CHAPTER 11

(A.D. 59)

ADMONITION

¹Be ye followers (imitators) of me, even as I also am of Christ. (Those who imitate Christ have a right to call upon others to imitate them.)

²Now I praise you, Brethren, that you remember me in all things (Paul is thanking the Corinthians for seeking his Counsel), and keep the Ordinances, as I delivered them to you (refers to the whole Body of Truth of the Gospel).

³But I would have you know, that the Head of every man is Christ (refers to authority); and the Head of the woman is the man (pertains to the creation model); and the Head of Christ is God (speaks here of two separate and distinct Persons [I Tim. 2:5]).

REGULATIONS

⁴Every man praying or Prophesying (refers either to the Gift of Prophecy or Preaching [I Cor. 12:10]), having his head covered, dishonors his Head (dishonors Christ; such portrays a covering other than Christ).

⁵But every woman who prays or Prophesies (tells us that women did pray and Preach in the Church, or wherever) with her head uncovered dishonors her Head (portrays the fact that, due to the Creation model, the woman should have long hair, at least longer than that of the man): for that is even all one as if she were shaven. (Refers to the fact that some women in those days had their heads shaved as a punishment for whoredom or adultery. The Apostle is saying that Christian women should not insist upon their rights so much that they begin to look like the worst of the world.)

⁶For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn (in effect, says, if the woman wants to wear her hair short like a man, why not go all the way and be shorn): but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. (This refers to the fact that if she does not want to look like an adulteress, let her be covered, i.e., have long hair.)

⁷For a man indeed ought not to cover his head (while praying or Preaching), forasmuch as he is the Image and Glory of God: but the woman is the Glory of the man. (This refers to the fact that Eve was not Gods Image and Glory in the same sense as Adam.)

⁸For the man is not of the woman (Adam was not in any way derived from woman); but the woman of the man. (In fact, the woman was derived from man by the Power of God.)

⁹Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. (This probably would have been better translated, for also man was not created on account of the woman; on the contrary, woman on account of the man.)

¹⁰For this cause (refers again to the creation model that the woman is for the man) ought the woman to have power on her head (long hair, i.e., authority) because of the Angels. (This has to do with her submission to Gods Plan as a constant reminder to the fallen Angels, who rebelled against Gods Plan and the Revolution led by Lucifer, which took place long before Adam.)

¹¹Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman (needs the woman), neither the woman without the man (the woman also needs the man), in the Lord. (This refers to the fact that this is the manner in which the Lord created the original model, and demands that it continue.)

¹²For as the woman is of the man (refers to the fact that Eve was originally created from Adam [Gen. 2:21-22]), even so is the man also by the woman (by or through the medium of natural birth); but all things of God. (This puts everything on an even keel, meaning that men are no more important than women, or women than men.)

¹³Judge in yourselves (refers to common sense): is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? (This doesnt refer to a hat nearly so much as it refers to long hair, or at least hair thats longer than that of a man.)

¹⁴Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? (A man wearing long hair is really not in accord with the nature of a man.)

¹⁵But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her (is a way of saying that such manifests womans voluntary submission to Gods Will): for her hair is given her for a covering. (This points to the idea that man is the head or covering of the woman under Christ.)

¹⁶But if any man seem to be contentious (refers to both men and women, who were insisting on conducting themselves wrongly), we have no such custom (we have no custom other than what I have said), neither the Churches of God. (What I have said is being done in all the other Churches.)

DIVISIONS

¹⁷Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not (what he is about to say), that you come together not for the better, but for the worse. (This refers to the Church Services. They were being conducted in a manner which did not bring Glory to God.)

¹⁸For first of all, when you come together in the Church, I hear that there be divisions among you (these divisions did not come about over Doctrine, at least at this time, but rather along sociological lines); and I partly believe it. (He is loathe to believe the worst, even on Testimony that is good.)

¹⁹For there must be also heresies among you (a departure from the Word of God), that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. (Contains the idea that those who were prosperous, were claiming that they were the approved ones. Sounds familiar doesnt it?)

THE LORDS SUPPER

²⁰When you come together therefore into one place (refers to the Assembly of Believers), this is not to eat the Lords Supper. (This has reference to the fact that they may have called it such, but the way it was being done was not recognized as such by the Holy Spirit.)

²¹For in eating every one takes before other his own supper (some brought lavish meals): and one is hungry (some were slaves, and had nothing to bring), and another is drunken (means intoxicated).

²²What? (This shows the indignation of the Apostle.) have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? (This is directed toward the wealthy.) or despise you the Church of God, and shame them who have not? (The very poor were shamed by their lack in the midst of such plenty, of which they were offered little or nothing at all.) What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. (He seems to ask himself; do these people really realize what they are doing?)

²³For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you (refers to the instructions he is about to give concerning the Lords Supper), That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread (recalls the sacred occasion):

²⁴And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, Take, eat (the remarkable thing about this is the interpretation our Lord gives): this is My Body, which is broken for you (is meant to symbolize the Death of Christ on the Cross): this do in remembrance of Me. (This pertains to the Believer actually partaking of that Sacrifice by Faith. In brief, this is the meaning of the New Covenant.)

²⁵After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My Blood (the New Covenant would be ratified by the shedding of Jesus Own Blood, which forever satisfied the sin debt): this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of Me (never forgetting what He has done for us, speaking of the Cross).

²⁶For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup (symbolic gestures), you do show the Lords death till He come. (This is meant to proclaim not only the Atoning Sacrifice necessary for our Salvation, but as well as an ongoing cause of our continued victory in life.)

²⁷Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily (tells us emphatically that this can be done, and is done constantly, Im afraid), shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord (in danger of Judgment, subject to Judgment).

²⁸But let a man examine himself (examine his Faith as to what is its real object), and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup (after careful examination).

²⁹For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself (does not necessarily mean the loss of ones soul, but rather temporal penalties, which can become much more serious), not discerning the Lords Body. (Not properly discerning the Cross refers to a lack of understanding regarding the Cross. All of this tells us that every single thing we have from the Lord, comes to us exclusively by means of the Cross of Christ. If we do not understand that, we are not properly discerning the Lords Body.)

³⁰For this cause (not properly discerning the Lords Body) many (a considerable number)are weak and sickly among you (the cause of much sickness among Christians), and many sleep. (This means that many Christians die prematurely. They dont lose their souls, but they do cut their lives short. This shows us, I seriously think, how important properly understanding the Cross is.).

³¹For if we would judge ourselves (we should examine ourselves constantly, as to whether our Faith is properly placed in the Cross of Christ), we should not be judged (with sickness, and even premature death).

³²But when we are judged (by the Lord, because we refuse to judge ourselves), we are chastened of the Lord (Divine discipline), that we should not be condemned with the world (lose our soul).

³³Wherefore, my Brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry one for another. (This proclaims the idea that all must share, and share alike.)

³⁴And if any man hunger, let him eat at home (the wealthy should prepare their sumptuous meals at home, but not in the context of the gathered assembly where some have nothing); that you come not together unto condemnation. (This refers to this love feast turning into a detriment instead of a Blessing. I would certainly think Pauls admonition would be heeded after the warning given.) And the rest will I set in order when I come (probably other instructions which needed to be given).