1 Corinthians 11:24

King James Version (KJV)

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

This do in remembrance of me - The papists believe the apostles were not ordained priests before these words. Si quis dixerit, illis verbis, hoc facite in meam commemorationem, Christum non instituisse apostolos sacerdotes, anathema sit: "If any one shall say that in these words, 'This do in remembrance of me,' Christ did not ordain his apostles priests, let him be accursed." Conc. Trid. Sess. 22. Conc. 2. And he that does believe such an absurdity, on such a ground, is contemptible.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

And when he had given thanks - See the note on Matthew 26:26. Matthew reads it, “and blessed it.” The words used here are, however, substantially the same as there; and this fact shows that since this was communicated to Paul “directly” by the Saviour, and in a manner distinct from that by which Matthew learned the mode of the institution, the Saviour designed that the exact form of the words should be used in its observance, and should thus be constantly borne in mind by his people.

Take eat … - See the note on Matthew 26:26.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The apostle describes the sacred ordinance, of which he had the knowledge by revelation from Christ. As to the visible signs, these are the bread and wine. What is eaten is called bread, though at the same time it is said to be the body of the Lord, plainly showing that the apostle did not mean that the bread was changed into flesh. St. Matthew tells us, our Lord bid them all drink of the cup, ch. Mt 26:27, as if he would, by this expression, provide against any believer being deprived of the cup. The things signified by these outward signs, are Christ's body and blood, his body broken, his blood shed, together with all the benefits which flow from his death and sacrifice. Our Saviour's actions were, taking the bread and cup, giving thanks, breaking the bread, and giving both the one and the other. The actions of the communicants were, to take the bread and eat, to take the cup and drink, and to do both in remembrance of Christ. But the outward acts are not the whole, or the principal part, of what is to be done at this holy ordinance. Those who partake of it, are to take him as their Lord and Life, yield themselves up to him, and live upon him. Here is an account of the ends of this ordinance. It is to be done in remembrance of Christ, to keep fresh in our minds his dying for us, as well as to remember Christ pleading for us, in virtue of his death, at God's right hand. It is not merely in remembrance of Christ, of what he has done and suffered; but to celebrate his grace in our redemption. We declare his death to be our life, the spring of all our comforts and hopes. And we glory in such a declaration; we show forth his death, and plead it as our accepted sacrifice and ransom. The Lord's supper is not an ordinance to be observed merely for a time, but to be continued. The apostle lays before the Corinthians the danger of receiving it with an unsuitable temper of mind; or keeping up the covenant with sin and death, while professing to renew and confirm the covenant with God. No doubt such incur great guilt, and so render themselves liable to spiritual judgements. But fearful believers should not be discouraged from attending at this holy ordinance. The Holy Spirit never caused this scripture to be written to deter serious Christians from their duty, though the devil has often made this use of it. The apostle was addressing Christians, and warning them to beware of the temporal judgements with which God chastised his offending servants. And in the midst of judgement, God remembers mercy: he many times punishes those whom he loves. It is better to bear trouble in this world, than to be miserable for ever. The apostle points our the duty of those who come to the Lord's table. Self-examination is necessary to right attendance at this holy ordinance. If we would thoroughly search ourselves, to condemn and set right what we find wrong, we should stop Divine judgements. The apostle closes all with a caution against the irregularities of which the Corinthians were guilty at the Lord's table. Let all look to it, that they do not come together to God's worship, so as to provoke him, and bring down vengeance on themselves.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

24. Had given thanks. Gr. euchariste?, “to give thanks,” from which the word “Eucharist” is derived. The term “Eucharist” is applied by some theologians to the Lord’s Supper as a sacrifice of thanksgiving for all the gifts of God. Some of the Fathers of the church in the 2d century applied the word to the bread and wine used in the ordinance. In the account of the institution of the ordinance given by Mark, the word euloge?, “to praise,” or “to bless,” is used; in Matthew textual evidence (cf. p. 10) favors the reading euloge?, but in Luke euchariste? is employed as here (see Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19). Both words have similar meaning and in the context convey the idea of consecrating the bread by a grateful acknowledgment of God’s mercy and love.

He brake. Jesus meaningfully broke that which was to be from that time forward “till he come” (v. 26) the mysterious symbol of all that His substitutionary sufferings mean to the human race. The act of breaking the bread indicated primarily the suffering that He was about to undergo on our behalf.

This is my body. As to the meaning of this figure of speech see on Matt. 26:26. The spiritual significance of the act of partaking of the broken bread must be understood against the background of man’s original state of perfection, his fall, and his redemption through Jesus Christ. Man was originally created in the image of God, both in form and in character; his mind was in harmony with the mind of God (see Gen. 1:26, 27; PP 45). He held open communion with God and the angels and was sustained by the fruit of the tree of life (see Gen. 2:15, 16; PP 47, 50). But when he sinned, all this was changed. He lost the privilege of open communion with God; instead of being in harmony with the mind of God, he was perverted in mind, and fear took the place of love (see Gen. 3:8, 10, 12; Isa. 59:2; Jer. 17:9). Left to himself, man could not find his way back to God and happiness, he could not escape the clutches of Satan, and was doomed to perish eternally (see Jer. 13:23; PP 62). In His incomprehensible mercy God revealed Himself to man in the person of His Son, and made possible the restoration of His image in man (see Ps. 2:7, 12; 40:7; John 14:9-11; 2 Cor. 5:19).

In His wisdom the Father has chosen to speak to mankind through His Son, therefore the Son is called the Word of God (see John 1:1-3, 14; DA 19, 22, 23). It is by the study and assimilation of the Word of God that believers maintain communion with Heaven and are enabled to live spiritually. This assimilation of His words is described by Jesus as eating His body and drinking His blood (see John 6:47, 48, 51, 54-58, 63; DA 660, 661). The broken bread of the communion supper signifies the wonderful truth that as man derives his physical life from God, who is the source of life, so the repentant, believing sinner derives spiritual life from Jesus, the Word of God. Physical food is provided for all men by the power and grace of God. The physical food taken into the body is changed by the processes of digestion into the tissues of brain, muscle, nerve, and bone; and actually becomes man himself. Thus man, physically, is what he eats. In like manner he who by study takes into his mind the Word of God, and brings his life into conformity with it by the power of God, is changed from a rebel, continually living in opposition to God and therefore to his own best interests, to a loving, obedient child of God, whose whole purpose in life is to reflect the image of his Creator (see DA 660). This precious experience has been made possible for man only by the breaking of the body of Jesus.

Is broken. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the omission of this verb.

In remembrance of me. This phrase shows that Christ would be absent when His disciples ate of this supper in the future. In order to impress upon men the awful nature of disobedience, God had required of the Hebrews animal sacrifices. But these sacrifices could not, of themselves, change the character of the sinner who made the sacrifice; they could only point him to the Redeemer to come, who would, in His own body, make the great sacrifice whereby man might be reconciled to God. The Lord’s Supper, which succeeded the Passover memorial of deliverance from Egypt, was given, not as a sacrifice, but vividly to remind the believer of all that has been achieved for him by the one great sacrifice made by the Son of God for the whole human family (see Heb. 9:25-28; 10:3-12, 14).

The sacrifice of Christ was perfect; therefore it could be offered only once. But in order to make it efficacious for all who should seek forgiveness of sin through Him, Jesus became man’s great high priest in heaven after His ascension, there to present the merits of the sacrifice of His own broken body on behalf of repentant sinners “till he come” (1 Cor. 11:26; Heb. 4:14-16; 7:24, 25; 8:1, 6; 9:11, 12, 14, 24). As the Saviour ministers on our behalf in heaven, pleading before the Father the merits of His sacrifice, He calls upon His people on earth to observe the ordinance that keeps before them the mystery of the atonement.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

Power to forbear working. The form of the question in Greek suggests a strong affirmation that Paul and Barnabas had such power, or right, to refrain from working for their own support if they chose so to do. After his conversion Paul had but one desire in life, to witness for Christ and persuade men to accept Him as their Saviour (see 1 Cor. 9:16; 2 Cor. 5:11; Phil. 3:13, 14). He was constantly on the alert to avoid anything that might serve to prevent men from believing his message (see Rom. 9:1-3; 10:1; 14:16, 19-21; 1 Cor. 8:13; 9:22, 23). The heathen people were suspicious of strangers who came among them, so the apostle determined not to give them cause to accuse him of coming among them as a religious teacher in order to obtain his support from them.

Paul’s missionary footsteps seem to have been dogged by some persons who were continually trying to give him trouble, destroy his authority, and hinder his work (see Acts 13:45, 50; 14:2, 19; 17:5; Gal. 2:4; 3:1; 5:12). These individuals were, in part, Jewish Christian teachers who believed that the law of Moses was binding upon Christians, and who tried to press their doctrine on the churches established by Paul and Barnabas, thus raising doubts regarding Paul. Apparently unable to find any real ground for complaint against him, they represented his refusal to accept his support from the Corinthian believers as evidence that he was not a true apostle of Christ. See on 2 Cor. 11:22.

The gospel minister, wherever he works, must be on guard at all times against the danger of doing or saying anything that might prove to be a cause of offense to those for whom he is working. This requires a willingness to abandon one’s legitimate rights and privileges, if need be, for the good of others.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

24. Had given thanks. Gr. eucharisteÃ…Â, “to give thanks,” from which the word “Eucharist” is derived. The term “Eucharist” is applied by some theologians to the Lord’s Supper as a sacrifice of thanksgiving for all the gifts of God. Some of the Fathers of the church in the 2d century applied the word to the bread and wine used in the ordinance. In the account of the institution of the ordinance given by Mark, the word eulogeÃ…Â, “to praise,” or “to bless,” is used; in Matthew textual evidence (cf. p. 10) favors the reading eulogeÃ…Â, but in Luke eucharisteÃ…Â is employed as here (see Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19). Both words have similar meaning and in the context convey the idea of consecrating the bread by a grateful acknowledgment of God’s mercy and love.

Is broken. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the omission of this verb.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

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Ellen G. White
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6 (EGW), 1090

4. See EGW on Acts 15:11. 6BC 1090.1

12. See EGW on 1 Kings 11:1-4; Matthew 26:31-35. 6BC 1090.2

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