John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:28

"But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup." — 1 Corinthians 11:28 (ASV)

But let a man examine himself. This is an exhortation drawn from the preceding threatening. “If those who eat unworthily are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, then let no one approach who is not properly and suitably prepared. Let everyone, therefore, take heed to himself, so that he may not fall into this sacrilege through inactivity or carelessness.” But now it is asked, what sort of examination this should be to which Paul exhorts us.

Papists make it consist in auricular confession. They order all who are to receive the Supper to examine their life carefully and thoroughly, so that they may confess all their sins in the ear of the priest. Such is their preparation! I maintain, however, that this holy examination of which Paul speaks is widely different from torture.

Those persons, after having tortured themselves with reflection for a few hours, and making the priest—such as he is—privy to their sinfulness, imagine that they have done their duty. It is an examination of another sort that Paul here requires—one of a kind that accords with the legitimate use of the sacred Supper.

You see here a method that is most easily understood. If you wish to use correctly the benefit offered by Christ, bring faith and repentance. Therefore, the examination must focus on these two things, if you would come properly prepared.

Under repentance I include love; for the person who has learned to renounce himself, so that he may give himself up entirely to Christ and His service, will also, without doubt, carefully maintain that unity which Christ has commanded.

At the same time, it is not a perfect faith or repentance that is required, as some, by urging excessively a perfection that can nowhere be found, would forever shut out every individual from the Supper. If, however, you aspire after the righteousness of God with the earnest desire of your mind, and, trembling at the sight of your misery, you entirely lean upon Christ’s grace and rest upon it, know that you are a worthy guest to approach the table—worthy, I mean, in this respect: that the Lord does not exclude you, though from another perspective there is something in you that is not as it should be. For faith, even when it has only begun, makes those worthy who were unworthy.