For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, 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 death of the Lord until he comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. 31 If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment; 32 but since we are judged by [the] Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that your meetings may not result in judgment. The other matters I shall set in order when I come.
Paul reminded the Corinthians about the proper disposition required for the reception of the Bread and Cup. He received the Traditions from the risen Lord himself and handed them on to the Corinthians similar to how Rabbis received knowledge from their teachers and hand it on to the next generation. The Tradition contained rituals pertaining to the Bread and the Cup that were to be done in remembrance of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16). Jews typically began their meal by taking bread, giving thanks, and distributing the bread. Jesus profoundly changed the ritual by declaring the bread to be his body which was offered for those who share in the bread, and the cup was the new covenant in his blood ratified on Calvary. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes is an early liturgical Tradition (v. 26).”
Paul reminded them that there are consequences to improper reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. Paul did not have to prove to the Corinthians that the bread and wine became the body and blood of Christ (v. 27). It seemed to be an accepted fact. They must examine themselves and judge themselves worthy (1 Thes. 2:4) to receive the Body and Blood of Christ otherwise they would be bringing judgment upon themselves because of their irreverence and would be no better than those who did not accept Christ and crucified him (Heb. 6:6).
Many of them have been judged unworthy and are ill and some are dying (v. 30). There was an epidemic in Corinth at the time where many were sick, and many had died. In OT times sickness and death were associated with Divine punishment so Paul believed that unless the Corinthians accepted what was happening to them as a divine warning and corrected their behavior, they would continue to receive Divine punishment and possibly Divine condemnation. They must examine themselves before partaking of the Bread and Cup so that they will not be subject to Divine judgment (v. 31). Those who judge themselves will be disciplined by the Lord but will escape condemnation (v. 32). When they gather for the Lord’s Supper, they should wait for one another. Those who are hungry should eat at home before coming so that their behavior does not lead to Divine condemnation (vv. 33-34).
Almighty God, grant us knowledge and understanding of the Lord’s Supper so that we may always follow the Traditions established by your Son. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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