"For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves” (1 Corinthians 11:29).
When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we commemorate the sacrificial death of Jesus (Matthew 26:26–28), but in his letter to the Corinthian church Paul tells us that to do so without “discerning the body” brings judgment on the one/s participating. What does this mean? There are two major interpretations of Paul’s statement, and we will look at each of these. But first notice the immediate context of what Paul says:
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27–29).
In these verses the apostle emphasizes that Christians must not sin against the body and blood of the Lord (verse 27), and should examine themselves before taking part in the Lord’s Supper to avoid doing so unworthily (verse 28). But this does not of itself explain what he meant by “discerning the body” in verse 29.
Most commonly, what Paul says is seen in a reference to the sacrifice of Christ. We know that in the Lord’s Supper, the cup represents Christ's blood, and the bread represents his broken body. Thus, although a great many manuscripts of the New Testament simply say we must not partake of the emblems of Christs death without “discerning the body,” some manuscripts add “of the Lord” and the NIV and some other versions follow this tradition to make the verse clear.
Seen this way, Paul’s warning is against not recognizing the sanctity of the fact that Christ's body and blood are represented in the elements of the bread and wine – in other words, not discerning or differentiating them from regular food and drink. This would certainly fit with Paul's instructions in the following verses regarding not coming hungry to the Lord's Supper and treating it as a regular meal as some in Corinth were doing (1 Corinthians 11:34).
Additionally, Paul tells us that partaking of the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper is “proclaiming the death of Jesus” (1 Corinthians 11:26). So if we proclaim the death of Jesus in this way, yet are disobedient to him in our everyday lives, we invite God’s judgment and punishment for not discerning his body (1 Corinthians 11:29–30).
The second view of Paul’s warning understands “the body of Christ” to refer to the Church – which Paul specifically tells us is the figurative “body of Christ” in this same letter: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). This is because, as Paul explains elsewhere, Christ is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23) and we are baptized into him – becoming members of his body (Galatians 3:27; etc.).
Paul also reminds the Corinthians of our role in Christ’s body specifically in the context of the Lord’s Supper: “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:17). In chapter eleven Paul continues this theme of the church being one body and treating our church family appropriately: “So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together” (1 Corinthians 11:33).
Clearly, both the views of 1 Corinthians 11:29 explained above fit not only what Paul writes generally in his letters, but also the specific context of what he says regarding “discerning the body” in this verse. It is perhaps impossible to tell which meaning Paul originally had in mind – or if he was stressing both. But both principles are valid and whether Paul intended to stress one or both of them, both are necessary in keeping the Lord’s Supper as we should – properly discerning our relationship with Christ and with one another.
When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we commemorate the sacrificial death of Jesus (Matthew 26:26–28), but in his letter to the Corinthian church Paul tells us that to do so without “discerning the body” brings judgment on the one/s participating. What does this mean? There are two major interpretations of Paul’s statement, and we will look at each of these. But first notice the immediate context of what Paul says:
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:27–29).
In these verses the apostle emphasizes that Christians must not sin against the body and blood of the Lord (verse 27), and should examine themselves before taking part in the Lord’s Supper to avoid doing so unworthily (verse 28). But this does not of itself explain what he meant by “discerning the body” in verse 29.
Most commonly, what Paul says is seen in a reference to the sacrifice of Christ. We know that in the Lord’s Supper, the cup represents Christ's blood, and the bread represents his broken body. Thus, although a great many manuscripts of the New Testament simply say we must not partake of the emblems of Christs death without “discerning the body,” some manuscripts add “of the Lord” and the NIV and some other versions follow this tradition to make the verse clear.
Seen this way, Paul’s warning is against not recognizing the sanctity of the fact that Christ's body and blood are represented in the elements of the bread and wine – in other words, not discerning or differentiating them from regular food and drink. This would certainly fit with Paul's instructions in the following verses regarding not coming hungry to the Lord's Supper and treating it as a regular meal as some in Corinth were doing (1 Corinthians 11:34).
Additionally, Paul tells us that partaking of the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper is “proclaiming the death of Jesus” (1 Corinthians 11:26). So if we proclaim the death of Jesus in this way, yet are disobedient to him in our everyday lives, we invite God’s judgment and punishment for not discerning his body (1 Corinthians 11:29–30).
The second view of Paul’s warning understands “the body of Christ” to refer to the Church – which Paul specifically tells us is the figurative “body of Christ” in this same letter: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). This is because, as Paul explains elsewhere, Christ is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23) and we are baptized into him – becoming members of his body (Galatians 3:27; etc.).
Paul also reminds the Corinthians of our role in Christ’s body specifically in the context of the Lord’s Supper: “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:17). In chapter eleven Paul continues this theme of the church being one body and treating our church family appropriately: “So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together” (1 Corinthians 11:33).
Clearly, both the views of 1 Corinthians 11:29 explained above fit not only what Paul writes generally in his letters, but also the specific context of what he says regarding “discerning the body” in this verse. It is perhaps impossible to tell which meaning Paul originally had in mind – or if he was stressing both. But both principles are valid and whether Paul intended to stress one or both of them, both are necessary in keeping the Lord’s Supper as we should – properly discerning our relationship with Christ and with one another.
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