1 Corinthians 11:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

NIV: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

NASB: Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

CSB: Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.

NLT: And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

KJV: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

NKJV: Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Scripture was originally written without chapter and verse divisions. Those were added many centuries later, to make it easier for readers to locate specific passages. In some cases, those traditional boundaries are questionable, at best. In this case, verse 1 is best understood to conclude Paul's teaching in chapter 10, more so than to begin a new thought in chapter 11.

In the previous verse, 1 Corinthians 10:33, Paul described his practice of setting aside his personal freedoms and rights and preferences in order to please everyone in everything he does. Paul did not mean that pleasing other people was his ultimate goal. Rather, he has a responsibility to remove anything possible from his own personal practice that might trip someone up on their way to faith in Christ. Of course, Paul would not set aside his convictions about Christ or his practices of prayer and preaching, for instance. Beyond those core elements of his faith, however, he was willing to set aside anything he had a right to do in order to lead as many people as possible to faith in Christ.

Now he concludes that thought by calling the Corinthians to follow his pattern for living just as he follows Jesus' pattern for living. Jesus also set aside living for His own advantage while on earth, including refusing to demand His right to be recognized and honored as the Son of God (Philippians 2:6). Paul followed Christ's example and urged his readers to follow his own.

First Corinthians 10:23—11:1 shows that merely asking, ''Is this lawful?'' is the wrong question for Christians. Instead, we must continue by asking, ''Will this glorify God?'' and ''Will this build up our neighbors?'' Paul instructs them to act on this by refusing to eat meat they know has been offered to an idol. The reason is to avoid causing anyone to think Christians approve of idol worship in any way. They are free, though, to eat any meat they don't know to have been offered to an idol, with a clear conscience, and with thanks to God. The key message of this passage is that our intent, and the effects of our actions on others, are more important than the physical things involved.

Paul confronts two issues the church in Corinth was failing to practice correctly. First, some women were not wearing head coverings while praying or prophesying in their meetings. Paul insisted they must do so, and that men must not, based on mankind's relationship to God and the social implications of that covering. Second, Paul describes the reasons for observing the Lord's Supper and how it should be done. The Corinthian Christians had brought God's judgment on themselves for practicing communion in a way which dishonored Christ's sacrifice for sin and humiliated the poor among them.

After concluding his teaching on meat offered to idols, Paul turns to two issues the church in Corinth was getting wrong. The first was head coverings when praying or prophesying in their meetings. Differences between men and women in that regard are because of both spiritual and social reasons. Paul also corrects the disastrous way in which they were practicing the observance of the Lord's Supper. They were dishonoring Christ's sacrifice for sin as well as the poor in the body of Christ, the church. Despite having more to say on communion, Paul will move on to the topic of spiritual gifts in chapter 12.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.