1 Corinthians 11:20-21. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper, and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
They had such low notions of the communion that they seemed to think that, if they ate together, each one bringing his own provision, they would be celebrating the Lord's supper; but Paul would not agree to that. What said he?
1 Corinthians 11:22. 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.
They may not have meant to do so ill, but they had fallen into all sorts of disorder, and Paul therefore first rebuked them, and then explained to them the right observance of the ordinance.
1 Corinthians 11:23-27. 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: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 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. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 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.
Note carefully the wording, of this verse; it is not «Whosoever, being unworthy, shall eat and drink. It is not an adjective, it is an adverb; and relates, not so much to the person, as to the way in which he came to the communion. Those who came to the Lord's table in a half-drunken fashion, those who regarded it merely as a common meal, those who came there under false pretences, those who came there not thinking of Christ's body at all; they would all be guilty of not discerning the Lord's body, and so of prostituting his ordinance, robbing it of its dignity and solemnity by coming there in such a condition.
1 Corinthians 11:28-29. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,
We are all unworthy to come to the table of our Lord; who among us can possibly be thought to be worthy to come to such a feast as this? But the apostle is writing concerning those who came there carelessly, or without thought, or with a wrong motive. Years ago, you know, nobody could hold certain government or municipal offices without taking what was called «the sacrament.» That was making the Lord's supper a picklock to office; that was indeed to eat and drink it unworthily. Such also as come merely for the sake of getting alms, or out of custom or formality, but leave their hearts behind them, eat and drink unworthily, and «shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord,» as guilty as they were who actually crucified the Saviour. «For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily»
1 Corinthians 11:29. Eateth and drinketh «condemnation» to himself,
For that is how the word should be rendered,
1 Corinthians 11:29-30. Not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
God is always carrying out a system of discipline in his Church. To a large extent, he lets the world, for the present, sin, as it pleases; but in his own family he uses the rod; and when the Lord's supper is dishonoured, there is no doubt that the sickness and sleep here mentioned still follow.
1 Corinthians 11:30. «For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.»
Many even die; not that they are lost, not that this sickness is sent as a curse, but as fatherly chastisement; and the death of many of its members is often a chastisement to the church which is thus weakened by losing its best helpers.
1 Corinthians 11:31-34. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
This exposition consisted of readings from Matthew 26:17-39; and 1 Corinthians 11:20-34.