SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS


Text: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26


Theme: Paul reminds the church of the Lord’s own words about the Supper to correct their divisions and call them back to the true meaning of Christ’s body and blood.




Biblical Studies Toolbox: “Identify the Commands and the Reasons Behind Them”


Principle: Many passages connect a command with the reason behind it. When we observe both, we understand not only what God asks us to do but why it matters. This helps us obey with clarity rather than confusion.

Application to 1 Corinthians 11: Jesus commands, “Do this in remembrance of me,” and the reason is rooted in His body given “for you” and His blood establishing the new covenant. The command is tied directly to the gospel.


How This Fits Paul’s Flow of Thought:
In the wider chapter, Paul is correcting a serious problem: the Corinthians were treating the Lord’s Supper as an ordinary meal and were dividing themselves along social and economic lines. Some were overeating, others went hungry, and the unity of the church was fractured. In response, Paul does not start with rebuke alone—he takes them back to the original words of Jesus. By reminding them of the command (“Do this…”) and the reason behind it (“…in remembrance of me”), Paul realigns their practice with the gospel. The flow is intentional: Paul exposes the problem (vv. 17–22), then anchors the solution in Jesus’ own institution of the meal (vv. 23–26). This grounding shows that communion is not about personal preference or private consumption but about remembering Christ’s sacrifice and proclaiming it together as one body.




Read 1 Corinthians 11:23–26




1. Why Paul Reminds Them of the Tradition (v. 23)

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you…”


Commentary:
Paul is correcting their behavior not with his opinion but with the authoritative tradition rooted in Jesus Himself.



Discussion Questions:

  1. What has been your history with Communion. What were you taught about it?

  2. Why do you think Paul grounds his correction in what he “received from the Lord”?

  3. How could remembering the original institution of the Lord’s Supper help correct abuses in Corinth or today?




2. The Bread: Christ’s Body Given for Us (v. 24)

“…this is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”


Commentary:
Jesus frames the Supper as a memorial of His sacrificial death. This “remembrance” is not passive thinking about something but an active participation in His sacrifice for us. To understand the idea of "remembering" let's see some ways it is used in the Old Testament. As you read the following passages pay attention to how the word "remember" is used. Make note of what happens when God "remembers."


Read:

  • Genesis 8:1-5
  • Exodus 2:23-25
  • 1 Samuel 1:19-20


Discussion Questions

  1. In your own words, what is the difference between biblical “remembrance” and modern ideas of merely thinking back on something that happened?

  2. How does this line up with how you have been taught about communion in the past, particularly with the idea of "remembering" Christ?

  3. So then, according to the biblical idea of remembrance, what could it mean for us to "remember" Christ at the table?





3. The Cup: The New Covenant in Christ’s Blood (v. 25)

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood…”


Commentary:
The cup points to the covenant relationship established through Christ’s atoning death. It recalls covenant promises, forgiveness, and belonging to God. The idea of "blood of the covenant" is rich in Old Testament meaning.


Read:

  • Exodus 24:3-8
  • Hebrews 9:18-22


In the Old Testament, the “blood of the covenant” refers to the sacrificial blood that sealed the binding relationship between God and His people. In Exodus 24:8, Moses sprinkles the blood on the people to mark their entrance into covenant loyalty, cleansing them and committing them to God’s law. Hebrews 9 shows that this was a foreshadowing — Christ’s own blood inaugurates a better covenant, providing true forgiveness and access to God in a way the old sacrificial system only anticipated.



Discussion Questions:

  1. What does “new covenant” mean in the Bible?

  2. How does the cup remind us of God’s promise to forgive and adopt us?

  3. What can this teach us about approaching the Lord’s Supper with gratitude rather than fear?




4. Proclaiming the Lord’s Death (v. 26)

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”


Commentary:
The Lord’s Supper looks both backward to the cross and forward to Christ’s return. It is an act of proclamation — the church visibly announces the gospel together.


Discussion Questions:

  1. How is taking the Lord’s Supper a way of proclaiming the gospel?

  2. What can this verse teach us about the ongoing importance of communion in church life?

  3. What could the phrase “until he comes” tell us about the hope attached to this meal?



5. Bringing It Together


Reflection Questions:

  1. What part of the Lord’s Supper stands out to you in a new way after studying these verses?

  2. How can we guard our hearts from taking communion casually or selfishly?



Church Note:

This past Sunday Pastor Burt preached a message on the Lord's presence at the Communion table. 

If you would like more information, he has written a paper on this subject that you can find here.