Unworthily

[MountainChristian]

1 Corinthians 11:27 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.

 

1 Corinthians 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

 

The History

 

Matthew 26:26-30 And as they were eating (passover), Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

 

Mark 14:22-26 And as they did eat (passover), Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

 

Luke 22:14-23 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. 21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

 

Paul Repeats this History

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 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. 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. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

 

What was they doing that was unworthily?

1 Corinthians 11:17-22 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 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.

 

The church isn't a supper table. The purpose of church isn't to eat the Lord's Supper. As they came into church they would sit down and start eating. The poorest had very little or nothing to eat and the rich wasn't sharing. Because they wasn't sharing the wine some got drunk, using Jesus' words “drink all of it” as an excuse to sin.

 

Damnation

1 Corinthians 11:27 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. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 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. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with 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.

 

The word “damnation” or krima can mean judgment. Notice some died but they never went to hell. If they had listened to the Lord's chastening hand they would of lived. Some Christians refuse to eat and drink this remembrance for fear they will get themselves killed by being unworthily. No one has ever been worthy of Jesus death. Unworthily in this case means incorrectly. Today we do not have the Passover meal with communion. We only have the remembrance part and everyone who desires it gets a small piece of bread, and a small sup of wine (some use juice), eliminating the unworthily practices.

 

Today some churches refuse people from taking the Lord's supper. But Jesus let Judas partake. JUDAS!!!! No where does it say for the church to refuse to serve anyone.

 

 

[wretched]

Very clearly explained MC, thanks.

[Jim_Alaska]

Today some churches refuse people from taking the Lord's supper. But Jesus let Judas partake. JUDAS!!!! No where does it say for the church to refuse to serve anyone.

 

 

​ 1Co 5:9  I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 
 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 
 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 
 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 
 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

[MountainChristian]

​ 1Co 5:9  I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 
 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 
 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 
 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 
 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Thanks Jim

I want to think about this verse and why Jesus allowed Judas to eat. 

[DaveW]

Very clearly explained MC, thanks.

 

Hmmmmm - I am actually not sure what the argument is.

Certainly there are a few problems with the OP, but as I am not sure of the point he is trying to make I am not sure if they are important to point out......

[wretched]

 

Hmmmmm - I am actually not sure what the argument is.

Certainly there are a few problems with the OP, but as I am not sure of the point he is trying to make I am not sure if they are important to point out......

​I think one point MC is making is there are some believers who will not partake in the Lord's Supper out of confusion over sins of the mind committed even the day of. Particularly if they haven't had a chance to talk to the Lord and get them right thoroughly enough in their minds. I personally haven't seen anyone refused by the church to partake however. I am referencing the Christians themselves declining out of conscience.

Based on the context of I Cor 5: 9-13 Jim mentioned are in keeping with outward sinful practices shamelessly among brethren and not hidden sins of the heart. Face it, we are all fornicators in the mind from time to time, more so covetous and idolaters. The context Scriptures surrounding these passages are of outward public displays of sinful practices.

[DaveW]

1 Cor 11

 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 

 

​this verse is the important one in this point - examine himself, AND SO LET HIM EAT......

​What is implied is to examine yourself and prepare so that you can eat, not to disqualify yourself.

​In fact, if someone disqualifies themselves they are heaping sin upon sin, for they know they have sin and refuse to take it to the Lord.

[1Timothy115]

We pause with bowed heads in silence before we celebrate the Lord's Supper. Anyone who has anything which might be between them and the Lord may pray and confess it. I've never had a time that something didn't come to mind to make sure I had declared it to my Savior and ask forgiveness.

Edited April 8, 2015 by 1Timothy115

[John81]

We pause with bowed heads in silence before we celebrate the Lord's Supper. Anyone who has anything which might be between them and the Lord may pray and confess it. I've never had a time that something didn't come to mind to make sure I had declared it to my Savior and ask forgiveness.

​This is our practice as well.

[MountainChristian]

I was trying to encourage people to eat the Lord's Supper but I done a poor job.

People's faces looked like they was about to eat poison and drink poison. 

We too have a time for prayer before the deacons passed out the bread and juice. 

[beameup]

The Passover Seder is celebrated once a year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder

[DaveW]

The Passover Seder is celebrated once a year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder

The Lord's supper was done during the time of Passover, but it is not the passover meal.

 

[2 Timothy 4:18]

I agree completely with the OP and have tried as well to help people see the context of this passage. It is not about being worthy in our lives. We never will be! It is about the manner in which the supper is observed. If truth be known, we probably went to the little cracker and small cup of juice just because of people abusing it!

When reading scripture we can either be led by the flesh or by the Spirit. If we are led by the flesh we will seek to understand scripture to satisfy our desires of the flesh. If we allow the Spirit to guide us, He will show us all truth. I think some folks have a fleshly understanding of this passage that satisfies their pride. They prepare to partake of the Lords Supper with the mindset of "I AM worthy to take the Lords Supper". I picture the Spirit just shaking His head at it.

 

[Old-Pilgrim]

 

Hmmmmm - I am actually not sure what the argument is.

Certainly there are a few problems with the OP, but as I am not sure of the point he is trying to make I am not sure if they are important to point out......

OP?

[Old-Pilgrim]

We pause with bowed heads in silence before we celebrate the Lord's Supper. Anyone who has anything which might be between them and the Lord may pray and confess it. I've never had a time that something didn't come to mind to make sure I had declared it to my Savior and ask forgiveness.

I think the main point was that they were not recognising other parts of The Lords Body, ie the rest of the fellowship. Col 1:18 'he is the head of the body, the church', I think the principle is Judge not lest ye be judged, Mt 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mt 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.1Co 11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

Christ was not judging them for their sins as such, but he was judging them one against the other, they were effectively devouring one and other. I guess in that some were hungry and some were stuffed there was some king of class snobbery or ignorance going on in the fellowship, and so instead of a blessing, they got a curse.

It isn't the bread which is dangerous it is the fellowship.

As for the unrepentant fornicator, you would not need refuse him the supper if he was excluded from fellowship as the one in Chapter 5 of 1Cor says. I guess this is based on the public profession side of truth, Judas was a deceiver, only Jesus knew about him, in the case of the fellow who was fornicating it was commonly reported and everyone knew, and the Church were advised to put him away from them. It is the whole church who were responsible for putting someone out of fellowship. God Judges the hearts, the Church deals with the out in the open visible known sins. I think the unrepentant fornicator and a unrepentant Heretic are the only examples in Scripture where people are put out of fellowship.

Mt 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Mt 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

If God doesn't forgive you your trespasses he will Judge you (at the table)

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.