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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 Corinthians 11:23–34. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
To rectify these gross corruptions and irregularities, the apostle sets the sacred institution here to view. This should be the rule in the reformation of all abuses.
I.He tells us how he came by the knowledge of it.
He was not among the apostles at the first institution; but he had received from the Lord what he delivered to them, Co1 11:23. He had the knowledge of this matter by revelation from Christ: and what he had received he communicated, without varying from the truth a tittle, without adding or diminishing.
II.He gives us a more particular account of the institution than we meet with elsewhere. We have here an account,
1.Of the author - our Lord Jesus Christ. The king of the church only has power to institute sacraments.
2.The time of the institution: It was the very night wherein he was betrayed; just as he was entering on his sufferings which are therein to be commemorated.
3.The institution itself. Our Saviour took bread, and when he had given thanks, or blessed (as it is in Mat 26:26), he broke, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. And in like manner he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood; this do, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me, Co1 11:24, Co1 11:25. Here observe,
(1.)The materials of this sacrament; both,
[1.]As to the visible signs; these are bread and the cup, the former of which is called bread many times over in this passage, even after what the papists call consecration. What is eaten is called bread, though it be at the same time said to be the body of the Lord, a plain argument that the apostle knew nothing of their monstrous and absurd doctrine of transubstantiation. The latter is as plainly a part of this institution as words can make it. St. Matthew tells us, our Lord bade them all drink of it (Mat 26:27), as if he would, by this expression, lay in a caveat against the papists' depriving the laity of the cup. Bread and the cup are both made use of, because it is a holy feast. Nor is it here, or any where, made necessary, that any particular liquor should be in the cup. In one evangelist, indeed, it is plain that wine was the liquor used by our Saviour, though it was, perhaps, mingled with water, according to the Jewish custom; vide Lightfoot on Mt. 26. But this by no means renders it unlawful to have a sacrament where persons cannot come at wine. In every place of scripture in which we have an account of this part of the institution it is always expressed by a figure. The cup is put for what was in it, without once specifying what the liquor was, in the words of the institution.
[2.]The things signified by these outward signs; they are Christ's body and blood, his body broken, his blood shed, together with all the benefits which flow from his death and sacrifice: it is the New Testament in his blood. His blood is the seal and sanction of all the privileges of the new covenant; and worthy receivers take it as such, at this holy ordinance. They have the New Testament, and their own title to all the blessings of the new covenant, confirmed to them by his blood.
(2.)We have here the sacramental actions, the manner in which the materials of the sacrament are to be used.
[1.]Our Saviour's actions, which are taking the bread and cup, giving thanks, breaking the bread, and giving about both the one and the other.
[2.]The actions of the communicants, which were to take the bread and eat, to take the cup and drink, and both in remembrance of Christ. But the external acts are not the whole nor the principal part of what is to be done at this holy ordinance; each of them has a significancy. Our Saviour, having undertaken to make an offering of himself to God, and procure, by his death, the remission of sins, with all other gospel benefits, for true believers, did, at the institution, deliver his body and blood, with all the benefits procured by his death, to his disciples, and continues to do the same every time the ordinance is administered to the true believers. This is here exhibited, or set forth, as the food of souls. And as food, though ever so wholesome or rich, will yield no nourishment without being eaten, here the communicants are to take and eat, or to receive Christ and feed upon him, his grace and benefits, and by faith convert them into nourishment to their souls. They are to take him as their Lord and life, yield themselves up to him, and live upon him. He is our life, Col 3:4.
(3.)We have here an account of the ends of this institution.
[1.]It was appointed to be done in remembrance of Christ, to keep fresh in our minds an ancient favour, his dying for us, as well as to remember an absent friend, even Christ interceding for us, in virtue of his death, at God's right hand. The best of friends, and the greatest acts of kindness, are here to be remembered, with the exercise of suitable affections and graces. The motto on this ordinance, and the very meaning of it, is, When this you see, remember me.
[2.]It was to show forth Christ's death, to declare and publish it. It is not barely in remembrance of Christ, of what he has done and suffered, that this ordinance was instituted; but to commemorate, to celebrate, his glorious condescension and grace in our redemption. We declare his death to be our life, the spring of all our comforts and hopes. And we glory in such a declaration; we show forth his death, and spread it before God, as our accepted sacrifice and ransom. We set it in view of our own faith, for our own comfort and quickening; and we own before the world, by this very service, that we are the disciples of Christ, who trust in him alone for salvation and acceptance with God.
(4.)It is moreover hinted here, concerning this ordinance,
[1.]That it should be frequent: As often as you eat this bread, etc. Our bodily meals return often; we cannot maintain life and health without this. And it is fit that this spiritual diet should be taken often tool The ancient churches celebrated this ordinance every Lord's day, if not every day when they assembled for worship.
[2.]That it must be perpetual. It is to be celebrated till the Lord shall come; till he shall come the second time, without sin, for the salvation of those that believe, and to judge the world. This is our warrant for keeping this feast. It was our Lord's will that we should thus celebrate the memorials of his death and passion, till he come in his own glory, and the Father's glory, with his holy angels, and put an end to the present state of things, and his own mediatorial administration, by passing the final sentence. Note, The Lord's supper is not a temporary, but a standing and perpetual ordinance.
III.He lays before the Corinthians the danger of receiving unworthily, of prostituting this institution as they did, and using it to the purposes of feasting and faction, with intentions opposite to its design, or a temper of mind altogether unsuitable to it; or keeping up the covenant with sin and death, while they are there professedly renewing and confirming their covenant with God.
1.It is great guilt which such contract. They shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (Co1 11:27), of violating this sacred institution, of despising his body and blood. They act as if they counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith they are sanctified, an unholy thing, Heb 10:29. They profane the institution, and in a manner crucify their Saviour over again. Instead of being cleansed by his blood, they are guilty of his blood.
2.It is a great hazard which they run: They eat and drink judgment to themselves, Co1 11:29. They provoke God, and are likely to bring down punishment on themselves. No doubt but they incur great guilt, and so render themselves liable to damnation, to spiritual judgments and eternal misery. Every sin is in its own nature damning; and therefore surely so heinous a sin as profaning such a holy ordinance is so. And it is profaned in the grossest sense by such irreverence and rudeness as the Corinthians were guilty of. But fearful believers should not be discouraged from attending at this holy ordinance by the sound of these words, as if they bound upon themselves the sentence of damnation by coming to the table of the Lord unprepared. Thus sin, as well as all others, leaves room for forgiveness upon repentance; and the Holy Spirit never indited this passage of scripture to deter serious Christians from their duty, though the devil has often made this advantage of it, and robbed good Christians of their choicest comforts. The Corinthians came to the Lord's table as to a common feast, not discerning the Lord's body - not making a difference or distinction between that and common food, but setting both on a level: nay, they used much more indecency at this sacred feast than they would have done at a civil one. This was very sinful in them, and very displeasing to God, and brought down his judgments on them: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. Some were punished with sickness, and some with death. Note, A careless and irreverent receiving of the Lord's supper may bring temporal punishments. Yet the connection seems to imply that even those who were thus punished were in a state of favour with God, at least many of them: They were chastened of the Lord, that they should not be condemned with the world, Co1 11:32. Now divine chastening is a sign of divine love: Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (Heb 12:6), especially with so merciful a purpose, to prevent their final condemnation. In the midst of judgment, God remembers mercy: he frequently punishes those whom he tenderly loves. It is kindness to use the rod to prevent the child's ruin. He will visit such iniquity as this under consideration with stripes, and yet make those stripes the evidence of his lovingkindness. Those were in the favour of God who yet so highly offended him in this instance, and brought down judgments on themselves; at least many of them were; for they were punished by him out of fatherly good-will, punished now that they might not perish for ever. Note, It is better to bear trouble in this world than to be miserable to eternity. And God punishes his people now, to prevent their eternal woe.
IV.He points out the duty of those who would come to the Lord's table.
1.In general: Let a man examine himself (Co1 11:28), try and approve himself. Let him consider the sacred intention of this holy ordinance, its nature, and use, and compare his own views in attending on it and his disposition of mind for it; and, when he has approved himself to his own conscience in the sight of God, then let him attend. Such self-examination is necessary to a right attendance at this holy ordinance. Note, Those who, through weakness of understanding, cannot try themselves, are by no means fit to eat of this bread and drink of this cup; nor those who, upon a fair trial, have just ground to charge themselves with impenitency, unbelief, and alienation from the life of God. Those should have the wedding-garment on who would be welcome at this marriage-feast-grace in habit, and grace in exercise.
2.The duty of those who were yet unpunished for their profanation of this ordinance: If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged, Co1 11:31. If we would thoroughly search and explore ourselves, and condemn and correct what we find amiss, we should prevent divine judgments. Note, To be exact and severe on ourselves and our own conduct is the most proper way in the world not to fall under the just severity of our heavenly Father. We must not judge others, lest we be judged (Mat 7:1); but we must judge ourselves, to prevent our being judged and condemned by God. We may be critical as to ourselves, but should be very candid in judging others.
V.He closes all with a caution against the irregularities of which they were guilty (Co1 11:33, Co1 11:34), charging them to avoid all indecency at the Lord's table. They were to eat for hunger and pleasure only at home, and not to change the holy supper to a common feast; and much less eat up the provisions before those who could bring none did partake of them, lest they should come together for condemnation. Note, Our holy duties, through our own abuse, may prove matter of condemnation. Christians may keep Sabbaths, hear sermons, attend at sacraments, and only aggravate guilt, and bring on a heavier doom. A sad but serious truth! O! let all look to it that they do not come together at any time to God's worship, and all the while provoke him, and bring down vengeance on themselves. Holy things are to be used in a holy manner, or else they are profaned. What else was amiss in this matter, he tells them, he would rectify when he came to them.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
We also, our Father, thank You for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for us and for His precious body, whereof we celebrate this representation, as Himself appointed us, "to show forth His death." [1 Corinthians 11:26] For through Him glory is to be given to You forever. Amen. Let no one eat of these things that is not initiated; but those only who have been baptized into the death of the Lord. But if any one that is not initiated conceal himself, and partake of the same, "he eats eternal damnation;" because, being not of the faith of Christ, he has partaken of such things as it is not lawful for him to partake of, to his own punishment. But if any one is a partaker through ignorance, instruct him quickly, and initiate him, that he may not go out and despise you.
"For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep." Here he no longer brings his examples from others as he did in the case of the idol-sacrifices, relating the ancient histories and the chastisements in the wilderness, but from the Corinthians themselves; which also made the discourse apt to strike them more keenly. For whereas he was saying, "he eateth judgment to himself," and, "he is guilty;" that he might not seem to speak mere words, he points to deeds also and calls themselves to witness; a kind of thing which comes home to men more than threatening, by showing that the threat has issued in some real fact. He was not however content with these things alone, but from these he also introduced and confirmed the argument concerning hell-fire, terrifying them in both ways; and solving an inquiry which is handled everywhere. I mean, since many question one with another, "whence arise the untimely deaths, whence the long diseases of men;" he tells them that these unexpected events are many of them conditional upon certain sins. "What then? They who are in continual health," say you, "and come to a green old age, do they not sin?" Nay, who durst say this? "How then," say you, "do they not suffer punishment?" Because there they shall suffer a severer one. But we, if we would, neither here nor there need suffer it.
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Summary
The Apostle Paul delivers a sobering warning to the Corinthian church, revealing that their irreverent and divisive participation in the Lord's Supper has led to severe divine discipline. This discipline manifests in tangible physical consequences: many among them are experiencing weakness and illness, and a significant number have even died, underscoring the profound seriousness of dishonoring Christ's body and blood, and the unity of His church, through their unworthy conduct.
Context
Literary Context
This verse serves as the climactic consequence in Paul's extended rebuke of the Corinthian church's abuses of the Lord's Supper, detailed from 1 Corinthians 11:17. Paul first highlights their divisions during the communal meal, where the wealthy would feast while the poor went hungry, thereby shaming those who had nothing and despising the church of God (1 Corinthians 11:21-22). He then recounts the institution of the Lord's Supper by Jesus Himself, emphasizing its sacred nature as a proclamation of the Lord's death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The preceding verses directly warn against partaking unworthily, which is described as being "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27) and bringing "judgment to himself" by "not discerning the Lord's body" (1 Corinthians 11:29). Verse 30 then reveals the specific, dire manifestations of this judgment.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Corinthian church met in homes, and their communal meals, often referred to as "agape feasts" or "love feasts," typically preceded or incorporated the Lord's Supper. In Greco-Roman society, banquets often reflected social hierarchies, with patrons and wealthier individuals receiving preferential treatment. This cultural practice seems to have infiltrated the Corinthian church. The wealthy believers would arrive early, bring ample food, and consume it, sometimes to excess, while the poorer members, who often worked longer hours, arrived later with little or no food, only to find nothing left. This created a stark division and humiliation within the body of Christ, directly contradicting the spirit of unity and selfless love inherent in the Lord's Supper. Paul's rebuke addresses not merely a ritualistic error but a profound failure to embody the inclusive, self-sacrificial love that the meal symbolized, especially in a city known for its diverse social strata and moral laxity.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully illustrates the theme of Divine Discipline, demonstrating God's active involvement in the lives of His covenant people. It underscores that God's holiness demands reverence, and He will not tolerate the profaning of His sacred ordinances, even among His own children. This discipline, though severe, is presented as corrective, intended to lead believers to repentance and a deeper understanding of the sanctity of the Lord's Supper and the unity of the church, rather than a punitive act leading to ultimate condemnation (1 Corinthians 11:32). Furthermore, the passage highlights the profound Interconnectedness of Spiritual and Physical Well-being. Paul reveals that spiritual disarray and unrepentant sin can manifest in tangible physical consequences, showing that God's judgment can extend to the physical realm as a means of correction. Finally, the verse emphasizes the Seriousness of Sin, particularly sin against the body of Christ and its sacred symbols. The fact that "many sleep" (have died) underscores the extreme gravity of their irreverence, demonstrating that dishonoring Christ's sacrifice and the unity of His body is not a minor transgression but an offense with potentially fatal consequences.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term signifies "strengthless" or "impotent." In this context, it refers to a state of physical feebleness, infirmity, or lack of vitality experienced by many in the Corinthian church. It suggests a general state of ill-health and diminished capacity, a direct consequence of their spiritual negligence and irreverence.
This word means "infirm" or "sick." It is a more specific term for illness or disease, indicating a more pronounced state of sickness than mere weakness. Paul uses it to describe those who are actively suffering from physical ailments, implying a divine visitation of sickness upon them.
This verb means "to put to sleep" or "to slumber," and figuratively, "to decease." In biblical usage, particularly for believers, "sleep" is a common euphemism for death. Here, it signifies a divinely imposed death, not a peaceful passing in old age, but a judgment resulting from their unrepentant sin and desecration of the Lord's Supper. This highlights the ultimate and most severe consequence of their actions.
Verse Breakdown
"For this cause"
This phrase, translated from the Greek diá toûto (G1223, G5124), functions as a direct causal link. It unequivocally connects the preceding discussion of unworthy participation in the Lord's Supper and the failure to discern the Lord's body (verses 27-29) to the physical consequences described in verse 30. Paul is asserting a direct, divinely ordained cause-and-effect relationship.
"many are weak and sickly among you"
This clause describes the tangible, physical manifestations of God's judgment within the Corinthian community. The terms "weak" (asthenḗs) and "sickly" (árrhōstos) indicate widespread physical infirmities, illnesses, and a general state of ill-health. The phrase "among you" (en hymîn - G1722, G5213) emphasizes that these afflictions are not random but specifically observed within their fellowship, affecting a significant portion of the congregation (polýs - G4183, "many").
"and many sleep"
This final clause reveals the most severe consequence: death. The word "sleep" (koimáō - G2837) is a euphemism for death, particularly for believers, suggesting a state of rest before resurrection. However, in this context, it signifies a divinely inflicted death as a judgment for their profound irreverence. The repetition of "many" (hikanós - G2425, "many" or "sufficient") underscores the widespread and serious nature of this ultimate discipline, indicating that a considerable number had died as a direct result of their sin.
Literary Devices
Paul employs several literary devices to convey the gravity of his message. The primary device is Cause and Effect, where the unworthiness of the Corinthians' participation in the Lord's Supper (the cause) directly leads to physical weakness, sickness, and death (the effect). This direct linkage underscores the severity of their sin and God's active judgment. Furthermore, Paul uses Euphemism with the phrase "many sleep" to refer to death. While "sleep" is a common biblical metaphor for the death of believers, here it takes on a more ominous tone, signifying a divinely imposed death as a consequence of sin, rather than a peaceful natural end. The repetition of "many" (G4183, G2425) also serves as a form of Emphasis, highlighting the widespread nature of these physical judgments within the community, reinforcing the idea that this was not an isolated incident but a pervasive problem affecting a significant portion of the church. The stark, declarative nature of the statement itself, devoid of softening language, adds to its powerful and sobering impact.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse profoundly speaks to the doctrine of divine discipline, affirming that God, in His holiness and love, actively intervenes in the lives of His children to correct unrepentant sin, especially when it involves the desecration of His sacred ordinances and the unity of His body. It reveals that God's judgment is not always delayed until the eschaton but can manifest in temporal consequences, including physical suffering and even death, as a means of bringing His people to repentance and a deeper reverence for Him. This discipline, though severe, is ultimately redemptive, aimed at preventing a greater condemnation with the world. It highlights the corporate responsibility of the church, where the sin of some can affect the well-being of the whole body, and underscores the profound sanctity of the Lord's Supper as a participation in Christ's body and blood, demanding careful self-examination and a spirit of unity.
Reflection and Application
First Corinthians 11:30 serves as a powerful and enduring call to profound self-examination, not only before partaking in the Lord's Supper but in all aspects of our spiritual walk. It compels us to approach God's holy things with the utmost reverence, sincerity, and humility, recognizing that our actions, even within the sacred space of worship, have spiritual weight and can invoke divine response. This passage challenges the modern tendency to trivialize communion or view it merely as a ritual. Instead, it underscores its profound significance as a participation in Christ's sacrifice and a visible expression of the unity of His body, the church. We are reminded that genuine spiritual health often correlates with our physical well-being, and while not every illness or death is a direct consequence of specific sin, this text highlights that God's discipline can indeed manifest physically, always with the ultimate goal of bringing us to repentance, restoration, and a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him. We are called to live lives of integrity, confessing our sins, forgiving one another, and striving for unity, ensuring that our participation in the Lord's Supper truly reflects our discernment of Christ's body, both broken for us and embodied in His church.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this mean all sickness or death is a result of specific sin?
No, this passage does not teach that all sickness or death is a direct result of specific sin. The Bible presents various reasons for suffering, including living in a fallen world (Romans 8:22), the natural aging process, or for God's glory (John 9:1-3). However, 1 Corinthians 11:30 specifically highlights a unique situation in Corinth where widespread physical ailments and deaths were indeed a direct, divinely ordained consequence of their corporate and individual irreverence, division, and unworthiness in partaking of the Lord's Supper. It serves as a stern warning against profaning sacred things, rather than a universal explanation for all suffering.
How does "discerning the Lord's body" relate to these consequences?
"Discerning the Lord's body" (1 Corinthians 11:29) has a dual meaning critical to understanding the consequences. Firstly, it refers to recognizing the sacred significance of the bread and wine as representing Christ's crucified body and shed blood. The Corinthians were treating it as a common meal. Secondly, and perhaps more significantly in this context, it refers to discerning the body of Christ as the church itself. Their divisions, gluttony, and neglect of the poor during the communal meal demonstrated a failure to recognize the unity and sanctity of the body of believers. This disrespect for both the literal elements and the spiritual body of Christ led to the divine discipline described in 1 Corinthians 11:30.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While 1 Corinthians 11:30 details the severe consequences of dishonoring Christ's body, it paradoxically points us back to the very essence of Christ's redemptive work. The weakness, sickness, and death experienced by the Corinthians highlight the gravity of sin, which Christ perfectly bore on the cross, becoming weak for us so that we might be made strong in Him (2 Corinthians 13:4). The discipline, though painful, is a manifestation of God's fatherly love, designed to bring His children to repentance and conformity to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Christ, as the ultimate healer, not only bore our spiritual infirmities but also our physical ones, as prophesied in Isaiah 53:4-5, and demonstrated throughout His earthly ministry (Matthew 8:16-17). The "sleep" of death among the Corinthians, while a judgment, also finds its ultimate answer in Christ, who conquered death and is the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20), promising resurrection and eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 11:25-26). Thus, even in the midst of severe discipline, the passage ultimately magnifies Christ as the one who provides the antidote to sin, the source of true healing, and the hope of eternal life, calling us to approach His table with the reverence and unity that His sacrifice demands.