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Daily Devotions

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 
Day 
Day 147

"Wait for one another."

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:33

ESSENTIAL DISCIPLINE

The partaking of the Lord’s Supper has great significance. It symbolises the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the shedding of His blood, the new covenant was established. Essential discipline must be practised when partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

“Therefore, my brethren,
when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home,
lest you come together for judgment.
And the rest I will set in order when I come.”
1 Corinthians 11:33-34

1. “Therefore, brethren, when you come together to eat”

a) It is possible that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper was different then.
b) “When you come together to eat”
i) It is possible that the Corinthian Church combined the eating of a meal with the partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
ii) Hence this bit of instruction about eating.
iii) Some scholars have described this as a “Agape Feast”.
iv) It was not the Passover for that would then be Jewish.

2. “Wait for one another”

a) This was not just an ordinary meal.
b) This was a meal where the church brethren ate together.
c) Hence there was the advice to “wait for one another”.

3. “But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home”

a) This symbolic meal was not meant to fill the stomach.
b) Those who are hungry were advised to eat at home.
c) This symbolic meal was probably combined with the partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
d) It would be very similar to the Last Supper Jesus had with His disciples (Matthew 26).

4. “Lest you come together for judgment”

a) The danger was there.
b) The danger of abuse of the Lord’s Supper with the Agape Feast was real.
c) Hence the word of warning about judgment from the Lord.

5. “And the rest I will set in order when I come”

There may have been other problems that may not be easily resolved through writing. Wisely, Paul said that he would deal with them on his next visit to Corinth. Problems are never easily resolved. Sometimes, a personal touch is necessary to resolve complex problems.