Whoa! This letter to the Corinthians is loaded with lots of important topics!
Some key items in Chapter 10 include:
1) Head Coverings, Authority and Spiritual Warfare
2) The power of the Lords Supper
Culturally Bound?
Related to head coverings, many believe these instructions to be simply a cultural instruction that can be brushed aside. First I think that it is a dangerous slope to view things in Scripture as able to be brushed aside because once we elevate ourselves above Scripture to judge it, we are choosing not to submit to its authority and thus be changed by God's word. Second, Paul says that a woman should wear the head coverings when she prays or prophesies (v 5) because of the angels (v 10). The clearest interpretation of this in my opinion is referencing demonic angels, as Paul has already done several times in this book.
Authority: Protect and Serve
Authority is what is in question. In our post-modern, post-60's era authority in general is questioned. This leaves us missing an important concept in Scripture and truly in the Kingdom of God. Jesus commended the Roman centurion in Matthew 8 for his great faith because he understood how authority worked and that Jesus could just speak the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus granted the disciples authority to heal, to drive out demons (Matt 10:1) and to forgive sins (Matt 9:6). Authority in these situations is a delegation of the power or authority to do things that, by themselves, a person could not do. A police officer is just a person, but when wearing their uniform and badge, they represent the authority of the government and can stop traffic with just a hand motion and can arrest persons who are doing wrong. Their job is to "protect and serve" as is commonly seen in their motto's. All true authority comes from God (Rom 13:1) and Paul lays out the authority structure from God to Christ to husband to wife in verse 3. While the delegated human authority is at times abused, it's purpose is to protect and serve. In this situation when someone is praying or prophesying, they are entering into spiritual battle. The devil and his angels are waging a war around us, though unfortunately, most are unaware of the battle that rages around them. As Christians, we are protected by the blood of Christ and by Christ's authority WHEN we are obeying him. When I tell my children to not go a certain place or to be back at night by a particular time, it is for their protection. If they disobey my instruction, they come out from my authority and protection and open themselves up to harm. In a similar way, when the scripture gives instructions for women to have their heads covered when praying or prophesying and they ignore that instruction, they are coming out from under the protective authority of God's word and are opening themselves up to an attack by the angels - the devil's demonic ones. Angels are bigger and stronger than humans. We are warned that not every spirit that speaks is God and that we must test the spirits (1 Jn 4:1). Here we are instructed to stay under authority for spiritual protection.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper (sometimes called communion) is one of the practices that Jesus gave to his disciples and told them to continue to do to remember his death (Luke 22:19) and most/all Christian churches have some practice that they follow. In this passage, Paul gives some interesting instructions that tell us about not only the importance but it's power in our lives for good and bad. Some Christian traditions wrongly hold that participating in communion is a purifying/saving act in and of itself. Paul warns in this passage that actually when those participating in communion are not taking in a right way, it brings judgement on a person, not salvation and can cause their death! ("...eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died." (v 11:29-30). He then gives the admonition that we "judge" or "discern" ourselves so that we not be judged (v. 31). There are two extremes that should be avoided: 1) ignoring the warning thus bringing harm on ourselves 2) taking warning too harshly and thus not taking communion.
First off it would be important to mention the ways that communion can be taken wrongly. In this context we see two issues 1) selfishness and overfeeding ourselves instead of discerning the needs and situations of others in the Body of Christ 2) a broad 'testing of ourselves". The broader testing would include things such as Jesus' admonition to reconcile to others before bringing our gifts to the altar (Matt 5:23-24) and Paul's exhortation in 2 Corinthians 13:5 about examining ourselves to see that we are still in the faith - a time of reflection and introspection. If we examine ourselves and find that there are things we need to take care of with a brother or sins we should confess, then we should go to the brother or sister and reconcile, as Jesus instructed, and we should confess our sins and be cleansed and forgiven (1 John 1:9). The great news in Christ Jesus is that we have a God who loves us and promises to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we confess!
The last point about communion to ponder is this: if taking in a wrong way can bring judgement and death, that demonstrates that it is more than a mere remembrance. There is power in that ceremony that when taken in the right way can bring blessing and life!
Thank you Father for your blessing, your mercy and your love. Often we don't fully understand your ways, but help us to submit to your ways and to your word, to be changed and find life in Christ Jesus!
Some key items in Chapter 10 include:
1) Head Coverings, Authority and Spiritual Warfare
2) The power of the Lords Supper
Culturally Bound?
Related to head coverings, many believe these instructions to be simply a cultural instruction that can be brushed aside. First I think that it is a dangerous slope to view things in Scripture as able to be brushed aside because once we elevate ourselves above Scripture to judge it, we are choosing not to submit to its authority and thus be changed by God's word. Second, Paul says that a woman should wear the head coverings when she prays or prophesies (v 5) because of the angels (v 10). The clearest interpretation of this in my opinion is referencing demonic angels, as Paul has already done several times in this book.
Authority: Protect and Serve
Authority is what is in question. In our post-modern, post-60's era authority in general is questioned. This leaves us missing an important concept in Scripture and truly in the Kingdom of God. Jesus commended the Roman centurion in Matthew 8 for his great faith because he understood how authority worked and that Jesus could just speak the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus granted the disciples authority to heal, to drive out demons (Matt 10:1) and to forgive sins (Matt 9:6). Authority in these situations is a delegation of the power or authority to do things that, by themselves, a person could not do. A police officer is just a person, but when wearing their uniform and badge, they represent the authority of the government and can stop traffic with just a hand motion and can arrest persons who are doing wrong. Their job is to "protect and serve" as is commonly seen in their motto's. All true authority comes from God (Rom 13:1) and Paul lays out the authority structure from God to Christ to husband to wife in verse 3. While the delegated human authority is at times abused, it's purpose is to protect and serve. In this situation when someone is praying or prophesying, they are entering into spiritual battle. The devil and his angels are waging a war around us, though unfortunately, most are unaware of the battle that rages around them. As Christians, we are protected by the blood of Christ and by Christ's authority WHEN we are obeying him. When I tell my children to not go a certain place or to be back at night by a particular time, it is for their protection. If they disobey my instruction, they come out from my authority and protection and open themselves up to harm. In a similar way, when the scripture gives instructions for women to have their heads covered when praying or prophesying and they ignore that instruction, they are coming out from under the protective authority of God's word and are opening themselves up to an attack by the angels - the devil's demonic ones. Angels are bigger and stronger than humans. We are warned that not every spirit that speaks is God and that we must test the spirits (1 Jn 4:1). Here we are instructed to stay under authority for spiritual protection.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper (sometimes called communion) is one of the practices that Jesus gave to his disciples and told them to continue to do to remember his death (Luke 22:19) and most/all Christian churches have some practice that they follow. In this passage, Paul gives some interesting instructions that tell us about not only the importance but it's power in our lives for good and bad. Some Christian traditions wrongly hold that participating in communion is a purifying/saving act in and of itself. Paul warns in this passage that actually when those participating in communion are not taking in a right way, it brings judgement on a person, not salvation and can cause their death! ("...eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died." (v 11:29-30). He then gives the admonition that we "judge" or "discern" ourselves so that we not be judged (v. 31). There are two extremes that should be avoided: 1) ignoring the warning thus bringing harm on ourselves 2) taking warning too harshly and thus not taking communion.
First off it would be important to mention the ways that communion can be taken wrongly. In this context we see two issues 1) selfishness and overfeeding ourselves instead of discerning the needs and situations of others in the Body of Christ 2) a broad 'testing of ourselves". The broader testing would include things such as Jesus' admonition to reconcile to others before bringing our gifts to the altar (Matt 5:23-24) and Paul's exhortation in 2 Corinthians 13:5 about examining ourselves to see that we are still in the faith - a time of reflection and introspection. If we examine ourselves and find that there are things we need to take care of with a brother or sins we should confess, then we should go to the brother or sister and reconcile, as Jesus instructed, and we should confess our sins and be cleansed and forgiven (1 John 1:9). The great news in Christ Jesus is that we have a God who loves us and promises to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we confess!
The last point about communion to ponder is this: if taking in a wrong way can bring judgement and death, that demonstrates that it is more than a mere remembrance. There is power in that ceremony that when taken in the right way can bring blessing and life!
Thank you Father for your blessing, your mercy and your love. Often we don't fully understand your ways, but help us to submit to your ways and to your word, to be changed and find life in Christ Jesus!
Having a covering on women's head is a practical way to have a sign of authority and protect from demonic angels.
ReplyDeleteAuthority is structured from God to Christ to husband to wife
However, it doesn't necessarily means man(husband) can rule over women(wife). V11-12 clearly says both man and woman comes from God.
Man and woman have different role and there are specific way to make godly relationship.
As we submit ourselves to Christ and Christ loves us so he died for us.
We can learn from it.
Thank you Jesus that you love us and died for us.
And help us to have Godly relationship between husbands and wifes as you instructed!
After reading your comments I can understand the reason why women need to cover their head when they pray or prophesy, and what "because of the angels" means. I noticed that in some other churches I visited, not all women cover their head when they pray. They may not know this instruct or they know it but ignore it. Lord Jesus, help me understand your instructors fully and not brush away them, especially when they look insignificant. Help me see and hear spiritually.
ReplyDeleteI remember during Easter, believers in our church ate bread and drank grape juice in remembrance of Jesus, while unbelievers didn't. Basing on this passage, the reason why unbelievers should not eat Lord's body and drink Lord's blood is that this brings judgement on them and they may become weak, ill or even dead, since their sins haven't been forgiven by Lord God Jesus. Is my understanding correct?
Yes that is a correct understanding. In our church, we ask that those who participate in communion are baptized believers in Jesus Christ. The celebration of the Lord's Supper is a covenant renewal ceremony where we are remembering what Jesus did for us in his death and we also are re-commiting ourselves to follow Jesus and receive new life in his name.
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