1 Corinthians 11:28
Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
Each one
This phrase emphasizes the individual responsibility of every believer. In the Greek, "hekastos" underscores the personal nature of the command. The Apostle Paul is addressing the Corinthian church, a diverse body of believers, and insists that self-examination is not just for the leaders or the spiritually mature, but for every single member. This reflects the biblical principle that faith is personal and each believer is accountable to God for their own spiritual state.

must examine
The Greek word "dokimazetō" is used here, which means to test, prove, or scrutinize. This is not a casual or superficial glance at one's life, but a deep, introspective evaluation. Historically, the Corinthian church struggled with divisions and moral issues, making this call to examination particularly poignant. Paul is urging believers to look inward, to assess their relationship with Christ and their conduct, ensuring they approach the Lord's Table with reverence and sincerity.

himself
The reflexive pronoun "heauton" indicates that this examination is self-directed. It is not the role of the church or other believers to judge one's worthiness to partake in communion; rather, it is a personal duty. This aligns with the broader scriptural teaching that each person must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), highlighting the personal nature of faith and repentance.

before he eats
The phrase "pro tou esthiein" suggests a preparatory action. Before participating in the sacred act of communion, believers are to ensure their hearts and minds are aligned with the holiness of the sacrament. This preparation is akin to the Old Testament practices where priests would purify themselves before entering the Holy of Holies. It underscores the sacredness of the Lord's Supper and the need for spiritual readiness.

of the bread
The bread symbolizes the body of Christ, broken for humanity. In the context of the Last Supper, Jesus broke the bread and shared it with His disciples, instituting a new covenant. The historical and scriptural significance of bread as a staple of life further enriches its symbolism as the sustenance provided by Christ's sacrifice. Believers are reminded of the physical and spiritual nourishment that comes from Christ alone.

and drinks of the cup
The cup represents the new covenant in Christ's blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins. In Jewish tradition, sharing a cup was a sign of fellowship and covenant. By drinking from the cup, believers participate in the new covenant, acknowledging the sacrifice of Jesus and the grace extended to them. This act is a profound reminder of the unity and community found in the body of Christ, transcending cultural and social barriers.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of 1 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth with guidance on proper conduct during the Lord's Supper.

2. The Church in Corinth
A diverse and often divided early Christian community facing issues of unity and proper worship practices.

3. The Lord's Supper
A sacred Christian rite commemorating Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples, involving the eating of bread and drinking of wine as symbols of His body and blood.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Self-Examination
Before participating in the Lord's Supper, believers are called to introspect and assess their spiritual state. This practice ensures that they partake in a worthy manner, honoring the sacrifice of Christ.

Understanding the Greek Term ?????????? (dokimazet?)
The Greek word translates to "examine" or "test." It implies a thorough and honest evaluation of one's faith and actions, ensuring alignment with Christian teachings.

Unity and Reverence in Worship
The context of 1 Corinthians 11 highlights issues of division and irreverence in the Corinthian church. Believers today are reminded to approach communal worship with a spirit of unity and respect.

The Consequences of Unworthy Participation
Paul warns of the spiritual and physical consequences of partaking in the Lord's Supper unworthily. This serves as a caution to approach the sacrament with sincerity and reverence.

Continuous Spiritual Growth
Regular self-examination fosters spiritual growth, encouraging believers to address areas of sin and seek God's guidance for improvement.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the practice of self-examination before the Lord's Supper enhance your personal relationship with Christ?

2. In what ways can the concept of (dokimazeto) be applied to other areas of your spiritual life?

3. How can the church community support one another in maintaining unity and reverence during worship?

4. Reflect on a time when self-examination led to a significant change in your spiritual journey. What was the outcome?

5. How do the teachings in 1 Corinthians 11:28 relate to the broader biblical theme of repentance and renewal?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 26:26-28
Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, providing the foundation for the practice Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Paul again emphasizes self-examination, urging believers to test their faith and ensure they are living in accordance with Christ.

Psalm 139:23-24
A prayer for God to search and know one's heart, aligning with the call for self-examination in 1 Corinthians 11:28.
Examination Before CommunionC. H. Spurgeon.1 Corinthians 11:28
Examination Before CommunionJ. Willison.1 Corinthians 11:28
Examination Required in Every CommunicantW. Fenner.1 Corinthians 11:28
Hungering After Christ a Qualification for CommunionR. Sibbes, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:28
Moral Fitness for CommunionR. Tuck 1 Corinthians 11:28
Qualifications for CommunionHomileict Monthly1 Corinthians 11:28
Questions for Self-Examination1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-ExaminationJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-ExaminationHomiletic Monthly1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-ExaminationW. H. Davison.1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-Examination1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-ExaminationA. Farindon, B.D.1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-ExaminationT. Fuller, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-ExaminationA. Littleton, D. D.1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-Examination in Regard to the Holy CommunionG. J. Zollikofer.1 Corinthians 11:28
Self-Examination, ConstantArchdeacon Farrar.1 Corinthians 11:28
The Advantages of Self-ExaminationJ. Williamson.1 Corinthians 11:28
The Duty of Self ExaminationJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:28
The Qualifications Required in CommunicantsT. Laurie, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:28
Special Consideration of the Lord's Supper; Uses of Self JudgmentC. Limpscomb 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Perils At the Lord's TableE. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
Desecration of the Lord's SupperC. Hodge, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Eating and Drinking UnworthilyJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:27-32
The Unworthy Receiving of the Lord's SupperBp. Hacket.1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Worthy and Unworthy CommunicatingT. Fuller, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Worthy and Unworthy CommunicatingJ. Parker, D.D.1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Worthy or UnworthyJ. Forfar.1 Corinthians 11:27-32
People
Corinthians, Judas, Paul
Places
Corinth
Topics
Bread, Cup, Drink, Drinks, Eat, Eats, Examine, Prove, Proving, Testing, Thus
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Corinthians 11:28

     1065   God, holiness of
     8438   giving, of time
     8625   worship, acceptable attitudes

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

     4476   meals
     7028   church, life of

1 Corinthians 11:23-29

     6755   union with Christ, nature of

1 Corinthians 11:23-30

     7110   body of Christ

1 Corinthians 11:23-32

     7933   Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

     4438   eating

1 Corinthians 11:24-28

     8670   remembering

1 Corinthians 11:28-29

     8478   self-examination

Library
Second Sunday Before Lent
Text: Second Corinthians 11, 19-33; 12, 1-9. 19 For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves. 20 For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face. 21 I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

'In Remembrance of Me'
'This do in remembrance of Me.'--1 COR. xi. 24. The account of the institution of the Lord's Supper, contained in this context, is very much the oldest extant narrative of that event. It dates long before any of the Gospels, and goes up, probably, to somewhere about five and twenty years after the Crucifixion. It presupposes a previous narrative which had been orally delivered to the Corinthians, and, as the Apostle alleges, was derived by him from Christ Himself. It is intended to correct corruptions
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Danger of Deviating from Divine Institutions.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." St. Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles. The care of the churches gathered among them devolved particularly on him. At the writing of this epistle he had no personal acquaintance with the church to which it is addressed.* Epaphras, a bishop of the Colossians, then his fellow prisoner at Rome, had made him acquainted with their state, and the danger
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Remembrance of Christ
The cause of this is very apparent: it lies in one or two facts. We forget Christ, because regenerate persons as we really are, still corruption and death remain even in the regenerate. We forget him because we carry about with us the old Adam of sin and death. If we were purely new-born creatures, we should never forget the name of him whom we love. If we were entirely regenerated beings, we should sit down and meditate on all our Saviour did and suffered; all he is; all he has gloriously promised
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

1 Corinthians xi. 26
For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. When I spoke last Sunday of the benefits yet to be derived from Christ's Church, I spoke of them, as being, for the most part, three in number--our communion in prayer, our communion in reading the Scriptures, and our communion in the Lord's Supper; and, after having spoken of the first two of these, I proposed to leave the third for our consideration to-day. The words of the text are enough to show
Thomas Arnold—The Christian Life

Covenanting Recommended by the Practice of the New Testament Church.
The approved practice of the Church of God in Covenanting, is recommended to us by these two things,--that it displays a voluntary regard to his will, and that it exhibits his power accomplishing his purpose. The example of the people of God, while they walk in all his ordinances and commandments blameless, is a warranted motive to duty. "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."[778] Their practice in the discharge of the duty of Covenanting, accordingly, is worthy of imitation. Were
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Meditations for the Sick.
Whilst thy sickness remains, use often, for thy comfort, these few meditations, taken from the ends wherefore God sendeth afflictions to his children. Those are ten. 1. That by afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit; like a good father, who suffers his tender babe to scorch his finger in a candle, that he may the rather learn to beware
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

On the Babylonish Captivity of the Church on the Babylonish Captivity of the Church.
Jesus. Martin Luther, of the Order of St. Augustine, salutes his friend Hermann Tulichius. Whether I will or not, I am compelled to become more learned day by day, since so many great masters vie with each other in urging me on and giving me practice. I wrote about indulgences two years ago, but now I extremely regret having published that book. At that time I was still involved in a great and superstitious respect for the tyranny of Rome, which led me to judge that indulgences were not to be totally
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Concerning the Lord's Supper
There are two passages which treat in the clearest manner of this subject, and at which we shall look,--the statements in the Gospels respecting the Lord's Supper, and the words of Paul. (1 Cor. xi.) Matthew, Mark, and Luke agree that Christ gave the whole sacrament to all His disciples; and that Paul taught both parts of it is so certain, that no one has yet been shameless enough to assert the contrary. Add to this, that according to the relation of Matthew, Christ did not say concerning the bread,
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

The Secret of the Lord
T. P. I Cor. xi. 9; Eph. v. 23 In the depths of His bright glory, Where the heavens rejoice, I have seen Him, I have known Him, I have heard His voice. He has told me how He sought me In the cloudy day, On the waste and lonely mountains Very far away. Words unutterable He speaketh, Words that none can tell; Yet, O Lord, Thy wondrous secret Knows my heart full well. I, in wonder and in silence, Listen and adore, Whilst the heart of God He tells me-- Whilst my cup runs o'er. Blessed light, within
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

(On the Mysteries. Iv. )
On the Body and Blood of Christ. 1 Cor. xi. 23 I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, how that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, &c. 1. Even of itself [2445] the teaching of the Blessed Paul is sufficient to give you a full assurance concerning those Divine Mysteries, of which having been deemed worthy, ye are become of the same body [2446] and blood with Christ. For you have just heard him say distinctly, That our Lord Jesus Christ in the
St. Cyril of Jerusalem—Lectures of S. Cyril of Jerusalem

The Beatific vision.
Reason, revelation, and the experience of six thousand years unite their voices in proclaiming that perfect happiness cannot be found in this world. It certainly cannot be found in creatures; for they were not clothed with the power to give it. It cannot be found even in the practice of virtue; for God has, in His wisdom, decreed that virtue should merit, but never enjoy perfect happiness in this world. He has solemnly pledged himself to give "eternal life" to all who love and serve him here on earth.
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

If Anyone Shall Despise those who Out of Faith Make Love-Feasts and Invite the Brethren...
If anyone shall despise those who out of faith make love-feasts and invite the brethren in honour of the Lord, and is not willing to accept these invitations because he despises what is done, let him be anathema. Notes. Ancient Epitome of Canon XI. Whoso spurns those who invite to the agape, and who when invited will not communicate with these, let him be anathema. There are few subjects upon which there has been more difference of opinion than upon the history and significance of the Agape or Love-feasts
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

That by Men who are Fasting Sacrifices are to be Offered to God.
That by men who are fasting sacrifices are to be offered to God. That the Sacraments of the Altar are not to be celebrated except by those who are fasting, except on the one anniversary of the celebration of the Lord's Supper; for if the commemoration of some of the dead, whether bishops or others, is to be made in the afternoon, let it be only with prayers, if those who officiate have already breakfasted. Notes. Ancient Epitome of Canon XLI. The holy mysteries are not offered except by those who
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Entering the Gospel Field
During the seven years that had elapsed since my call to preach the gospel, years in which God had so wonderfully taught me and so gently led me, I never doubted my call. By the help and grace of God I had been able to live pleasing to the Lord, and throughout the entire time had no knowledge of his condemnation or displeasure. I was still engaged to the young man of whom I have already spoken; and after my healing, began to make preparations for the wedding. I was fully submitted to the Lord on
Mary Cole—Trials and Triumphs of Faith

Second Sunday in Lent
Text: First Thessalonians 4, 1-7. 1 Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk,--that ye abound more and more. 2 For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Tenth Sunday after Trinity Spiritual Counsel for Church Officers.
Text: 1 Corinthians 12, 1-11. 1 Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema [accursed], and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

A Question for Communicants
"What mean ye by this service?"--Exodus 12:26. IN A SPIRITUAL religion, everything must be understood. That which is not spiritual, but ritualistic, contents itself with the outward form. Under the Jewish dispensation, there was a very strong tendency in that direction; but it was kept to some extent in check. Under the Christian faith, this tendency must not be tolerated at all. We must know the meaning of what we do; otherwise we are not profited. We do not believe in the faith of the man who was
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 38: 1892

He Accuses Abaelard for Preferring his Own Opinions and Even Fancies to the Unanimous Consent of the Fathers, Especially Where He Declares that Christ did Not
He accuses Abaelard for preferring his own opinions and even fancies to the unanimous consent of the Fathers, especially where he declares that Christ did not become incarnate in order to save man from the power of the devil. 11. I find in a book of his sentences, and also in an exposition of his of the Epistle to the Romans, that this rash inquirer into the Divine Majesty attacks the mystery of our Redemption. He admits in the very beginning of his disputation that there has never been but one conclusion
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

The Second State of Prayer. Its Supernatural Character.
1. Having spoken of the toilsome efforts and of the strength required for watering the garden when we have to draw the water out of the well, let us now speak of the second manner of drawing the water, which the Lord of the vineyard has ordained; of the machine of wheel and buckets whereby the gardener may draw more water with less labour, and be able to take some rest without being continually at work. This, then, is what I am now going to describe; and I apply it to the prayer called the prayer
Teresa of Avila—The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus

From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus.
[3712] I.--Comments [3713] On the First Epistle of Peter. Chap. i. 3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by His great mercy hath regenerated us." For if God generated us of matter, He afterwards, by progress in life, regenerated us. "The Father of our Lord, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:" who, according to your faith, rises again in us; as, on the other hand, He dies in us, through the operation of our unbelief. For He said again, that the soul never returns a second
Clement of Alexandria—Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?

The Loftiness of God
ISAIAH lvii. 15. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. This is a grand text; one of the grandest in the whole Old Testament; one of those the nearest to the spirit of the New. It is full of Gospel--of good news: but it is not the whole Gospel. It does not tell us the whole character
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

Of Preparation.
That a Christian ought necessarily to prepare himself before he presume to be a partaker of the holy communion, may evidently appear by five reasons:-- First, Because it is God's commandment; for if he commanded, under the pain of death, that none uncircumcised should eat the paschal lamb (Exod. xii. 48), nor any circumcised under four days preparation, how much greater preparation does he require of him that comes to receive the sacrament of his body and blood? which, as it succeeds, so doth it
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Rules to be Observed in Singing of Psalms.
1. Beware of singing divine psalms for an ordinary recreation, as do men of impure spirits, who sing holy psalms intermingled with profane ballads: They are God's word: take them not in thy mouth in vain. 2. Remember to sing David's psalms with David's spirit (Matt. xxii. 43.) 3. Practise St. Paul's rule--"I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also." (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) 4. As you sing uncover your heads (1 Cor. xi. 4), and behave yourselves in comely reverence as in the
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

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