The Institution of the Lord’s Supper -1 Corinthians 11:23-28

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Partaking of the Supper Unworthily

²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What to do with this educator’s commentary

This commentary invites you as a teacher to engage with and interpret the passage. Allow the text to speak first. The commentary suggests that you ask yourself various questions that will aid your interpretation. They will help you answer for yourself the question in the last words of the text: ‘what does this mean?’

This educator’s commentary is not a ‘finished package’. It is for your engagement with the text. You then go on to plan how you enable your students to work with the text.

Both you and your students are the agents of interpretation. The ‘Worlds of the Text’ offer a structure, a conversation between the worlds of the author and the setting of the text; the world of the text; and the world of reader. In your personal reflection and in your teaching all three worlds should be integrated as they rely on each other.

In your teaching you are encouraged to ask your students to engage with the text in a dialogical way, to explore and interpret it, to share their own interpretation and to listen to that of others before they engage with the way the text might relate to a topic or unit of work being studied.

Structure of the commentary:

The World Behind the Text

The authorship of 1 Corinthians has never been seriously disputed, as Paul explicitly identifies himself as the author (1 Cor 1:1). It is widely believed that he composed the letter during his third missionary journey, sometime between 53 and 58 CE.

Paul addresses the church in Corinth, a thriving commercial hub and the capital of the Roman province of Achaia, located in modern-day Greece. He had established the church during an earlier missionary journey, around 51 CE (Acts 18:1-18).

The city of Corinth was strategically located on the Isthmus of Corinth, connecting mainland Greece to the Peloponnesian Peninsula. As a wealthy and cosmopolitan port city within the Roman province of Achaia, Corinth thrived as a hub of trade and cultural exchange.

The Corinthian church was a diverse and dynamic community consisting of both Gentile converts and Jewish believers. Its members came from all walks of life, including the wealthy and the poor, as well as both slaves and free citizens. This diverse cultural environment was reflected within the Christian community, which included wealthy Gentile merchants, poor labourers, slaves, and Jewish believers—all united in this newly established church. However, these social and economic differences often led to tensions, which Paul addresses in his letter, particularly in relation to the celebration of the Eucharist.

Paul writes to the church approximately five years after its founding. In a city infamous for its rampant immorality, pagan practices, and cutthroat competition, the Corinthian community had become entangled in various vices. Some members were engaged in sexual immorality, others were embroiled in lawsuits against one another, and, most importantly for the passage under analysis, many had shown a careless and irreverent approach to the celebration of the Eucharist.

The world of the text

Text & textual features

Several textual features are worth noting in the text. Paul’s account of the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper follows the language of the Gospel of Luke and follows the familiar liturgical formula. We see the familiar liturgical pattern followed in that bread is taken, thanks given for it, broken and shared. As Paul’s letter predates the gospel accounts, this indicates the liturgical tradition was already a well-established aspect of Christian worship.

When Paul states, “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you” (1 Cor 11:23, NRSVUE), he asserts his authority, which derives from Christ. The phrase “handed on” emphasizes the transmission of sacred tradition, underscoring Paul’s role in preserving and passing down the Church’s teachings.

Characters & setting

A range of characters, both explicit and implicit, are presented in the text. Paul appears as both the author and narrator, recounting the events of the Last Supper. He states that he has “received” this tradition from the Lord and has “handed it on” to the church in Corinth (1 Cor 11:23, NRSVUE). In doing so, Paul positions himself as both a teacher and a bearer of tradition, continuing to shape and instruct the community he founded years earlier.

Jesus is the central figure of the passage, instituting the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Paul directly quotes Jesus’ words of institution and describes His actions—taking bread, giving thanks, breaking it, and giving it to His disciples. Through this, Jesus establishes the foundational Christian practice of the Eucharist.

The disciples, though not explicitly named, are implied as the original recipients of the Eucharistic meal, representing the continuity of this tradition from Jesus to the early Church.

Though not mentioned by name in this excerpt of 1 Corinthians, the Corinthian church community is the intended audience. Paul addresses them directly, expressing concern over the unworthy manner in which they are celebrating the Eucharist, thus underscoring the passage’s corrective purpose.

Ideas/phrases/concepts

New Covenant

The passage refers to the cup as “the new covenant” (1 Cor 11:25, NRSVUE), alluding to covenantal theology. This likely references Exodus 24:8 and the covenant established between God and Moses in the desert after the Israelites’ escape from Egypt. In that passage, Moses sprinkles the blood of the sacrificial offering on the altar he erected for worship, signifying the covenant’s establishment. Here, Jesus is presented as the ultimate sacrifice, offering himself on the cross. His blood enacts a new covenant with God, extending its promise to the entire Christian community.

Questions for the teacher:

The world in front of the text

Questions for the teacher:

Please reflect on these questions before reading this section and then use the material below to enrich your responsiveness to the text.

Meaning for today / challenges

This passage underscores the significance of Sacred Tradition in the Church. Paul explicitly states that he is handing on to the Corinthian church what he himself had received from the Lord (1 Cor 11:23), highlighting the process of transmitting divine revelation through apostolic teaching. This affirms that the Church’s faith is not based solely on written Scripture but also on a living tradition passed down through the apostles and their successors. The Eucharistic celebration itself, rooted in Christ’s command, is a prime example of how Sacred Tradition shapes and sustains the life of the Church.

Church interpretation & usage

The text is also foundational to the Church’s understanding of the Eucharist and its institution. Pauls writing is an interpretation of Jesus’ sacrifice of himself in the Eucharist—not merely as a symbolic act, but as the true offering of His body and blood—affirming the Church’s belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. In this moment, He draws the apostles into His sacrifice, commanding them to perpetuate it in His memory. This act establishes their role as priests, entrusted with the authority to re-present—that is, to make present again—the sacrifice of the New Covenant. Through this institution, the Eucharist becomes not only a memorial but a continuous participation in Christ’s redemptive sacrifice, a reality the Church upholds and celebrates in every Mass (CCC 611).

This passage also emphasises the necessity of approaching Communion with the proper reverence and disposition. Paul reminds the Corinthians of the importance of receiving the Eucharist worthily, particularly in light of the liturgical abuses occurring in their community. His warning serves as a reminder that the Eucharist is not an ordinary meal but a sacred participation in Christ’s sacrifice. The Church teaches that to receive the Eucharist worthily, we must first examine our conscience. If we recognise that we are in a state of mortal sin, we must seek absolution through the Sacrament of Reconciliation before approaching Communion (CCC 1385).

Liturgical Usage

This Gospel is used for the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude (Judas, son of James) on October 28. Saint Jude (Thaddeus) is the patron saint of impossible or hopeless causes.

It is also sometimes chosen for prayer or Liturgy of the Word for commissioning ceremonies with the sense that everyone is chosen or called by God to specific tasks.