Scripture Reading : 1 Corinthians 11
Theme : Order in the church
In this passage, Paul gave instructions on how order in the church is maintained by 1) subordination of women in the church and 2) proper celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
- The subordination and equality of women (11:1-16). One foundational way that Satan feverishly tries to upset the divine order is by perverting the male-female roles and relationships, which has found its way into the Corinthian church. However, men and women were not on the same level of function in God’s design. In setting the divine order in male-female roles, Paul established that women are to be submissive to men because of the relationship in the Godhead (v.3), the divine design of male and female (v.7), the order of creation (v.8), the role of woman (v.9), the interest of the angels (v.10) and the characteristics of natural physiology (v.13-15). Yet as far as saving and sanctifying grace is concerned, a woman comes as deeply into communion with God as a man.
- Celebrating the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34). The early church had special fellowship meals called love feasts (Jude 12) which usually closed with the observance of Communion. Though the Corinthian church followed this custom, yet they had turned the meals into gluttonous, drunken revelry which involved selfish indulgences, shaming the poorer brethren, mocking the Lord’s sacrificial death and scandalizing the church before the unbelieving world around them. Such abuses of the Communion had obscured its divine purpose and destroyed its sanctity. Therefore, Paul admonished the Corinthians to come worthily to the communion by examining themselves and to honor Christ in order to avoid God’s chastening.
Praying the Scripture
- The principle of male authority and female subordination is not a traditional custom, but a principle established by God for the purpose of order and complementation. In God’s unique design, man is to be the head, leader and provider while woman is to be the helper (Gen 2:20), supporter and companion. However, the man’s proper authority does not make him independent of woman, nor does her proper subordination make her alone dependent. Therefore, man as a fellow creature has no innate superiority to woman and has no right to use his authority tyrannically or selfishly. Let’s pray that the men and women in our church will lovingly follow the divine order in order for us to be a strong and effective church.
- When we come to the Lord’s table, we remember Christ’s work on the cross (11:25), proclaims salvation in Christ (11:24-25) and anticipates the return of the Lord (11:26). If we come with anything less than the loftiest thoughts of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, anything less than total love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we come unworthily to the Lord’s table. Therefore, we must always give ourselves a thorough self-examination before we partake, looking honestly at our hearts for anything evil. If we confess our sins, wrong attitudes and motives, God “is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Let’s pray that we will not come to the Communion unworthily and ritualistically, but to come with proper discernment and response to the holiness of the occasion.
经文：哥林多前书11
主题：教会里的秩序
在这段经文中，保罗给予指示，吩咐教会秩序包括：1）妇女在教会中的顺服；及2）庆祝圣餐的正确方式。
- 妇女的同等与顺服（11:1-16）。撒旦尝试颠倒教会秩序的一个根本方针是歪曲男女的关系及角色；这就是哥林多教会所面对的。然而，在神的设计中，男士和女士是有不同角色要扮演的。在指明男女角色的属天次序时，保罗强调妇女要顺服男士的原因，是因于：神与基督的关系（3节）；男女的被造时的形象（7节）；创造的次序（8节）；妇女的角色（9节）；天使的缘故（10节）；及自然生理的特质（13-15节）。即便如此，论到救恩与洁净，神与男女的亲密相交是一样的。
- 庆祝主圣餐（11:17-34）。早期教会有特别的团契就餐时间，称作爱席（犹12）；结束时，他们会共用圣餐。虽然哥林多教会也跟从这习俗，但他们将这些用餐时间变成贪食、醉酒的狂欢，还自我放纵、羞辱较贫困的弟兄、嘲笑主舍命代死，并在围绕他们的非信徒面前中伤教会。此般对圣餐的亵渎已经朦胧了它的神圣意义，并毁灭了它的神圣性。因此，保罗劝诫哥林多教会要以敬虔的心领受圣餐，先审察自己，要荣耀基督，以避免受到神的管教。
用经文祷告
- 男尊女卑并不仅是一个传统习俗，而是神为次序和互补所设的一个原则。在神的独特设计中，男士要带领、当头和养家，而妇女是他的帮手（创2:20）。可是，男士所持有的权威并不代表他不需要女人；女人的顺服也并不代表她必须依靠男人。所以，同身为人的男生在地位上并不比女人高，因此他无权专制的或自私的使用权柄。让我们祷告我们教会中的男女会用爱心遵从神为我们所定的神圣次序，叫我们能成为一个强而有效的教会。
- 当我们来到主的圣餐时，我们要纪念基督在十字架上的工作（11:25），宣扬在基督里的救恩，并盼望主回来（11:26）。若我们并不全然高举父、子与圣灵，并不全然爱我们主内的弟兄姐妹，我们就不配用主的圣餐。因此，我们在领受圣餐之前一定要常常透彻的审察自己，并坦诚看待自己的心，看有恶行没有。我们若承认自己的罪、不良态度及动机，神“是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义”（约一1:9）。让我们祷告我们不会轻率看待圣餐或视这为礼仪，乃要辨明是非，对圣餐的神圣性做出正确的回应。
