What is an unworthy manner for taking communion? 1 Cor. 11: 27-29

The Corinthians are being scolded because some are taking communion in an unworthy manner. What is a worthy manner for taking communion? Scripture says we are to discern the body and blood of Christ in the bread and drink. Does that mean we are to let Christ take away our sin as we take communion?

1 Corinthians 11: 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

Taking communion has nothing to do with Christ taking away our sin. He already took the punishment for every sin committed by anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Having bread and wine at any time to remember Christ's sacrifice for our sins is "communion", whether in a formal church setting or together with friends and family. Jesus said simply to remember Him when we share bread and wine with each other.

The context in that chapter says people were using the food at the Lord's supper to fill their bellys and get drunk. That's an unworthy manner.

The worthy manner is:

"24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25

It's meant to be a memorial service of Jesus. If it is used in any other way it is not a worthy manner.

I know! And in the kjv
“For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body”. Scary 😮

Yes they seek after their own self as a wonderment. . . oral tradition, rather than by a faith that works in them. Not of their own selves..

sure our sin isn't removed through some mystical transubstantive effect of taking bread and wine together.

but:

His death, which this bread and wine proclaim, certainly has everything to do with His shouldering the burden of our sin!

If there is division it violates the meaning of 'communion' . Everyone partaking of the Bread must be one in faith or it's a lie.

Would it be OK to remember what Christ did for us yet not use the forgiveness that Christ offers for ourselves because we have a sin we love too much to give it to Christ?

Jesus is sinless, and His blood washes away our sins so we can receive the Spirit, and be Christlike.

But there is hypocrisy among some people that take communion, and they err because of that.

1Co 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

The Bible says to examine yourself when you take communion, which it is obvious it means are you acting Christlike led by the Spirit.

Which means a person cannot hold unto sin and take of the communion for then they do not discern the Lord's body that is sinless, and washes away their sins.

How can they take of the communion to identify with Jesus giving us His body and blood that washes away our sins, and then take of the communion with hypocrisy in your life.

If you are holding unto sin do not take of the communion.

But Jesus said if you do not eat of His flesh, and drink of His blood, which is symbolic in the communion then you have no part with Him.

So if you stop doing the communion because you have hypocrisy in your life would you be right with God, for you are denying the communion because you do not want to do it because of your hypocrisy.

That is if people understand that.

There is too much relaxing among many people on the strictness to be Christlike.

Examine yourself before you take communion means are you being led of the Spirit being Christlike before you take of the communion.

Not being a born again child of the King, and a disciple of Jesus Christ............. to take Communion and not be saved is an abomination and such a person may well face eternal damnation for doing so,

Churches/Pastors need to be very sure that those they allow to take Communion in their Services is a believer in and of Jesus Christ, or they, themselves, may face punishment if they KNOWINGLY allow such a person to violate the Sacred Ceremony celebrating Christs sacrifice.

To partake of the Lord's Supper without personally taking time to repent of any sin you know of or unrepentant of ..

I spoke to my church about this passage before.

I think the "unworthy manner" of taking communion was referring specifically with Judas Iscariot in mind. Paul (the writer of I Corinthians) was not physically there in the upper room when the original Last Supper occurred, so he would have heard a secondhand account.

Judas very much took communion in an unworthy manner. He was sitting right there, partaking with Jesus, pretending to be His "friend". And Jesus allowed it, knowing this. However, Judas died soon thereafter. In fact, I would have gone on and quoted I Corinthians 11:30: "This is why many of you have grown weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep."

I believe Judas to be our prime example of taking communion in an unworthy manner. However, posthuman's reference to private suppers is good, too, since elsewhere in the NT the Church gets scolded for the Hebrews having side suppers and not welcoming the Gentiles to partake. Having to pay money before you can get it is another improper manner (although granted, the bread and the wine has to be paid for somehow. But it is a very small price).

Getting drunk and getting naked would be one way to patake in a wrong manner. Seriously, Runningman alluded to this. Both Jews and Corinthians had a way of letting things get way out of hand.

Also what p_rebein said...

What does the passage say?
There are two things addressed in the passage; examination of the self, being one, and discerning (or recognizing) the body and blood of Christ being the other. So there are two ways to take the Lord's supper in an unworthy manner. One being sacramentarianism and the other with out self examination (recognizing our own sinful condition and how that relates to the sacrifice the Lord made)
So the right way would be to confess your own sins and be repentant and recognize and understand what Jesus said when he said, this is my body broken for you and this is the new covenant in my blood.

Great post! If I may ask. Paul attached condemnation/damnation to this act of the unworthy.. Wouldn't an authentic state of condemnation require Judgement from Christ? To me Paul describes the consequences of a real encounter with Jesus.


Luke 5:8

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.

OR...it requires an act of cleansing from Christ. Isaiah and Ezekiel all experienced the same thing. The disciples had their feet washed. I pray for forgiveness at every communion. Remove whatever keeps me from being worthy of partaking.

Yes. If I remember correctly a hot coal on the tongue so the words that come off it are purified. I think that happened to one of them or both.

I like this piece of Scripture, because I think it really emphasizes just how seriously we should take communion. "Do you not have houses to eat or drink in?" [v. 22] If you want to eat to eat or drink to drink, there is a time and place to do it that isn't communion. Communion is not the time for that. I think this verse shows us that communion is much more than just partaking in a meal or a supper; it represents something that is holy and sacred. We should eat the bread, in remembrance of Him, and drink the wine, in remembrance of Him. There is clearly a mental process and state that we should pursue while engaging in communion. I second @Runningman - clearly, looking at the context of the passage, it tells us that the "unworthy" manner is doing it for the sake of simply.. doing it - eating, drinking, etc.

Preceding the verse you asked about specifically, verse 26 tells us that in performing communion, we "proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." Then, verse 27 immediately states "whoever, therefore [this word indicates a response to the argument just made], eats the bread and drinks the cup [referring to the statement made in v. 26] in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord." To me, if you step back and see verse 27 as a response to verse 26, partaking in communion in a worthy manner means honoring and cherishing Christ's death and sacrifice for us. Based on this, partaking in communion in an unworthy manner means doing the opposite: while performing communion, there isn't an honoring of Jesus and the price He paid on the cross for us.

The Holy Spirit leads me to believe that this is what makes the act "unworthy," is when one partakes in the act without reflecting and honoring the sacrifice He made for us. This is just my personal opinion, though. As you continue to read that section of Scripture, it begins to discuss self-examination. So, there is more. Not only should we think on Christ's death, but we should be examining ourselves and reflecting on how we are behaving as children of God.

Essentially, there are two parts to this. When you take communion, are you 1) doing it in remembrance of Him and His sacrifice and 2) reflecting upon the fruit you bear? If you are, this is taking communion worthily.

I am, by no means, trying to generalize Catholics, but being raised in a Catholic home [I am not Catholic, most of my family though is], I have seen my fair share of people engage in communion, so I am familiar with how a lot of people view the practice. I can unfortunately say that many people think if they just "take" it, they are doing the right thing and that is good enough. I think this verse exists for those people; it tells them this isn't how it works!! It requires genuine reflection and thought. On the other hand, one of my closest friends has a family member who CRIES every time they take communion, because they care THAT much about Jesus and the Sacrifice He made for them. It is beautiful, and I have always admired their reaction because it shows a sincere heart.

God bless!!