1 Corinthians 11:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,

NIV: For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,

NASB: For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread;

CSB: For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,

NLT: For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread

KJV: 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:

NKJV: For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

Paul has been correcting the Christians in Corinth for the terrible way in which they have been observing the Lord's Supper. Their abuse of this sacrament, also called communion, is reportedly so bad that it's not even worth being called by that name (1 Corinthians 11:20). Earlier verses indicated Paul had heard reports of gross inequality, in an event meant to emphasize Christian unity (1 Corinthians 11:21). Likewise, there were incidents of drunkenness during a meeting meant to be reflective and thoughtful.

Given how extensive his reply is, Paul apparently felt these believers didn't understand the basic concept of communion, even though he had taught it to them when he was with them. Here and in the following verses, he gives a now-classic explanation. Paul says he received this from the Lord. Some suggest this doesn't necessarily mean Christ spoke this truth directly to Paul. His meaning of "from the Lord" here might be in the same sense as the Corinthians received the gospel "from the Lord," by way of men like Paul. Most interpreters believe Paul does have some direct revelation in mind, in keeping with statements such as Galatians 1:11–12. Also supporting that idea is the fact that Paul wrote these words before the three synoptic Gospels were in circulation.

What follows in this passage describes part of the night Jesus was betrayed by Judas: the evening before His crucifixion.

First Corinthians 11:17–34 contains Paul's rebuke of the church in Corinth for their application of the Lord's Supper. They had turned it into a gathering at which the wealthy ate and drank too much, leaving the poorer Christians hungry and humiliated. Paul warns that communion should be a time of sober self-reflection about our sin and Christ's sacrifice, as well as a time to unite the body of Christ, the church, while taking in representations of the blood and body of Christ. Some in Corinth were sick and others had died as part of God's judgment for participating in communion in an unworthy manner.

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.