1 Corinthians Chapter 11, Verse 30
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30: δια τουτο εν υμιν πολλοι ασθενεις και αρρωστοι και κοιμωνται ικανοι
30: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many
sleep.
30: Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you: and many
sleep.
For this cause. On account of the improper manner of celebrating the Lord's Supper. See 1Cor 11:21.
Many are weak. asyeneiv. Evidently referring to prevailing bodily sickness and disease. This is the natural and obvious interpretation of this passage. The sense clearly is, that God had sent among them bodily distempers as an expression of the Divine displeasure and judgment for their improper mode of celebrating the Lord's Supper. That it was not uncommon in those times for God in an extraordinary manner to visit men with calamity, sickness, or death, for their sins, is evident from the New Testament. See "1Cor 5:5"; See "Acts 5:1" and Acts 5:2ff. See "Acts 13:11"; See "1 Tim 1:20, and, perhaps, See "1Jn 5:16, and See "Jam 5:14, Jam 5:15.
It may possibly have been the case, that the intemperance and gluttony which prevailed on these occasions was the direct cause of no small part of the bodily disease which prevailed, and which in some cases terminated in death.
And many sleep. Have died. The death of Christians, in the Scriptures, is commonly represented under the image of sleep, Dan 12:2 Jn 11:11, Jn 11:12 1Cor 15:51 1Thess 4:14, 1Thess 5:10.
Perhaps it may be implied by the use of this mild term here, instead of the harsher word death, that these were true Christians. This sentiment is in accordance with all that Paul states in regard to the church at Corinth. Notwithstanding all their irregularities, he does not deny that they were sincere Christians, and all his appeals and reasonings proceed on that supposition, though there was among them much ignorance and irregularity. God often visits his own people with trial; and though they are his children, yet this does not exempt them from affliction and discipline on account of their imperfections, errors, and sins. The practical lesson taught by this is, that Christians should serve God with purity; that they should avoid sin in every form; and that the commission of sin will expose them, as well as others, to the Divine displeasure. The reason why this judgment was inflicted on the Corinthians was, that there might be a suitable impression made of the holy nature of that ordinance, and that Christians might be led to observe it in a proper manner.
- "sleep" "are dead"
