Extending Honor to Whom Honor is Due
1
Corinthians 11:1-34
Jim Davis
The pagan world was much different from the Jewish world around
Jerusalem. The teaching of the law and the prophets shaped the
Jewish culture. The world beyond Jewish influence was shaped by the
practices that surrounded the pagan temples. Preaching Christ to the
ancient pagan world was a tremendous challenge for the first century
Christians. Paul’s epistles expound the challenges Christians faced
as the gospel was heralded in the pagan world. We could learn much
about reaching a world in a changing culture if we would study the
New Testament teaching to those churches established in the pagan
world.
Surprisingly, the ancient gospel reveals the wisdom to cross
seemingly insurmountable barriers in every generation. Those
teaching in the pagan world were forced to cross racial, social,
cultural and religious barriers with effectiveness and efficiency.
Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians seeks to give us principles to
enable us to become all things to all men and women in every
generation while remaining faithful to the message proclaimed. This
is no small challenge for the church today; it is probably our
greatest failure. We know how to talk the talk with those who have
been churched all their lives, but do we know how to speak the
message effectively to those outside Christ with no knowledge of the
Bible.
We know what the church expects us to say, and we know how they
expect us to say it. The question is do we know what to say to that
person that walks in the door of the church building that has never
heard about Christ. Do we know how to face the problems that arise
within the church as we seek to incorporate new converts into the
body of Christ? Or, are we so afraid of compromising the message of
the gospel that it makes us ineffective in its proclamation.
We usually
do one of three things when we face the challenges of presenting the
gospel effectively to a non-believing world. We may seek to isolate
ourselves from the influence of the world. We may seek to compromise
God’s standards to make the gospel more palatable to non-believers.
We can choose to enter into our world with the gospel with the help
and wisdom of God to salvage souls.
Understanding God’s
Order
What do you do when the arrogance of religion faces the revelry of a
pagan society? First,
we must remember the attitude with which we meet the challenges test
our sincerity in Christ. How we meet the challenges actually reveals
the ones who are approved by God (11:19). Corinth attitudes in
meeting the difficulties gave them a chance to prove themselves.
However, Corinth’s worship services were doing more harm than good
(11:17, 18).
Paul entered Corinth as an ambassador who sought to bring peace to
the differing warring factions within the church at Corinth. He
sought to reconcile the church in the midst of a conflicting
culture. He did so by first setting an example for
them, and secondly by respecting them in spite of their
differences.
As a good ambassador Paul sought to please everybody in every way,
but he was doing it for the good of others (10:31-33). He wasn’t
doing it to enhance his own standing. He did not develop an attitude
of distain for those he was seeking to teach. Paul was compassionate
to the erring, because he understood their importance in God’s
scheme of things.
1 Corinthians 11:1-10
“Follow my example, as I follow the
example of Christ.
“I praise you for remembering me in
everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them
on to you.
“Now I want you to realize that the head
of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the
head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his
head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or
prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head-it is just as
though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she
should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to
have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man
ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God;
but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman,
but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for
man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to
have a sign of authority on her head” (NIV).
Paul sought
to take them back to the beginning as he emphasized God’s place of
honor for each person. Paul writes, “Now I want you to
realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the
woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Quoting this
verse today almost immediately creates a gender gap because we
automatically start thinking that someone is trying to put us in our
place. This results because we allow our culture to shape our view
of what Paul is saying. Paul is simply reminding each person of his
or her place in the scheme of things. You can’t remind a person of
his/her place in God’s scheme of things without reminding them of
how important it is for them to fill their assigned role.
It is difficult for us to grasp the significance of what Paul
is saying, for our society seeks to place each of us in competition
with the other. This is especially true in regards to our
gender roles. The best way you can build self-esteem is by
understanding how God has made you—by understanding where God has
designed you to function. Comparing ourselves with others will never
allow us to understand our importance in the eyes of God. When you
understand God’s estimation of your role, you will never
underestimate your importance in God’s order.
When we dishonor the role God has placed us in we bring dishonor
upon ourselves. Paul says, “Every man
who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered
dishonors her head-it is just as though her head were shaved.”
There may be discussions over the specific cultural practices Paul
refers too, but whatever the specific practices were, they were
reflecting dishonor upon the position God had placed each of them
in.
Paul not only pointed out God’s order of things, but he also pointed
the world’s view of things. The very nature of what they were
practicing from the world’s point of view told them that they were
wrong.
1 Corinthians 11:11-16
In the Lord, however, woman is not
independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman
came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes
from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to
God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of
things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a
disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?
For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be
contentious about this, we have no other practice-nor do the
churches of God” (NIV).
In 11:1-16
Paul makes no allusion where the dishonorable attitude is
manifested, i.e., where prophesying is done, but his concern is the
attitude with which they are doing it. They were showing disrespect
for the role God assigned each. God’s order of things told them
this, and the very nature of the conflict told them this. They were
failing to understand their need for mutual submission to each other
in God’s assigned order. Paul writes,
“In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man
independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is
born of woman. But everything comes from God.”
There is no hint that the difference between male and female is a
matter of inferiority or inequality. Serving in different capacities
in no way makes one person better than the other. Each is dependent
upon the other.
The
very design of the position that God has placed each of in places
each of us in submission to each other.
We may occupy differing positions in
God’s order, but the ideal of dependency upon each other brings
equality. Of necessity dependency brings men and women in submission
to each other. Too often, our freedom in Christ may want us to live
independent of others. Paul hastens to stress the partnership of man
and woman. Neither can live, nor even exist without the other. This
partnership is designed that each can be more fruitful and lovely.
It is not a partnership designed to breed contention.
Often, when conflict occurs everything becomes confusing.
It becomes difficult to deal with the arguments coming from
conflicting points of view. Sometimes when this happens the only way
to get a clear view of our purpose is to scrap all the arguments and
recognize the simplest principles involved. Jesus often did this
rather than engage in the endless arguments of legalism. He did this
by saying everything the law and the prophets spoke hinged upon one
single principle—to love your neighbor as you love yourself. For
those who had made endless laws about how to love their neighbor as
themselves, Jesus simply said, “So in
everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for
this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12
NIV). This allowed those confused by endless religious rules to
reduce what was taught to one simple principle that would make it
possible for them to start making sense out of what was being
taught.
In
chapters 11-14 Paul reduces his discussion to one single
principle—the proper respect for each other’s role in God’s order of
things. I can’t begin to respect the role of others until I respect the role
God has given me. When I understand my God given role I will see no
need to be in competition with the roles God has given others.
Whatever the practices of the time, those practices were violating
God’s respect for the role of men and women.
Worship Tainted In A
Divided Church
The
violation of God’s order of things tainted the worship and function
of the church at Corinth.
It is inevitable that disrespect for God given roles affect the
fellowship.
“In the following directives I have no
praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the
first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there
are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt
there have to be differences among you to show which of you have
God's approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper
you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for
anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have
homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and
humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I
praise you for this? Certainly not! (NIV).
Troublesome times test troubled hearts. Paul writes,
“No doubt there have to be differences
among you to show which of you have God’s approval.”
I certainly don’t relish trouble, but troubles can be beneficial.
The real test comes not when things are
going our way, but when we are not getting our way. These
times give us a chance to see what we are made of. To be honest,
sometimes I don’t like what I see in myself when I don’t get my
way—when I don’t get the respect I think I deserve.
Corinth’s fellowships were tense and divisive. It was because
they were not responding to each other with improper respect.
Humiliation ruled as they allowed some to go hungry and others to
revel in gluttony and drunkenness.
There is
no praise from God when we show contempt for fellow Christians; it’s
equal to holding God in contempt.
Paul asks, “Do you despise the church
of God?” We despise the Lord’s church when we seek to
humiliate those who have nothing to offer. Paul writes,
“So then, my brothers, when you come
together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should
eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in
judgment” (1 Corinthians 11:33-34 NIV).
Paul
reduces the problem to its simplest common denominator—the sacrifice
of Christ. A divided
Church violates the sacrifice of Christ.
“When you come together, it is not the
Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead
without waiting for anybody else.”
1 Corinthians
11:23-26
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord
Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had
given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for
you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he
took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do
this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you
eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death
until he comes” (NIV)
There is no way I can
live wrong and worship right.
Matthew 5:23-24
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there
remember that your brother has something against you, leave your
gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your
brother; then come and offer your gift” (NIV).
I cannot offer a gift to
God nor accept a gift from God, i.e. the provision of the Lord’s
Supper, while seeking to humiliate the position God has given
others.
Paul writes,
“ . . .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” (11:27 NIV).
Accepting the sacrifice of Christ brings me face to face with my
need to share his sacrificial gift with others. I share the
sacrificial gift of Christ when I honor others with the sacrifice
Christ has honored me with—when I esteem others better than myself.
Philippians
2:1-11
“If you have any
encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his
love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and
compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having
the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others
better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude
should be the same as that of Christ Jesus . . .”
It is crucial that I examine myself in regards to my attitude toward
others as I eat at the Lord’s Table. If we would take time to judge ourselves, we would
not come under the judgment of God.
1 Corinthians 11:28-32
A man ought to examine himself before he
eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and
drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks
judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick,
and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves,
we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we
are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the
world” (NIV).
Failing
to respect others brings God’s judgment upon me.
Eating meat that destroys the weak brother/sister brings God’s
judgment upon me (8:11-13). When others become distressed over what
I am doing I am not acting in love (Romans 14:15). In such cases I
am not esteeming them as Christ has esteemed me. Refusing to act in
love brings God’s judgment upon ourselves and the church.
Failing to respect others makes me spiritually weak. Our
spiritual strength is revealed when we can forgo our rights so that
others an enjoy their rights. The sacrifice of discipline that
produces strong Christians (9:24-27), and qualifies us for the prize
of our calling.
Conclusion:
1 Corinthians 11:33-34
“So then, my brothers, when you come
together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should
eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in
judgment” (NIV).
Remember
when the Lord convicts us of wrong in these matters his judgment is
so that we won’t be condemned with the world.