What is going wrong in the church gatherings in this passage?

In this passage, Paul says their church meetings are doing more harm than good. When they come together, there are divisions and selfish behavior. The richer people are eating and drinking plenty, even to the point of drunkenness, while others are left hungry and shamed. Instead of sharing in a meal that reflects the Lord’s Supper, they are treating it like a private party. Paul says that what they are doing cannot truly be called the Lord’s Supper, because it does not show love, unity, or respect for Christ’s body.

What is the Lord’s Supper meant to remember in this passage?

The Lord’s Supper is meant to point back to what Jesus did on the night He was betrayed. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Then He took the cup and said it is the new covenant in His blood. Each time believers eat the bread and drink the cup, they are remembering and showing His death until He comes again. It is about His sacrifice, not about filling our stomachs.

What does it mean to eat and drink the Lord’s Supper unworthily?

Eating and drinking unworthily in this passage is about the way people come to the Lord’s table. Some were acting in a selfish, careless way, not caring for others and not really thinking about Jesus’ body and blood. To eat and drink unworthily is to treat the Supper like any other meal, without faith, love, or respect. Paul says this makes a person guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, because it treats His sacrifice lightly. This is why he tells each person to examine himself before taking part.

Why does Paul tell believers to examine themselves before the Supper?

Paul tells each person to examine himself so that they do not come to the Lord’s table in a careless or selfish way. This self-examination is not meant to keep true believers away, but to help them come with a right heart. They are to think about their sins, their attitude toward others in the church, and whether they truly discern the Lord’s body. When they judge themselves in this way, they avoid God’s heavier judgment and can take the bread and cup in a way that honors Christ and builds up the church.

What does “not discerning the Lord’s body” mean here?

In this passage, “not discerning the Lord’s body” means failing to recognize what the bread and cup point to and failing to treat the Lord’s Supper as holy. Some were rushing ahead, thinking only of their own food and drink, and were not truly thinking of Christ’s body given for them. They were also not caring for the rest of the church, which is called Christ’s body. So they were missing both the meaning of the symbols and the need to love fellow believers. This careless approach brought God’s discipline on them.

Why does Paul say some are weak, sick, and asleep because of this?

Paul says that some in the church are weak, sick, and some have even “sleep” (which points to death) because of how they treated the Lord’s Supper. God was using physical weakness and sickness as discipline for their irreverent and unloving behavior at His table. This was not random suffering, but a warning and correction so that they would not be condemned with the world. It shows that God takes the Lord’s Supper very seriously and cares about how believers treat Christ’s death and His people.

How does God’s judgment in this passage show His love for believers?

God’s judgment here is described as discipline, not final condemnation. When believers are judged in this way, they are “chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” In other words, God corrects them now so they will turn from their sin and not be lost with those who reject Him. This discipline may feel hard, but it is a form of Fatherly care. By exposing their wrong way of taking the Supper, God is calling them back to a humble, thankful, and loving remembrance of Christ.

What practical changes does Paul tell the church to make?

Paul gives simple, clear instructions. When they come together to eat, they should wait for one another instead of rushing ahead. If someone is very hungry and wants a full meal, he should eat at home so that the church gathering does not turn into selfish feasting. Their time together should be focused on Christ and on caring for each other, not on showing off or satisfying their own appetites. By doing this, they will avoid coming together for judgment and will honor the Lord’s Supper as it was meant to be.

1Cor.11.17

1 Corinthians 11:17

King James Version (KJV)

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

Chapter:

Context:

Sharing in the Lord’s Supper

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.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.