by Cindy Phillips
Read 1 Cor 11:23-30
Vs 24 – the word “broken” was added by the translators and not in the original text. According to Scripture, the body of Jesus was NOT to be broken. Ps 34:10, quoted in John 19:36 where it was explained why Jesus gave up His spirit before they went around breaking the legs of the those hanging so they would die before the Sabbath. The Passover Lamb, who Jesus represented, was specifically instructed not to have any bones broken Ex 12:46, Num 9:12
He was, however, pierced (Zech 12:10, Ps 22:16) and bruised (Isa 53:5) – and to this day the Orthodox Jews make their Matzo bread with piercing and browning (like a bruise), completely unaware of how this represents the Messiah.
Partaking Unworthily
1 Cor 11:27-29 talks about examining ourselves and not to partake communion unworthily least you bring judgment on yourself.
Unworthily is an adverb which means it modified the verb. In this scripture unworthily describes the action of eating and drinking, not the person eating and drinking. Paul is not saying if you are an unworthy person you should not partake (none of us are worthy without the Blood of Jesus!). Paul is telling us not to partake in an unworthy manner. By reading the whole verse, you will conclude he is saying if you fail to discern or understand the significance of the Lord’s body, you are eating and drinking in an unworthy manner. The Corinthians were not recognizing the sacrificed body of the Lord was meant to bring them health and wholeness.
So the manner in which you partake determines whether you will experience the benefits of the Lord’s body. If you take it with the attitude “it’s just bread”, that’s what it will be. If you are sick, you won’t receive the benefits the bread could give you, which was happening in Corinth. If you take the bread, releasing your faith for all He came to give you, you receive the benefits (health and wholeness).
Examine Yourself
Vs 28 – Again, Paul is not saying examine yourself to see if you have sin in your life, he is saying examine yourself to see if you are eating and drinking worthily so as not to bring judgment upon yourself.
Vs 30 – What is the “this reason” that many believers are sick and die? The immediate verse before this statement, the latter part of vs 29, says “not discerning the Lord’s body”. If the “this reason” many believers are sick and die is not discerning the Lord’s body we need to dig deeper and ask more questions.
What is the Lord’s body? And what does it mean to not discern it?
The Word describes 2 things as the Lord’s body.
- The Church 1 Cor 12:27. In context Chapter 11 of I Corinthians mentions a mistreatment of the Lord’s body (other believers), such as in verses 18, 19, 21, 22. It is right after this section of Scripture Paul gets into communion. We could interpret this to mean mistreating or not discerning the body of Christ (the Church) is the area he is addressing. Eating gluttonously when there are hungry among you is taking the items in an unworthy manner.
- The body is the actual body of Christ, represented by the bread (1 Cor 10:16). He took the stripes on His body for YOUR healing (Is 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24)
2 Elements of Communion
The wine represents His blood and is for the forgiveness of sin (Matt 26:28, Col 1:14, Eph 1:7). Because Jesus, the Son of God, paid the penalty for our sin with His perfect blood, we can come boldly into the presence of God. When we partake of the wine we are stating we believe we are forgiven and made righteous by the blood of Jesus.
The bread represents His body and is for our healing. Let’s look into this.
Jesus was the Passover lamb. 1 Cor 5:7, 1 Peter 1:9 Look in Exodus – what happened when they ate the Passover lamb? Exodus 12:3-10. Now look at the result Psalm 105:37 – out of 600,000 men plus women and children (remember they were slaves!) all were healthy and strong. How can this be? There was supernatural healing when they ate the Passover lamb.
Jesus Himself said He was the bread of heaven. John 6:32-35.
Jesus told the Syro-Phoenician woman that healing was “bread” for the Jews. Mark 7:25-29.
So when you take communion remember the Lord’s death and do so by faith in the finished work of Jesus. Receive from the Lord His blood which gives you right standing before God and His body given for your wellness.