Ordinances Concerning the Love-Feasts (1 Corinthians 11:33–34)

“That the Apostle proposed his discourse on the mysteries as an example, teaching the Corinthians to make their common meals in churches with regard to that sacred supper, is testified by what he adds” (Theodoret).

1 Cor. 11:33. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Although here it is said only that they should wait for others, that is, not hurry to eat and not deprive anyone of their share, nevertheless at the same time it is also impressed that not only some should eat, but they should share with all. “Again he proposes instruction concerning the poor, concerning which he has said all the foregoing, and impresses that those who do not fulfill this are unworthy of communion. He did not say: gathering together, give to the poor, but more loftily: ‘wait for one another.’ For by such words he both implicitly urged care for the poor and presented the exhortation in a form suited to the matter” (Saint John Chrysostom). “By the word ‘wait’ he showed that what is brought to the assembly is common property, and it should be tasted by all together” (Theophylact).

“If you do not do so, you will show that you have partaken unworthily of the body and blood of the Lord, having become guilty of the slaughter of his body and the shedding of his blood; and for this you must expect immediate judgment, and following the judgment, diseases, sufferings, and death” (Photius in Oecumenius).

1 Cor. 11:34. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you do not gather together to bring judgment on yourselves. As for the other matters, I will settle them when I come.

A concession to weakness: if your need is so great that after eating what falls to your share at the common meal, you feel hungry, eat at home; but do not bring sin into the assembly, for to gather for sin is not safe. When may one eat at home, before the supper or after? Not at first, and it is improper. For the supper was preceded by the communion of the mysteries. Thus, afterward. But there is nothing to discuss about this: whoever is hungry will take bread for himself. Saint John Chrysostom notes that the Apostle said this to “shame them. Giving such permission, he forbids even more strongly than by direct prohibition, for he expels them from church, sends them home and thus moves them strongly, presenting them as slaves of the belly and intemperate. He did not say: if anyone neglects the poor, but: ‘if anyone is hungry,’ reasoning as if with impatient children or with dumb animals serving the belly. Not content with this, he adds a more terrifying thought: ‘so that you do not,’ he says, ‘gather together to bring judgment on yourselves,’ so that you do not gather to your condemnation, do not bring punishment upon yourselves, insulting the Church, shaming your brother. You gather so that you might show love to one another, receive benefit and confer benefit; if the opposite happens, then it is better for you to be satisfied at home. He says this to dispose them more toward communion; he pointed to the harm arising from lack of communion, proved that it is a weighty sin, and inspired fear from all sides—from the mysteries, the sick, the dying, and all else mentioned before.”

“As for the other matters, I will settle them when I come.” “For it was impossible to write about everything; but having written about what was most necessary, the Apostle reserved the rest for his coming” (Theodoret).

“But again by this he inspires fear. What does he promise to settle? Either something else or the same thing. Since, probably, they brought up some other reasons and it was impossible to settle everything by letter, he says: let the present matter be kept as I have taught for now; if you have anything further to say, let it wait until my coming. He says this, as I have said, either about the same matter or about some other matters not very important; and he acts thus in order to make them more attentive. Awaiting his arrival, they could correct their shortcomings, for Paul’s arrival was an important matter. And he not only promises to come; but, so that they should not doubt and give way to carelessness, he presents also the reason making his coming necessary: “I will come—I will settle,” impressing that even if he were not disposed to go to them, the necessity of setting other matters right compels him to come there” (Saint John Chrysostom).

Whatever this settlement might concern, one cannot fail to see from this that in church order everything essential comes from the Apostles. And it is time for those who love to repeat “show me where it is written” to come to their senses.