Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Corinthians 11
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
1 Corinthians 11
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
1 Corinthians 11
"Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to you." — 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 (ASV)
Although the members of the church at Corinth were highly favored with spiritual gifts, they do not seem to have known how to use them. Paul points out to them, in this chapter, how ignorant they were concerning the very gifts which they possessed. They did not know how to put them to proper use in the service of God.
The apostle therefore reminds these gift-exalted Corinthians that, only a little while before, they were heathens, carried away by falsehood and superstition, and worshipping dumb idols. They had nothing, therefore, to boast of; and it is probable that, if we also look back to the hole of the pit from where we were dug, we will find no more occasion for boasting than they had.
"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." — 1 Corinthians 11:3 (ASV)
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed:
I suppose that in their assemblies, where everyone who liked to speak did so, there were some people who even spoke blasphemy. They professed to be under the guidance of the Spirit of God, and yet they stood up and called Jesus accursed. Where there is no rule or order, there is very likely to be something mischievous before long. Paul makes them understand that this kind of talk could not go unrebuked.
And that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
If a man really knows Jesus as his Lord, and he declares that truth, then you may fully accept it as being in harmony with the teaching of the Spirit of God.
"Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoreth her head; for it is one and the same thing as if she were shaven. For if a woman is not veiled, let her also be shorn: but if it is a shame to a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled. For a man indeed ought not to have his head veiled, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man." — 1 Corinthians 11:4-7 (ASV)
It is given in order that he may himself profit, and also that he may be the means of profiting those who hear him.
"For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man:" — 1 Corinthians 11:8 (ASV)
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
He is prudent—an experienced man—fit to lead the young, and the feeble, and those who are less instructed than he himself is.
To another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
He has a wide range of practical acquaintance with God's Word; and though he may not be so judicious as the brother who was just mentioned, yet he is a man of knowledge.
"for neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man:" — 1 Corinthians 11:9 (ASV)
To another faith by the same Spirit;
Paul probably means here some special kind of faith; perhaps, the faith that enabled its possessor to work miracles.
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