1 Corinthians 11:17-22
17: But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.
18: For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.
19: For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.
20: Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper,
21: for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
22: What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.
Paul began to address a topic that he prepared them for by saying that he was not going to praise their behavior. It had to do with their gatherings, which he said were not for the better, but for the worse. He had heard of divisions among them, which he mentioned back in chapters 1 and 3 where he told them their divisions were evidence of their fleshly nature and spiritual immaturity. Paul said he partially believed these accusations of division.
He said there must be factions among them so those who are approved would become evident. This meant that when people presented erroneous doctrine, or tried to promote themselves, it would become obvious that’s what they were doing. They would know who held true to the message of the gospel and teachings of Christ and who didn’t. These divisions would reveal that.
Divisions are not a good thing, but they are to be expected. However, when doctrine or practices are contrary to the Lord’s instructions, they need to be addressed as Paul did here. He addressed their gathering for the Lord’s Supper which, he said, was not a true remembrance of the Lord, but a time where each one greedily ate his own supper, while some were still hungry, and others drunk. This was not the Lord’s Supper.
Gathering for the Lord’s Supper should not be a time of selfish indulgence or taking opportunity to promote oneself or flaunt their popularity, but a time of unity among believers—rich, poor, popular or not—as one body of the Lord, in solemn remembrance of His sacrifice for us. Paul was appalled at what their gatherings had become, which is a lesson for us today.
18: For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.
19: For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.
20: Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper,
21: for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.
22: What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.
***
Paul began to address a topic that he prepared them for by saying that he was not going to praise their behavior. It had to do with their gatherings, which he said were not for the better, but for the worse. He had heard of divisions among them, which he mentioned back in chapters 1 and 3 where he told them their divisions were evidence of their fleshly nature and spiritual immaturity. Paul said he partially believed these accusations of division.
He said there must be factions among them so those who are approved would become evident. This meant that when people presented erroneous doctrine, or tried to promote themselves, it would become obvious that’s what they were doing. They would know who held true to the message of the gospel and teachings of Christ and who didn’t. These divisions would reveal that.
Divisions are not a good thing, but they are to be expected. However, when doctrine or practices are contrary to the Lord’s instructions, they need to be addressed as Paul did here. He addressed their gathering for the Lord’s Supper which, he said, was not a true remembrance of the Lord, but a time where each one greedily ate his own supper, while some were still hungry, and others drunk. This was not the Lord’s Supper.
Gathering for the Lord’s Supper should not be a time of selfish indulgence or taking opportunity to promote oneself or flaunt their popularity, but a time of unity among believers—rich, poor, popular or not—as one body of the Lord, in solemn remembrance of His sacrifice for us. Paul was appalled at what their gatherings had become, which is a lesson for us today.
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