Year of the Bible
1 Corinthians 11
Access your family's weekly resource for the Year of the Bible HERE
Commentary on the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 11:
Paul shifts to a new topic, giving the Corinthians both praise and correction for what he has heard of their liturgical practices. First, Paul commends the believers in Corinth for following the practices of the wider Church (vs. 2, 16) to avoid disunity over a local issue of if women should cover their hair while praying or prophesying (as Romans and Jews would do as a cultural norm when in public), or worship with hair visible (as Greek women wore it in public). As a former Pharisee, Paul is well versed in the Jewish tradition and provides a list of reasons for this practice (vs. 3-10) but also acknowledges the logic of the Greek practice (vs. 11-12). Paul then pivots to correct the Corinthians for partaking in the Eucharist without doing a self-examination of conscience first (vs. 27-29). Specifically, Paul names their divisions and indifference to the hungry among them, as causing their liturgical gatherings to do more harm than good (vs. 17-22). The solution for both is to avoid disunity and imitate Christ (vs. 16, 1).
The First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 11:
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Head Coverings
2 I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head — it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.) 10 That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels. 11(Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.) 13 Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her pride? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If any one is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God.
Abuses at the Lord’s Supper
17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you assemble as a Church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you meet together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses 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 commend you in this? No, I will not.
The Institution of the Eucharist
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when 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.” 25 In the same way also the chalice, after supper, saying, “This chalice is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the chalice, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Partaking of the Eucharist Unworthily
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—34 if any one is hungry, let him eat at home—lest you come together to be condemned. About the other things I will give directions when I come.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Saint Paul says here, "Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself." (v. 28-29) Lord, show me if I am truly honest and deep when I examine myself and confess my sins always before eating the bread and drinking the cup of salvation.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. Catholic Biblical School of Michigan (cbsmich.org).
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further
1 Corintios 11
11 1 Sed imitadores míos, como yo lo soy
de Cristo. 2 Os alabo porque en todo os
acordáis de mí, y mantenéis las tradiciones
como os las transmití.
3 Quiero que sepáis que la cabeza de
todo hombre es Cristo, la cabeza de la
mujer es el hombre, y la cabeza de Cristo
es Dios. 4 Todo hombre que reza o
profetiza con la cabeza cubierta deshonra
su cabeza, 5 y toda mujer que reza o
profetiza con la cabeza descubierta deshonra
su cabeza, pues es lo mismo que
si se rapara. 6 Por tanto, si no se quiere
cubrir con el velo, que se corte el pelo. Si
es vergonzoso para la mujer cortarse el
pelo o raparse, que se cubra con el velo.
7 El hombre, en efecto, no debe cubrirse
la cabeza, puesto que es imagen
y gloria de Dios; la mujer, en cambio, es
gloria del hombre; 8 porque no procede
el hombre de la mujer, sino la mujer del
hombre, 9 ni fue creado el hombre por razón
de la mujer, sino la mujer por razón
del hombre. 10 Por tanto, la mujer debe
mostrar sobre su cabeza la señal de sumisión
por razón de los ángeles. 11 Por lo
demás, ni la mujer sin el hombre, ni el
hombre sin la mujer, en el Señor. 12 Porque
si la mujer procede del hombre, así el
hombre nace de la mujer; y todo de Dios.
13 Juzgad por vosotros mismos: ¿es conveniente
que la mujer rece a Dios con la cabeza
descubierta? 14 ¿Acaso la misma naturaleza
no os enseña que es afrenta para
el hombre llevar larga cabellera, 15 mientras
que la mujer se honra dejándola crecer?
Porque la cabellera le ha sido dada
como velo. 16 Y si alguno quiere discutir,
nosotros no tenemos esa costumbre, ni
tampoco las iglesias de Dios.
17 Al recomendaros esto, no os alabo,
porque no os reunís para vuestro bien
espiritual, sino para vuestro daño.
18 En primer lugar oigo que, cuando
os reunís en asamblea litúrgica, hay
divisiones entre vosotros, y en parte lo
creo, 19 pues conviene que haya entre vosotros
disensiones, para que se descubran
entre vosotros los de virtud probada.
20 Pues, cuando os reunís, no es ya
para tomar la Cena del Señor; 21 porque
al comer, cada uno se adelanta a tomar
su propia cena, y mientras uno pasa
hambre, otro está ebrio. 22 ¿No tenéis casas
para comer y beber? ¿O despreciáis
la Iglesia de Dios y avergonzáis a los que
no tienen nada? ¿Qué voy a deciros?
¿Os alabaré? En esto no os alabo.
23 Porque yo recibí del Señor lo que
también os transmití: que el Señor Jesús,
la noche en que fue entregado,
tomó pan, 24 y dando gracias, lo partió y
dijo: «Esto es mi cuerpo, que se da por
vosotros; haced esto en memoria mía».
25 Y de la misma manera, después de cenar,
tomó el cáliz, diciendo: «Este cáliz
es la nueva alianza en mi sangre; cuantas
veces lo bebáis, hacedlo en memoria
mía». 26 Porque cada vez que coméis
este pan y bebéis este cáliz, anunciáis la
muerte del Señor, hasta que venga. 27 Así
pues, quien coma el pan o beba el cáliz
del Señor indignamente, será reo del
cuerpo y de la sangre del Señor. 28 Examínese,
por tanto, cada uno a sí mismo,
y entonces coma del pan y beba del cáliz;
29 porque el que come y bebe sin discernir
el Cuerpo, come y bebe su propia
condenación. 30 Por eso hay entre
vosotros muchos enfermos y débiles, y
mueren tantos. 31 Si nos examináramos
a nosotros mismos, no seríamos condenados.
32 Pero al ser juzgados, somos corregidos
por el Señor, para no ser condenados
con el mundo.
33 Por tanto, hermanos míos, cuando
os reunáis para comer, esperaos unos
a otros. 34 Si alguno tiene hambre, que
coma en casa, para que no os reunáis
para vuestra condenación. El resto lo
dispondré cuando llegue.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
San Pablo nos dice aquí: " Examínese, por tanto, cada uno a sí mismo, y entonces coma del pan y beba del cáliz; porque el que come y bebe sin discernir el Cuerpo, come y bebe su propia condenación." (v. 28-29) Señor, muéstrame si soy en verdad honesto y profundo cuando me examino y si confieso mis pecados siempre antes de comer el pan y beber el cáliz de salvación.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).