Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:27-34

"Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. But if we discerned ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. If any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that your coming together be not unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order whensoever I come." — 1 Corinthians 11:27-34 (ASV)

After showing the dignity of this sacrament, the Apostle now urges the faithful to receive it reverently. First, he outlines the peril threatening those who receive it unworthily; secondly, he provides a saving remedy (v. 28).

First, he says that because what is sacramentally received is the body of Christ and what is drunk is the blood of Christ, whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. In these words, we must first consider how someone eats or drinks unworthily. According to a Gloss, this happens in three ways:

1. First, regarding the celebration of this sacrament, which is when someone celebrates it in a manner different from that which Christ established. For example, if one were to offer in this sacrament a bread other than wheaten bread, or some liquid other than wine from the grape of the vine. For this reason, it says in Leviticus 10:1 that Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, offered before the Lord unholy fire, such as he had not commanded them. And fire came forth from the presence of the Lord and devoured them.
2. Secondly, it occurs when someone approaches the Eucharist with a mind that is not devout. This lack of devotion is sometimes a venial sin, as when someone, distracted by worldly affairs, approaches this sacrament while habitually retaining due reverence for it. Such a lack of devotion, although it hinders the fruit of this sacrament—which is spiritual refreshment—does not make one guilty of the body and blood of the Lord in the way the Apostle means here. However, a certain lack of devotion is a mortal sin when it involves contempt for this sacrament, as it says in Malachi 1:12: But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted and its food may be despised. It is of such a lack of devotion that the Gloss speaks.
3. Thirdly, someone is said to be unworthy because he approaches the Eucharist with the intention of sinning mortally. For it says in Leviticus 21:23: He shall not approach the altar, because he has a blemish. Someone is understood to have a blemish as long as he persists in the intention of sinning, which is taken away through penitence. It is taken away by contrition (which removes the will to sin, with the intention of confessing and making satisfaction) regarding the remission of guilt and eternal punishment. It is removed by confession and satisfaction regarding the total remission of punishment and reconciliation with the members of the Church. Therefore, in cases of necessity, such as when confessors are not readily available, contrition is enough for receiving this sacrament. But as a general rule, confession with some satisfaction should precede it. Hence, in the book On Church Dogmas it says: “One who desires to go to communion should make satisfaction with tears and prayers, and trusting in the Lord, approach the Eucharist clean, free from care, and secure. But I say this of the person not burdened with capital and mortal sins. For the one whom mortal sins committed after baptism weigh down, I advise him to make satisfaction with public penance, and so be joined to communion by the judgment of the priest, if he does not wish to receive the condemnation of the Church.”

But it might seem that sinners do not approach this sacrament unworthily. For in this sacrament Christ is received, and He is the spiritual physician, Who says of Himself in Matthew 9:12: Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. The answer is that this sacrament is spiritual food, just as baptism is spiritual birth. One is born in order to live, but one is not nourished unless one is already alive. Therefore, this sacrament is not for sinners who are not yet alive by grace, although baptism is for them. Furthermore, the Eucharist is the sacrament of love and ecclesial unity, as Augustine says in his commentary on John. Since the sinner lacks charity and is deservedly separated from the unity of the Church, if he approaches this sacrament, he commits a falsehood, because he is signifying that he has charity when he does not. Yet because a sinner sometimes has faith in this sacrament, it is lawful for him to look at this sacrament, which is absolutely denied to unbelievers, as Denis says in Ecclesiastical Hierarchy.

Secondly, it is necessary to consider how one who receives this sacrament unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. A Gloss explains this in three ways.

1. In one way, materially: one incurs guilt from a sin committed against the body and blood of Christ as contained in this sacrament, which he receives unworthily, and from this his guilt is increased. For guilt is increased to the extent that a greater person is offended. As it is written: How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God and profaned the blood of the covenant? (Hebrews 10:29).
2. Secondly, it is explained by a comparison, so that the meaning would be: He will be guilty of the body and blood of Christ, that is, he will be punished as if he had killed Christ, as it says in Hebrews 6:6: they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt. According to this, it seems the gravest sin is committed by those who receive the body of Christ unworthily. The answer is that a sin is grave in two ways. In one way, from the sin’s species, which is taken from its object; in this sense, a sin against the Godhead, such as unbelief or blasphemy, is graver than one committed against the humanity of Christ. Hence, the Lord Himself says (Matthew 12:32): Whoever says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And again, a sin committed against Christ’s humanity in its own species is graver than one against it under the sacramental species. In another way, the gravity of a sin is considered on the part of the sinner. One sins more when he sins from hatred, envy, or any other malice, as those who crucified Christ sinned, than one who sins from weakness, as they sometimes do who receive this sacrament unworthily. It does not follow, therefore, that the sin of receiving this sacrament unworthily should be compared to the sin of killing Christ as though the sins were equal, but on account of a specific likeness: because each sin concerns the same Christ.
3. Thirdly, “He will be guilty of the body and blood of Christ” is explained this way: the body and blood of the Lord will make him guilty. For something good received evilly harms a person, just as something evil used well profits a person, as the sting of Satan profited Paul. These words exclude the error of those who say that as soon as this sacrament is touched by the lips of a sinner, the body of Christ ceases to be under it. Against this is the word of the Apostle: Whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup unworthily. For according to that opinion, no unworthy person would ever eat or drink it. But this opinion is contrary to the truth of this sacrament, according to which the body and blood of Christ remain in this sacrament as long as the appearances remain, no matter where they exist.

Then when he says, Let a man examine himself, he applies a remedy against this peril. First, he suggests the remedy; secondly, he assigns a reason (v. 29); thirdly, he clarifies the reason with a sign (v. 30).

First, therefore, he says: because one who receives this sacrament unworthily incurs so much guilt, it is necessary that a person first examine himself—that is, carefully inspect his conscience, lest there exist in it the intention to sin mortally or any past sin for which he has not sufficiently repented. And so, secure after a careful examination, he should eat of that bread and drink of that cup, because for those who receive worthily, it is not poison but medicine. Let each one test his own work (Galatians 6:4); Examine yourselves to see whether you are holding to your faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Then when he says, anyone who eats, he gives the reason for the remedy, saying: A previous examination is required, because anyone who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment—that is, condemnation—upon himself. Those who have done evil will rise to the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29). He does this by not discerning the body of the Lord, meaning he does not distinguish the body of the Lord from other things, receiving Him indiscriminately as he would other foods. Anyone who approaches the holy things while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence (Leviticus 22:3).

On the other hand, it says in John 6:58: He that eats me shall live because of me. The answer is that there are two ways of receiving this sacrament: spiritually and sacramentally. Some receive sacramentally and spiritually; these are the ones who receive this sacrament in such a way that they also share in the reality (res) of the sacrament, namely, the charity through which ecclesial unity exists. To such people the Lord’s words apply: He that eats me will live because of me. But some receive only sacramentally; these are the ones who receive this sacrament in such a way that they do not have the reality (res) of the sacrament, that is, charity. To these are applied the words spoken here: He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment upon himself.

Besides these two ways, there is a third way, by which one eats accidentally, namely, when it is taken not as a sacrament. This can happen in three ways: first, when a believer receives the consecrated host but does not believe it is consecrated; such a one has the habit of receiving this sacrament, but he does not use it actually as a sacrament. Second, when an unbeliever who has no faith in this sacrament receives the consecrated host; such a person does not have the habit of using this sacrament, but only the potentiality. Third, when a mouse or other brute animal eats the sacred host; such animals do not even have the potentiality to use this sacrament.

Because those who receive this sacrament spiritually acquire life, some are drawn to receive it frequently. But because those who receive unworthily acquire judgment upon themselves, many are deterred and rarely receive. Both attitudes seem commendable. We read in Luke 19:6 that Zacchaeus rejoiced to receive the Lord into his house, and in this his charity is commended. We also read in Luke 7:6 that the centurion said to Christ, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, and in this his honor and reverence toward Christ are commended. But because love is intrinsically preferable to fear, it seems more commendable to receive more frequently rather than more rarely. Yet, because something that is more choiceworthy in itself can be less choiceworthy for a particular person, each one should consider which effect the frequent reception of this sacrament would have on him. If someone feels that it helps him progress in the fervor of his love for Christ and in his strength to resist sins, he ought to receive frequently. But if someone feels in himself less reverence for this sacrament by receiving it frequently, he should be advised to receive it rarely. Hence, even in the book On the Dogmas of the Church it says: “I neither praise nor condemn daily communion.”

Then when he says, That is why, he clarifies the reason he gave with a sign. First, he mentions the sign; secondly, he assigns the cause of that sign (v. 31).

In regard to the first, it should be noted that, as Augustine says in The City of God: “If God punished every sin with a penalty now, it would be thought that nothing was left for the final judgment.” Again, if He punished no sin now, it would be believed that there is no divine providence. As a sign of the future judgment, God punishes certain people temporarily in this world. This is especially seen at the beginning of the legislation of both the Old and the New Covenants. We read in Exodus 32:28 that on account of the sin of adoring the golden calf, many thousands of men fell. We also read in Acts 5:1-11 that Ananias and Sapphira were destroyed on account of the sin of lying and theft. Hence, for the sin of receiving this sacrament unworthily, some in the early Church were punished by God with bodily infirmity or even death. For this reason he says, that is why—namely, as a sign of the future judgment—among you many who unworthily receive the body of Christ are weak bodily (Their sorrows are multiplied, Psalms 16:4), and ill—that is, they labor under a long sickness—and some have died, namely, a bodily death (compare to 1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Then when he says, But if we judged, he assigns two reasons for the sign: the first is on our part; the second is on God’s part (v. 32).

On our part, the cause of divine punishment is negligence, because we neglect to punish ourselves for sins committed. Hence he says that if we judged ourselves truly by rebuking and punishing our sins, we would not be judged—that is, not punished by the Lord, either later in the future or even in the present.

But on the other hand, it says above in 1 Corinthians 4:3: I do not even judge myself, and in Romans 14:22: Blessed is he that does not judge himself. The answer is that someone can judge himself in three ways. First, by examination; in this way, one ought to judge himself regarding both past and future works, according to Galatians 6:4: Let each one prove his own work. Second, by absolving himself decisively, as though judging himself innocent of the past; in this way, no one should judge himself innocent, according to Job 9:20: Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. Third, by reprehending, namely, that he did something he judges evil. In this way is understood the statement: Blessed is he who does not judge himself for what he approves. But as to things already done, each one ought to judge himself by blaming and punishing himself for evil deeds. Hence it says in Job 13:15: I will defend my ways to his face, and in Job 23:4: I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. In the book On Penance, Augustine says of this judgment: “Let the image of the future judgment play before your eyes. Let a man rise up against himself before his own face, and having made a judgment in his heart, let thought be the accuser, conscience the witness, and the heart the executioner. Then let the blood of the confessing spirit break out in tears. Finally, from the mind itself let such a sentence issue that the man judges himself unworthy to partake of the body and blood of the Lord.”

Then when he says, But when we, he presents the cause on God’s part, saying: But when we are judged by the Lord—that is, punished in this world—we are chastened. This is done for our correction, so that each one might withdraw from sin on account of the punishment he endured. Happy is the man whom God reproves (Job 5:17); Whom the Lord loves he chastises (Proverbs 3:12). It is also done so that when one is punished, another ceases to sin: Strike a scoffer and the simple will learn prudence (Proverbs 19:25). And all this is so that we may not be condemned with eternal damnation in the future, along with the world, that is, with worldly people.

Then when he says, So then, he leads them back to proper observance. First, he presents what he now ordains; secondly, he gives a promise of a future ordination (v. 34b).

In regard to the first, he does three things. First, he makes his ordination, saying: So then, my brethren, so that no one will presume to eat his own meal, when you come together in the church to eat the body of Christ, wait for one another, so that all may receive at the same time. Hence it says in Exodus 12:6: The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lamb. Secondly, he excludes an excuse, saying: If anyone is hungry and cannot wait, let him eat at home—that is, ordinary food—so as not to receive the Eucharist later. The stomach will take any food . Thirdly, he gives the reason, saying: lest you come together to receive the body of Christ, only to be condemned.

Then a promise is made when he says: About other things—namely, which are not so perilous—when I come home very soon, I will give directions on how to handle them. From this it is clear that the Church has many arrangements from the Apostle that are not contained in Sacred Scripture. The cities will be inhabited—that is, the churches will be set in order—by the sense of prudent men, namely, of the apostles .