1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11 is the eleventh of the sixteen chapters of 1 Corinthians. Following 1 Corinthians 10, which deals with food offered to idols, it begins to address problems that had arisen in the community's worship, a theme that continues from 1 Corinthians 12 through chapter 14.

Outline

• Verse 1 An exhortation: "Be ye followers of me." It is often read as the conclusion of chapter 10.
• Verses 2–16 After praising the Corinthians for keeping the ordinances delivered to them, Paul says that when praying or prophesying a man should not cover his head but a woman should. In support he appeals to the relationship of headship, the order of creation, the mutual dependence of man and woman in the Lord, and what nature teaches about long hair.
• Verses 17–22 Paul rebukes the church for divisions and factions when it comes together. Each goes ahead with his own supper, so that one is hungry and another is drunken, and they shame those who have nothing.
• Verses 23–26 Stating that he received it from the Lord, Paul relates the words Jesus spoke as he took the bread and the cup on the night he was betrayed.
• Verses 27–34 Paul warns against eating and drinking unworthily and tells each person to examine himself. He urges them to wait for one another when they come together to eat, and to eat at home if they are hungry.

Key Verses

• 1 Corinthians 11:3 "The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man" — frequently cited in discussions of the relationship between men and women in the church.
• 1 Corinthians 11:24–25 "This do in remembrance of me" — regarded as the earliest record of the Lord's Supper in the New Testament.
• 1 Corinthians 11:28 "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat" — the basis for self-examination before Communion.

People and Places

• Paul — the "I" who wrote the letter.
• The Lord Jesus — takes the bread and the cup and speaks in verses 23–25.
• The church in Corinth — the community receiving the letter, though it is not named in this chapter.
• Angels — mentioned in verse 10, "because of the angels."

Points to Consider

• Head coverings: Many interpreters regard this passage as instruction concerning a cultural custom of the time and do not apply it literally today. Others view it as a principle grounded in the order of creation, and some communities, including certain Anabaptist groups, maintain the practice of women covering their heads in prayer. Interpreters also differ over whether "head" should be understood as authority or as source.
• The role of women: Verse 5 presupposes that women pray and prophesy. How this verse should be read alongside the command in chapter 14 to "keep silence" is a question taken up in the debate over the ordination of women.
• The Lord's Supper: At the time, the Lord's Supper appears to have been observed in conjunction with a communal meal, and it is often explained in connection with the love feast. The wording of verses 23–26 closely resembles that of Luke 22:19–20. Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed traditions differ in their understanding of the meaning of "remembrance" and of how Christ is present in the Supper (see Eucharistic controversies).
• Discerning the Lord's body: Interpreters are divided over whether the "body" in verse 29 refers to the bread of the Supper or to the church community.

In Korean Churches

In the Communion services of many denominations, verses 23–26 are read as the words of institution, and verse 28 is cited to encourage self-examination before participating. Verses 3 and 5 are frequently cited in denominational discussions concerning the ordination of women.