Bible Commentaries
1 Corinthians 11

Verses 1-34

Another Corinthian question concerned the position of woman and her true attitude in the exercise of divinely bestowed gifts. He declared that woman's true position is subservience to man. The nature of that subservience, however, the apostle was also very careful to indicate. God is equal with Christ. God co-operates with Christ. God is the Head of Christ.

Then follows a touch of purely local color. The women in Corinth itself, whose heads were shaven and went uncovered, were women of shame. The apostle therefore enjoined woman exercising gifts of ministry to do so with those outward manifestations of her true relationship to man which are proper and becoming. However, the great value to us of this teaching is its recognition of the right of women to pray and prophesy. The question of wearing a veil is of no permanent importance. Not wearing a covering for the head in this country has not the significance that it had in Corinth.

The last matter to be discussed was the Lord's Supper. Grave abuses had arisen, and in order to correct these abuses the apostle told the story of the institution of the Supper. In brief words, the apostle declared the value of the feast to the world. The arresting word is ''proclaim." The Supper of the Lord, observed by the saints from year to year, from century to century, is the one outward and visible sign and symbol of His death. It is to continue until He Himself shall return. Instituted in the concluding days of His First Advent, it must be maintained until He come.

And thus that dark betrayal night

With the last advent we unite,

By one long chain of loving rite,

Until He come.