1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11:1-16

The apolite had proposed to them, in the conclusion of the former chapter, his own example; and he here echoers them, Be ye followers of me, at I affix am of Christ. He copied after his divine matter, and therefore could speak freely, when his own practice was so eminently a comment on his discourse.

1. To introduce, with greater efficacy, the reproofs which he was constrained to give, he commends them for what was praise-worthy among them. Now I praise you, brethren, that you yeasunder me in all things, and keep the ordinances, at I delivered them unto you; at least, the main body of the church loved, honoured, and objected him, and were observant of his instructions.

2. He lays a foundation for the rebuke which he was obliged to give, in reminding them of the superiority of the man over the woman. I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; he is the Creator and Governor of all, and, in a peculiar manner, the head of his church: and the head of the woman is the man, who hath by creation and nature the superiority, and therefore the woman should be in subjection: And the head of Christ is God, confederated as Mediator; and, in his human nature, he is inferior to the Father; though, in his Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal.

3. The thing he blames is, that their men prayed and prophesied revered, the women, uncovered. Veiling the head, in the Eastern countries, was regarded as a token of a chiefly and subjection in the woman; and having the head uncovered, betokened the superiority of the man; when therefore any man prayed or prophesied, leading the devotions of the congregation, with a covering on his head, he dishonoured Christ his head, who had given him the superiority; on the contrary, if any woman, under an extraordinary inspiration, prays or prophesies in public, with her head uncovered, the dishonours the man who is her head, by such an affliction of appearing like him; and, instead of modest subjection, pretends to an equality with him; and the mighty, with equal decency, cut her hair short, and wear it in the form peculiar to men, and thus appear unveiled. But if such a fight would appear shocking and highly immorely, in a religious assembly, then let her be covered. The man might not to ever his head; it would be to debuck his dignity, forelyness as he is the image and glory of God, inveiled with the supreme dominion; but the woman is the glory of the man, who hath the honour of being placed in the rank of creation above her, and hath a becoming dominion over her. For the man is not of the woman, created from her substance, but the woman is of the man, from his rib. Neither was the man created for the woman, fearing he was in being before her, but the woman for the man, to be his help-mate, and therein was implied a reasonable subjection to him. For this cause ought the woman to have power ever her head, and to be veiled, in token of her subjection, because of the angels, or messengers of Christ, who should preside in this church, and it would be highly arrogant to affect equality with them. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord, both sexes partaking alike of that common salvation which is in Jesus Christ; so that though subjection be due, the woman is not to be tyrannized over as a slave, but to be cherished with warmest affection and becoming respect. For as the the woman is of the man, taken from his false, now ye is the man also by the woman, springing from her; but all things of God, who hath placed each in their respective Nations; which, therefore, for confidence take, they should discharge. Judge in mayhem; is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered, affecting to be like the men, and inverting the established order of God? Doth not nature itself teach you, that a distinction should be observed in the dress of the different sexes? And as such is the custom of the country where you live, to cut the hair short, it is regarded as a token of great effeminacy to appear otherwise. So that if a man have long hair, it is a shame was him. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her, comely, and becoming her for her hair is given her for a covering, and should be managed in as to avoid all confusion of dress between the sexes. But if any man seem to be contentious, and disposed to vindicate such a pryesternious practice, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God, where every appearance of a contentious spirit is condemned, and all such indecent affliction discountenanced.

4. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. 18. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that ’there be + divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19. For ’there must be also herefore among you,’ that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21. For in eating every one taketh before other, his own Supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22. What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or ‘despite ye the church of God, and I shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

VOL. II.

1 Corinthians 11:17-22

Shocking abuses early crept into the Corinthian church, some of which the apolite mentions, and sharply re-bukes the offenders. Though he would praise them (vv. 2.) in general, there were some among them who were a dishonour to their holy protection; who met with them, not for the better, to receive edification, but for the worse, growing more corrupt, even in the very use of holy ordinances.

1. When ye come together in the church, I hear that there is divisions among you, one being for Paul, and another for Apollon, and the church thus torn with Actions; and I partly believe it. For there must be also herefore among you; such is the corruption of man’s nature, and the craft of the wicked one, that tares will be sown amongst the wheat, and for with purposes God perquire it should be lo, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you, their faith trout, and their financing evidenced. Nato, (1.) Nothing is more fatal to the church of Christ, than uncharitable divisions and discards between the members. (2.) God can over-rule, even the wickedness of apollons, to the furtherance of his people in faith and holiness.

2. Some of them committed the most scandalous irregularities at the Lord’s table. When ye come therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, the method in which you proceed being utterly subversive of the very intention of that holy ordinance; for in eating, every one taketh, before other, his own Supper, as if it was a more common meal; and what is still worth, one is hungry, the poor man goes away without any refreshment, the bread and wine being deserved by those who come first; and another is drunken, the rich indulging themselves to the full, if not to excels. What a scandalous abode? Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? when you want to nourish your bodies? or despite ye the church of God, and put contempt on the poor members of it, and shame them that have not, have no houses of their own, nor abilities to provide the elements for themselves? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this, thus to form parties even in the church, and devour the provision of which the poor should partake? No; assuredly, I praise you not; I blame you exceedingly.

3. 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, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had topped, 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 bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death ’till he come. 27. Wherefore whoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord ‘unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28. But ’let a man examine himself, and so ’let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh + damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31. For ‘if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32. But when we are judged, ‘we are challenged of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 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.

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

To rectify the gross abuses which he represented, the apolite sets before them,

1. The true nature of the sacred institution, as he received is from the Lord, and had faithfully delivered it unto them. The Lord Jesus, the king of his church, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this bread is the symbol and representation of my body, which is broken for you, and offered upon the cross in your stead; this do in remembrance of me; continue, in this ordinance, a constant memorial of my dying love, and of the benefits you receive thereby. After the same manner also he had the cup, when he had topped, saying, This cup is the New Testament, or pursuant to my blood, which is now carried by the blood-dividing of the Mediator; and all the inestimable privileges contained in it secured to every believing God. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me, frequently meeting to celebrate this sacred feast, remembering therein my matchless grace, manifest in those precious and generous doings of blood that for your redemption; for as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come, declaring your dependence thereon, as the ground of all your hope towards God, and openly professing your faith in a crucified Redeemer, as all his

8 C. people

people are called upon to do, until the day comes when they shall appear with him in glory.

2. He warns them of the danger of an irreverent use of this holy ordinance. Wherefore, whoever setteth and drinketh this cup of the Lord unworthily, in such a scandalous, tedious, and foolish manner, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, incurring the heavy guilt of treating with contempt the blood of the convenant. But let a man examine himself, with regard to the truth of his faith, love, and conviction in God; and his knowledge of the design of this sacred infliction, and is let him set of that bread and drink of that cup, to his soul’s edification and comfort. For he who setteth and drinketh unworthily, in the shocking manner before described, setteth and drinketh damnation to himself, provoking some temporal judgment of God upon him; not deterring the Lord’s body, nor making a difference between the sacred symbol thereof, and common food. For this canly many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep, God visiting in sickness, disease, and death, your provocations. For if we would judge ourselves, and seriously examine into our conduct, that with real penitence we might return unto God, no should not be judged with such heavy providential afflictions. But when we are thus judged, we are chastised of the Lord in mercy, that we should not be condemned with the world, left to go on securely, and perish in our sins. Nate, (1.) None should be discouraged from the Lord’s tablo, who, on examining themselves, can lay, that in simplicity they desire to approve themselves to him. (2.) God never calls away his people, though often for their good he visits their offences with a rod, and their sin with scourges.

3. He directs them how to celebrate this sacred ordinance. Wherefore, my brethren, who ye come together to eat, tarry one for another till all are assembled, and you can eat together; sitting down, as children of one family, at the table of the Lord. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home, this being not designed as an ordinary meal; that ye come not together to condemnation, provoking God by your irreverence, dissensions, or exerts. And the rest, if there be any thing further amiss, respecting the proper discipline to be observed, will I let in order when I come.