Paul to the Corinthians
119
the sufferings and death of Christ, but turned the occasion into a period
of feasting and selfish enjoyment.
It had become customary, before partaking of the communion, to
unite in a social meal. Families professing the faith brought their own
food to the place of meeting, and ate it without courteously waiting for
the others to be ready. The holy institution of the Lord’s supper was,
for the wealthy, turned into a gluttonous feast; while the poor were
made to blush when their meager fare was brought in contrast with the
costly viands of their rich brethren.
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Paul rebukes the Corinthians for making the house of God a place
of feasting and revelry, like a company of idolaters: “What! have ye
not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and
shame them that have not?” The public religious feasts of the Greeks
had been conducted in this way, and it was by following the counsels of
false teachers that the Christians had been led to imitate their example.
These teachers had begun by assuring them that it was not wrong to
attend idolatrous feasts, and had finally introduced similar practices
into the Christian church.
Paul proceeded to give the order and object of the Lord’s supper,
and then warned his brethren against perverting this sacred ordinance:
“As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s
death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and
drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and
blood of the Lord.... He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth
and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
The apostle thus sought, in the most decided and impressive man-
ner, to correct the false and dangerous ideas and practices which were
prevailing in the Corinthian church. He spoke plainly, yet in love for
their souls. In his warnings and reproofs, light from the throne of God
was shining upon them, to reveal the hidden sins that were defiling
their lives and characters. Yet how would it be received?
While writing to the Corinthians, Paul had firmly controlled his
feelings; but when the letter had been dispatched, a reaction came.
He feared lest he should wound too deeply those whom he desired to
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benefit. He keenly dreaded a further alienation, and sometimes longed
to recall his words. With trembling anxiety he waited to receive some
tidings as to the reception of his message.