1 Corinthians 11:30

For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not. few sleep.

'For this cause' -relates the conditions that follow to the improper partaking of the previous verses. Because of their abuse of the Lord's Supper the following conditions are present among them.

'many' -'It is this careless participation which is the reason for the many..' (Phi) 'A sufficient number--something like our " plenty of you ".' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 883)

'are weak and sickly' -the vast majority of commentators take this verse to refer to physical aliments, diseases and even physical death ("sleep") that has come upon many in the Corinthian church because they have abused the Lord's Supper.

Points to Note:

1. In the New Testament we do find that some diseases and some deaths were the consequence of sin. (Acts 5:1; Acts 13:9; Romans 1:27; Galatians 6:8)

2. The key verse in this section in determining whether these passages refer to physical disease brought on because of sin or spiritual weakness...is verse 32. Paul seems to be saying that what has happened to the Corinthians is "chastening" from the Lord (31-32), with the hope that such "chastening" will turn them around, so they don't end up condemned with the rest of the world. Willis makes. good point when he says:

'How can physical death lead one to repentance? Will the soul which was stricken dead because it took of the Lord's Supper unworthily be saved?' (p. 405)

'and not. few sleep' -i.e. are spiritually dead. Not hard to believe at this point in the letter.