SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:17
¶ Pero esto os denuncio, que no os alabo, que no para mejor sino para peor os juntis.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:17
Verse 17. Now in this-I praise you not] In the beginning of this epistle the apostle did praise them for their attention in general to the rules he had laid down, see ver. 2; but here he is obliged to condemn certain irregularities which had crept in among them, particularly relative to the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Through some false teaching which they had received, in the absence of the apostle, they appear to have celebrated it precisely in the same way the Jews did their passover. That, we know, was a regular meal, only accompanied with certain peculiar circumstances and ceremonies: two of these ceremonies were, eating bread, solemnly broken, and drinking a cup of wine called the cup of blessing. Now, it is certain that our Lord has taken these two things, and made them expressive of the crucifixion of his body, and the shedding of his blood, as an atonement for the sins of mankind. The teachers which had crept into the Corinthian Church appear to have perverted the whole of this Divine institution; for the celebration of the Lord's Supper appears to have been made among them a part of an ordinary meal. The people came together, and it appears brought their provisions with them; some had much, others had less; some ate to excess, others had scarcely enough to suffice nature. One was hungry, and the other was drunken, mequei, was filled to the full; this is the sense of the word in many places of Scripture. At the conclusion of this irregular meal they appear to have done something in reference to our Lord's institution, but more resembling the Jewish passover. These irregularities, connected with so many indecencies, the apostle reproves; for, instead of being benefited by the Divine ordinance, they were injured; they came together not for the better, but for the worse.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. Now in this that I declare unto you , etc.] The Syriac version reads, this is what I command; which some refer to what he had been discoursing of, adding to his arguments, and the examples of the church, his own orders and command, that men should worship God publicly, uncovered, and women covered; though it seems rather to respect what follows, what the apostle was about to declare unto them; concerning which he says, I praise you not ; as he did in ( 1 Corinthians 11:2) that they were mindful of him, remembered his doctrines, and kept the ordinances in the manner he had delivered them to them: and it should seem by this, that the greater part of them were not to be blamed, though some few were, for their irregular and indecent appearance in public worship, men with a covering on their heads, and women without one; but in what he was about to say, he could not praise them at all: that you come together ; to the house of God, to pray unto him, to sing his praises, to hear his word, and attend his ordinances, particularly the Lords supper: not for the better ; for edification and instruction, for the quickening and comforting of your souls; that you may grow in grace and knowledge, become more holy, zealous, fruitful, and useful: but for the worse ; to indulge luxury and intemperance, to encourage heresies, schisms, and divisions, and so grow more carnal, scandalous, and useless.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-22 - The apostle rebukes the disorders in their partaking of the Lord' supper. The ordinances of Christ, if they do not make us better, wil be apt to make us worse. If the use of them does not mend, it wil harden. Upon coming together, they fell into divisions, schisms Christians may separate from each other's communion, yet be charitabl one towards another; they may continue in the same communion, yet be uncharitable. This last is schism, rather than the former. There is careless and irregular eating of the Lord's supper, which adds to guilt. Many rich Corinthians seem to have acted very wrong at the Lord's table, or at the love-feasts, which took place at the same tim as the supper. The rich despised the poor, and ate and drank up the provisions they brought, before the poor were allowed to partake; thu some wanted, while others had more than enough. What should have been bond of mutual love and affection, was made an instrument of discor and disunion. We should be careful that nothing in our behaviour at the Lord's table, appears to make light of that sacred institution. The Lord's supper is not now made an occasion for gluttony or revelling but is it not often made the support of self-righteous pride, or cloak for hypocrisy? Let us never rest in the outward forms of worship but look to our hearts.
Greek Textus Receptus
τουτο 5124 D-ASN δε 1161 CONJ παραγγελλων 3853 5723 V-PAP-NSM ουκ 3756 PRT-N επαινω 1867 5719 V-PAI-1S οτι 3754 CONJ ουκ 3756 PRT-N εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN κρειττον 2909 A-ASN αλλ 235 CONJ εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN ηττον 2276 A-ASN συνερχεσθε 4905 5736 V-PNI-2P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. I declare (paraggellw). Wrong. It means in the New Testament only command. See on Luke v. 14; Acts i. 4.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:17 { this } (touto). Probably the preceding one about the head-dress of women, and transition to what follows. {I praise you not} (ouk epainw). In contrast to the praise in #11:2. {For the better} (eis to kreisson). Neuter articular comparative of kratus, but used as comparative of kalos, good. Attic form kreitton. {For the worse} (eis to hesson). Old comparative from heka, softly, used as comparative of kakos, bad. In N.T. only here and #2Co 12:15.
