11:18. For first of all I hear that when you come together in the church, there are schisms among you. And in part I believe it.
11:19. For there must be also heresies: that they also, who are approved may be made manifest among you.
There must be also heresies... By reason of the pride and perversity of man"s heart; not by G.o.d"s will or appointment; who nevertheless draws good out of this evil, manifesting, by that occasion, who are the good and firm Christians, and making their faith more remarkable.
11:20. When you come therefore together into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord"s supper.
The Lord"s supper... So the apostle here calls the charity feasts observed by the primitive Christians; and reprehends the abuses of the Corinthians, on these occasions; which were the more criminal, because these feasts were accompanied with the celebrating of the eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament.
11:21. For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk.
11:22. What, have you no houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of G.o.d and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not.
11:23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread,
11:24. And giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me.
11:25. In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.
11:26. For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come.
11:27. Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.
Or drink... Here erroneous translators corrupted the text, by putting and drink (contrary to the original) instead of or drink.
Guilty of the body, etc., not discerning the body, etc... This demonstrates the real presence of the body and blood of Christ, even to the unworthy communicant; who otherwise could not be guilty of the body and blood of Christ, or justly condemned for not discerning the Lord"s body.
11:28. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice.
Drink of the chalice... This is not said by way of command, but by way of allowance, viz., where and when it is agreeable to the practice and discipline of the church.
11:29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.
11:30. Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you: and many sleep.
11:31. But if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
11:32. But whilst we are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not condemned with this world.
11:33. Wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
11:34. If any man be hungry, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto judgment. And the rest I will set in order, when I come.
1 Corinthians Chapter 12
Of the diversity of spiritual gifts. The members of the mystical body, like those of the natural body, must mutually cherish one another.
12:1. Now concerning spiritual things, my brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
12:2. You know that when you were heathens, you went to dumb idols, according as you were led.
12:3. Wherefore, I give you to understand that no man, speaking by the Spirit of G.o.d, saith Anathema to Jesus. And no man can say The Lord Jesus, but by the Holy Ghost.
12:4. Now there are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit.
12:5. And there are diversities of ministries but the same Lord.
12:6. And there are diversities of operations, but the same G.o.d, who worketh all in all.
12:7. And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit.
12:8. To one indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: and to another, the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:
12:9. To another, faith in the same spirit: to another, the grace of healing in one Spirit:
12:10. To another the working of miracles: to another, prophecy: to another, the discerning of spirits: to another, diverse kinds of tongues: to another, interpretation of speeches.
12:11. But all these things, one and the same Spirit worketh, dividing to every one according as he will.
12:12. For as the body is one and hath many members; and all the members of the body, whereas they are many, yet are one body: So also is Christ.
12:13. For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether bond or free: and in one Spirit we have all been made to drink.
12:14. For the body also is not one member, but many.
12:15. If the foot should say: Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body: Is it therefore not of the Body?
12:16. And if the ear should say: Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body: Is it therefore not of the body?
12:17. If the whole body were the eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
12:18. But now G.o.d hath set the members, every one of them, in the body as it hath pleased him.
12:19. And if they all were one member, where would be the body?
12:20. But now there are many members indeed, yet one body.
12:21. And the eye cannot say to the hand: I need not thy help. Nor again the head to the feet: I have no need of you.
12:22. Yea, much, more those that seem to be the more feeble members of the body are more necessary.
12:23. And such as we think to be the less houourable members of the body, about these we put more abundant honour: and those that are our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
12:24. But our comely parts have no need: but G.o.d hath tempered the body together, giving to that which wanted the more abundant honour.
12:25. That there might be no schism in the body: but the members might be mutually careful one for another.
12:26. And if one member suffer any thing, all the members suffer with it: or if one member glory, all the members rejoice with it.