SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:21
Porque cada uno toma antes para comer su propia cena; y el uno tiene hambre, y el otro est embriagado.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 11:21
Verse 21. Every one taketh before-his own supper] They had a grand feast, though the different sects kept in parties by themselves; but all took as ample a supper as they could provide, (each bringing his own provisions with him,) before they took what was called the Lord's Supper. See on ver. 17.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. For in eating , etc.] Not at the Lords table, but at tables spread for them in the place of divine worship, where everyone brought his own food, under a pretence that others, particularly the poor, should eat with him; but instead of that, he sat down and ate it himself, and would not stay till the rest came, to eat together: but everyone taketh before other his own supper ; that is, without tarrying till all came together, in order to eat a friendly meal with each other, to encourage and increase brotherly love, one would sit down and fill himself before another came; so that some went without, whilst others had too much; and thus the designed end was not answered, and the whole was a piece of confusion and disorder: and one is hungry, and another drunken ; he that came late had nothing to eat, and so was hungry; when he that was first either eat and drank to excess, or at least very plentifully, so that he was very cheerful, and more disposed to carnal mirth, than in a serious and solemn manner to partake of the Lords supper; and who is thought to be the rich man, who brought his own provisions, and ate them himself when he had done; as the poor may be meant by the hungry, who having no food to bring with them, and none being communicated to them by the rich, were in want, and starving; so that here were many abuses justly chargeable on them. Dr. Lightfoot is of opinion, that by him that was drunken meant the Jew that ate the paschal supper, of which he ate and drank freely; and by him that was hungry, the Gentile, who was so not out of poverty and necessity, but because he refused and avoided eating of the ante-supper, as savouring of Judaism; and so here was a schism and division among them.
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
εκαστος 1538 A-NSM γαρ 1063 CONJ το 3588 T-ASN ιδιον 2398 A-ASM δειπνον 1173 N-ASN προλαμβανει 4301 5719 V-PAI-3S εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSM φαγειν 5315 5629 V-2AAN και 2532 CONJ ος 3739 R-NSM μεν 3303 PRT πεινα 3983 5719 V-PAI-3S ος 3739 R-NSM δε 1161 CONJ μεθυει 3184 5719 V-PAI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. Taketh before other. Not waiting for the coming of the poor to participate.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:21 {Taketh before} (prolambanei). Before others. Old verb to take before others. It was conduct like this that led to the complete separation between the Love-feast and the Lord's Supper. It was not even a common meal together (koinon deipnon), not to say a Lord's deipnon. It was a mere {grab-game}. { this one is hungry} (hos de peinai). Demonstrative hos. Nothing is left for him at the love-feast. {Another is drunken} (hos de mequei). Such disgusting conduct was considered shameful in heathen club suppers. "Hungry poor meeting intoxicated rich, at what was supposed to be a supper of the Lord" (Robertson and Plummer). On mequw, to be drunk, see on Mt 24:49; Ac 2:15.
