Tarry one for another, &c.— Some would read this passage thus, Wait one for another, (and if any man hunger, let him eat at home) THAT ye may not come together to your guilt. See Musculus and Bengelius.
Inferences.—It is the duty of Christians frequently to remember the honourable relation in which they stand to Christ, as their head; and as beyond all doubt, under his mediatorial character, he is most willingly and joyfully subject to God, we should learn to imitate him in that cheerful and entire subjection, out of love and reverence to him; guarding against whatever is unbecoming, lest he be dishonoured thereby, 1 Corinthians 11:3-4.
When in any act of divine worship we have the happiness to approach the blessed God, let us reverence his awful presence.
What St. Paul observes of the mutual dependance which the sexes have on each other, should dispose them to mutual candour and respect; avoiding the cruel tyranny or the vain affectation which often arms them on either side with ungenerous reflections; and as all things are of God, it should be our concern that all things be faithfully employed for his glory. Whatever comforts we receive in relative life, (which are indeed many and important) should lead us to adore the wisdom of the divine constitution, in the original formation of our nature, and the secret influence and conduct of his providence in the regulation of our respective circumstances and affairs, 1 Corinthians 11:11-12.
We see from 1 Corinthians 11:14-16 the force of custom for determining in many respects what is decent, and what is otherwise. We ought to maintain a proper regard to this, lest, through our imprudence, even our good should be evil spoken of, and all our infirmities magnified into crimes.
What just matter of thankfulness to our blessed Redeemer does that account of the institution of his sacred supper afford, which St. Paul assures us he received immediately from him! Let us reflect, that it was in that very night in which he was betrayed, that his thoughts were so compassionately employed for our comfort and happiness;—a time when it might have been imagined that his mind would be entirely possessed with his personal concerns, with the doleful scene of his approaching sufferings, 1 Corinthians 11:23. We learn from this account the perpetuity as well as the great leading design of the ordinance,—We shew forth the Lord's death, and we shew it forth till he come, 1 Corinthians 11:26. If we do, indeed, desire to preserve the memory of our dying Saviour's love in the world, if we desire to maintain it in our own souls,—we must constantly and regularly attend this blessed institution, endeavouring, by the lively exercise of faith and love, to discern, and in a spiritual sense to feed upon the Lord's body. Nor let any humble and upright soul be discouraged by these threatenings of judgment to those profane sinners, who offered such gross affronts to this holy solemnity; affronts which none of us are in danger of repeating. Their scandalous excesses, when they pretended to be worshipping God on this awful occasion, might justly provoke the eyes of his holiness, might awaken the arm of his indignation; yet even these sinners were chastised, that they might not be finally and for ever condemned, 1 Corinthians 11:29-32.
Let not any then be terrified, as if every soul that approached the ordinance without a proper penitential spirit, must by necessary consequence seal its own damnation. Thus to attend the table of the Lord is indeed a sin; but, blessed be God, not a sin too great to be forgiven. Those therefore who, though they feel in their hearts a reverential love to Christ, yet have hitherto refrained from attending this feast of love, should, from these considerations, be engaged to attend it;—to attend it with repentant spirits. Then may they with the most hearty welcome from the great Lord of the feast eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, receiving it as the memorial of Christ's body broken, and of his blood shed, for the remission of sins. Through that Blood alone may we seek this invaluable blessing, without which, indeed, nothing can be a solid and lasting blessing to us! May we, on every occasion, treat our brethren with a tenderness and respect becoming those, who consider ourselves and them as redeemed by that precious Blood, and indebted to it for the hopes of everlasting salvation!
In a word, let us never rest in the external rites or exercises of worship, how decently and regularly soever performed; but look to our inward temper, and the conduct of our minds, if we desire to maintain their peace, and that our coming together should be for the better, and not for the worse, 1 Corinthians 11:17.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The Apostle had proposed to his Corinthian brethren, in the conclusion of the former chapter, his own example; and he here exhorts them, be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. He copied after his divine Master, and therefore could speak freely, when his own practice was so eminently a comment on his discourses.
1. To introduce with greater efficacy the reproofs which he was constrained to give, he commends them for what was praise-worthy among them. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you; at least, the main body of the church loved, honoured, and respected him, and were observant of his instructions.
2. He lays a foundation for the rebuke which he was obliged to give, in reminding them of the superiority of the man over the woman. I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; he is the Creator and Governor of all, and in a peculiar manner the head of his church: and the head of the woman is the man, who has by creation and nature the superiority, and therefore the woman should be in subjection: and the head of Christ is God, considered as Mediator; and, in his human nature, he is inferior to the Father; though, in his Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal.
3. The thing that he blames is, that their men prayed and prophesied covered, the women uncovered. Veiling the head, in the Eastern countries, was regarded as a token of modesty and subjection in the woman; and having the head uncovered, betokened the superiority of the man: when therefore any man prayed or prophesied with a covering on his head, he dishonoured Christ his head, who had given him the superiority; on the contrary, if any woman, under extraordinary inspiration, prayed or prophesied with her head uncovered, she dishonoured the man who is her head, by such an affectation of appearing like him; and, instead of modest subjection, pretended to an equality with him; and she might, with equal decency, cut her hair short, and wear it in the form peculiar to men, as thus appear unveiled. But if such a sight would appear shocking and highly immodest, then let her be covered. The man ought not to cover his head; it would be to debase his dignity, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God, invested with the supreme dominion; but the woman is the glory of the man, who has the honour of being placed in the rank of creation above her, and has a becoming dominion over her. For the man is not of the woman, created from her substance; but the woman of the man, from his rib. Neither was the man created for the woman, seeing he was in being before her, but the woman for the man, to be his helpmate; and therein was implied a reasonable subjection to him. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, and to be veiled, in token of her subjection, because of the angels, or messengers of Christ, who should preside in the assembly; and it would be highly arrogant to affect equality with them. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord, both sexes partaking alike of that common salvation which is in Jesus Christ; so that though subjection be due, the woman is not to be tyrannized over as a slave, but to be cherished with the warmest affection and becoming respect. For as the woman is of the man, taken from his side, even so is the man also by the woman, springing from her; but all things of God, who hath placed each in their respective stations; which, therefore, for conscience sake, they should fill up. Judge in yourselves; is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered, affecting to be like the men, and inverting the established order of God? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that a distinction should be observed in the dress of the different sexes? And as it is the custom of the country where you live, to cut the hair short, it is regarded as a token of great effeminacy to appear otherwise. So that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her, comely, and becoming her sex; for her hair is given her for a covering, and should be managed so as to avoid all confusion of dress between the sexes. But if any man seem to be contentious, and disposed to vindicate such a preposterous practice, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God, where every appearance of a contentious spirit is condemned, and all such indecent affectation discountenanced.
2nd, Shocking abuses early crept into the Corinthian church, some of which the Apostle mentions; and sharply rebukes the offenders. Though he would praise them (1 Corinthians 11:2.) in general, there were some among them who were a dishonour to their holy profession; who met with them, not for the better, to receive edification, but for the worse, growing more corrupt, even in the very use of holy ordinances.
1. When ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you, one being for Paul, and another for Apollos, and the church thus torn with factions; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you; such is the corruption of man's nature, and the craft of the wicked one, that tares will be sown among the wheat; and for wise purposes God permits it should be so, that they which are approved, may be made manifest among you, their faith tried, and their sincerity evidenced. Note; (1.) Nothing is more fatal to the church of Christ, than uncharitable divisions and discords between the members. (2.) God can over-rule even the wickedness of apostates, to the furtherance of his believing people in faith and holiness.
2. Some of them committed the most scandalous irregularities at the Lord's table. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper, the method in which you proceed being utterly subversive of the very intention of that holy ordinance; for in eating, every one taketh, before other, his own supper, as if it was a mere common meal; and what is still worse, one is hungry, the poor man goes away without any refreshment, the bread and wine being devoured by those who came first; and another is drunken, the rich indulging themselves to excess. What a scandalous abuse! Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in, when you want to nourish your bodies? or despise ye the church of God, and put contempt on the poor members of it, and shame them that have not, have no houses of their own, nor ability to provide the elements for themselves? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this, thus to form parties even in the church, and devour the provision of which the poor should partake? No, assuredly, I praise you not; I blame you exceedingly.
3rdly, To rectify these gross abuses which he reprehended, the Apostle sets before them,
1. The true nature of the sacred institution, as he received it from the Lord, and had faithfully delivered it unto them. The Lord Jesus, the king of his church, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this bread is the symbol and representation of my body, which is broken for you, and offered upon the cross in your stead; this do in remembrance of me; continue, in this ordinance, a constant memorial of my dying love, and of the benefits which you receive thereby. After the same manner, also, he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament, or covenant, in my blood, which is now ratified by the blood-shedding of the Mediator, and all the inestimable privileges contained in it are secured to every faithful soul. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me, frequently meeting to celebrate this sacred feast, remembering therein my matchless grace, manifest, in those precious and plenteous drops of blood shed for your redemption; for as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come, declaring your dependance thereon, as the ground of all your hope towards God, and openly professing your faith in a crucified Redeemer, as all his people are called upon to do, until the day comes when his faithful saints shall appear with him in glory.
2. He warns them of the danger of an irreverent use of this holy ordinance, wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, in such a scandalous, factious, and sensual manner, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, incurring the heavy guilt of treating with contempt the Blood of the covenant. But let a man examine himself, with regard to the truth of his faith, love, and conversion to God, and his knowledge of the design of this sacred institution; and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup, to his soul's edification and comfort. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, in the shocking manner before described, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, provoking some temporal judgment of God upon him; not discerning the Lord's body, nor making a difference between the sacred symbol thereof, and common food. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep, God visiting in sickness, disease, and death, your provocations. For if we would judge ourselves, and seriously examine into our conduct, that with real penitence we might return unto God, we should not be judged with such heavy providential afflictions. But when we are thus judged, we are chastened of the Lord in mercy, that we should not be condemned with the world, left to go on securely, and perish in our sins. Note; None should be discouraged from the Lord's table, who, on examining themselves, can say, that in simplicity they desire to approve themselves to him.
3. He directs them how to celebrate this sacred ordinance. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another till all are assembled, and you can eat together, as children of one family, at the table of the Lord. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home, this being not designed as an ordinary meal; that ye come not together unto condemnation, provoking God by your irreverence, dissentions, or excess. And the rest, if there be any thing further amiss, respecting the proper discipline to be observed, will I set in order when I come.