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Priscilla: I Corinthians 11:23-34
The Lord’s Supper – Part 2

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I offer You my praise and gratitude for the new day You have bestowed upon me under Your divine protection and the guidance of Christ. At this moment, I pray that the Holy Spirit will illuminate my mind as I meditate upon Your Eternal Living Word. May all glory be Yours forever!

Father, I would like to present my meditation on the Lord’s Supper, as recorded in I Corinthians 11:23-34.

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 in remembrance of me.

Verses 23 and 24: The Apostle Paul received a divine revelation from Christ concerning His Last Supper, which took place on the night before He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and handed over to the chief priests and His enemies. During the commemorative Passover meal, the Lord Jesus Christ took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. He said to them, “This do in remembrance of Me.” Therefore, following the Lord’s command, the Apostle Paul transmitted to the believers in Corinth the ordinance of the Holy Communion for them to observe and remember the price Christ had to pay for their sins. He suffered and died to redeem them.

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.

Verse 25: The New Testament is the covenant based on the bloodshed of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, which provides forgiveness for humanity’s sins. This covenant is granted to those who genuinely repent of their sins, believe in the atoning death of Christ, and are forgiven by God. They are cleansed from their sins by the Lord Jesus Christ and bestowed with the holy spirit from God, the Holy Spirit, to live a new and holy life. The Old Testament required that those who violated God’s Ten Commandments be put to death, while the New Testament uses the death of Christ to offer forgiveness to those who accept His redemptive sacrifice. Therefore, the Lord desires that when His people partake of the Lord’s Supper, they should express gratitude and remember that He suffered and died to redeem them, so that they may not return to a life of sin.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

Verse 26: The Lord Jesus Christ desires that the people of God, each time they participate in the Lord’s Supper, drink the symbolic cup of grape juice to signify their reception of the pure and holy blood of Christ flowing within them, cleansing them from their sinful nature. They should remember that He shed His blood to redeem them from eternal death.

Furthermore, whenever the people of God break the bread and eat the unleavened bread, symbolizing the holy and pure body of the Lord Jesus Christ that was broken and pierced on the cross, they should remember that He died in their place to bring about their new birth into a new creature. The act of the people of God consuming the unleavened bread into their bodies represents their reception of the essence of the Lord Jesus Christ into their own beings, becoming one with Him, and being sanctified by His holy nature. The unleavened bread also symbolizes the new and holy life in Christ for those who genuinely repent of their sins and wholeheartedly accept His redemptive sacrifice.

Therefore, whenever the people of God partake of the Lord’s Supper, it is to remember the Lord’s death on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins. The people of God use their lives to glorify and honor the Lord, proclaiming the Gospel of love and redemption through Christ until His return, helping many to be saved so that the death of the Lord may bear even greater fruit.

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.

Verses 27 and 28: Those who participate in the Lord’s Supper have partaken of the essence and life of Christ. However, if they are still living in sin or have committed sins without genuine repentance, without confessing them to the Lord, or have not fulfilled their duty to proclaim the Gospel of Christ’s death, then they are participating in the Lord’s Supper unworthily. Therefore, the Lord calls upon each person of God to examine themselves before participating in the Lord’s Supper. They should evaluate whether they are living in sin, violating God’s commandments, or if they have committed sins without confessing and seeking forgiveness from the Lord. They should also consider whether they have been obedient, following the commandment to proclaim the death of Christ until His return.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

Verse 29: Those who participate in the Lord’s Supper unworthily are individuals who continue to live in sin, disregarding the significance of the body and blood of Christ that was shed to redeem them. They may also be individuals who fail to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord until His return. Those who fall into this category bring judgment upon themselves within their own bodies. The punishment for despising the Lord’s sacrifice is severe, as stated in Hebrews 10:29: “of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy who the Son of God did trample on, and the blood of the covenant did count a common thing, in which he was sanctified, and to the Spirit of the grace did despite?”

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.

Verse 30 and 31: Because of the unworthy participation of God’s people in the Holy Supper, sinning without repentance, their conscience becomes hardened. They bring upon themselves the punishment within their own bodies for despising the body and blood of the Lord. Although they are still physically alive, their spiritual nature is dead, and they are like lifeless corpses walking, devoid of true life. As a result, their physical bodies become weak and prone to illness, and many experience death.

However, if someone examines themselves, remains vigilant, repents of their sins, and confesses them to the Lord, they will not be judged by the Lord when participating in the Lord’s Supper.

32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Verse 32: Those who do not examine themselves and participate in the Lord’s Supper unworthily will be judged and disciplined by the Lord. This discipline is intended to help them recognize their sins, repent, and confess them to the Lord. Through this process, they will receive forgiveness from the Lord and not be condemned as those who do not believe in the Lord. However, if they receive discipline from the Lord and still do not repent, they will be judged and condemned by the Lord, just like those who belong to 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. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Verses 33 and 34: The Apostle Paul reminds the people of God in the Corinthian Church that during the fellowship meal, which is a shared meal of the Church, everyone should respect one another, wait for one another, and share food equally. If anyone is hungry, they should eat at home before coming to the gathering. The Apostle Paul does not want the people of God to cause offense or division through their eating and drinking during Church fellowship. He will address other matters when he arrives.

Dear Father, please remind us, Your people, to always examine ourselves before partaking of the bread and cup of the Lord in a worthy manner. Please remind each one of us to always remember the redemptive sacrifice of Christ, the grace that has delivered us from the power and consequences of sin. May You grant the brothers and sisters in the Church a fervent desire to proclaim the death of Christ until He comes. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
05/19/2023