I Corinthians
Chapter 11
Vs. 1 Paul tells the believers “Follow me, as I follow Christ.”
Can we say the same thing to our children? Can we say that to others? Are we following Christ in a way that if other people follow our example they would be following Christ?
Paul told them remember me and what I have been teaching you about Christ.
Vs. 3 Paul tells them the “head” “leader” of every man is Christ. The “head” “leader” of every woman is man. The “head” of Christ is God the Father.
In today’s world in the United States women do not like to hear that Man is the “head” of women. Or that the man is the “head” of the family. Women want to be equal in all things.
Paul is speaking of his day and the things the way they were in his time. And yet, what he says is true.
Every group, organization, etc. has to have a leader or “head”. A two “headed” organization does not do well. One person must make the final decision.
There can be a “Vice President”, but the President still has the final say.
This is true for every group and organization and family. Women should have a say and should be part of the decisions but in the end the final decision has to come from the “head” person.
In the US today we have many households where there is only a woman and children, and so she becomes the “head”. This is not the family unit God had intended.
God intended for there to be a father, mother and children.
As Christians, Christ is our “head”. So we all can turn to Christ for help in making decisions.
If a woman is the “head” of her family, she will need Christ to help her, just as a man as “head” would need Christ to help him.
For a man his head person is Christ. For a woman it is Christ and her husband.
For Christ it is God the Father.
Vs. 4 Paul’s says that for a man to pray in church or stand giving a prophecy and have his head covered is considered a dishonor.
Vs.5 For a woman to pray in church or stand to give a prophecy and not have her head covered it is a dishonor.
In Paul’s time and place, it was thought to be such a shame that it would be no different than if she had shaved her head.. If it was a shame for a woman to shave her head, then it was a shame for her to be in church without her head covered.
Vs. 6-16 Paul goes on to talk about this. This was the custom of the time and place where Paul lived. It was expected for women to cover their head in a church.
Some churches in the US still preach and teach that women should cover their head when they go into a church. In other parts of the world, it would be so women would wear a covering over their head when they went in a church.
Customs change by time and place. My thought about this is if you feel you need to cover your head to go in a church then do it. If you do not feel you need to do this in modern US then do not do it.
If you feel you do not need to cover your head in a church but you are in a place that believes you should then cover your head while you are there. Paul’s point is do not make an argument over it.
Vs. 19-22 It seems that the believers there in Corinth were not behaving right when it came to the Lord’s supper. Some did not eat at home, when they came to church for the Lord’s supper, they ate and ate to be full. Or they drank and drank until they were drunk. Others came early and started eating before the others were there.
The Lord’s Supper was not for eating a meal to get full and satisfy hunger. It was a remembering time like a ceremony. They had bread and wine. They were symbols of Jesus’ body and blood.
Eating of the bread and wine was to have a taste to remember what Jesus did not the cross. It was not a meal to satisfy hunger.
Vs. 24-26 These verses are the verses preachers read now days at communion at church. It explains how the bread is a symbol of the body of Jesus that was beaten and hung on the cross. The wine was symbol of his blood that ran out of his body.
He did this as he took the death punishment for sin for our sin, He never did sin. He died in our place and paid the death punishment that we should have paid.
How long are we to do this remembering ceremony? Until Jesus comes again. Why are we to do it? To remember what He did.
Vs. 27 -34 Paul warns them do not eat the Lord’s supper making like you have been forgiven and are a believer when you are not a believer or if you have not been forgiven.
To eat of the Lord’s Supper and not to have been forgiven is like mocking it.
Paul tells them to examine themselves. To think about their heart. Have they asked for forgiveness of sins? Are they a true believer?
Paul says that some of the people have been taking part in the Lord’s Supper and have not asked for forgiveness. Because of this pretending before God they have suffered sickness, some of the have died.
Paul said if you judge yourself and deal with your sin before God then others will not have to judge you. And God will not judge you because you have asked for forgiveness.
Paul warns them not to take the Lord’s Supper lightly. It is a holy thing. A holy remembering. Do not be careless. Do not pretend and mock.
Paul tells them if they are hungry to eat a meal at home. And when they come for the Lord’s Supper to wait for the others. It is to be a time of shared remembering a holy time.
Paul tells them that there are other things he wants to say to them, but he will wait until he comes to see them again.