Paul judges it necessary to remind the Corinthians of the basic doctrine concerning the Lord’s supper. In 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 he takes them back to the night in which Christ instituted the supper.
Paul had already instructed the Corinthians concerning the Lord’s supper. He now reminds them that his teachings were teachings that he had received from the Lord.
This seems to point to a special revelation that was given to Paul (perhaps during his solitary time in Arabia; see Galatians 1:12–17).
If this be the case, it means that Christ had for some reason judged it necessary to reveal to Paul in person what had happened on the night when he instituted his supper. This shows that, before the written Gospels were in circulation, God’s churches were already in urgent need of guidance concerning the supper.
It is striking that Paul refers to the night in which Christ instituted the supper as the night when he was betrayed.
Christ instituted the supper, knowing that he was the Lamb who was about to be sacrificed for the sins of his people.
Paul’s account is similar to that of Luke (Luke 22:19–20), yet Paul’s account is longer and contains more repetition. Luke, not being one of the twelve, may have learned about these events from Paul himself (see Luke 1:1–3).
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,