Глава 11

1 Corinthians 11:1. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. “Be an imitator of me, as you are of Christ.” Compete with these measures of mine in the matter of Housebuilding, because I also imitate the Master, Who spoke differently with the Jews, and differently with the apostles, and proposed other things to the perfect, and another to the imperfect. Thus, having concluded the accusation of eating something sacrificed to idols, the Apostle corrects other other sins. For the Corinthian women had the custom of not covering their heads during prayer, and others, boasting of their eloquence, even attempted to teach in church. Therefore the Apostle corrects this here. 1 Corinthians 11:2. I praise you, brothers, that you remember everything I have and keep the traditions as I handed them down to you. “I praise you, brethren, because you remember all my things, and as I have given you, you keep the traditions.” And this is not true praise, because the Apostle reproaches them even more for not keeping the statutes given to them. 1 Corinthians 11:3. I also want you to know that the head of every husband is Christ, the head of every wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. “I want to lead you, as the head of every man is Christ; the head of the wife is the husband, and the head of Christ is God.” Wishing for husbands to subjugate their wives and teaching that one who from ancient times God commanded to be under the authority of her husband should not dare to teach doctrine, the Apostle used this image of expression. For it was not by teaching Divine dogmas or expounding theology that he gave such order to the speeches. But the followers of Arius and Eunomius try to prove from this that the Son is a creature and a creature, because it is said: “The Head of Christ is God.” Consequently, the wife is the creation of the husband, since “the head... is the wife’s husband”! But the wife is not the creation of the husband, but from the essence of the husband. This means that the Son is not a creation of God, but from the essence of God. This, that Christ is the head of every man, says the divine Apostle, obviously, about believers. And Christ is our head not according to Divinity, but according to humanity, for we are called His body; the head must be homogeneous with the body. Therefore, according to humanity, He is our head. Therefore, according to humanity, His head is God. If they wish to assert that this is also said according to the Divinity, then let them know that just as in the reasoning of us, who have human nature and believe in Him, He is called the head according to humanity, because according to humanity He is consubstantial with us, so the Father, being called His head, shows His co-existence with Him; and One and the same is consubstantial with the Father in Divinity and with us in humanity. His Head is called the Father, as the Father and the Author. 1 Corinthians 11:4. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered disgraces his head. “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered disgraces his head.” The Corinthians even dared to do this indifferently, for, according to Hellenic custom, they grew their hair long and prayed to God with their heads covered. 1 Corinthians 11:5. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is the same as if she were shaved. 1 Corinthians 11:6. For if the wife does not want to cover herself, then let her cut her hair; and if a wife is ashamed to be shorn or shaved, let her cover herself. “Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered disgraces her head: for one thing is also shaved. If a wife does not cover herself, let her have her hair cut; if it is disgraceful for a wife to cut her hair or shave, let her be covered.” By the custom of growing hair, the Apostle sufficiently proved that it is decent for a wife to cover herself. 1 Corinthians 11:7. So a husband should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God; and the wife is the glory of the husband. “A husband must not eat to cover the head, the image and glory of God. The wife is the glory of her husband." Man is the image of God, not in body or soul, but by the sole right of superiority. Therefore, since he was entrusted with authority over everything on earth, he is called the image of God. And the wife, being under the authority of her husband, “is glory to her husband” and is, as it were, an image of an image. For although she is in authority over others, she is commanded to be subordinate to her husband. Then the Apostle proves this in another way. 1 Corinthians 11:8. For man is not from wife, but woman is from man. 1 Corinthians 11:9. And the husband was not created for the wife, but the wife for the husband. “There is no husband from his wife, but a wife from her husband.” Therefore men have primacy in the order of creation. “For man was not created for wife’s sake, but woman for man’s sake.” And this is enough proof that the husband is worthy of supreme power, because he was not brought into being for the needs of his wife, but she was brought into existence for the needs of her husband. 1 Corinthians 11:10. Therefore, a wife should have on her head a sign of power over her, for the Angels. “For this reason, a wife should have authority over the head of the Angel.” The Apostle called the veil “to power,” as if to say: let him show subordination, covering himself, and especially for the sake of the Angels who are assigned to people, because they are entrusted with the care of them. So in Acts it is said: “Not he himself, but his angel” (Acts 12:15). And the Lord says: “Be careful that you do not despise the only one of these little ones” who believe in Me: Amen, “For I say to you, as their angels have seen the face of My Father in Heaven” (Matthew 18:10). Since the Apostle, by saying this, gave men a strong reason for exaltation, he, of necessity, added: 1 Corinthians 11:11. However, neither is a husband without a wife, nor a wife without a husband, in the Lord. “There is neither a husband without a wife, nor a wife without a husband” in the world; because from marriage and their mutual communication the race multiplied. 1 Corinthians 11:12. For as the wife is from the husband, so is the husband through the wife; yet it is from God. “As a wife is from her husband, so is the husband from the wife.” And the Apostle was not content with this, but pointed out their culprit. “Everything is from God.” And again he calls on the Corinthians themselves to be judges. 1 Corinthians 11:13. Judge for yourself: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 1 Corinthians 11:14. Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a husband grows his hair, then it is a dishonor for him? 1 Corinthians 11:15. But if a wife grows her hair, is it an honor for her, since her hair was given to her instead of a veil? “You yourself judge whether it is right for a wife to pray more openly to God? Or perhaps it is not your very nature that teaches you that if a man grows his hair in squalor, it is disgraceful to him. Even if a wife grows hair, does she have glory? For Zana, the Vlas plant was given to her instead of clothing.” If a wife considers it an honor to have hair, but considers taking it away as a dishonor, then let her consider how she dishonors the One who gave the hair, not approaching with appropriate modesty and honor. 1 Corinthians 11:16. And if anyone wanted to argue, then we do not have such a custom, nor the Church of God. “If anyone imagines being controversial, we are not imams of such a custom, lower than the Church of God.” This word is enough to shame even those who are extremely contentious, for the Apostle showed that this is the opinion not of him alone, but of all the churches of God. So, having used decent healing against this error, the Apostle, following the example of the best doctors, heals other infirmities. There was a custom in churches after the sacramental liturgy to have a common meal for the rich and the poor, and this served as a great consolation for the poor, because those who were sufficient brought supplies from home, and those living in poverty, through the communion of faith, took part in the feasts. But over time, this was not done as it should, and the wealthy began to neglect the poor. Having learned this, the divine Apostle writes about this that was necessary. 1 Corinthians 11:17. But in offering this, I do not praise you because you are planning not for the best, but for the worst. “I do not praise this in my bequest, for you are preparing not for the best, but for the worst.” I reproach you justly, for you should have increased your virtue over time, but you are losing it and diminishing this wealth. 1 Corinthians 11:18. For, firstly, I hear that when you gather for church, there are divisions among you, which I partly believe. “The first thing is that you come together” to the church, “I hear the strife that exists in you, and I believe some of them.” The apostle means “strife” not dogmatic, but stemming from arrogance, of which he accused at the beginning of the epistle. He very wisely moderated the force of the accusation, for he did not simply say: “I believe,” but: “and I believe some part of them.” 1 Corinthians 11:19. For there must also be differences of opinion among you, so that those who are skillful may be revealed among you. “It is fitting for heresies to be in you, so that temptations may appear in you. “Heresies” are what the Apostle calls debates, not disagreements in dogma. The word “appropriate” does not mean necessity. Similar to this is what the Lord said, that “need... is a temptation to come” (Matthew 18:7). As one who accurately foresaw the future, He predicted that He foresaw, but He Himself did not force it to happen. However, this does not harm, says the divine Apostle; when denouncing those who live wickedly, the skill of valiant men is revealed. 1 Corinthians 11:20. Next, you gather in a way that does not mean eating the Lord's supper. “To those who come together together, you will not eat the Lord’s Supper.” “The Lord's Supper” the Apostle calls the Master's Sacrament, because everyone partakes of it equally: those living in poverty, and those boasting of wealth, and servants, and masters, and bosses, and subordinates. Therefore, it was necessary, says the Apostle, that common meals should really be common and be likened to the Master’s Supper, which is equally offered to everyone. This is not how you act now. 1 Corinthians 11:21. For everyone hastens to eat his food before others, so that some are hungry, and others get drunk. “Everyone prepares his supper for consumption, and he hungers, and he gets drunk.” The apostle showed that common meals are completely opposite to the Lord’s meal, because at this meal they partake of communion anyway, and there “they hunger and they get drunk.” The Apostle did not say: “drinks” or “gets full,” but: “gets drunk,” aggravating the accusation: both by the fact that he drinks alone, and by the fact that he gets drunk. Then he continues with stern reproach. 1 Corinthians 11:22. Have you no houses to eat and drink? Or do you neglect the church of God and humiliate the poor? What should I tell you? Should I praise you for this? I won't praise you. “You don’t have food at home, so you can eat and drink?” Or are you neglectful of the Church of God, and are you disgracing those who have no property?” If you come to enjoy luxury, then do it in houses. For this is both an insult and a clear desecration of the church. Isn’t it the most inappropriate thing for you to live in luxury inside the church of God, in the presence of the Master, who offered us a common meal, while those in need hunger and are ashamed because of poverty? “Why should I give you a river? Will you praise me about this? I won’t praise you." The apostle is led by his usual meekness; reproaches spiritually, and not as a judge. Then he reminds them more clearly of the sacred sacraments. 1 Corinthians 11:23. For I received from the Lord Himself what I also conveyed to you, that the Lord Jesus took bread on the night in which he was betrayed. 1 Corinthians 11:24. And having given thanks, he broke it and said: Take, eat, this is My Body, broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. 1 Corinthians 11:25. He also took the cup after supper, and said: This cup is the new covenant in My Blood; Do this whenever you drink, in remembrance of Me. “For I received from the Lord, and gave it unto you, as the Lord Jesus in the night, when he was betrayed, received bread, and broke it, giving thanks, and said, Take, eat: this is My Body, which was broken for you: do this in remembrance of Me. Likewise the cup at supper, saying: This cup is the new covenant in My Blood: do this, as often as you drink, in remembrance of Me.” The Apostle reminds the Corinthians of that sacred and all-holy night on which the Lord put an end to the educational Easter, showed the prototype of the prototype, opened the doors to the saving sacrament and not only the eleven apostles, but also taught the Honest Body and Honest Blood to the traitor. The Apostle teaches that one can always enjoy the benefits of this night. 1 Corinthians 11:26. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes. “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until it comes.” For after His coming there will no longer be a need for a signifier of the body, because the body itself will appear. Therefore, the Apostle said: “He will come before.” The divine Apostle presented this only as an example, showing the inappropriateness of what the Corinthians dared to do. Having begun the word about the sacraments, he offers appropriate instructions about this. 1 Corinthians 11:27. Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. “Whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord.” Here the Apostle inflicts a painful blow on morbid lust for those who indifferently ate things sacrificed to idols, and besides them, also us, who with an evil conscience dare to partake of the Divine Mysteries. This: “he will be guilty of Body and Blood,” makes it clear that just as Judas betrayed Him and the Jews mocked Him, so those who receive His All-Holy Body with unclean hands and put it into unclean lips dishonor Him. Having thus frightened, the Apostle gives appropriate instructions. 1 Corinthians 11:28. Let man examine himself, and in this way let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. “Let a man tempt himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and let him drink of the cup.” Make yourself your own judge, examine exactly what you have done in life, examine your conscience - and then accept the gift. 1 Corinthians 11:29. For whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself, without considering the Body of the Lord. “He who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment for himself, without discerning the Body of the Lord.” For, having accepted a gift illegally, not only will you not receive salvation from it, but you will also suffer punishment for desecrating the gift. In the future, the Apostle certifies by what has already happened. 1 Corinthians 11:30. That is why many of you are weak and sick, and many are dying. “For this reason there are many in you who are weak and ill, and sleep contentedly.” The Apostle spoke about this as if it had been fulfilled in practice, for he would not have dared to write about something that did not happen, knowing that it was an obvious lie. 1 Corinthians 11:31. For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. 1 Corinthians 11:32. Being judged, we are punished by the Lord, so as not to be condemned with the world. “If they had reasoned with themselves, they would not have been condemned. If we judge, we will be punished by the Lord, so that we will not be condemned with the world.” If we wanted to judge what we have done in life and pronounced a fair verdict on ourselves, we would not hear from God condemning us to torment. However, the Lord also punishes those who have sinned gravely in moderation, so that we are not given over to destruction with the wicked. And that the Apostle offered the word about the Mysteries as an example, teaching the Corinthians that they should have common meals in churches, looking at this sacred meal, this is evidenced by what he added. 1 Corinthians 11:33. Therefore, my brethren, when you gather for supper, wait for one another. 1 Corinthians 11:34. And if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not gather for condemnation. I'll arrange the rest when I come. “Meanwhile, my brethren, the food that is coming together, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, let him eat in the house: let him not fall into sin. As for the rest, when I come, I will arrange them.” For it was not possible to write about everything, but having written more about what was necessary, the Apostle kept the rest until his arrival. And we, having benefited from this, will avoid everything that harms the faith, let us take care to take care of the poor, and having first cleared our conscience, then we will partake of the Divine Mysteries in order to receive the good Master who dwells in us. With Him be glory and splendor to the Father and the All-Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever! Amen. You might be interested in: