Unworthy in the Lord's Supper

[The Rogue Tomato]

A pet peeve of mine is when a pastor/preacher, while talking about the Lord's supper or communion says, "Examine yourselves to see if you have any unconfessed sin".

That's not what the Bible says.

25 In like manner also the cup after the supping, saying, `This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye may drink [it] -- to the remembrance of me;' 26 for as often as ye may eat this bread, and this cup may drink, the death of the Lord ye do shew forth -- till he may come; 27 so that whoever may eat this bread or may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, guilty he shall be of the body and blood of the Lord: 28 and let a man be proving himself, and so of the bread let him eat, and of the cup let him drink; 29 for he who is eating and drinking unworthily, judgment to himself he doth eat and drink -- not discerning the body of the Lord. 30 Because of this, among you many [are] weak and sickly, and sleep do many; 31 for if ourselves we were discerning, we would not be being judged, 32 and being judged by the Lord, we are chastened, that with the world we may not be condemned; 33 so then, my brethren, coming together to eat, for one another wait ye; 34 and if any one is hungry, at home let him eat, that to judgment ye may not come together; and the rest, whenever I may come, I shall arrange.

The Corinthians were treating the Lord's supper unworthily. That is, they were getting drunk, eating up all the food before everyone got there, etc. They were rude to other brethren and disrespecting the Lord's supper. It was HOW they were observing the Lord's supper that was the problem. It has nothing to do with unconfessed sin.

One reason this is a pet peeve is because it has become an extreme in churches. Everyone gets their cracker (or whatever) and everyone waits to eat it at exactly the same time, as if this is synchronize swimming. This is the bizarre response to the complaint that the Corinthians were eating up the food before everyone got there. They didn't wait. It has nothing to do with synchronizing eating and drinking.

Okay, end rant.

 

[civic]

It sounds like you described them sinning

 

[sethproton]

A pet peeve of mine is when a pastor/preacher, while talking about the Lord's supper or communion says, "Examine yourselves to see if you have any unconfessed sin".

That's not what the Bible says.

25 In like manner also the cup after the supping, saying, `This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye may drink [it] -- to the remembrance of me;' 26 for as often as ye may eat this bread, and this cup may drink, the death of the Lord ye do shew forth -- till he may come; 27 so that whoever may eat this bread or may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, guilty he shall be of the body and blood of the Lord: 28 and let a man be proving himself, and so of the bread let him eat, and of the cup let him drink; 29 for he who is eating and drinking unworthily, judgment to himself he doth eat and drink -- not discerning the body of the Lord. 30 Because of this, among you many [are] weak and sickly, and sleep do many; 31 for if ourselves we were discerning, we would not be being judged, 32 and being judged by the Lord, we are chastened, that with the world we may not be condemned; 33 so then, my brethren, coming together to eat, for one another wait ye; 34 and if any one is hungry, at home let him eat, that to judgment ye may not come together; and the rest, whenever I may come, I shall arrange.

The Corinthians were treating the Lord's supper unworthily. That is, they were getting drunk, eating up all the food before everyone got there, etc. They were rude to other brethren and disrespecting the Lord's supper. It was HOW they were observing the Lord's supper that was the problem. It has nothing to do with unconfessed sin.

One reason this is a pet peeve is because it has become an extreme in churches. Everyone gets their cracker (or whatever) and everyone waits to eat it at exactly the same time, as if this is synchronize swimming. This is the bizarre response to the complaint that the Corinthians were eating up the food before everyone got there. They didn't wait. It has nothing to do with synchronizing eating and drinking.

Okay, end rant.

From 1 Corinthians 11:27 - I just looked up the Greek word translated "unworthy" and it means "in an unworthy manner." So, I was surprised to see that what you said matches the Greek much better than I had always thought concluded solely on reading the English. I was about to argue a little. Thanks for another piece of truth.

 

[Rockson]

A pet peeve of mine is when a pastor/preacher, while talking about the Lord's supper or communion says, "Examine yourselves to see if you have any unconfessed sin".

I read your whole post and YES that is a common good observation actually a great many Christians have of this passage. We can see the emphasis on the words, "

so then, my brethren, coming together to eat, for one another wait ye; 34 and if any one is hungry, at home let him eat, that to judgment ye may not come together; and the rest, whenever I may come, I shall arrange."

OK fine and right on. Still doesn't mean though that one shouldn't keep front and center in their lives a focus to keep short accounts with God when it comes to doing an inventory asking the Lord daily forgive any sins they might have committed and applying the blood of Jesus by faith . I always have in my prayers everyday about the precious blood of Jesus with thanksgiving to God for it.

The Corinthians were treating the Lord's supper unworthily. That is, they were getting drunk, eating up all the food before everyone got there, etc. They were rude to other brethren and disrespecting the Lord's supper. It was HOW they were observing the Lord's supper that was the problem. It has nothing to do with unconfessed sin.

True but if they have unconfessed sin don't you think it would be a good time to get rid of it?

One reason this is a pet peeve is because it has become an extreme in churches. Everyone gets their cracker (or whatever) and everyone waits to eat it at exactly the same time, as if this is synchronize swimming.

Communion was a dinner in this early church. From what I see it was like a pot luck dinner with probably everyone seeking to bring something. There's a beauty in that because the meal becomes a ONE meal and what ever everyone brings becomes a part of the ONE. Now your words everyone get's a cracker or whatever.....true but it's what it all represents which is important.

Like synchronized swimming in how it's taken now??

Sure but what's your point in saying that??

If people are acknowledging what they body and blood has done for them In Christ what's it matter if they're doing it together at the same moment? The very passage you've brought out even speaks in favor of acknowledging things together. So what would be your point?

 

[sethproton]

Duplicate

 

[sethproton]

I read your whole post and YES that is a common good observation actually a great many Christians have of this passage. We can see the emphasis on the words, "

so then, my brethren, coming together to eat, for one another wait ye; 34 and if any one is hungry, at home let him eat, that to judgment ye may not come together; and the rest, whenever I may come, I shall arrange."

OK fine and right on. Still doesn't mean though that one shouldn't keep front and center in their lives a focus to keep short accounts with God when it comes to doing an inventory asking the Lord daily forgive any sins they might have committed and applying the blood of Jesus by faith . I always have in my prayers everyday about the precious blood of Jesus with thanksgiving to God for it.

True but if they have unconfessed sin don't you think it would be a good time to get rid of it?

Communion was a dinner in this early church. From what I see it was like a pot luck dinner with probably everyone seeking to bring something. There's a beauty in that because the meal becomes a ONE meal and what ever everyone brings becomes a part of the ONE. Now your words everyone get's a cracker or whatever.....true but it's what it all represents which is important.

Like synchronized swimming in how it's taken now??

Sure but what's your point in saying that??

If people are acknowledging what they body and blood has done for them In Christ what's it matter if they're doing it together at the same moment? The very passage you've brought out even speaks in favor of acknowledging things together. So what would be your point?

Concerning the dicussion of the last supper immediately above, although I was focusing on that one word "unworthy" and how the lexicon defines the Greek word behind it "in an unworthy manner," if I was to expand upon what seems to be the ramfications of that teaching, I would be confident this "unworthy manner" was just the tip of the iceberg indicative of their sinful life. I cannot think at the moment of parallel scripture to stand with this, but it seems evident. If you know a corroborating verse, post it please.