1 Corinthians 10:16
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This passage isn't just about receiving from God; it's about active participation. Paul uses the present tense verbs "bless" and "break," highlighting that the Lord's Supper is a dynamic sharing and co-joining with Christ's sacrifice, not a passive remembrance. It's a profound exchange where our blessing and breaking actively connect us to His very being.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' practice of attending pagan feasts, reminding them that participating in these meals connects them to pagan gods. He then pivots to the Lord's Supper, emphasizing that when believers partake, they are truly sharing in Christ's sacrifice, not just going through a ritual. This highlights the profound spiritual reality and exclusivity involved in the Lord's Supper, a stark contrast to the idol feasts.
When we share the Lord's Supper, what are we actually doing? Is it just a symbolic act, or is something deeper happening?
Paul uses a rhetorical question here to emphasize the profound reality of the Lord's Supper. He asks if the cup we bless and the bread we break are not a participation in the blood and body of Christ.
Paul highlights two specific actions in the Supper: blessing the cup and breaking the bread. What do these actions signify?
These actions are deliberately chosen by Paul to point to specific aspects of Christ's work:
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Understand the original words
potērion · Greek Noun
A ritual vessel or the contents within, often associated with covenantal or symbolic significance. In a biblical context, it frequently represents one's portion or lot from God, whether of blessing or judgment.
eulogia · Greek Noun
An act of speaking well of God, acknowledging His goodness, or invoking His favor upon a person or object. In the context of the Eucharist, it signifies the setting apart of the cup for sacred use and covenantal remembrance.
koinōnia · Greek Noun
A term denoting communion, fellowship, partnership, or sharing in something. It implies an active, relational bond where participants share in the nature, benefits, or consequences of the object with which they are associated.
haima · Greek Noun
The shed blood of Jesus, symbolizing His sacrificial death for the atonement of sins. It is the foundation of the New Covenant, establishing reconciliation between God and humanity.
sōma · Greek Noun
The physical body of Christ, and by extension, the church as the mystical body of Christ. In the context of the Lord's Supper, it refers to the sacrifice of Jesus and the resulting unity of believers.
The Corinthian church was experiencing significant divisions, including issues around how they celebrated the Lord's Supper. Paul's reminder about the communal, unifying nature of the Supper was a direct response to their disruptive practices.
c. AD 50-52
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
The Apostle Paul spent about 18 months in Corinth, establishing a church among a diverse population of Jews and Gentiles.
c. AD 53-55
Paul Writes from Ephesus
While ministering in Ephesus, Paul receives troubling reports about divisions and immorality within the Corinthian church.
c. AD 55— this verse
Paul Writes 1 Corinthians
Paul addresses the issues in Corinth, including disputes over leadership, sexual immorality, lawsuits, and confusion about worship and the Lord's Supper.
c. AD 56-57
Paul Visits Corinth
Paul makes a brief, painful visit to Corinth, which further strains his relationship with the church.
c. AD 57
Paul Writes Second Corinthians
Paul writes a more conciliatory letter, possibly from Macedonia, reflecting on his difficult relationship with the Corinthians and affirming his apostolic authority.
This passage directly recounts Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper, explaining its significance as a memorial of his body and blood, echoing the 'participation' theme in 1 Corinthians 10:16.
John 6:53-56Jesus speaks about 'eating his flesh and drinking his blood,' which, while metaphorical and challenging, points to a deep, spiritual union and life found in him, aligning with the concept of participation through the Lord's Supper.
Romans 12:4-5This passage uses the analogy of the human body to illustrate the church, emphasizing how individual believers are 'members of one another,' which parallels the idea of shared participation in Christ's body through the communion elements.
Exodus 12:46When the Passover lamb was eaten, no bone was to be broken, a detail that Paul later connects to Christ in 1 Corinthians 5:7, showing how Old Testament practices of 'participation' in a sacrificial meal pointed forward to Christ.
This passage isn't just about receiving from God; it's about active participation. Paul uses the present tense verbs "bless" and "break," highlighting that the Lord's Supper is a dynamic sharing and co-joining with Christ's sacrifice, not a passive remembrance. It's a profound exchange where our blessing and breaking actively connect us to His very being.
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' practice of attending pagan feasts, reminding them that participating in these meals connects them to pagan gods. He then pivots to the Lord's Supper, emphasizing that when believers partake, they are truly sharing in Christ's sacrifice, not just going through a ritual. This highlights the profound spiritual reality and exclusivity involved in the Lord's Supper, a stark contrast to the idol feasts.
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' practice of attending pagan feasts, reminding them that participating in these meals connects them to pagan gods. He then pivots to the Lord's Supper, emphasizing that when believers partake, they are truly sharing in Christ's sacrifice, not just going through a ritual. This highlights the profound spiritual reality and exclusivity involved in the Lord's Supper, a stark contrast to the idol feasts.
"The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" — This passage isn't just about receiving from God; it's about active participation. Paul uses the present tense verbs "bless" and "break," highlighting that the Lord's Supper is a dynamic sharing…
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Last reviewed October 2026
