1 Corinthians 11:21-34

21 The phrase..the Lord's supper " is misleading. Supper denotes an evening meal, but the word here employed has no such significance, though its first observance was at night. The word denotes the principal meal of the day, just as the word dinner does with us, without any reference to the time when it is eaten. The Corinthians brought their own dinners and ate them in the ecclesia. This custom was not approved by the apostle. He would have them eat at home.

23 The fact that Paul received a special revelation, after his severance from the rest, concerning the Lord's dinner, shows that it is in harmony with, and a part of, the new system of truth with which he was entrusted. It is in contrast with baptism, which he never received from Christ (1Co_1:17). He was thankful that he had baptized but few of the Corinthians. The Lord's dinner, however, he had given over to them pursuant to the special revelation which he had received. It was to be observed "till He should be coming". It is often called an "ordinance," (A V Eph_2:15, Col_2:14), but this refers rather to the decrees issued by James (Act_15:20; Act_16:4) which were hostile to us and were taken away by the cross (Col_2:14). These were given by James, whereas the Lord's dinner was accepted by Paul from the Lord Himself, after his severance from the other circumcision apostles (Act_13:2), to give to the nations to whom he was sent.

24 The word "remembrance" fails to give the full force of the Greek word here used. It is a strengthened form of the usual term for remembrance, denoting a voluntary and sustained effort, hence we render it recollection.

27 The manner in which the Corinthians partook of the Lord's dinner was not in keeping with the august solemnity befitting such a sacred recollection. The powers of the kingdom were still present among them and led to the judgment of those who had offended. Some suffered from illness and some even died. Even thus, the apostle explains, it is that such should not be condemned with the world. The discipline of the Lord is always salutary, even though it may seem most severe.

4 The threefold treatment of the subject of "spirituals" (as they are called in the Greek) is indicated in the opening sentence. First the graces are enumerated, as they are apportioned to each one by the spirit, in verses seven to eleven. Then the Lordship of Christ in the apportionment of service is illustrated by the figure of the human body, in verses twelve to twenty-seven. The rest of the chapter considers the operation of the graces under the disposition of God.

7 The spirit we have received, though one, manifests itself in a variety of ways. This was far more manifest among the Corinthians than it is today, for the signs which characterized that immature economy were closely allied to the miraculous manifestations which accompany the proclamation of the kingdom. As the next chapter explains, now that maturity has arrived, such exhibitions of the spirit's power are not in keeping with the perfection or maturity of this secret administration. Spiritual endowments were not confined to one member of an ecclesia, or even to a few. Each one was given some special evidence of the spirit's presence, with a view to the blessing of all. None of these endowments, whether wisdom, or healing, or languages, was the outgrowth of natural ability. Neither could anyone acquire them. They were apportioned to each one quite apart from human instrumentality. Though these endowments are no longer given, the divine principle still remains, that God chooses His instruments quite apart from their natural qualifications.

12 The figure of the human body is the most notable of all the illustrations of our relationship to Christ. It is the most marvelous example of unity with diversity in the realm of creation. Spirit baptism unites all who believe God to one another and to Christ, and dissipates all the physical distinctions which divide humanity into diverse and antagonistic classes, making them one in Him. In Christ there is no Greek and Jew, bond and free, male and female. In the Lord, however, in relation to service, these distinctions still remain.