1 Corinthians 11: Headship, Propriety, and Communal Remembrance

1 Corinthians 11 addresses the practicalities of gender roles in public prayer and the severe abuses occurring during the Lord’s Supper. This chapter documents Paul’s rebuke of the wealthy who were eating ahead of the poor, effectively turning a holy meal into a source of division. It provides the most detailed instructions in the New Testament on the institution and significance of Communion.

  1. v1-16: Headship and Order in Public Worship
  2. v17-22: Rebuking Divisive Practices at the Common Meal
  3. v23-26: The Institution of the Lord’s Supper
  4. v27-34: Self-Examination and Judging the Body

1 Corinthians chapter 11

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.
For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
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:
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.
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.
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
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.

Restore honor to your communal life as Paul explains how to value both the 'headship' of God and the 'body' of believers. Begin your study with 1 corinthians 11 summary.

Notice that Paul blames 'not discerning the Lord's body' for the sickness in the church, referring to both the literal Christ and the community of believers. The Word Secret is Anamnesis, often translated as 'remembrance,' which in a biblical sense means bringing the power of a past event into the present. This suggests that Communion is not just thinking about a dead Savior, but experiencing the living power of His sacrifice here and now. Discover the riches with 1 corinthians 11 commentary, containing expert led word study (original greek/hebrew) and passage level analysis.

Unlock the hidden 1 corinthians 11 1 meaning and summary by exploring context, analyzing original greek and hebrew words, and studying cross references of each verse.

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