DISORDERS IN WORSHIP _2-16. (c) The Veiling of Women in Church_ 2. Now I praise you] This v. introduces the two following sections. The Apostle begins by praising them, perhaps echoing words from their own letter, for keeping the rules and teaching he had given; but goes on to rebuke faults that h... [ Continue Reading ]
_(B) FOOD OFFERED TO IDOLS_ In these Chapter s St. Paul answers another question of the Corinthians—as to the lawfulness of eating food which had been offered in sacrifice to idols. This was a very urgent question. The whole worship of the heathen was sacrificial, and sacrifices were offered by them... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEAD OF EVERY MAN IS CHRIST] as the Son of man, the second Adam; and so the head of all men: cp. Ephesians 4:15. THE HEAD OF THE WOMAN] cp. Ephesians 5:22; Ephesians 5:23. Woman was socially subordinate to man, and this was to be recognised in her behaviour at public worship. THE HEAD OF CHRIST... [ Continue Reading ]
PROPHESYING] i.e. uttering a revelation of God's will. DISHONOURETH HIS HEAD] because he is wearing the mark of dependence.... [ Continue Reading ]
DISHONOURETH HER HEAD] through not wearing the symbol of dependence. AS IF SHE WERE SHAVEN] i.e. it is as shameful as if her hair were cut off.... [ Continue Reading ]
BE SHORN] be like men in this also. A SHAME] it was the punishment of an adulteress.... [ Continue Reading ]
IMAGE AND GLORY OF GOD] displaying most fully the divine perfections (Genesis 1:26). THE WOMAN IS THE GLORY OF THE MAN] The meaning is that while man's authority is derived directly from God, woman's authority is derived from man. She thus receives not immediate. but reflected light, so to speak. 8... [ Continue Reading ]
POWER] RV 'a sign of authority,' i.e. that she is under authority. BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS] The angels were conceived to be present as witnesses of and sharers in Christian worship. The recollection of this should make the worshippers more reverential: cp. 'With angels and archangels.. we laud and ma... [ Continue Reading ]
NATURE] i.e. the natural order of things, and man's sense of its fitness. For such guidance, cp. Romans 2:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
The argument is that God, by providing woman with a natural veil, has taught that she ought to cover her head before Him.... [ Continue Reading ]
CONTENTIOUS] argumentative; not open to conviction. NO SUCH CUSTOM] i.e. that women should be unveiled. For similar appeal to the example of other Churches, see on 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Corinthians 14:33 : Cp. with the whole passage 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:22; 1 Timothy 2... [ Continue Reading ]
The Apostle had praised them (1 Corinthians 11:2) for keeping his instructions; and had gone on to instruct them further regarding the veiling of women, a subject he had probably not needed to mention before. HE NOW tells them that his praise is qualified. IN THIS] RV 'in giving you this charge.' YE... [ Continue Reading ]
PARAPHRASE. 'I wrote of praising you for keeping my ordinances, but I cannot praise you with regard to your Church meetings, which, as now conducted, do you more harm than good. (18) First I hear of there being factions among you there, and I think there must be some truth in the report. (19) The ex... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE CHURCH] i.e. as always in the NT., not the building, but the assembly; RM 'in congregation.' DIVISIONS] or, 'schisms,' lit. 'splits.' They split up at their meeting into different sets.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE MUST BE ALSO HERESIES] cp. Matthew 18:7, 'It must needs be that offences come,' i.e. owing to human weakness and sinfulness. HERESIES] RM 'factions': cp. Galatians 5:20. The word (lit. 'choice,' then 'chosen opinions,' or a party holding opinions of their own') is repeatedly used of the sects... [ Continue Reading ]
_THIS IS_ NOT TO EAT] RV 'it is not possible to eat.' Their selfishness (1 Corinthians 11:21) was fatal to the proper spirit of devotion and brotherly love; it became no more than an ordinary meal. THE LORD'S SUPPER] This name occurs only here in the NT.; it is uncertain whether it refers here to th... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY ONE TAKETH, etc.] corrected, 1 Corinthians 11:33. See introductory remarks on 1 Corinthians 11:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE YE NOT HOUSES] cp. 1 Corinthians 11:34. DESPISE YE THE CHURCH OF GOD] i.e. by thinking only of yourselves, and not of the welfare of the whole household of God. THEM THAT HAVE NOT (RV 'nothing')] i.e. the poor, who have no food to bring. I PRAISE _YOU_ NOT] cp. 1 Corinthians 11:2. They had not... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD] It is doubtful whether this must mean 'by direct relation,' or whether it may be 'through instruction from others': cp. 1 Corinthians 15:3. Probably the facts were learnt from older Christians, but their full significance was directly revealed to him by the Lord. St. Pau... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE, EAT] RV omits. In the MSS which have this reading the copyists probably supplied it from St. Matthew's Gospel, for the sake of securing uniformity in the accounts of the institution. IS BROKEN for YOU] RV 'is for you.' St. Luke says, 'which is given for you.' THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME] So... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE HAD SUPPED] RV 'after supper.' The bread was taken and distributed by our Lord during the Passover feast: cp. Matthew 26:26 the cup was given at the close of the feast, and may have been the ordinary cup of thanksgiving taken at the conclusion of the Passover feast, set apart by Christ to th... [ Continue Reading ]
YE DO SHOW THE LORD'S DEATH] The celebration is 'a living sermon.'... [ Continue Reading ]
EAT.. AND DRINK] RV 'eat.. or drink.' This suggests a possible interval between the two: see on 1 Corinthians 11:25. UNWORTHILY] i.e. carelessly, irreverently, as if an ordinary meal, regardless of its sacred meaning. GUILTY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD] i.e. he sins against them; by insulting the Sign, he... [ Continue Reading ]
LET A MAN EXAMINE (RV 'prove') HIMSELF] i.e. see that he understands the sacrament, and is in a fit moral condition to receive it.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNWORTHILY] RV omits here, and for NOT DISCERNING reads, 'if he discern not the body,' i.e. if he does not realise that it is not mere bread, but the Lord's Body that is given under the symbol, and if while he partakes of the bread he does not also receive inwardly of Christ's spirit and increase in... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS CAUSE] Their irreverence had led God to punish them by disease and death (SLEEP, i.e. 'in death'). They had been visited with sickness, and St. Paul was enlightened by God to see in this the punishment of this irreverence. It is possible, however, that the words may be used in the spiritual... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGE OURSELVES] realise our true condition. 33, 34. These vv. correct abuses described 1 Corinthians 11:21; 1 Corinthians 11:22. St. Paul regards the Eucharist as, (1) a means of communion with Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16); (2) a sign of brotherhood by which all Christians are united together (1 C... [ Continue Reading ]