirely separate and distinct from the passover, I apprehend that fact is not proved by this phrase. ¶ In remembrance of me. See note on Luke xxii. 19. 23. For, &c. As the best way to convince the Corinthians of their error, the apostle states the true character and design of the Lord's supper, that by contrast they might clearly see how they had abused it, and desecrated it. This, in point of time, is the earliest account given of the institution of the supper: for this epistle was written several years before either of the gospels. I have received of the Lord. Paul did not receive knowledge of this institution from his fellow-apostles, nor from any other human authority; but it was made known to him by direct revelalation. In this manner, indeed, he received most of his instruction in the gospel. Gal. i. 11, 12. At what particular time this was revealed to him does not appear; for he had many divine communications subsequently to his memorable experience on the way to Damascus, according to the promise then given to him. Acts xxvi. 16; 2 Cor. xii. 7. He mentions this fact, that his brethren might not regard the institution as of human and questionable authority; but might realize their obligation to observe it in the manner prescribed by the Lord 26. For as often as ye eat this Jesus Christ. T That which I also bread, &c. This is the language of delivered unto you. This was one of Paul. The words of Jesus, used at the the truths which he communicated, institution of the supper, are contained when preaching at Corinth; and he in ver. 24, 25. "This is a direct and had doubtless instituted the celebra-positive refutation of the doctrine of bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this the Papists that the bread is changed into the real body of the Lord Jesus. Here it is expressly called bread, bread still, bread after the consecration. Before the Saviour instituted the ordinance he took bread; it was bread then; it was bread which he blessed and brake; and it was bread when it was given to them; and it was bread when Paul here says they ate. How then can it be pretended that it is anything else but bread? And what an amazing absurdity it is to believe that that bread is changed into the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ!"-Barnes. Ye do show the Lord's death. You commemorate his death. By an exhibition of the emblems of his body and blood, you express publicly your belief that he died; and by partaking of those emblems, you publicly manifest your hope of spiritual blessings through him. Till he come. See notes on Matt. xxvi. 29; Luke xxii. 20. "Two characteristics of their Eucharist are here given. (1) You preach' or 'announce,' according to the constant usage of the word; ch. ii. 1; ix. 14; Acts passim; as if he said, 'The Lord's supper is a living sermon, an acted discourse!' It is the death of our Lord which was chiefly intended to be commemorated; and hence the stress laid in ver. 23 on the betrayal. (2.) It was intended to supply, by a visible memorial, the absence of the Lord until he come,' the sense being brought out more strongly by the near expectation of his return. Comp. Matt. xxvi. 29.". Stanley. 27. Wherefore. Such being the nature and design of the Lord's supper, this follows. To convince the Corinthians of their error, the apostle has stated the true character of the supper. To induce them to forsake their disorderly custom, he now shows them the consequences of persisting in it. Whosoever shall eat, &c. That is, as refers, not to the character of the persons performing the service, but to the manner in which they perform it. All men are in a less or greater degree unworthy to sit at the Lord's table; but it is spread for the benefit of such, that they may receive spiritual benefit and be made more and more worthy of this high privilege, and they may lawfully partake, if they do so in a proper manner and with a right spirit. The peculiar unworthiness to which the apostle refers is indicated in verse 29. Shall be guilty of the body, &c. "Will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord."-Conybeare. "Shall be guilty of profaning the symbols of the body and blood of the Lord."- Macknight. "He will be guilty with respect to the body, that is, guilty of profaning the symbols of the body and blood of Christ, and consequently will be amenable to the punishment due to such an irreverence and abuse of the highest of the means of grace."- Bloomfield. "So that if this symbol represents the death of the Lord, he who eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily (as they do who make such uncharitable and proud distinctions of persons at your love-feasts, and who there feast with so much intemperance), I say such a one will be esteemed by God as doing an act of irreverence to the body and blood of Christ, represented by the bread and wine.". - Pearce. 28. But let a man examine himself. Self-examination is an important Christian duty. It is especially important as a preparation for approach to the Lord's table. It is as important to Christians now, as it was to the ancient Corinthians, though the ad that bread, and drink of that | self, not discerning the Lord's cup. body. 29 For he that eateth and 30 For this cause many are drinketh unworthily, eateth and weak and sickly among you, drinketh damnation to him- and many sleep. monition was addressed to them with a specific reference; namely, that they should satisfy themselves whether they were prepared to partake of the supper in a proper manner, with a correct view of its nature and design, and with a knowledge of what was signified by the bread and the wine. We should make a like examination of ourselves. And we should examine also and chiefly, whether we are in a fit frame of spirit, and whether we truly desire and expect to receive spiritual nourishment through the commemoration of our Lord's death, and through faith in his resurrection which demonstrated the truth of immortality. ¶ And so let him eat, &c. Let him be guided by the result of his examination. If he believe he may do so properly and profitably, let him unite in the commemoration; otherwise, let him refrain. displeasure, and to punishment. And it refers, I think, to the punishment or judgment which the apostle immediately specifies, ver. 30, 32. It means a manifestation of the divine displeasure which might be evinced in this life; and which, in the case of the Corinthians, was manifested in the judgment which God brought upon them.". - Barnes. In this interpretation, almost all the commentators substantially agree. See Selections. Not discerning the Lord's body. "Because he maketh no difference of the Lord's body."- Tyndale. "Since he makes no difference between the Lord's body and common food."— - Conybeare. "Because he does not discriminate the symbols of the body of the Lord from common bread and wine designed for the nourishment of life."- Macknight. See note on Rom. xiv. 23, where the same word occurs. This was the great error of the Corinthians; instead of regarding the Lord's supper as a memorial of the death of our Lord, and observing it in remembrance of him, they partook of it as an ordinary meal, or as a feast like those of the idolaters; and the disorders mentioned in ver. 20-22, were the natural conse 30. For this cause. As the result of your improper and disorderly practices. T Many are weak and sickly among you. Afflicted with bodily sickness and disease; perhaps the natural result of their gluttony and intemper 29. For he that eateth, &c. The apostle has before mentioned the guilt involved in the disorderly practices which he condemned. In this verse he speaks of the consequences. T Unworthily. See note on ver. 27. T Eateth and drinketh damnation to himself. "Condemnation, and consequently punishment, by the infliction of quence. some bodily infirmity, sickness, or death." Bloomfield. "According to our use of the word now, there is a harshness and severity in our translation which the Greek does not require, and which probably was not conveyed by the word damnation when the trans-ance; or, possibly, an extraordinary lation was made. In the margin it is correctly rendered judgment. The word here used properly denotes judgment, that is, a sentence; then a sentence by which one is condemned, or condemnation: and then punishment. See Rom. iii. 8; xiii. 2. It has evidently the sense of judgment here; and means that by their improper manner of observing this ordinance, they would expose themselves to the divine display of divine justice. ¶ And many sleep. Many have already died; for such is not an unusual sense of the word. "In the sicknesses and deaths which prevailed at Corinth, the apostle calls upon the Corinthians to witness the judgments on their profanation of the supper. It may be that these sicknesses were the direct consequences of the excesses which seem implied in ver. 22 and 34; but in any 31 For if we would judge that we should not be conourselves, we should not be demned with the world. judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. case, there must have been some com- indicates the discipline suited to the motion not evident to us, which would condition of a child, which is adlead the Corinthians to recognize the ministered by a father. Its design, truth of his remark."-Stanley. Phys- under the divine administration is parical judgments, not naturally grow- ticularly described in Heb. xii. 5-11. ing out of the crime, are mentioned"We are under the discipline of the in the Scriptures. See notes on Acts v. 5; xiii. Îl. In this case, however, a natural connection is perceptible between the crime and its punishment. 31. For if we would judge ourselves. If we would discriminate ourselves; or make a difference between ourselves and the disorderly persons mentioned. The same word occurs here which is translated "discerning" in ver. 29. "If we would make a difference in ourselves. In ver. 29, he had mentioned their not making a difference between the body of the Lord and common food. Here he speaks of their making a difference in themselves."- Macknight. T We should not be judged. Or, disapproved; or, become liable to punishment; or, be punished. "These words are exegetical of the preceding; and the sense is, if we would so judge and discern ourselves, as before mentioned, namely, whether we receive the Lord's supper worthily or not, we should not be adjudged to suffer such punishments as those just adverted to."- - Bloomfield. 32. But when we are judged. When we are adjudged guilty, and are punished for our transgressions; that is, as the words are here used, in regard to the improper manner of observing the supper. We are chastened by the Lord. The apostle here indicates the nature of punishment or divine retribution. It is designed to instruct, and to reform, and thus to benefit the offender. The word maideów, one form of which is here used, occurs thirteen times in the New Testament; it is generally translated chasten or chastise; but it is also rendered instructing, 2 Tim. ii. 25; teaching, Titus ii. 12; taught, Acts xxii. 3; and learn, Acts vii. 22; 1 Tim. i. 20. The etymology of the word Lord; we are dealt with as children, and are corrected as by the hand of a father. Comp. Heb. xii. 5-10, and 2 Cor. vi. 9. The design of God's correcting his children is, that they should be reclaimed, and not destroyed.". Barnes. T That we should not be condemned with the world. That we may not be given over to the condition of the heathen generally, from which we have once been delivered. See note on John iii. 18. The Corinthians had professed faith in Christ. Notwithstanding all their errors, they were in fact believers. Yet their disorderly practices tended to a relapse into heathenish idolatry. This danger is referred to in ch. x. 14-23. God had chastened them, that he might keep them in the fold of faith, and preserve them from again wandering into darkness and the region of spiritual death. 33. When ye come together to eat. Namely, to eat the Lord's supper. Tarry one for another. Do not greedily devour the food which you have provided, excluding your poorer brethren from the repast. Observe the rules of common decency, and of Christian courtesy and love. See note on ver. 21. Regarding each other as fellowdisciples of one Master, assembled to commemorate the highest possible exhibition of that Master's love to all, John xv. 13, let perfect order, sobriety, and affectionate mutual respect characterize your conduct. 34. If any man hunger, let him eat at home. The Lord's table is not designed for feasting, or for the gratification of the appetite: it is not designed even for the ordinary refreshment needful to the body. It is 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. CHAPTER XII. Ngifts, brethren, I would not TOW concerning spiritual have you ignorant. CHAPTER XII. In this chapter a new subject is introduced, namely, that of spiritual gifts or endowments. The discussion extends through three chapters. The general scope of the whole is briefly expressed, thus: "In ch. xii., St. Paul shows that all those gifts were alike effected by the Holy Ghost, and all were for the use of the church; and, therefore, that no one should value himself upon his gifts so far as to contemn another who had an inferior gift: in ch. xiii., he recommends love as a greater perfection than all the gifts of the Holy Ghost put together, because all those gifts must cease here, but love will remain forever in heaven: and in ch. xiv., he gives particular rules about the use of their gifts in the public assemblies." - Pearce. It is generally supposed that this subject was embraced in the letter from the Corinthians, to which the apostle alludes, ch. vii. 1, and that what follows was in answer to their inquiries. designed solely for spiritual refreshment; that, by the commemoration of the Lord's love, the faith of believers may be confirmed, their hope made to abound through the power of the Holy Ghost, Rom. xv. 13, and their love increased. Let not this table be desecrated by improper use. Let it not be converted to purposes of feasting and banqueting, or even of ordinary refreshment taken in moderation. Your own houses are the proper places where the cravings of hunger should be satisfied, ver. 22. Let the demands of nature be satisfied there. T That ye come not together unto condemnation. "That the effect of your coming together for the observance of the Lord's supper be not to produce condemnation." Barnes. The condemnation is manifestly the same which is mentioned in ver. 29. The manner in which they were liable to incur it is described in ver. 21. And one method to avoid it is pointed out in this verse. Let each one satisfy the demands of hunger at home. They might then assemble at a spiritual feast, and find 1. Now concerning, &c. This is a substantial refreshment in the memo- general statement of the subject, as in rials of a Saviour's dying love. ¶ And ch. vii. 1; viii. 1. T Spiritual gifts. the rest. Whatever other irregular-"The word 'gifts' is not in the origities might exist in regard to the sub-inal. The Greek refers to 'spiritual' ject under discussion. Some suppose things in general, or to anything that the apostle referred to other matters is of a spiritual nature. The whole on which he had been consulted. But as he proceeds to discuss some of these at least, it seems more probable that the first interpretation is correct. ¶ Will I set in order. I will give full instructions. T When I come. It would seem that Paul designed to visit Corinth soon, and to give personal advice and direction. This design was frustrated, 2 Cor. i. 15-17, and he wrote a second epistle. As he does not, in that epistle, refer again to this subject, it may be presumed the disorders here rebuked had been discontinued. The same fact may be inferred from 2 Cor. vii. 14. discussion, however, shows that he refers to the various endowments, gifts, or graces that had been bestowed in different degrees on the members of the church, including the distinctions in graces, and in degrees of office and rank, which had been made in the Christian church in general, as well as the extraordinary endowments of the gift of tongues which had been bestowed on many.". Barnes. ΠΙ would not have you ignorant. I would have you distinctly understand. This phrase is frequently used by the apostle as introductory to the discussion of a subject at some length. See -- |