How does 1 Corinthians 11:27 connect to Matthew 26:26-28? The Key Verses Side by Side • 1 Corinthians 11:27: “Therefore, 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.” – v. 26 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is My body.’” – v. 27-28 “Then He took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Tracing the Connection • Matthew records the very moment Christ instituted the Supper. • Paul cites that same institution (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) and then warns in verse 27 against careless participation. • The shared phrases body and blood tie the two passages directly. Matthew shows Christ giving those elements; Paul stresses the accountability that flows from their sacred origin. Why the Bread and Cup Carry Weight • In Matthew 26 Jesus identifies the bread as His body and the cup as His blood, covenant language echoing Exodus 24:8 and Jeremiah 31:31-34. • Hebrews 10:29 underscores that trampling the Son of God and profaning the blood of the covenant deserves judgment. Paul’s warning mirrors that gravity. • The elements are not empty symbols; they convey a literal remembrance of the once-for-all sacrifice (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:26). What Makes Partaking “Unworthy” • Treating the meal as common food or a routine ritual (1 Corinthians 11:20-22). • Harboring unrepentant sin that contradicts the covenant secured by Christ’s blood (1 John 1:6-9). • Failing to discern the body—both Christ’s crucified body and His present body, the church (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 12:12-27). The Costliness of the Covenant • Matthew 26:28 links the cup to forgiveness, showing that the covenant was purchased at the price of Christ’s blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). • Paul’s charge in 1 Corinthians 11:27 therefore guards the sanctity of that cost. To partake unworthily is to treat lightly what heaven values infinitely. Self-Examination in Light of the Cross • 1 Corinthians 11:28-29 calls believers to examine themselves; the standard is the sacrificial love displayed in Matthew 26. • Psalm 139:23-24 invites the Spirit to search the heart so that confession and cleansing may precede communion. Practical Takeaways for the Table • Approach with reverence, remembering Matthew’s record of Christ’s own hands offering the bread and cup. • Confess and forsake known sin, aligning with the forgiveness proclaimed in the cup. • Discern the unity of the body, honoring fellow believers as those purchased by the same blood. • Proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26), keeping the cross central just as Jesus did on the night He was betrayed. |
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