2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions , just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man , and the man is the head of a woman , and God is the head of Christ . 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head . 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head , for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved . 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off ; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved , let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to have his head covered , since he is the image and glory of God ; but the woman is the glory of man . 8 For man does not originate from woman , but woman from man ; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake , but woman for the man's sake . 10 Therefore e the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head , because of the angels . 11 However , in the Lord , neither is woman independent of man , nor is man independent of woman . 12 For as the woman originates from the man , so also the man has his birth through the woman ; and all things originate from God . 13 Judge for yourselves e : 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 dishonor 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 one is inclined to be contentious , we have no other practice , nor have the churches of God .
17 But in giving this instruction , I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse . 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church , I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. 20 Therefore when you meet together e e , it is not to eat the Lord's Supper , 21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first ; and one is hungry and another e is drunk . 22 What ! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink ? 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 will not praise you.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread ; 24 and when He had given thanks , He broke it and said , "This is My body , which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper , saying , "This cup is the new covenant in My blood ; do this , as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup , you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes .
27 Therefore whoever e eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner , shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord . 28 But a man must examine himself , and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup . 29 For he who eats and drinks , eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick , and a number sleep . 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged . 32 But when we are judged , we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world . 33 So then , my brethren , when you come together to eat , wait for one another . 34 If anyone is hungry , let him eat at home , so that you will not come together for judgment . The remaining matters I will arrange when I come .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:2-34
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
(Read 1 Corinthians 11:2-16)
Here begin particulars respecting the public assemblies, 1 Corinthians 14. In the abundance of spiritual gifts bestowed on the Corinthians, some abuses had crept in; but as Christ did the will, and sought the honour of God, so the Christian should avow his subjection to Christ, doing his will and seeking his glory. We should, even in our dress and habit, avoid every thing that may dishonour Christ. The woman was made subject to man, because made for his help and comfort. And she should do nothing, in Christian assemblies, which looked like a claim of being equal. She ought to have "power," that is, a veil, on her head, because of the angels. Their presence should keep Christians from all that is wrong while in the worship of God. Nevertheless, the man and the woman were made for one another. They were to be mutual comforts and blessings, not one a slave, and the other a tyrant. God has so settled matters, both in the kingdom of providence and that of grace, that the authority and subjection of each party should be for mutual help and benefit. It was the common usage of the churches, for women to appear in public assemblies, and join in public worship, veiled; and it was right that they should do so. The Christian religion sanctions national customs wherever these are not against the great principles of truth and holiness; affected singularities receive no countenance from any thing in the Bible.
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:17-22
(Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-22)
The apostle rebukes the disorders in their partaking of the Lord's supper. The ordinances of Christ, if they do not make us better, will be apt to make us worse. If the use of them does not mend, it will harden. Upon coming together, they fell into divisions, schisms. Christians may separate from each other's communion, yet be charitable one towards another; they may continue in the same communion, yet be uncharitable. This last is schism, rather than the former. There is a careless and irregular eating of the Lord's supper, which adds to guilt. Many rich Corinthians seem to have acted very wrong at the Lord's table, or at the love-feasts, which took place at the same time as the supper. The rich despised the poor, and ate and drank up the provisions they brought, before the poor were allowed to partake; thus some wanted, while others had more than enough. What should have been a bond of mutual love and affection, was made an instrument of discord and disunion. We should be careful that nothing in our behaviour at the Lord's table, appears to make light of that sacred institution. The Lord's supper is not now made an occasion for gluttony or revelling, but is it not often made the support of self-righteous pride, or a cloak for hypocrisy? Let us never rest in the outward forms of worship; but look to our hearts.
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
(Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-34)
The apostle describes the sacred ordinance, of which he had the knowledge by revelation from Christ. As to the visible signs, these are the bread and wine. What is eaten is called bread, though at the same time it is said to be the body of the Lord, plainly showing that the apostle did not mean that the bread was changed into flesh. St. Matthew tells us, our Lord bid them all drink of the cup, Matthew 26:27, as if he would, by this expression, provide against any believer being deprived of the cup. The things signified by these outward signs, are Christ's body and blood, his body broken, his blood shed, together with all the benefits which flow from his death and sacrifice. Our Saviour's actions were, taking the bread and cup, giving thanks, breaking the bread, and giving both the one and the other. The actions of the communicants were, to take the bread and eat, to take the cup and drink, and to do both in remembrance of Christ. But the outward acts are not the whole, or the principal part, of what is to be done at this holy ordinance. Those who partake of it, are to take him as their Lord and Life, yield themselves up to him, and live upon him. Here is an account of the ends of this ordinance. It is to be done in remembrance of Christ, to keep fresh in our minds his dying for us, as well as to remember Christ pleading for us, in virtue of his death, at God's right hand. It is not merely in remembrance of Christ, of what he has done and suffered; but to celebrate his grace in our redemption. We declare his death to be our life, the spring of all our comforts and hopes. And we glory in such a declaration; we show forth his death, and plead it as our accepted sacrifice and ransom. The Lord's supper is not an ordinance to be observed merely for a time, but to be continued. The apostle lays before the Corinthians the danger of receiving it with an unsuitable temper of mind; or keeping up the covenant with sin and death, while professing to renew and confirm the covenant with God. No doubt such incur great guilt, and so render themselves liable to spiritual judgements. But fearful believers should not be discouraged from attending at this holy ordinance. The Holy Spirit never caused this scripture to be written to deter serious Christians from their duty, though the devil has often made this use of it. The apostle was addressing Christians, and warning them to beware of the temporal judgements with which God chastised his offending servants. And in the midst of judgement, God remembers mercy: he many times punishes those whom he loves. It is better to bear trouble in this world, than to be miserable for ever. The apostle points our the duty of those who come to the Lord's table. Self-examination is necessary to right attendance at this holy ordinance. If we would thoroughly search ourselves, to condemn and set right what we find wrong, we should stop Divine judgements. The apostle closes all with a caution against the irregularities of which the Corinthians were guilty at the Lord's table. Let all look to it, that they do not come together to God's worship, so as to provoke him, and bring down vengeance on themselves.