Unworthly
The Word in Context
The word "unworthily" appears in the King James Version of 1 Corinthians 11:27, where Paul warns, "Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." The Greek word behind this translation is anaxios, an adverb meaning "in an unworthy manner." It describes the way one participates in the Lord's Supper, not the personal worthiness of the participant. This distinction is crucial for properly understanding Paul's teaching.
The Problem at Corinth
Paul's warning arose from a specific situation in the Corinthian church. When the believers gathered for the Lord's Supper, which was observed as part of a full communal meal, serious abuses were occurring. Some members were arriving early and consuming all the food and wine, getting drunk while others — particularly the poor — went hungry (1 Corinthians 11:20-22). This behavior turned the sacred meal into an occasion for selfishness and social division, utterly contradicting its purpose of celebrating unity in Christ's body.
Manner, Not Merit
The critical point Paul makes is about behavior, not about personal perfection. No one is inherently "worthy" to partake of the Lord's Supper; the entire point of communion is to remember Christ's sacrifice for sinners. Modern translations clarify this by rendering the phrase as "in an unworthy manner" (ESV, NASB) rather than simply "unworthily." Paul is not creating a test of personal holiness but calling for reverent, thoughtful, and loving participation in the memorial of Christ's death.
Self-Examination Before Communion
Paul's solution to the problem was not to exclude people from the table but to encourage self-examination. "Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:28). This examination involves considering whether one is approaching the table with the right attitude — with genuine faith, repentance, and love for fellow believers. The goal is to participate rightly, not to abstain out of fear.
The Consequences Paul Described
Paul warned that eating and drinking without discerning the body — that is, without recognizing the significance of Christ's sacrifice and the unity of the church — brought judgment. He noted that some in the Corinthian church had become weak, ill, or had even died as a consequence (1 Corinthians 11:30). Whether understood as divine discipline or the natural consequences of their divisive behavior, this warning underscored the seriousness of the Lord's Supper.
A Textual Note
In 1 Corinthians 11:29, the KJV included "unworthily" a second time, but later manuscript research showed that this occurrence was a scribal addition not found in the earliest and best manuscripts. Modern translations following better textual evidence omit the word from verse 29 while retaining it in verse 27.
Biblical Context
The word 'unworthily' appears in the KJV of 1 Corinthians 11:27 and 11:29 (though verse 29 is omitted in modern critical texts). The passage addresses abuses of the Lord's Supper in Corinth, where communal meals had become occasions for selfishness and division. Paul's broader discussion of the Lord's Supper spans 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.
Theological Significance
This concept is vital for understanding proper participation in the Lord's Supper. Paul's adverb 'unworthily' protects against two errors: treating communion carelessly as mere routine, and avoiding communion out of a misguided sense of personal unworthiness. The teaching calls believers to approach the table with reverence, self-examination, and love for the body of Christ — both the crucified body remembered and the church body gathered.
Historical Background
In the early church, the Lord's Supper was typically observed as part of a full communal meal called the agape feast or love feast. The social divisions at Corinth reflected the broader Roman culture where status determined eating arrangements and portions. Paul's correction challenged these cultural norms by insisting that the Christian table must express equality and mutual care, a revolutionary concept in the stratified Roman world.