A reminder .
We are looking at a letter, from Paul in Ephesus,
to a group of believers that he has initiated in Corinth.
Why the letter has no street name in the address?
(met largely in their own homes - Home Groups)
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We have already looked at the first two chapters,
which were largely about Unity.
Now we have skipped down to Chapter 11,
which includes a description of the Last Supper,
and he's on much the same subject.
Don't cause divisions by the way you behave in church!
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This session 8 in our Guide.
We'll return to sesions that we've missed in a few weeks time.
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Opener - session is all about behaviour in church
So we are asked to think what is and is not appropriate.
- and why?
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R1
V1-3
Paul commends the church for obeying and remembering
what he has taught them.
He then goes on to look at other subjects.
I've searched the Internet for an explanation of this verse.
I found support for a range of views as God-given
as we might expect.
What do you think lies behind these verses?
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I think, what Paul actually meant, was that Christians
should fit in with the basic structure of society,
where they can. In those days this was how it was.
In other words "don't rock the boat" over such issues
Does anyone have any better idea?
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Now we are going to skip forward
so as to allow more time to think about the Last Supper.
I have summarised the verses that we are leaping over...
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R2
V4-16 Summary
A man doffs his hat to show respect,
but it is a disgrace for a respectable woman to appeasr
with her head uncovered . Do you know why?
(Uncovered head =an offering of sex.
A shaven head =convicted prostitute.)
As you see Paul is brooking no arguments !
He does not seem to believe in democracy!
Is this the right approach?
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So now we can move on to the Service of Holy Communion
Paul has identified problems in the way that
they were practicing it in the Corinthian church.
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R3
READ 17-19
Paul is not happy. What is the core of his complaint?
Usually, they meet in their homes, but,
when they do come together, they argue.
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Do we have apparent differences in our church?
Perhaps the problem is that we all think
that we each have God's approval.
Do you think that is a problem?
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This is where we move on to Paul's concerns
about their behaviour during Holy Communion -
and we'll look at what it is and how we handle it
Who painted this famous, if improbable, image ?
Why is it that, when we talk, or paint, about faith,
we tend to discard credibility?
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R4
V 20-22
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The Lord's Supper was, in those days, a full meal -
perhaps rather like the Bring and Share meals that we enjoy.
- or even the coming Hog Roast
Paul is concerned about the behaviour of people at the meal.
Can you remember his primary criticisms?
(select groups and eating own things. not sharing )
(So at the hog Roast we all bring our own sauces
and don't share them, maybe.)
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Pic Select grps
As a result those who brought, or are able to bring,
nothing to the meal, had nothing to eat.
It's the very converse of the Feeding of the 5000,
And it can not be what Jesus meant to happen,
What great divide did it expose?
(haves and have-nots)(social divisions)
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R5
V 23to24
This seen as the first record
of what Jesus said or did at the Last Supper,
because the Gospels were not written until some years later.
Paul may have got it from one of the 12 who were there,
or maybe the serving women. -
though there is a suspicion that it could have been a later addition.
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Later insertion
In Chapet 11, verses 17-22 are all about unity as are 33-34.
This description of the last supper introduces a new subject
dividing the theme of the chapter - and so giving rise to the idea
that it was not part of the original letter.
Why would anyone want to do that?
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Versions
We know of several early versions of the story of the Last Supper
- and, inevitably. They are all slightly different,
We could look at each of them but I have tried to summarise the differnces.. (click on each if needed)
The ancient prayer book, The Didache, could have predated the Gospels in parts.
As you can see the church today has managed to incorporate them all !
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But now we come to today - Paul's words in our Holy Communion
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v24
First we receive the wafer, symbolising the Body of Christ.
I read that sharing the bread brings us together, recalls his sacrifice,
and brings to mind the goodness of God
- but Does it do more?
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v24
The body broken for us, it says - but - When was his body broken?
(John's Gospel tells us that his bones were not broken - odd!)
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v25
Blood was the life of the animal.
In Jewish sacrifices it is drained to the ground as an act of mercy –
ensuring the animal is dead before the butchers start work.
By drinking the wine, we (symbolically) embrace the life of Jesus
– take it to ourselves. What do you think that implies ?
I found this explanation on the Internet -
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R6
But I did have to cut it down a bit to fit the screen...... READ 6
Do we realise that is what we are taking on?
Returning to the whole passage, briefly before we move on...
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23-24
It occurred to me that Jesus keeps saying "Do this" in Paul's version
Could he just be saying "Give Thanks" as the Didache does? Or what?
Now we have readings 7 and 8
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R7
V26-28
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R8
V 29-31. This bit sounds much more like Paul,
and doesn't appear in any of the Gospels – strangely. -
but neither does it fit the overall theme of unity.
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29-31
In Paul's eyes and of many Bible Belt preachers today
Covid could be see as a divine punishment.
It makes a good vehicle for a guilt trip, and, perhaps,
a club (or pick-axe handle) in the hands of some clergy.
But could there be any truth in it?
(is the church a keep fit centre?)
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R9
V 33-34
We've returned to Paul's main theme of Unity.
What if there is no food at home?
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What common theme came from both Jesus and Paul?
(compassion and unity)
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Next week - we skip to chapetr 15 to cover The Resurrection...