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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11 verses 23–34
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.
"For there are certainly among us many weak and sickly, and many sleep. But if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged."
Judge in yourself what I am going to tell you: suppose you happen to go on a long journey and, parched with thirst in the heat, you chance upon one of the brothers. You say to him, “Refresh me in my exhaustion from thirst,” and he replies, “It is the time for prayer; I will pray and then I will come to your aid”; and while he is praying, before coming to you, you die of thirst. What seems to you the better, that he should go and pray, or alleviate your exhaustion?
"For if we discerned ourselves," saith he, "we should not be judged." And he said not, "if we punished ourselves, if we were revenged on ourselves," but if we were only willing to acknowledge our offence, to pass sentence on ourselves, to condemn the things done amiss, we should be rid of the punishment both in this world and the next. For he that condemns himself propitiates God in two ways, both by acknowledging his sins, and by being more on his guard for the future. But since we are not willing to do even this light thing, as we ought to do it, not even thus doth He endure to punish us with the world, but even thus spareth us, exacting punishment in this world, where the penalty is for a season and the consolation great; for the result is both deliverance from sins, and a good hope of things to come, alleviating the present evils. And these things he saith, at the same time comforting the sick and rendering the rest more serious.
Indeed, many sins seem to be ignored and go unpunished. But their punishment is reserved for the future. It is not in vain that the day when the Judge of the living and the dead shall come is rightly called the day of judgment. Just so, on the other hand, some sins are punished here, and if they are forgiven will certainly bring no harm upon us in the future age. Hence, referring to certain temporal punishments which are visited upon sinners in this life, the apostle, speaking to those whose sins are blotted out and not reserved to the end says: “But if we judged ourselves truly we should not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”
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SUMMARY
First Corinthians 11:31 presents a profound principle of spiritual self-governance, asserting that if believers would diligently examine and discern their own spiritual state and conduct, particularly in relation to their participation in sacred ordinances like the Lord's Supper, they would preempt the need for God's corrective judgment. This verse underscores the importance of proactive introspection and repentance as a means of maintaining a right relationship with God and avoiding divine discipline.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. Primarily, it utilizes a Conditional Statement ("If... then..."), clearly outlining a cause-and-effect relationship between human action and divine response. This structure highlights the agency and responsibility of the believer. There is also a strong element of Antithesis or Contrast between "judge ourselves" and "be judged." This juxtaposition emphasizes that voluntary self-judgment serves as a preventative measure against involuntary divine judgment. The verse also functions as a Proverbial Statement, offering a concise, memorable truth about spiritual discipline that extends beyond its immediate context to a broader principle of Christian living.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The principle of self-judgment in 1 Corinthians 11:31 is deeply rooted in the biblical understanding of personal accountability and divine discipline. It underscores that God, in His love, desires His children to walk in holiness and righteousness. When believers proactively examine their hearts, confess their sins, and repent, they align themselves with God's will and experience His grace. This self-assessment is not a legalistic exercise but a spiritual discipline that fosters humility, dependence on God, and a deeper appreciation for Christ's atoning work. It prevents the need for God to intervene with corrective measures, which, while ultimately redemptive, can be painful. This verse beautifully illustrates the balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty in the sanctification process.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
First Corinthians 11:31 calls believers to cultivate a lifestyle of intentional self-reflection and spiritual honesty. It's an invitation to regularly pause and assess our inner motives, attitudes, and outward actions against the standard of God's Word, rather than waiting for external circumstances or divine intervention to reveal our shortcomings. This practice of "judging ourselves" involves humbly acknowledging our sins, repenting, and seeking God's forgiveness and strength to change. It's a proactive approach to holiness that fosters spiritual growth, maintains intimacy with God, and safeguards us from the consequences of unaddressed sin. When we take responsibility for our spiritual health, we walk in greater freedom and experience the transformative power of God's grace, rather than His corrective hand. This verse reminds us that true spiritual maturity involves a willingness to confront our own brokenness and allow the Holy Spirit to conform us more closely to the image of Christ.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "judging ourselves" mean we should constantly feel guilty or condemn ourselves?
Answer: No, "judging ourselves" as described in 1 Corinthians 11:31 does not mean dwelling in guilt or self-condemnation. The Greek word diakrínō implies a discerning evaluation, a careful self-assessment, rather than a punitive self-condemnation. For believers, there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Instead, this self-judgment is a healthy, proactive spiritual discipline aimed at identifying areas where we are out of alignment with God's will, confessing those sins, and repenting. It's about seeking restoration and growth, not wallowing in shame. It's a process of spiritual hygiene that prevents the need for God's corrective discipline, which, while loving, can be painful (Hebrews 12:5-11). The goal is to walk in freedom and fellowship with God, not to live under a cloud of self-imposed guilt.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While 1 Corinthians 11:31 speaks to the believer's responsibility in self-examination, its ultimate fulfillment and power are found in Christ. Our ability to "judge ourselves" effectively is not born of our own strength or moral superiority, but is a grace-empowered response to the perfect self-offering of Jesus. He is the standard by which we judge ourselves, the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Furthermore, our self-judgment, leading to repentance, is only efficacious because of Christ's atoning work on the cross, where He bore the judgment we deserved (Isaiah 53:5). He became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). The discipline Paul speaks of is not a judgment unto condemnation, because Christ has already suffered that ultimate judgment for us. Instead, it is a loving Father's discipline to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), ensuring we are not condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32). Thus, self-judgment is a humble acknowledgment of our need for Christ's ongoing work in us, drawing us closer to Him who is our life and our righteousness (Colossians 3:4).