1 Corinthians 11:33

Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(33, 34) Wherefore, my brethren.—To correct the abuses of which he has spoken, and to enable them to escape the judgments which were falling upon them, the Apostle gives them this practical advice. When you come together to this eucharistic feast, do not eagerly eat what you have brought; wait until all have arrived, and then partake in common of this Christian meal. If, however, any man is really hungry, then let him satisfy his hunger at home, and come to this Supper so that he may partake of it not to his judgment.

Benson Commentary

1 Corinthians 11:33-34. Wherefore, my brethren — To conclude what I have to say to you on this subject; when ye come together to eat — To celebrate the Lord’s supper; tarry one for another — With decency and respectful love, till the whole assembly be convened, and then join all together at the same table and time, without such factions and divisions. And if any man hunger — Which probably was the pretence of those that were guilty of the fore- mentioned disorders; let him eat at home — At his own house; that ye come not together unto condemnation — That you may not, by profaning this holy ordinance, provoke God to punish you. And the rest — The other circumstances relating to the Lord’s supper, which require to be corrected; I will set in order — Will see regulated; when I come — To Corinth.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:23-34 The apostle describes the sacred ordinance, of which he had the knowledge by revelation from Christ. As to the visible signs, these are the bread and wine. What is eaten is called bread, though at the same time it is said to be the body of the Lord, plainly showing that the apostle did not mean that the bread was changed into flesh. St. Matthew tells us, our Lord bid them all drink of the cup, ch. Mt 26:27, as if he would, by this expression, provide against any believer being deprived of the cup. The things signified by these outward signs, are Christ's body and blood, his body broken, his blood shed, together with all the benefits which flow from his death and sacrifice. Our Saviour's actions were, taking the bread and cup, giving thanks, breaking the bread, and giving both the one and the other. The actions of the communicants were, to take the bread and eat, to take the cup and drink, and to do both in remembrance of Christ. But the outward acts are not the whole, or the principal part, of what is to be done at this holy ordinance. Those who partake of it, are to take him as their Lord and Life, yield themselves up to him, and live upon him. Here is an account of the ends of this ordinance. It is to be done in remembrance of Christ, to keep fresh in our minds his dying for us, as well as to remember Christ pleading for us, in virtue of his death, at God's right hand. It is not merely in remembrance of Christ, of what he has done and suffered; but to celebrate his grace in our redemption. We declare his death to be our life, the spring of all our comforts and hopes. And we glory in such a declaration; we show forth his death, and plead it as our accepted sacrifice and ransom. The Lord's supper is not an ordinance to be observed merely for a time, but to be continued. The apostle lays before the Corinthians the danger of receiving it with an unsuitable temper of mind; or keeping up the covenant with sin and death, while professing to renew and confirm the covenant with God. No doubt such incur great guilt, and so render themselves liable to spiritual judgements. But fearful believers should not be discouraged from attending at this holy ordinance. The Holy Spirit never caused this scripture to be written to deter serious Christians from their duty, though the devil has often made this use of it. The apostle was addressing Christians, and warning them to beware of the temporal judgements with which God chastised his offending servants. And in the midst of judgement, God remembers mercy: he many times punishes those whom he loves. It is better to bear trouble in this world, than to be miserable for ever. The apostle points our the duty of those who come to the Lord's table. Self-examination is necessary to right attendance at this holy ordinance. If we would thoroughly search ourselves, to condemn and set right what we find wrong, we should stop Divine judgements. The apostle closes all with a caution against the irregularities of which the Corinthians were guilty at the Lord's table. Let all look to it, that they do not come together to God's worship, so as to provoke him, and bring down vengeance on themselves.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When ye come together to eat - Professedly to eat the Lord's Supper.

Tarry one for another - Do not be guilty of disorder, intemperance, and gluttony; see the note at 1 Corinthians 11:21. Doddridge understands this of the feast that he supposes to have preceded the Lord's Supper. But the more obvious interpretation is, to refer it to the Lord's Supper itself; and to enjoin perfect order, respect, and sobriety. The idea is, that the table was common for the rich and the poor; and that the rich should claim no priority or precedence over the poor.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

33. tarry one for another—In contrast to 1Co 11:21. The expression is not, "Give a share to one another," for all the viands brought to the feast were common property, and, therefore, they should "tarry" till all were met to partake together of the common feast of fellowship [Theophylact].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The apostle concludes this discourse with an exhortation to them, for the time to come to take heed of these irreligious and irreverent behaviours, with relation to the Lord’s supper; that they should not take the sacrament before the whole church were met together, the rich should stay for the poor, and not receive it in parties, but as one body eat that one bread.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Wherefore, my brethren,.... Though he had said some very awful and awakening things to bring them to themselves, to reclaim them, and rectify disorders among them; yet he hoped well of them in general, and softens the severe things he had said, by calling them "brethren"; and hereby prepares them to attend to, and receive the more kindly, what he had further to say:

when ye come together to eat; that is, when ye come to the place of public worship at the usual stated time, in order to eat the Lord's supper, tarry one for another; do not begin to celebrate the ordinance until the church is met together in general, or at least till as many are got together as may be expected will come; for a church is not obliged to tarry for every individual person; nor can it be thought that every member can attend, there being various providences which may detain them: the apostle's view is to promote unity, Christian respect, and brotherly love in the ordinance; that they would sit down and join together, according to the rule of Christ, without respect to persons, or going into parties, factious, and divisions.

Geneva Study Bible

{22} Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

(22) The supper of the Lord is a common action of the whole church, and therefore there is no place for private suppers.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

1 Corinthians 11:33. Conclusion from this proposition, general in its tenor, for the conduct of the readers at the love-feast, when they came together to keep it (εἰς τὸ φαγεῖν, not belonging to ἀλλ. ἐνδέχ.).

ἀδελφοί μου] “perterrefactos rursum hac blanda compellatione solatur,” Grotius.

ἀλλήλ. ἐκδέχεσθε] wait for one another (“invicem exspectate,” Vulg.), 1 Corinthians 16:11, so that no one ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαμβάνει. This closing admonition corresponds to the censure, with which the section began in 1 Corinthians 11:21, and there is therefore no need for departing from this rendering, which is adopted by Luther, Erasmus, and the majority of commentators. Theophylact: δεικνύων, ὅτι κοινά εἰσι τὰ ἐκεῖσε εἰσφερόμενα, καὶ δεῖ ἀναμένειν τὴν κοινὴν συνέλευσιν. Others translate: Receive ye one another, namely, convivio, as a contrast to despising the other guests, and keeping them from sharing in what you yourselves have to give. So Pott, Rückert, Olshausen, Ewald, Hofmann, following Mosheim, Michaelis, Morus, Schulz, Rosenmüller. But in the N. T. ἐκδέχεσθαι (1 Corinthians 16:11) means always exspectare (comp Soph. Phil. 123; Polyb. xx. 4. 5, iii. 45. 6; Apollod. i. 9. 27; also in Plutarch, al[1897]), although in classical writers, as well as in the LXX. and Apocrypha, the meaning excipere is far more frequent. The latter sense Paul would have expressed by the simple δέχεσθαι, or by ΠΡΟΣΛΑΜΒΆΝΕΣΘΑΙ (Romans 14:1).

[1897] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

Expositor's Greek Testament

1 Corinthians 11:33-34 a. The “charge” (1 Corinthians 11:17) proceeds from inward to outward, from self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:28) to mutual accommodation respecting the Lord’s Supper. Religious decorum depends on two conditions,—a becoming spirit associated with fitting external arrangements, such as good sense and reverence dictate: “And so, my brothers, when you meet for the meal, wait for one another”.—ἀδελφοί μου adds a touch of affection to what has been severely said.—συνερχόμενοι carries us back to 1 Corinthians 11:17; 1 Corinthians 11:20; the same train of admonition throughout.—τὸ φαγεῖν embraces the entire Church Supper; see notes on 1 Corinthians 11:20 f.; the order ἀλλήλους ἐκδέχεσθε (invicem expectate, Vg[1800]) forbids the hasty and schismatic τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαβεῖν (1 Corinthians 11:21); no one must begin supper till the Church is gathered, so that all may commence together and share alike. To wait for others presumes waiting to feast with them.—ἐκδέχομαι never means excipio (receive: so Hf[1801], and a few others), but always exspecto in the N.T.; with the former sense in cl[1802] Gr[1803], it signifies to receive (a person) from some particular quarter.—Some might object that hunger is pressing, and they cannot wait; to these Paul says, “If any one is hungry, let him eat at home”—staying his appetite before he comes to the meeting; cf. 1 Corinthians 11:21-22 a. The Church Supper is for good-fellowship, not for bodily need; to eat there like a famished man, absorbed in one’s food—if nothing worse happen—is to exclude Christian and religious thoughts.—ἐν οἴκῳ, not ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ (1 Corinthians 11:18 : note the absence of the art[1804]).—“Coming together εἰς κρίμα” (for a judgment) defines the “coming together εἰς ἧσσον” of 1 Corinthians 11:17 in terms of 1 Corinthians 11:29-32. συνέρχησθε, pr[1805] sbj[1806], of the stated meetings, as in 1 Corinthians 11:18, etc. This warning (ἵνα μή) closes the παραγγελία introduced in 1 Corinthians 11:17. For a clear and impartial account of the various doctrines of the Lord’s Supper connected with this passage, see Bt[1807], pp. 206 ff.

[1800] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[1801] J. C. K. von Hofmann’s Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).

[1802] classical.

[1803] Greek, or Grotius’ Annotationes in N.T.

[1804] grammatical article.

[1805] present tense.

[1806] subjunctive mood.

[1807] J. A. Beet’s St. Paul’s Epp. to the Corinthians (1882).

1 Corinthians 11:34 b. τὰ λοιπά, an etcetera appended to the charge—“other matters,” probably of detail connected with the Church Supper and the κοινωνία. Ed[1808] takes this as the antithesis to the πρῶτον μὲν of 1 Corinthians 11:18 (see note), and supposes λοιπὰ to refer to other different matters, of which P. would postpone discussion till his arrival—addressing himself notwithstanding to one of the principal of these λοιπὰ in 1 Corinthians 12:1 ff.—ὡς ἄν ἔλθω, “according as I may come”: the Ap. is uncertain when and under what circumstances he may next visit Cor[1809] (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:5-9); his intention to set matters in order is subject to this contingency.—διατάξομαι (see parls.) refers, presumably, to points of external order, such as those just dealt with. Romanists (see Est.) justify by this text their alleged unwritten apostolic traditions respecting the Eucharist: fasting communion, e.g., is placed amongst the unspecified λοιπά.

[1808] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians.2

[1809] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

33. Wherefore, my brethren] The conclusion of the whole subject Every one is to wait till a fair and orderly distribution of the food has been made; and each is to remember that this is not an ordinary meal for the purpose of satisfying hunger, but the solemn commemoration of the Lord’s Death. A meal for the purpose of satisfying hunger had best be taken at home, to avoid the profanation which the Apostle has condemned.

Bengel's Gnomen

1 Corinthians 11:33. ʼ Ωστε, therefore) The remedy and counsel suitably follow the reproof of vice, and the simpler the better.—’ Αδελφοί μον, my brethren) This appellation is suited to the conclusion.

34.  Πεινᾷ is hungry) that he may not wait. Anticipation.[105]—λοιπὰ, the rest) regarding the Lord’s Supper; for presently after in this epistle he in like manner sets in order questions as to spiritual things.[106]

35.  [105] See App. ‘Occupatio.’ It is the same as προκαταλῆψις. Anticipation of an objection which might be raised.—ED.

36.  [106] Bengel, J. A. (1860). Vol. 3: Gnomon of the New Testament (M. E. Bengel & J. C. F. Steudel, Ed.) (J. Bryce, Trans.) (199–291). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 33. - Wherefore. He now briefly sums up the practical remedies for these discreditable scenes. My brethren. Introduced, as often, into a stern passage to show that the writer is only actuated by the spirit of love. Tarry one for another. This would prevent the scrambling greediness which he has already condemned in ver. 21. 1 Corinthians 11:33

Vincent's Word Studies

Tarry (ἐκδέχεσθε)

In the usual New-Testament sense, as John 5:3; Acts 17:16; though in some cases the idea of expectancy is emphasized, as Hebrews 10:13; Hebrews 11:10; James 5:7. Some render receive ye one another, in contrast with despising the poorer guests; but this is not according to New-Testament usage.