1 Corinthians 11:30

Weak and sickly. Commentators generally believe that these adjectives describe physical disease and suffering. It may be that the intemperance and gluttony associated with the love feasts that preceded the ordinance at Corinth were contributing factors to the sickness spoken of here. Sin is disobedience, and produces suffering and death.

Sleep. Gr. koimaomai, a word frequently used in the Scriptures to signify death (John 11:11, 12; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor. 7:39; 15:51; 1 Thess. 4:13–15). Drunkenness and gluttony bring their own reward, which is sickness and death. The heathenish intemperance manifested by the Corinthian believers at their love feasts may have been of such a nature as to merit this warning, but it is applicable to all instances of like excess. This, however, is not the only application of the statement. It cannot be separated from the matter of careless observance of the Lord’s Supper itself. One who, by a careless manner of conduct at the ordinance, shows a lack of respect for the sufferings of Christ, misses the blessings God desires him to have. He is likely to be careless about other commands of God, and so bring upon himself disease and suffering and even death.