1st Corinthians Chapter
Eleven
Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1.
"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."
Why would we imitate Paul? Why would
he even say such a thing? We’re to look to CHRIST! Why would we look
to a man? The answer, of course, is found in the last half of the
verse. PAUL looks to Christ. He is Christ’s ambassador. We, the
younger, can safely look to the elder for leadership, to the extent that
they are honestly looking to Christ. We do not follow others blindly,
but we are able to cautiously and prayerfully follow the one who follows
Him.
What do we imitate in Christ, in Paul?
Romans 15:1-3 (a direct continuation of Romans 14) is a great exposition
on this verse. We are taught to "bear with the scruples of the weak and
to not please ourselves." That’s what Paul did - He gave up his life
for others. If I truly love other people, then I, even I, (and you,
even you) can be trusted for leadership. It went on "Let each of us
please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification." And in
Romans 15:3, "even Christ did not please Himself". We do not need to
spend our lives anymore, pleasing ourselves. We can care for each
other, and Christ WILL care for us.
There are a lot of false people in the
world. It is dangerous to follow another person. In the 70’s, there
was a movement called by various names, such as the "covering
doctrine." They taught that all people had to be "covered" by an elder
to be right with God. It got so bad that some of them were saying we
should "follow our elders even when they are WRONG!" Nonsense. Our
relationship with Christ is DIRECT. We follow our Lord. Yet God uses
people in our lives!
Always remember that this verse in 1st
Corinthians has two parts --- Yes, we are to look to our elders for
sound leadership, to imitate their faith in Christ, their responsiveness
to the Holy Spirit, and their trust in God’s Holy Scriptures. Such a
man we will follow, with caution and with prayer, but only as HE follows
God.
What a great reminder that we must
always be in prayer. How can we know what to do? We look to Him.
Verse 2. "Now I
praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the
traditions as I delivered them to you."
This sounds like a direct quote from
the letter Paul received from the Corinthians. This whole letter to
them (1st Corinthians) is a response to their written need. In that
letter they had assured him that they had continued to pray for
(remembered) him and followed his guidance for their lives. Actually
they "remembered" him in some ways, but as we see, not in others.
Interesting, isn’t it? We have just
seen the warning in chapter 10, "Let him who thinks he stands, take heed
lest he fall." Most of us think we are "standing" in the sight of God.
It’s obvious from the whole context of 1st Corinthians, which is Paul’s
response to a letter from them, that they were pretty well completely
off the track. Yet, here they were, assuring Paul that they "keep the
traditions."
A favorite verse of mine, as indicated
before, is 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are
in the faith." We will look at that verse again, later in this
Chapter. I am very happy that I am basically an insecure
person. My insecurity (in myself, not in Him), enables me to go to Him
continually and take searching inventories as to who and what I really
am. The danger is to THINK we stand, when in fact, we have already
fallen.
There is a tendency to throw out the
traditions, every century or so. Traditionalism can be mere outward
form, but it can be more. In South Tucson, as we were walking into San
Xavier Mission, we noticed the "Stations of the Cross" in the garden.
Suddenly, it was clear that the statues were simply the Gospel in
PICTURE form. Here was Christ, praying at Gethsemane, staggering under
the weight of the Cross, dying for our sins, portrayed in tiny statues
of those events.
We are fortunate to be (for now) a
literate people within a literate society. But we could return at any
moment to a time like 700-years ago, where the Gospel was necessarily
told only in picture form, through Baptism, Communion, Marriage, and
statues --- Traditions can portray deep spiritual realities in the form
of parables. Just like the pictures (statues) in that garden in Tucson.
Verse 3. "But I
want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman
is man, and the head of Christ is God."
This is an ordinance of earthly
application. It is clear that actually neither male nor female exists
(as we would understand it) in the sight of God. This is carefully
spelled out in Galatians 3:28 ("…there is neither male nor female, for
you are all one in Christ Jesus"). This was very obvious at the time of
creation (before the fall), when we are taught that both male and female
bore the "image" of God (Genesis 1:27). The "image" is Christ (II Cor.
4:4 & context) and this race was created to be in Him, which is what "in
His image" means.
Earthly authority is very much a part
of God’s intent for us. Romans 13 is so clear that when we respond with
true respect to EARTHLY authority, it is a way of honoring God. There
is always leadership within good relationships. Governments,
factories, businesses, families, marriages - everything works better
with effective leadership. God, through Paul, suggests here that it is
best for the man (who was the FOLLOWER at the time of the fall of
mankind) to be the final decision-maker in marriage.
Note that these verses apply to
leadership in MARRIAGE - It is NOT intended that women in general should
be led by men in general. All kinds of sin can come out of that kind of
thinking.
The woman LISTENS to him (the husband)
as he attempts to lead. Part of HIS requirement for leadership is to
LISTEN to her. She is not some kind of "janitor" in marriage --- She is
like the Executive Vice President of a small corporation. The President
should LISTEN to his Executive Vice President. I do not think men are
particularly effective leaders as a general thing. One of the greatest
leaders of the past quarter century, was Maggie Thatcher, Prime Minister
of Great Britain - a woman. Most women can’t lead, either, though
again, Eve was the leader of Adam at the time of the fall.
One of the reasons, in my opinion, that
"women’s lib" has been so popular with women is that the great majority
of men are extremely poor leaders. A woman might want leadership
in marriage (who DOESN’T need effective advice from another person?) but
she quickly becomes impatient with this "idiot" she married. He might
even be willing to lead, but have no talent for the job. He
might even be ABLE to lead but be brutal in his application. No
sane person will tolerate brutal leadership. There is a time to say
"enough" to such treatment.
The only way anyone (in marriage) can
effectively lead is when they both fully let Christ into the
relationship. We can only truly lead (or be led) as a result of actual
contact with Him (the Living God). I have watched for years, as someone
close to me in my family has been learning to submit to a husband who
does not wish to lead. The attempt is beautiful, and that is the point
of the next verses.
Verse 4. "Every
man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his
head."
In the preceding verse, we saw the
"chain of command" that can make a marriage work. The woman looks to
the man, and can follow him, to the extent that he TRULY (there are many
counterfeits in the world, in marriage, as well as in religion) looks to
Christ. And our Lord gave us the example while He was here on earth, by
utterly giving Himself to the leadership of God the Father, through the
Holy Spirit of God. He held nothing back, and neither should the
husband hold back anything, in loving his God; in loving his wife.
It was (and is) a Jewish custom that
when praying, the male Jewish worshiper cover his head with the TALLITH.
The ancient Jew also UN-covered his feet, showing he identified the
place where he stood as holy ground. The head was covered because of
humility, even as the Seraphim in Isaiah chapter 6, covered their faces
with their wings, in the presence of the Lord. The Greek custom was to
pray with the head uncovered. Paul had decided, through the Holy
Spirit, that the man in Christ may stand with unveiled head before the
Presence of his Father. We are set free from our shame in Christ.
Tertullian understood this: "We pray
with bare heads because we blush not." This reflects that we are new
in Christ. "The Christian is no longer a slave but a son! (Gal 4:7).
The head was covered in mourning (II Sam. 15:30) and because of our
shame - We are ALIVE (in Him) and have JOY (in Christ). We are in
mourning no longer, for the Son of God is Risen in us!
Verse 5. "But
every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors
her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved."
Apparently, there is not an absolute
rule against the woman speaking openly in the assembly. This was seen
from before the beginning of the Church, where Joel (2:30) is quoted in
Acts 2:17-18, "your sons and DAUGHTERS shall prophesy…", and "…on my
Maidservants I will pour out My spirit…" It was not only Aquila, but
also PRISCILLA (Acts 18:26), who took Apollos aside and TAUGHT him the
way of God more accurately. We are not under "New Testament Law" any
more than the "Old."
What is presented here is public
DECORUM. It was against the national custom of all of the surrounding
peoples of the Mediterranean nations of the time for a woman to appear
unveiled (on her OWN authority). Such behavior would lead to the worst
misconceptions about Christian assemblies. Modest women covered their
heads with a veil when in public. To appear otherwise was to be thought
to be a prostitute. We are to be modest in our dress, modest in our
appearance, modest in our words, especially modest in our hearts, where
our outward behavior comes from.
Calvin said, "As a man honors his head
by proclaiming his liberty, so the woman by acknowledging her
subjection. I wouldn’t go as far as he did with these verses. As a
younger man, I remember being taught in a public assembly by the woman
teacher Corrie Ten Boom. I have heard more eloquent teachers but she
was extremely believable and used excellent visual imagery. I can still
see her in my mind, stuffing rags into a flashlight, and then pointing
out the obvious - that the light did not work when it was filled with
rags. She took out the cloths and put in batteries. Then she clicked
the button again, and it worked this time! While doing this, she was
explaining that only by being connected to the power source of the Holy
Spirit, can we be lights to the world.
Corrie Ten Boom was accepted
universally as a teacher in just about all Christian contexts, because
she was so obviously led of God to teach us. One of the best teachers
(of 20-years ago) was also a woman. Her testimony was that she tried to
tell God "no" when she experienced a call to teach, on the ground that
she was a woman. She then continued by stating that God so overrode her
heart that she finally taught anyway. I was simply blown-away by the
excellence of her teaching ministry. She was truly called.
Verse 6. "For if a woman is not
covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be
shorn or shaved, let her be covered."
Paul was not commanding haircuts here
--- He was using scornful humor to illustrate that a woman (or a man,
for that matter), should be chaste in public appearance. When a woman
was tried by the "ordeal of the water of jealousy" (Numbers 5:18), her
head was uncovered by the priest. To be shorn or shaven, to the Jews
(and others of the area), was a sign both of mourning and of shame.
This is seen in Deuteronomy 21:12-13 – it was a disgrace inflicted on
the adulteress.
As J. Vernon McGee said, "the unveiled
woman in Corinth was a prostitute." Many of the religious prostitutes
had their heads shaved, as did the "vestal virgins" in the temple of
Aphrodite, who were (as stated) really prostitutes, pretending a chaste
status. Paul does not want us to bring shame to the Body of Christ, in
our clothing, in our manner, in our words.
Verse 7. "For a
man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory
of God; but woman is the glory of man."
In the garden, before the fall of
mankind, Adam was completely open (mentally, physically and spiritually)
to God. Nothing was hidden, there was no double motive, no hidden
agenda. In Christ, we are once again open before him. One of the
things we are supposed to do, as Christians, is to act out, before a
Godless world, the reality of the Risen Christ in our lives. We do this
by changed lives, such as by speaking the truth in love. We also act
out, almost as though we are performing in a play, these realities in
PICTURE form. That is we are baptized, symbolizing that we have died to
this world and have come alive in another, better place. We marry, and
as we see in Ephesians, marriage is supposed to portray in image form,
the deep love that the Lord has for the Body of Christ, that is, for
each one of us who is called the "Church."
We shall see communion in such a manner
(as a picture of what God has done for us) in the second half of this
chapter.
Part of what we act out in picture form
in marriage is the creation of mankind. As we see in the next verse,
the man was created first, and he was not complete without the woman.
The two become one, just we are one with the God who made us. By the
woman being covered and the man not, we reflect in picture form the
order of creation, and testify that it was God who made us, along with
all things. There was no evolutionary process --- When we are one in
love, in marriage, our relationship testifies to God the Creator of all
mankind, who shares His Image with you and with me, when we just turn to
Him.
Is all marriage perfect, because it is
supposed to carry a message about God to us? No it is not. Because we
are imperfect, we spoil even the Word that God gives to us. He WILL
communicate with us anyway, using every means that is possible, and some
means that, in retrospect, don’t seem possible at all.
Verse 8. "For
man is not from woman, but woman from man."
This verse is a clear indicator that
the Holy Spirit has in mind here a crystal clear and strong reference to
the CREATION of mankind (Genesis 2). The man was created first, not the
woman. The woman was taken out of man, which is obviously a reversal of
the order seen after the fall. For now, the man comes out of the woman,
but that was not the way of the first man and the first woman. It’s
interesting that all this was PLANNED from before the beginning, even to
the point that the Remedy of man existed before the fall of man. Even
before the fall, God knew we would fall into sin. Jesus was (Revelation
13:8) "slain from the foundation of the world" indicating His death for
our sins was built right in for the benefit of our race, from BEFORE the
beginning of all that is.
So it was with the order of creation.
It was deliberate that the woman was to be created out of the man,
partly in order that this analogy might be presented to us at just this
moment. For one thing, my friend, it shows that God knew you would be
reading these words, right at this moment. God knows your heart,
utterly knows you, and this moment was set aside from the foundation of
the world, awaiting the answer of your heart to His call. He created us
and wants you to be re-created in Him - right now. If He knows the end
from the beginning, He also knows your heart right this minute.
Verse 9. "Nor
was man created for the woman, but woman for the man."
This is the express teaching of Genesis
chapter 2, a lovely rendition of the creation of mankind. In chapter 1,
we see the creation from a telescopic perspective; that is, the whole
overview was presented at once, in the order it occurred. Man was just
an important PART of that creation, presented briefly in verse 26 and
forward. In the next section, the focus is specifically on the creation
of mankind, and chapter 2 has been portrayed as a "microscopic"
examination of the creation of our ancestors.
In that rendition (chapter 2), Adam was
already functioning as the Governor of the earth, at a time when he was
the only human-person who had been created. The other life forms are
presented as separate races of beings, with functions we no longer are
able to understand or even perceive --- all creation has been distorted
because of the fall of man.
In Genesis chapter 2, we find what I
believe is the DELIGHT of God in creating the person Eve, who was to be
the mother of all people, and who was to be co-Governor of all the
earth. Behind the words of that chapter, there is the excitement of God
in presenting them one to the other. The excitement of a Father, in
giving JOY to His little ones.
The woman was created out of the man
and was God’s gift to His beloved Adam. They were actually given to
each other, for they were to be "one flesh" - not divided like wives and
husbands are now, but united in love. And it indeed was her that came
out of him, as is portrayed in this Scripture.
Verse 10. "For
this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head,
because of the angels."
Luther said of this verse, "exousia"
(power or authority) is the veil or covering by which one may see that
she is under her husband’s authority." That seems to be the simplest
exposition of 1 Corinthians 10, and, as we have seen earlier, the veil
or covering was a mechanism of society which indicated she was a person
of good morals. There was a PROTECTION in the veil, in that others
would not view the woman as some kind of "target" (as is so often the
case today) but instead regard her as under the protection of her
husband.
The "angels" are interesting. The word
is "angeloi" which is the Greek word for "messengers" and is often used
in Scripture in relation to angelic, supernatural beings. The general
reference of Paul here, as interpreted by both Spence and Joseph Exell,
is as follows: Her choice of chaste clothing is "out of respect and
reverence for the holy angels, who are always invisibly present in the
Christian assemblies" and I must add, in the lives of Christian
believers.
We are surrounded by angels. A
fascinating discussion of this subject is, of course, found in Hebrews
chapter one. That chapter concludes that "they are ministering spirits
sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation." In other
words, if you are in Christ, if you give yourself to Him, you will not
only receive the Holy Spirit of God, but an extra bonus is that you are
constantly surrounded and under the care of --- angels! There are
apparently angels everywhere anyway – but they seem to cluster around
(and help) those who will inherit salvation in Christ Jesus.
This verse is both a recommendation and
a reminder. How does the typical person ACT if they think no one is
watching them? The answer is likely to be that we are less refined when
we think we are alone. We tend to be on our best behavior when some is
watching us. It is clear from this verse that we are never alone. We
are always being watched and not only our actions but also the hidden
motives of the heart are being seen. These angels are pure and, to the
extent we are not pure, we should always be giving our thoughts and our
actions to the Lord for forgiveness, cleansing, and healing.
Verse 11.
"Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman
independent of man, in the Lord."
Certainly this verse should correct any
tendency of a husband or father to be cruel or domineering. In
marriage, the old saying was "the two-celled heart, beating with one
full stroke, beating as one." If the man is the leader, then we must
examine that role. What is a leader in the sight of God?
The mother of the "sons of thunder"
(James and John) wanted a special place for her sons in the Kingdom of
God. Jesus replied that "whoever desires to
become great among you, let him be your servant." And, "whoever
desires to be first among you, let him be your slave." That’s in
Matthew 20:26-27. His statement was preceded by another one: The
leader is not someone who "Lords it over them and
those who exercise great authority over them."
In short, Mister Husband, if you wish
to lead your wife, learn to be her servant, in love of her, even to the
death of your desires so that hers may come to life. The servant-leader
is not by any means a weak person. Just like the good butler, however,
listens to the needs of his master, the husband must learn to LISTEN to
his wife. Jesus was a very strong Person, and HE is the model for your
role as the husband of your wife. Even to the extent of dying for her,
in her place, even to the extent of placing her shopping ahead of your
football.
Verse 12. "For
as the woman was from the man, even so the man also is through the
woman; but all things are from God."
Now, we can discuss these things, as to
who came first, the woman or the man (like who came first, the chicken
or the egg), until we turn blue. But it is obvious in Scripture that
the first woman came from the first man, and also that since that time
it is the man who comes from the woman. But the details are largely
irrelevant, because all things are actually, as Paul says, from God.
The most important fact of life is that
we are from God.
David reveals (Psalm 139:14-16) that it
was God who overlooked us (watched out for us) when we were in the womb
and that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." We are not some
"accident" with the "wrong" color of eyes or the "wrong" shape. We are
"fearfully and wonderfully made." We are from God. & when we receive
Him, we are twice from God - once in the flesh, and now, the second
time, wrought in His Holy Spirit --- Twice from God, born in Him.
Verse 13.
"Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with
her head uncovered?"
So, figure it out --- Is it proper for
us to wear anything we want? Is it correct to take this body which God
has given us and decorate it any way we choose? Pierce it here and
there, and draw pictures on it somewhere else? Is it right that we wear
clothing that suggests we are a person of low morals? When we pray
before our High and Holy God, does it matter what we wear? What we do?
Yes it does.
Most important about us is our hidden
ATTITUDES. The mere outward thing is less important. Jesus said that
out of our "heart(s) come…murders, adulteries…"
and so on (Matthew 15:19) and that interestingly the outward thing
(15:20) is not the real issue. Yet, Paul is here providing the balance,
that yes, to follow the APPEARANCE of decency (as well as actually being
decent) is indeed a very good thing.
I do not suggest that we should revert
to wearing clothes that were fashionable at some other time. I do not
feel that we should dress like George Washington or Moses and therefore
look ridiculous to those around us in our culture. I DO feel that,
within the context of the society in which we live, we should be chaste
and dignified in appearance; willing to be thought of as Godly and moral
people. (Hopefully, we really are).
Verse 14. "Does
not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a
dishonor to him?"
This has long been a fascinating
Scripture to me. Had it not been for the "Jesus" movement of the late
‘60’s and early ‘70’s, I might feel differently about this verse.
During that era, time-and-time again, the Lord seemed to be very little
concerned with the length of a man’s hair, and much more about the
condition of his heart. There were those who wanted to cut the hair of
a new convert - immediately! But the Lord was not in such a hurry. A
guy would come out of the "hippie" movement and sometimes he would
experience "conviction" to get his hair cut and sometimes he would not.
The heart is much more important than the hair.
The bottom line here, in my opinion,
coupled with the following verse, is that a man should be a MAN, in
dress and in manner, and a woman should be a woman. We should not act
and live in such a manner that no one knows what in the world we really
are! Paul is reminding us that if you were born a man, live like one.
If you are a woman, joyfully be exactly what you are. You are not some
kind of "accident" --- You are "fearfully and wonderfully made."
Verse 15. "But
if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to
her for a covering."
As a man grows older, he typically
finds less joy in what’s left of his hair. But for most women, the
experience of long, beautiful hair lasts throughout her life. Bengel
says "we should follow with our will the guidance of nature." That is,
the facts of our bodies are not there by accident. Every tendency, each
fact is placed there by God deliberately, carrying the potential to
illustrate a deeper, spiritual truth about us, about our race.
It is a given that factors like
chemotherapy for some women, will change her (apparently) in relation to
this verse. Yet, for MOST female-persons, long hair is much more a
life-long capacity than it is for most men. These tendencies do not
happen by accident --- there is a purpose in them. Here, this tendency
of women was given millennia ago (in advance by the Holy Spirit), not so
that women might be more hairy, but that we might understand that both
the appearance and roles of women were created SPECIALLY and not by
accident.
A woman’s hair is given in part to
reflect God’s desire for her life, as to her role in marriage.
Verse 16. "But if
anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the
Churches of God."
Notice this conclusion to the preceding
section on marriage. "We have no such custom" means there is no LAW on
these things of the marriage relationship. These verses (and all
Scriptures) are not designed to place you under law --- this is instead
designed to HELP you in life. The wife who has a husband who loves her
and who is also an excellent leader; the wife who can accept his
leadership --- is simply happier than another woman, who fights her
husband every inch of the way. The same is of course true for the
husband. The roles in marriage (and society) are confused today, as are
the people. But it isn’t "roles" we need to assume, it’s CHRIST we need
to seek --- There really is no law that can change our lives - We need
Him in us; us in Him. THAT’s what we need.
Verse 17. "Now
in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come
together not for the better but for the worse."
Paul is not thrilled with these
people. They are playing Church, pretending to themselves and to other
persons that they have a vital relationship which is really lacking in
their lives. Watching football is fun --- lots of things are, but we
are so HUNGRY for more than trivia in life. The satisfaction of TV or
hobbies or whatever, wears off after a while. Paul tried a lot of
things, until he got knocked off his animal on the Damascus road. Paul
had become good at outward religion. Sometimes we need to get knocked
down to discover much more is needed in life than we could even know was
possible.
Verse 18. "For
first of all, when you come together as a Church, I hear that there are
divisions among you, and in part I believe it."
I’m just coming off an experience in
which I yelled (on the Internet) at other persons (and they yelled at
me). Whoever was at fault is really not very clear (and irrelevant
anyway, because we are ALL at fault -"All have sinned and come short of
the glory of God" really applies). Factions and discord is a symptom of
much worse. All of our Church, all of the human race is infected with a
disease that only Christ can truly heal. We need Him.
I find our tolerance for others is
limited, due to pride, lack of love, selfishness, and the Lord only
knows what else. It’s time for our whole country, our whole Church, to
come before Him in repentance --- and it starts with me; starts with
you. I answered back to them on the Internet (whatever the issues).
To be right or to be wrong in an argument --- is not as important as we
think. Finally, after prayer, I did the only thing I thought made sense
in love --- to withdraw from their midst. If I only cause strife in
someone’s life, it’s time change; perhaps to move on, if that is
necessary.
Verse 19. "For
there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may
be recognized among you."
To be "recognized" is a basic human
need. It also is the basis of much human sin before other people and
before our Holy God. Factionalism implies choosing personalities, one
over another, and ultimately it doesn’t matter one whit if we like this
teacher and don’t like someone else.
What matters is: Who did Christ send
to You? Are you the one being sent? We often don’t really know the
answers to basic questions for we are so busy being "right" that we
cannot really "hear" our Lord at all. A basic part of any corporate
project is "Avoiding Responsibility" and "Assigning the Blame." These
tendencies come into the Church, and just like a corporate response,
tend to ruin things for everybody. The people of the Ephesian Church in
the Book of Revelation were right in just about everything but they had
lost their love.
Verse 20.
"Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the
Lord’s Supper."
I’m blessed to be in charge of the
"Communion Ministry" at our Church. I have two teams of men and
several alternates. I was also part of the Communion Ministry in
Calvary Chapel San Jose. What a blessing. I get to clean the utensils,
break the bread, pour the "wine" and pray for those who will receive
Communion. I learned from Jim Vela in San Jose, who handled all of this
with a wonderful reverence and a love for those who would receive.
Jim selected me for his San Jose team
to assist in preparation but I was only able to work for a couple of
Communions before it was necessary (for job reasons) to move to the Los
Angeles Basin. I was disappointed and it seemed at the time that the
training I received from Jim was of no use to anyone. I did not seek
the ministry in the Long Beach Church or every mention that I had
experience in that area. They chose me, (Be still and let HIM choose
YOU). What a blessing to see the hand of the Lord at work behind the
scenes, bringing purpose out of all that is.
The Lord has selected us to sup at the
table of our Lord. We are not here by accident, we are everywhere we
are because He loves us and has a purpose for our lives. Holy
Communion is a special blessing, as I can personally testify, as one who
is a partaker, and also as one in charge of the ministry. As Jim Vela
taught me, when we partake in Communion, it is a time to reflect on the
Body of Christ: 1) that our Lord died for us, and
2) that you and I are one in Him.
Verse 21. "For
in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is
hungry and another is drunk."
I doubt if you have physically stuffed
yourself on Communion bread (these people actually had an "agape" meal
before each Communion) and then got drunk on the wine. But we are often
just as bad --- we have unresolved ANGER; ENVY riddles our lives; we are
often COVETOUS --- the list goes on, and such motives are at least as
bad as gluttony and getting drunk. GOSSIP is a killer within the Body
of Christ. At Communion, it is time to take off the mask and own up
that we are pretty needy (and greedy) in the eyes of our Holy God.
We’re sinners! If we have anything against our brother, it is time to
put off our selfishness (another disease in our body) and confess
our sins, one to another, before Him.
It’s important to come to the Lord’s
Table with clean hands and a clean heart. Remember the words of our
Lord, "If you bring your gift to the altar, and
there remember that your brother Has something against you, leave your
gift before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
Good advice from the One who died for you and for me.
Verse 22.
"What? Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise
the Church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say
to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you."
Now, I don’t overeat during Communion.
And I don’t get drunk on the wine. Years ago, though, I did feel
somewhat concerned for the Priest in the Catholic Church I attended, for
anything that was left over, he had to eat and drink. Sometimes there
was quite a bit left --- hopefully he was able to handle it all.
But for me, how does God look at my
heart when my mind wanders during the service? What does He think,
when I have unresolved sin in my heart? How does He look at it when I
have anger toward my brother in Christ? On the outside, I don’t have
the troubles of the Corinthians, but inside, I need Him; I need to be
changed. So do you. It all starts with me - I must repent - You, too.
Verse 23. "For
I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the
Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
On a recent Sunday afternoon, I taught
Matthew 26 to the ladies in the Convalescent Home. It was a long
chapter for them --- 75 verses; but we managed to get through it all.
And it’s true, just as Paul said, that on the same night He gave Himself
to us in (the parable of) Communion, He also gave Himself for us by
dying for our sins. This was the night He was betrayed. I was
impressed, in Matthew 26, how totally the Lord knew what was going on
--- before it happened. He KNEW Judas would betray Him. He KNEW He,
the Lord, would die for our sins and then rise again. He even made a
date with them to meet with Him in Galilee after He would die and rise
again. His faith in the Father was complete and so was His love for you
and for me.
I was fascinated that the disciples
were real good at following the Lord in outward things, as in Matthew
26:19, where it is reported they "did just what Jesus had directed them"
in preparing the Passover Seder (meal). But not that many verses later,
when He asked them to pray with Him, they were dropping like flies,
going to sleep when they were needed the most. I think prayer is much
harder than outward obedience. Our real "rubber meets the road" prayer
is in the "closet" where we get no credit from other people. Prayer is
just me and God, God and me, and my faith in Him is tested as to MY
reality (or lack of reality), in that very closet. Are you at a place
in your life (Matthew 26:38), where Jesus is quietly calling to you, "Come
and watch with Me?" To receive such a call is a great
privilege, though nobody knows about it except Him (and you). Let us
pray we can be awake when He calls.
Verse 24.
"and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take,
eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of
Me.’"
It is interesting to observe, as J.
Vernon Mc Gee did, that NOWHERE is it commanded in Scripture that we
observe the birth of our Lord. Yet we do it every year, with great
vigor and with an enthusiastic emptying of our bank accounts! Yet we
are commanded to observe the day of His death, and to do it often. It’s
wonderful that He was born into the human race for us. Yet, if that was
all that was done, it would have no benefit for us. It is
terrific that He was such a great Teacher and has taught us so much ---
The Bible has literally changed my life. But all of it only has meaning
for me (for each of us) in that He DIED for our sins. We’re going to
see this with great clarity in 1st Corinthians 15. But for now, see it
in Communion. See with your heart and with responsive love, that Jesus
died for you; look at His love, especially for you --- He died that YOU
might LIVE in Him.
Verse 25.
"In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This
cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of Me.’"
Jesus shed His blood for us. He didn’t
need to do that --- Not for any other reason than His love. I have
always been mixed up about love. I love you but I hope the attention
you need won’t interfere with my football game (or whatever it is that I
might be interested in at the time). Jesus’ love is so pure that I have
to look away in shame. We take Communion on the first of each month.
Before the service, I not only break the Matzo crackers for the service,
but I also place the fruit of the vine into the little cups, one cup at
a time. It gives me extra time, to not only pray for the recipients,
but also to ponder the meaning of all this. (I think He gave me this
assignment because I need it more than most other people.
I think of all the reminding we need
("Do this OFTEN in remembrance of Me") --- it’s sad that so much of our
focus is on ourselves, our needs, our problems, our hopes, etc., that so
little of our attention is on the needs of others. So little of our
attention is on Him. Right now, just THANK Him for giving His all for
you --- There’s a whole lot in life to regret, but you’ll never regret
Him --- for He loves you so much.
Verse 26. "For
as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord’s death till He comes."
To publicly act out our relationship in
Christ is to manifest faith in Him, that He WILL return and claim us for
His own. Aristides was an outsider (non-Christian), an Athenian
philosopher who lived in the early part of the second century and wrote
his observations about Christians: "Every morning and all hours and on
the account of the goodness of God towards them, they praise and laud
Him, and if any righteous person of their number passes away from the
world, they rejoice and give thanks to God. If a child chance to die in
its infancy they praise God mightily, as for one who has passed through
this world without sin." Oh that we might have even a portion of the
faith of those people. That even outsiders would praise our faith in
God. Let us PROCLAIM the death of our Lord, in words but also in our
actions. He Died for US; He died for you and for me. Let us proclaim
Him.
Verse 27. "Therefore
whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."
I think the key to experiencing
Communion in an "unworthy manner" is found in the word "hypocrite" (to
pretend we are something we are not). To wear an emotional mask that
makes us SEEM to be something we really are not at all. When we take
our Communion, we state with actions that we are a part of Him and even
more, that He is a part of us. When we bring the bread to our lips, we
act out, in parable form, the receiving of Him into our hearts and
lives. When we drink the fruit of the vine, we also demonstrate the act
of receiving Him, and even more, we accept the criminal’s death He
experienced. We demonstrate our price is PAID in the sight of our High
and Holy God. That’s pretty heavy stuff, because we might fool someone
outside, even fool ourselves --- But just like Jesus was not fooled by
Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:25 and context); you and I don’t fool Him
either.
Verse 28. "But
let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of
that cup."
I like II Corinthians 13:5, and I have
been reading it for years. I have come to the certain conclusion that
there is NOTHING inside of me or out, that qualifies me for salvation in
Christ Jesus. I am deserving of the criminal’s death He died for me.
My unworthiness is even more clear as I perceive the wonder that He DOES
receive me, even me, because of His Cross. Above my head is the sign
"Guilty as charged." Across those truthful words is another saying,
written in His Blood: "PAID IN FULL." THAT is the only ground of our
salvation in Him. When I look at my life (I cannot speak personally
for you), look at my actions and my heart, I recognize, realize with
great understanding that I am completely unworthy of Him. Yet He died
for you and for me, and as we receive Him, we are made WORTHY, because
He was broken for us, because He shed His Blood, for you and even for
me.
THAT is what we must see when we
"examine" ourselves, that we are bought and paid for; no longer our
own. Our conversation, our thoughts, our time, money, our very lives
--- none of this is "mine" (ours) anymore, for we belong to Him. We
belong to the Lord.
Verse 29. "For
he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to
himself, not discerning the Lord’s body."
This "judgment" is of both a merciful
and a disciplinary character. The bread and the wine are just common
foodstuffs, and that’s just the point --- Jesus came into our world,
into our very lives, and identified Himself totally with us. He became
our representative, our substitute. In our day, the Cross may best be
compared with the electric chair. To sit in such a device is to have
the whole world see that we have failed, been branded a criminal, and
are dying a shameful death. Jesus’ body was WRECKED for us. Even more
than the physical was our Spiritual death He experienced as He bore our
sins. Can you imagine what it was like for "Him who knew no sin" to
personally bear what we have done. We live in a culture in which
innocence is frowned upon. Yet to be pure like an innocent baby should
be our highest goal. Jesus was not a baby; He was a MAN, in every sense
of the word. He also had a greater innocence than any child could ever
have. Yet He took our guilt upon Him, and for our sins He died. To see
Him in this manner is to discern something of what He has done for us.
Verse 30. "For
this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep."
For a long time in the 20th century, we
have begun to understand the relationship between emotions and physical
health. If we constantly live with stress, we are going to get sick.
There are other obvious causes of illness, but stress, anxiety, and
worry are killers. To be hypocritical in the Presence of our Lord is
not only useless (He knows everything about us), it is also dangerous.
Underneath our masks, which often are designed to fool ourselves, we
really KNOW what we are. That’s the stress --- to know the truth and
yet keep on denying it. To KNOW our need of Him, and yet to actually
continue trying to solve our problems --- we often pretend to be
religious and yet WE are too often the "gods" of our own lives. We need
Him and yet we try to do it ourselves. "For that reason, may are weak
and sick among you, and many sleep."
Verse 31. "For
if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged."
Judgment starts with ourselves. Most
of the time we are busy judging others and simply don’t have the time
(or the interest) to judge ourselves. We FOOL ourselves to the extent
that we often aren’t consciously aware of our sins. For that reason, it
is important to often take the time to just come before Him and
listen. To be open to Him. NOT to just be open to supernatural
forces, for that is dangerous, but to come to HIM.
We come to You, Father; We come to You,
Lord Jesus. Now, if we are IN Him, and He in us, that means His Holy
Spirit lives within us. It is certainly evident that everything God
does is for a purpose. The Holy Spirit of God is within us for a
specific and Holy reason. He is there to convict us of sin, to generate
holiness and the desire for holiness within. He is there to bring us to
Jesus. He is there imparting information and understanding, that each
of us might learn to "judge ourselves" so we will not be judged. How do
you learn to "judge" yourself? Go to Him, for His job is partly to
convict you of your sin. Don’t be afraid, remember the J’s: through
the Judgment there is Joy and it all
comes through Jesus - He WILL forgive you of your sins
and bring you into all righteousness (1 John 1:9 & context).
Verse 32. But
when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be
condemned with the world."
Yesterday evening, someone came to me
and confessed a sin (as it says in James, to confess our sins, one to
another). This person had confessed it to the Lord and now realized
this was a lifelong sin in their attitude (which expressed itself in
outward behavior) that God would deal with in their lives. This person
had begun to associate difficulties in their life with this unconfessed
sin.
This is precisely the point of 1 John
1:9. We come to Him and there is no end to the confession that is
possible, for we are merely human beings, sinners right from the start,
all of our lives. The very point of the Cross is that we can be
FORGIVEN in Him.
I think "chastened by the Lord" is
provocative here. A lot of people think that we should not have any
trouble in our lives if we are truly in Christ. If "chastened" does not
mean job loss, loss of loved ones, sickness, loss of our money, and so
on, what does it mean? The chastening in my life has brought me to Him,
again and again. It has always fascinated me that trouble brings us
closer to God. Who wants trouble? We don’t even LIKE it, but because
He is a part of our lives, we tend to come through trouble closer to Him
than before. We are strong, rebellious sinners, and like the mule, it
often takes a 2 by 4 over the head to get our attention. Honestly turn
to Him in your trouble and He WILL be there for you.
Verse 33.
"Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one
another."
"Discerning the Lord’s Body" in verse
29, includes discovering an awareness of the need of the person next to
me. In other words, the Lord’s Body includes YOU (and them). Paul is
here telling us to let ourselves become AWARE of other people. This
takes lots of forms. There may be a person near you who is more broke
than you are. The children in the house next door (where they argue so
much) might be hungry. Someone you encounter regularly might be afraid
and unable to conquer that fear. There are lots of people around us who
are hurting. We ARE the body of Christ, manifested in this world. How
do we "wait" for one another? As we see a need, let us prayerfully FILL
that need. As we consider our brother and our sister, let us
specifically PRAY for them (and DO for them). Let yourself begin to
really CARE - Wait for one another, in the power and the love of the
Lord.
Verse 34. "But
if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for
judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come."
If we just keep what we have and don’t
share with others, we’re eventually going to have trouble. I am still
amazed at the years that we did not tithe. We never had enough. I
discovered Haggai 1:6 at that time, where the Lord says (my paraphrase),
"Hey, guys, have you noticed that you work REALLY HARD, and yet nothing
really comes of it? (I was working 60-hours and more a week - my kids
never saw me). Have you seen that you have plenty of consumer goods, &
yet you’re not really satisfied? You buy clothes, and houses, and cars,
and it’s never enough? It’s just like you put your money into a wallet
with a hole in the bottom, or into a bank account with an account number
that really belongs to someone else! The money just flows through and
is gone!" That’s the way it was for us for over 20-years.
Now I believe that tithing, like every
other spiritual/religious activity, should be led of the Lord. I am
convinced that the Holy Spirit within us will indeed DIRECT us in how
much to give, and who to give it to. No formula; just be open to Him.
During those years, it was on my heart to give, and specifically it was
on my heart to give Him the "first fruits" of all we got. To give to
Him BEFORE we paid our bills, BEFORE we bought our food, BEFORE we put
gas in the car. Because we had so little, we were afraid. We did not
give, and we had less-and-less, until we had nothing at all. In the
divorce, which was partly caused by financial problems, we somehow spent
literally thousands of dollars on attorney fees, which naturally made
things far worse than ever.
After the divorce, it did not matter
anymore. We were so far gone financially that it seemed to me, why
not? And I began to tithe. I began to give, and the Lord blessed in
response. I have never had a lot, but I have recently had enough, and I
feel --- Satisfied. And of course, the Lord will come to us and set all
things in order. Let the other person have their rights. Let the Lord
have His portion. When He comes again, He WILL give you far more than
you can ever give Him, and I can personally testify that it starts right
now --- He WILL give you all you need, and you will be satisfied.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
http://www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
