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BEHAVIOUR IN MEETINGS

At the Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians, chapter 11 verse 2 to 34

 

God, Christ, men and women (verses 2 to 16)

The supreme authority is God, and then Christ, to Whom man submits, who in turn has authority over the woman (Genesis 3:16). When the church meets, the man must have his head uncovered, and the woman must cover hers because:

1. The covering represents the submission of woman to man.
2. The covering also represents the submission of man to the divinity: man is the image and glory of God (Genesis 1:26, James 3:9), and the woman is the glory of man, having been formed from him and for him.
3. The angels present at the meeting of the church (1 Peter 1:12) verify the submission to authority represented by the woman's head covering.

Note: None of these reasons is based on the social customs of the time, as those who want to find an excuse for not practicing this teaching suggest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The symbol of authority represented by the head covering is exemplified in nature, because long hair is shameful for man, but is honourable for woman. The word “covering” in verse 15 is not the same of verses 5-6: the teaching being that, like hair represents the appropriate covering in nature, the veil is the appropriate covering in the church. Thus, for women not to cover their head with a veil in the church meeting is as shameful as if her head were shaven.

Neither Paul nor the churches of God in his time were accustomed to allowing women to attend meetings with uncovered heads.

NB Chapter 14:34-35 Paul teaches that women should keep silent in church meetings. He therefore could not approve of them praying or prophesying in public (verses 5 and 13), but here he condemns the aggravation of doing it with uncovered heads, which is the subject in focus. 

The holiness of the Lord's Supper (verses 17 to 34)

The apostle Paul denounces the following practices in the Corinthian church, which profaned the Lord's Supper:

1. Dissension among the brethren: but Paul admits that because of the emergence of heresies, opposition will be manifested by sincere Christians.
2. Replacement of the Lord's Supper for a meal where some eat and drink too much while others go hungry: the meals must be eaten at home so those who brought nothing to eat are not put to shame.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lord's Supper was instituted by Him so that His death is announced until he comes, in the following manner: He gave thanks, broke the bread and told disciples to take and eat the bread which represented His body given for us, in remembrance of Him; in the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying it represented the new covenant in His blood, and to do it as often as they drunk it, in remembrance of Him. They were symbols, not actual physical body and blood as taught by heretics: He was there in His entire physical body with them.

 

 

 

 

Whoever eats the bread or drinks of the cup in an unworthy manner, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord for not discerning the Lord's body (represented by the church). He will be judged and punished for this.

Therefore, before attending the Lord’s Supper each believer should examine himself to ensure he is partaking in a worthy manner. Because of failing in this there were many weak and sick members of the Corinthian church as a result of trial and rebuke by the Lord, so as not to be condemned with the world, and many slept (died).

 

 

 

 

When believers gather to eat the Lord's Supper, they should wait for one another, and eat a meal at home first if they are hungry.

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

 

 

2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.
3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonours his head.
5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.
12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonour to him?
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.
16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.
18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.
21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

1 Corinthians verses 2 to 34