1 Corinthians 11:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then consider how great the evil will be if so many transgressions are committed. What transgressions, you say? Why do you ask, what transgressions?

Having partaken of such a table, you ought to have become humbler than all and like the angels. But you have become harder-hearted than all.

You have tasted the Master’s Blood and do not acknowledge your brother. After this, are you worthy of forgiveness?

Even if you had not known him before, after this table you ought to have acknowledged him. Yet you dishonor the table itself, judging one counted worthy to share in it unworthy of your food.

Have you not heard what befell the man who demanded one hundred denarii from his fellow servant? Have you not heard how he lost the gift his master had granted him?

Do you not know what you were before and what you have now become? Do you not remember that you were far poorer in good works than this man is poor in money, being filled with countless sins?

God forgave you all your sins and counted you worthy of such a table. But even after this you did not become more humane. Therefore nothing remains but to hand you also over to the torturers (Mt 18:34).

Let all of us also heed these words of the Apostle. Here we approach the sacred table together with the poor. But after leaving, we do not even wish to look at them.

We give ourselves to drunkenness, while leaving them hungry and unattended. Of this the Corinthians were then guilty.

When, you say, does this happen? Always, but especially on feasts, when above all this should not be done. Then, immediately after communion, drunkenness and neglect of the poor begin.

Then, after receiving the Lord’s Blood, when you ought to keep fasting and restraint, you give yourself to drunkenness and disorder.

When you happen to eat something pleasant at dinner, you take care not to spoil what came before with another bad dish. Yet after receiving the Spirit, you give yourself to satanic pleasures.

Remember what the Apostles did after partaking of the sacred supper. Did they not turn to prayers and hymns, to holy vigil, and to prolonged teaching filled with great wisdom?

Indeed, the Lord then delivered and explained to them great and wondrous Mysteries, at the very time when Judas went to summon those who would crucify Him.

Have you not also heard that the three thousand believers, after being counted worthy of communion, continued steadfastly in prayers and teaching, and not in drunkenness and disorder?

But if before communion you fast, so that you may appear somewhat worthy of communion, then after communion, when you ought to increase restraint, you destroy everything.

It is not the same thing to fast before and after. One must be temperate at both times, but especially after receiving the Bridegroom.

Beforehand, this is so that one may become worthy of receiving. Afterward, it is so that one may not appear unworthy of the gifts received.

Must one then fast after communion, you ask? I do not say this, nor do I compel it. It is good, of course, to do so. Yet I do not force you, but only exhort you not to give yourself to immeasurable excess.

1 Cor 11:27-29: "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. For he who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's Body."

Chapter 1. Communion of Christ's Body and Blood is necessary for eternal life itself.

Jn 6:53-54: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life," and so forth.

Chapter 3. With what intention should one eat the Body and drink the Blood of the Lord? In remembrance of the Lord's obedience even unto death, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Lk 22:19-20: "And taking bread, and having given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying: This is My Body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying: This cup is the New Covenant in My Blood, which is shed for you."

1 Cor 11:23-26: "The Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, broke it and said: Take, eat; this is My Body, broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same way also the cup after supper, and said: This cup is the new covenant in My Blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes."

2 Cor 5:14-15: "For the love of Christ constrains us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died. And Christ died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

1 Cor 10:16-17: "The bread which we break, is it not communion of the Body of Christ? There is one bread, and we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread."

The third are the demon-possessed, if they blaspheme and revile this Divine Mystery. The fourth are those who have come to their senses and repented, have ceased their sinful deeds and confessed, but are still bearing the penance imposed upon them, standing outside the church for a determined time.

The fifth are those in whom the fruit of repentance has not yet ripened. That is, they have not yet reached the resolve to consecrate their whole life to God and henceforth to live in Christ a pure and blameless life.

These five classes are plainly unworthy of Holy Communion. Worthy of Communion of the Holy Mysteries is the one who is pure and has no part in the sins of which we have spoken.

But when one of these worthy persons is defiled by some defilement, as can happen to a human being, then he too will certainly partake unworthily if he does not wash away by repentance that by which he has been defiled.

It also brings eternal torment on that day when the Lord will render to each according to his works (Rom 2:6). The Master of all Himself explained this when He said, "Then you will begin to say: We ate and drank before Thee, and Thou didst teach in our streets.

"And He will say, I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness" (Lk 13:26-27).

Since such and so great a punishment lies before those who partake unworthily of the dread Mysteries of Christ, the God-speaking Paul handed down to us this commandment: "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Cor 11:28).

Do you hear? Wisdom and understanding appoint you judge over yourself. Why? For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him (1 Cor 2:11)?

What other man knows the secrets of your heart better than your own spirit and your own conscience?

Therefore, before you approach the Mysteries, examine yourself. Search your deeds. If you find in them transgression of God’s commandments and your will remains uncorrected, then refrain.

For if you partake, you will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord (1 Cor 11:27).

Attend to your words. If you learn that your mouth has multiplied malice and your tongue has woven deceits, and that sitting against your brother you slandered him and set a stumbling block against your mother’s son (Ps 49:19-20), then refrain.

If deceit, false witness, betrayal, and impenitence remain in you, refrain. For you will eat and drink unworthily and will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord.

Examine your thoughts. If you notice pride in your mind, envy in your soul, enmity in your heart, and no repentance, then refrain. For if you partake, you eat and drink judgment to yourself.

This Mystery is most holy, and therefore those who approach it must be holy. For this reason, when the time of divine communion draws near, the priest proclaims, "The Holy Things are for the holy."

But who is holy? Who will be clean from defilement? No one, even if his life on earth lasts but one day (Jn 14:4-5).

What then remains to be done? Is it better not to approach the Mystery, so as not to fall under accusation and judgment? May this not be.

Communion in the divine Eucharist is necessary for the strengthening of faith, for the practice of virtue, and for the perfection of life. Without communion in the Body and Blood of the Lord, it is impossible to inherit eternal life.

"Amen, amen, I say to you: unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in yourselves" (Jn 6:53).

But you say, "I see myself constrained on both sides. If I partake unworthily, I sin. If I do not partake at all, I will be guilty of torment. Therefore I do not know what to do."

Do a third thing, brother: partake worthily. But how, since you are a sinner? In the way God prescribed to you through the Prophet Moses and through the Apostle Paul.

Paul commands you first to examine yourself. That is, look into all your sins. Seeing the multitude of your transgressions, and also considering for your salvation the need for communion, do not doze or sleep.

Do not remain lying in the mire of your sins. "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Eph 5:14).

Do what God commanded you through Moses: cleanse yourself. This means: repent like Manasseh, abandon iniquity like Zacchaeus, and resolve to live pleasingly to God like Matthew.

Cleanse yourself. That is, come to the judgment seat of your spiritual father. With humility like the sinful woman, and with contrition like the thief, confess all your sins.

Repentance, conversion, complete abstinence from sin, and confession will blot out your transgressions and cleanse you from all your sins.

"I acknowledged my iniquity, and I did not hide my sin. I said, I will confess my iniquity against myself to the Lord; and Thou forgavest the ungodliness of my heart" (Ps 31:5).

Like Peter, wash not your garments, but the defilement of your soul, mind, and heart with your bitter tears.

At least for three days prepare yourself by prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and every other work pleasing to God.

Then approach with faith and reverence, with fear and trembling, beating your breast like the publican and crying out with the centurion, "Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof" (Mt 8:8).

And so partake of the heavenly Mysteries of Christ. In this way communion will become for you sanctification of soul and body, and perfect union with God.

Then you will become unconquerable by the passions, terrible to demons, a friend of the angels, a son of God, and an heir of His heavenly Kingdom. Amen.

"Do you see how fearful his speech is, and how powerfully he moved them? He showed that if they intend to drink the Lord’s Blood in this manner, they will partake unworthily of the Mysteries set before them.

"Indeed, does not the one who despises the hungry man approach unworthily? Besides despising him, he also puts him to shame.

"If failing to give alms to the poor deprives a man of the Kingdom of Heaven, even if he is a virgin, so also does giving sparingly. For the virgins had oil with them, but not in abundance.

"Then consider how great the evil is if so many transgressions are committed. What transgressions, you say? Of what transgressions are you speaking?

"Having partaken of such a table, you ought to become humbler than all and to be like the angels. But you have become harder-hearted than all. You have tasted the Lord’s Blood and do not acknowledge your brother. Are you worthy of forgiveness?

"Even if you had not known him before, after this table you ought to have acknowledged him. Yet you dishonor the table itself, judging one counted worthy to share in it unworthy of your food.

"Have you not heard what befell the man who demanded one hundred denarii from his fellow servant? Have you not heard how he lost the gift his master had granted him?

"Do you not know what you were and what you have now become? Do you not know that you were far poorer in good works than this man is poor in money, being filled with countless sins?

"Yet God forgave you all your sins and counted you worthy of such a table. But even after this you did not become more humane. Therefore nothing remains but to hand you also over to the torturers" (Mt 18:34).

"Let all of us who approach the sacred table here together with the poor heed the Apostle’s words. When we leave this place, we do not even wish to look at them.

"We give ourselves to abundant feeding, while leaving the hungry without attention. Of this the Corinthians were then guilty.

"When you have eaten something pleasant at dinner, you take care not to spoil what came before with another bad dish. Yet after receiving the Spirit, you give yourself to pleasures.

"Remember what the Apostles did after partaking of the sacred supper. Did they not turn to prayers and hymns, to holy vigil, and to prolonged teaching filled with great wisdom?

"But if before communion you fast, so that you may appear somewhat worthy of communion, then after communion, when you ought to increase restraint, you destroy everything.

"It is not the same thing to fast before and after. One must be temperate at both times, but especially after receiving the Bridegroom.

"Beforehand, this is so that one may become worthy of receiving. Afterward, it is so that one may not appear unworthy of the gifts received."

Thus Chrysostom explains that those who partake unworthily are not only those who do not prepare as they should. They are also those who, after communion, behave unworthily of this communion. The example of the Corinthians leads precisely to this lesson.