1 Corinthians 11:1-34
1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances,a as I delivered them to you.
3 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.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have powerb on her head because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.c
16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisionsd among you; and I partly believe it.
19 For there must be also heresiese among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.
21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
22 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.
23 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:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do inf remembrance of me.
25 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.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 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.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnationg to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation.h And the rest will I set in order when I come.
Contents: Christian order and the Lord's supper. Meaning of the Lord's table.
Characters: God, Christ, Paul.
Conclusion: The Lord's supper is a memorial of His finished atonement, a parable of His present fellowship with His own and a prophecy of His second coming. The ordinances of Christ are very solemn and if they do not do our souls good, will do us harm. Let it not be eaten carelessly or with an insincere heart for it will turn to no account, but to increase guilt and bring condemnation.
Key Word: Covered heads, 1 Corinthians 11:4. Lord's supper, 1 Corinthians 11:20.
Strong Verses: 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Corinthians 11:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-27; 1 Corinthians 11:31; 1 Corinthians 11:32.
Striking Facts: 1 Corinthians 11:25. New covenant. These outward signs express the new covenant in Christ His body broken, His blood shed, the benefits which flow from His death and sacrifice. His blood is the seal and sanction of all the privileges of the new covenant.