Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
1 Corinthians 11:17-22 – On Suppers and Divisions
When something is wrong, you fix it. Negatively, you remove what is bad or corrupting. Positively, to correct what is wrong, you restore what is right. Think about that, no one would disagree; and yet when it comes to the Bible somehow the rules change. So the point of this lesson is simple: To correct what is wrong, restore what is right. This is exactly what the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to do in 1 Corinthians, specifically with the Lord’s Supper.
Not everything is wrong in the Corinthian congregation, but many things are. “1 Corinthians affords a better insight into the problems of a pioneer church than almost any other writing in the New Testament. Each problem was met by applying a spiritual principle rather than by recommending a psychological expedient” (Merrill C. Tenney, New Testament Survey, p.297). The spiritual problems are solved by spiritual solutions:
- Look To the Cross
- Listen to Authority
- Learn to Love
- Lift-up the Lowly
- Live the Gospel
- Levy Tough Love
Many of these are used in dealing with the Corinthians’ corruption of the Lord’s Supper and the Lord’s “Body.” Paul’s use of “instruction” (v.17) and the example of Jesus (vv.23-26) show that restoration of what is good and right is done by listening to authority. To use a modern day colloquialism, “book, chapter, and verse.” Paul also goes back to the cross in showing what the church supper is really about.
While there are many key phrases, one of them is “come together” (sunerchomai – 11:17,18,20,33,34; 14:23,26). While the church is by definition the “called out,” we are called out to come together. There are both good and bad, right and wrong, “better” and “worse” reasons to come together as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:17.
Notice the sinful irony in verse 18: “When you come together as a church there are divisions.” Coming together is the exact opposite of dividing. If you are coming to divide there is no reason for coming together. Stay home!
Notice the sarcasm in verse 19: “There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.” Most people do not take this to be sarcastic, but I do. Paul does not say, “there must be factions so that those who are approved may be recognized by me.” He is not promoting divisions immediately after condemning them. He is condemning them for their factions because they think the divisions shows which ones are approved among themselves! In this case, the rich are approved and the poor, not so much.
What does Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 11:19 – “There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.” Is this approval right and good? Or, is Paul again using sarcasm? Using the chiastic structure to interpret, consider the latter.
A – (17) Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.
B – (18) For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
C – (19) There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
D – (20) Therefore, when you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Supper.
C’ – (21) For at the meal, each one eats his own supper ahead of others. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk!
B’ – (22) Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing?
A’ – What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this!
It is possible to keep points B and C together as one. Separating them keeps the word “church” in B; and emphasizes that those who are approved among them eats while those no approved go hungry.
I think it is highly possible that Paul is not commending factions in v.19 as necessary so that those who are approved will be evident in a good way, but rather using sarcasm towards those who are approved in their own eyes, resulting in embarrassing or belittling those not approved in v.22.
Consider these other arguments besides the chiastic arrangement.
1. How Paul began the letter might influence this interpretation also (1 Cor.1:10-11). Why would Paul write to correct division and then approve it?
2. Plus in the beginning he does not doubt that there are divisions, but here he uses language that is not so certain in saying, “And in part I believe it.” I think it is possible that Paul is turning this against the dividers, that instead of them using division to approve, Paul is saying if it is necessary you are the ones not approved.
3. Elsewhere in both letters to the Corinthians, Paul uses sarcasm to make his point (1 Cor.4; 2 Cor.11).
4. 2 Corinthians 10:18 and 13:7 use the same word for “approved” (dokimos) and in both places the standard of approval is being condemned.
The problem is the Corinthians had turned the Lord’s Supper into their own supper; dividing the rich from the poor. The result is the unapproved poor had no unleavened bread or fruit of the vine to observe the Lord’s Supper; while the “approved” rich turned the Lord’s Supper into their own common supper. They had come together for the worse, division. Paul teaches again what Jesus meant by His supper. It is about unity, about the rich (Jesus), taking care of the poor (sinners) (2 Cor.8:9). When something is wrong; restore what is right.
Comments