1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER ELEVEN - Verse-by-verse



1 CORINTHIANS chapter eleven

jack

Note: verse one goes with chapter ten.

the woman’s place and badge of submission (verses 1-16)

PRAISE FOR THE CORINTHIANS

SUMMARY VERSE 2

1. PAUL BEGINS A MAJOR PORTION OF HIS LETTER WITH PRAISE FOR THE CORINTHIANS. (THIS HAS CAUSED SOME TO SUPPOSE AN INDEPENDENT LETTER AND THAT 1 CORINTHIANS IS A COMPOSITE.)

2. Ever ready to praise when he can, Paul praises the church for asking him a variety of questions (in a detailed letter).

3. He can both criticize for misapplication and praise for the desire to clarify certain points he had previously taught them.

4. So his praise is two part:

a. For thinking of him in regard to every question that arises and asking for clarification on what he taught them.

b. And for those areas in which they were correctly applying what he taught them.

5. The lengthy letter asking him an important number of questions is proof of point 4a above.

6. The discussion which follows about women and their hair is proof of 4b above (they were following this tradition, but wanted reassurance).

7. The discussion concerning abuses of the Lord's Table in the second half of the chapter is an example of 4a. (They had been taught the doctrine and were misapplying, but were willing to ask questions.)

Chain of command orientation

SUMMARY VERSES 3

1. IN THIS PARTICULAR TRADITION, THE CORINTHIANS WERE APPARENTLY IN THE BLACK.

2. Paul is not critical of their practice, but writes for clarification.

3. This does not rule out the possibility that some were in violation.

4. He begins by reviewing the chain of command.

5. The term “head” is an important figure for superior rank.

6. Christ—man—woman is the chain of command.

7. Even Christ is under authority:

a. As God, He is co-equal with the sovereignty of the Father.

b. But as true man, He became obedient in all things, even death.

c. For His obedience, He, as man, was promoted to judge all things and the head of all creation (EPHESIANS 1:22; COLOSSIANS 2:10).

d. But He is still obedient to Deity.

wrong badge verse 4

WRONG BADGE VERSE 5,6

SUMMARY VERSES 4-6

1. THE QUESTION OF WOMEN COVERING THEIR HEADS OR LEAVING THEM UNCOVERED WAS OF RECENT ORIGIN IN CORINTH. (IT HAD NOT BECOME AN ISSUE.)

2. The Corinthians had made no formal inquiry.

3. There is no evidence of a woman’s lib movement to burn veils. (They are praised for proper custom.)

4. But Paul anticipates and writes these instructions to the church.

5. After stating that they woman is beneath the man in rank, Paul proceeds to deal with her badge of submission.

6. Galatians 3:28 in no way contradicts her place in the chain of command. “There is neither…male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

7. Paul applies the facts which he has stated concerning headship to the customs as they existed in Corinth and the Roman world.

8. Among Greeks (general) only slaves were covered and the uncovered head was a sign of freedom. (Greek women were considered slaves and were veiled.) The Romans reversed the Greek custom. (Slaves were bareheaded and free men had coverings.)

9. Romans and Jews prayed while veiled.

10. Paul is no laying down a hard and fast rule to be observed by all believers of all time.

11. Paul is giving instructions to Greeks living in the Roman world.

12. The custom as a custom is not vital, but the significance of the custom.

13. Paul tells the Greeks at Corinth to abide by their custom. (If he was writing to people with a different custom to illustrate the Doctrine of Headship, he would encourage believers to honor it.)

14. To violate the custom (whatever it is) is to violate the significance (as violation of the Lord's Table by modifying the ritual).

15. To Paul's audience (the Greeks in Corinth):

a. Men prayed or prophesied with head uncovered.

b. Women prayed or prophesied with head veiled.

(Other societies had other customs.)

16. Paul isn't telling men they cannot pray with hats on as a rule for all time or that a woman can never pray with her head uncovered.

17. In our society, men pray uncovered (i.e. a soldier, a football player). This is a custom we should honor.

18. So in verse four Paul is saying that a man who prays or prophesies covered in the Corinthian society fails to illustrate the Doctrine of Headship. (He becomes a woman.)

19. And likewise for an unveiled woman. (She is a man.)

20. A woman in Corinthian society whose head was shaved was frowned upon.

21. This remains true in general in western civilization. (The French shaved women who collaborated with the Germans in WWII.)

22. It doesn't picture her place in God's economy.

23. In verse six, Paul tells the church that if a woman should appear unveiled she might as well cut her hair short or shave her head.

24. To Corinthian society an unveiled woman in public did not represent her place in the chain of command (even if she had long hair).

25. So Corinthian female believers were to wear veils (last phrase of verse 6).

the male believers obligation (verse 7)

SUMMARY VERSE 7

1. THE REASON FOR THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HONORING OR DISHONORING THE HEAD IS BASED ON VERSE THREE.

2. There he discussed the relation of man to Christ and the woman to the man.

3. He now restates and expands.

4. The male believer has an obligation growing out of his headship.

5. When a man serves God in a capacity of worship, his head should be uncovered.

6. Since man is God's image and glory, he should keep his head uncovered.

7. Because it is the noblest part of his body and the most expressive part of his personality.

8. PRINCIPLE TO FOLLOW: WHENEVER THE ACT OF COVERING HIS HEAD APPEARS IN ANY WAY TO BE A DENIAL OF HIS HEADSHIP, IT IS WRONG. (Whether a hat or long hair.)

9. Man was created in God's image and so to set forth that fact, he should keep his head visible.

10. God created “the real you” of man and woman.

11. Since both possess souls with identical essence, both are in the image of God.

12. But in the chain of command the man is God's glory while the woman is her husband’s.

13. She must acclimate to his authority if she hopes to advance.

God(man(woman.

the circumstances and purpose of the woman’s

CREATION TEACHES HER SUBORDINATION

SUMMARY VERSES 8,9

1. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRST COUPLE TEACHES THE WOMAN’S PLACE IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.

2. Adam was not in any derived from the woman.

3. But it was not so with Eve as reflected in Adam’s statement “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”

4. The incident of Adam’s rib is a permanent teaching aid that man is above the woman in authority.

5. In 1 Timothy 2:13 Paul's theology says that the order of creation also teaches this.

6. Verse nine establishes the woman’s purpose as regards the man.

7. So Paul's doctrine is that woman was put on this earth for man as a helpmate (the context is Divine Institution #2).

8. Again, this is taught in the way woman was created.

9. God could have created man and woman in two undivided parts.

10. The indwelling STA rebels against the Divine order, but in no way alters God's design.

11. Believer, male, should give believer, wife, honor in the union as the two share the same niche (1 PETER 3:7).

Summary verse 10

1. BECAUSE OF THE FACTS OF CREATION, ALL CUSTOMS THAT SYMBOLIZE THESE TRUTHS SHOULD BE HONORED.

2. Conversely, all customs which deny the relationship between the sexes should be rejected.

3. Verse seven cites the man’s obligation, while verse ten states the woman’s.

4. “Ought” expresses obligation for the believing woman to illustrate the chain of command in an overt way involving her head;

5. And even if she is single.

6. It is a mistake to infer that Paul is insisting that veils be worn in every age and culture.

7. While the facts of creation remain unalterable, the customs to illustrate these facts vary. (There is no evidence that Eve wore a veil in the garden.)

8. Veils illustrated his at Corinth and so believers were to follow the local custom.

9. Her covering is a symbol of her place in the chain of command.

10. The phrase about angels explained:

a. Angels observe mankind (1 CORINTHIANS 4:9).

b. Angels here are the elect ones (compare 1 TIMOTHY 5:21).

c. Angels attend our worship services (1 PETER 1:2).

d. Elect angels are righteous free moral creatures which take offense at man’s unrighteousness.

e. When we worship God, we should not offend our righteous guests.

f. Here by failing to respect the chain of command.

true interdependence between the sexes (verses 11,12)

SUMMARY VERSES 11,12

1. WITH PLH,N (PLEN), PAUL DRAWS ATTENTION TO A VITAL POINT NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED.

2. This point is related to positional truth and is especially pertinent to the royal family who are to glorify God in their bodies.

3. “In the Lord” explained:

a. Both male and female are one in Christ (GALATIANS 3:28) meaning that both share Christ's destiny equally.

b. But positional truth does not negate the facts of creation.

c. The man remains the woman’s head in Christ in the chain of command as seen in “operation Adam’s rib” (verse 12b).

d. And the man owes his physical existence to the woman (verse 12b).

e. And so that neither acts arrogantly towards the other, Paul reminds us that God authored all things in the heavens.

4. The sexes are so interlocked that one can't survive without the other.

5. This interdependence is especially accentuated in Christ (compare

1 PETER 3:1ff).

the value of the Corinthian custom

SUMMARY VERSE 13

1. CUSTOMS WHICH REFLECT THE FACTS OF CREATION ARE OBLIGATORY.

2. The Corinthians are given a chance to apply.

3. In their case, they need no more than ask the question.

4. The answer calls on them to make a decision.

5. Among themselves is a specific reference to local assembly.

6. A believer is to honor all customs which do not conflict with Scriptural teachings (compare ROMANS 12:17b).

long hair on a male: a violation

SUMMARY VERSE 14

1. WHEN A MAN WEARS HIS HAIR LONG, HE IS IN VIOLATION OF THE DIVINE ORDER.

2. He fails to illustrate his place within the chain of command.

3. He publicly declares to the Angelic Conflict that he is a woman since he wears her badge of submission.

4. Observations:

a. Christ did not have long hair as He is represented.

b. Hair length on a man is to be determined by custom, the length of his wife’s, and

c. If he has shoulder length hair and can make a veil out of it, look for a barber.

5. The Nazarite Vow is the exception because it symbolized the reproach that Christ bore when He bore sins.

the bottom line or the original veil

SUMMARY VERSE 15

1. THE MAN’S BADGE OF AUTHORITY IS HIS SHORT HAIR, WHILE THE WOMAN’S IS HER LONG HAIR.

2. The original veil was Eve’s long hair. (She was not a dike.)

3. She was so designed from creation, and all she had on was her birthday suit and a gorgeous head of long hair.

4. Verse fifteen is the bottom line in the hat/hair controversy.

5. A woman need not wear a hat; if custom permits, her long hair is sufficient to reflect her place in the chain of command.

the unwanted custom

SUMMARY VERSE 16

1. PAUL CUTS OF THE SUBJECT BY APPEALING TO APOSTOLIC AND ECCLESIASTIC CUSTOM.

2. He addresses any would-be individual who disputes the custom of veiled women.

3. Who is not satisfied with the above reasons but remains in a state of contention.

4. Custom here is the local practice of veiled women.

5. Paul says neither we (meaning him and the Corinthians) and the other churches have no custom which permits unveiled women.

6. He mentions other churches which indicates this was incumbent on others besides Corinth.

7. Customs change but women must wear a badge to illustrate their place in the chain of command.

8. A woman’s long hair is the original and transcendent covering.

9. But where this is not enough in societies eyes, the believer must follow the local custom.

abuses of the Lord's table (verses 17-34

(COMPARE 10:14-22, RELIGIOUS REVERSIONISM)

SUMMARY VERSES 17-19

1. DIVISIONS AND HERESIES FORM THE BACKGROUND TO ABUSES OF THE LORD'S TABLE.

2. The assemblies of the local church were marred by lack of doctrine unity.

3. Believers rallied around individuals, not Bible doctrine.

4. Paul realizes the fact of division and heresy at Corinth.

5. He is cautious not to accept all reports en toto.

6. The divisions are based on doctrine differences.

7. Behind divisions and heresies are individuals who want power and approbation over others.

8. To justify their existence they must push a doctrine with their name on it.

9. So the doctrine and applications come from their STA approbation.

10. They are approved and respected by a small clique.

11. But their insatiable STA is not happy with influencing a few.

12. They want influence, recognition, and power over the whole church.

13. Paul sees through the piety to the real motive behind doctrinal deviation.

14. Power lust fuels doctrinal heresy.

Summary verses 20-22

1. AT SCHEDULED OBSERVANCES OF THE LORD'S TABLE, CERTAIN CLIQUES WERE OBSERVING A MEAL PRIOR TO THE RITUAL.

2. Apparently their doctrinal justification was the fact that the first observance was preceded by a meal.

3. The Passover in the upper room was both a meal and a ritual.

4. Lamb and unleavened bread were served.

5. At Corinth, food was brought to the church and eaten apart from the whole church.

6. Believers were excluded due to lack of resources.

7. Related problems existed like drunkenness.

8. Paul isn't saying:

a. Non-ritual fellowship meals are wrong at church.

b. That you can't eat before coming to the Lord's table.

c. Wine (fermented) is to be used.

Summary verses 23,24

1. PAUL RESTATES BOTH WHAT HE LEARNED DIRECTLY AND WHAT HE TAUGHT THEM ON THE SUBJECT.

2. Paul didn’t learn from others about the life of Christ, but directly from the Lord.

3. Paul possessed total confidence in the system of GAP he was under.

4. So must we.

5. The first Lord's table observance was in the upper room on the eve of the crucifixion (MATTHEW 26:26-28; MARK 14:22-24; LUKE 22:17-20).

6. The unleavened bread draws attention to Christ's sinless humanity.

7. He was sinless because:

a. He lacked the STA gene(s) due to the virgin birth.

b. Therefore, lacking the target of the indwelling STA, he was minus the indwelling Adam's original sin and the resultant spiritual death.

c. He committed no personal sins during His lifetime.

8. He was (and is) as good as God in His humanity, meaning that He is +R.

9. Being +R in His body, He was a perfect candidate to bear sins.

10. The broken bread pictures +R bearing sins.

11. Eating the bread pictures faith in Christ at salvation.

12. The bread itself says:

a. No indwelling STA.

b. No indwelling Adam's original sin; therefore, no spiritual death.

c. No personal acts of sin, either:

1) Mental attitude sins.

2) Sins of the tongue.

3) Overt sins.

13. The bread broken, says that all sins of all STAs of all time were judged in Christ's body.

14. The bread eaten, says that eternal life comes through faith in Him.

15. We remember Him as a commandment.

Summary verse 25

1. THE CUP SPEAKS OF CHRIST'S SPIRITUAL DEATH FOR SINS.

2. The background to the Lord's table is the ritual of the Passover meal (called “supper.”

3. The New Covenant explained:

a. The Lord's table pictures the reality of Christ's Person and Work.

b. The covenant is conditional between God and mankind.

It becomes unconditional only after the individual believes (pictured by drinking).

It is new in that it needs no repetition as in the case of the Old Testament ritual.

The blood is the price that Christ paid so that man could enter into this eternal relationship.

purpose in the Church Age

Summary verses 26,27

The ritual is clearly for the entire Church Age.

We celebrate our past, present, and future victory over the cosmos.

We are warned against eating or drinking in a carnal state.

Divine discipline for STA ruling

how to avoid Divine discipline in connection with the Lord's table

Summary verses 28-31

When the STA rules during the Lord's table, the believer is up for Divine discipline.

The Divine discipline will vary according to the STA activity.

So we must pause before the actual eating and drinking and judge the computer/body.

Wherein resides the STA.

This passage supports the post-salvation existence of the indwelling STA.

Only with Bible doctrine in the brain computer can a believer hope to judge the body correctly.

This passage documents disease and sickness as Divine discipline from the Lord.

Including the sin unto death.

If you are ruled by the indwelling Holy Spirit, you will avoid Divine discipline.

The reason for Divine discipline in this connection: it denies the plan of God and isolation of the STA.

Christ bearing sins is the basis for three areas of isolation of the STA (compare ROMANS 6:6).

The positional setting aside (ROMANS 6:1ff; mechanics = the baptism of the Holy Spirit).

The experiential setting aside (mechanics = rebound ( filling of the Holy Spirit).

Ultimate setting aside (mechanics = Holy Spirit provides a resurrection body).

Verse 32 explained:

It says that God will discipline His own.

Not to do so would deny the relationship that He has with His children.

Discipline is to train us to avoid life under the sin nature which prohibits God from providing the most and the best in time and in eternity.

So if He failed to discipline us, He would deny we were His.

final exhortation in light of the Corinthian abuses (verses 33,34)

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