Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 11-12

1 Corinthians 11-12

            Talk about piling on! This reading has at least four major points to be made. The first one has to do with women, worship, and head coverings. I don’t think I’m qualified to get into that one! A quick glance over my shoulder at my bookshelf reminds me that I’ve read at least three books and one commentary on those verses, and I haven’t the time to review it all again today.

            The second major point has to do with the Lord’s Supper. I would ask you to note verse 29, “Whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” The phrase ‘recognizing the body’ is what we call a double entendre, that is, it’s a word or phrase that intentionally has two meanings. The first meaning is what Lutherans call the Real Presence, that is, that Jesus is truly present with his body and blood. (10:16 makes abundantly clear that Paul thinks Jesus’ body and blood are really there.) The second meaning is a meaning Paul will expand in chapter 12, namely, that the church is the body of Christ. In this case, the divisions in the Corinthian congregation are threatening their ability to receive the blessings of the Lord’s Supper.

            Let’s skip to the fourth point in the second half of chapter 12 since it is so closely related to the section on the Lord’s Supper. We see how Paul argues for the unity of the body of Christ by arguing that each part has its place, that the whole is enriched by all the parts, and that, though different, each part is essential

            Finally, a word about spiritual gifts. It has been all the rage in the church for 40-50 years now to try and identify your spiritual gifts based on the perceived lists here and in Romans 12. The fly in that ointment is that Paul doesn’t say anything about spiritual gifts. What is he says is, “Now, concerning pneumatikoi,” or “spiritual things,” or “what it means to be spiritual.” I prefer the last one. Remember that there was a group in Corinth calling themselves the “Spirituals” and that there were causing all sorts of divisions because of their supposed wisdom and their greater freedom and their greater giftedness. What Paul is up to in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 is to say first that to be truly spiritual you acknowledge Jesus as Lord. There’s not two classes of Christians; there’s one—believers in Jesus Christ. More than that, a truly spiritual person will recognize the giftedness of those around him and will value it. That is, they will be guided by the greatest of all spiritual gifts, namely, love, which is the topic of chapter 13.