Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:17

"But in giving you this charge, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better but for the worse." — 1 Corinthians 11:17 (ASV)

Now in this that I declare unto you . . .—Better, Now I give you this command, while not praising you that you come together not for the better, but for the worse. These words lead from the subject that has gone before to another and different abuse of liberty in public assemblies, which the Apostle is now going to address.

There were evidently three great abuses that had crept into the Church:—

1. The discarding by women of the covering for their heads.
2. The disorders at the Lord’s Supper.
3. The misuse of spiritual gifts.

The first of these abuses only concerned one sex and has been discussed in the earlier part of this chapter.

The other two abuses affect both sexes. The disorders at the Lord’s Supper (the second abuse) occupy the remainder of this chapter, while the misuse of spiritual gifts (the third abuse) is discussed in 1 Corinthians 12:1–30.

Interpreting the Greek word for “I declare,” as in the Authorized Version, so that it refers to what is about to follow, gives a more logical completeness to the passage. However, this interpretation is hardly permissible, as the Greek word elsewhere always means a distinct command (1 Corinthians 7:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:12).

Others have suggested that St. Paul anticipates in thought the practical direction that occurs in 1 Corinthians 11:34, and alludes to it here with the words, “This I command you.”

This view is open to two objections: (1) it completely isolates 1 Corinthians 11:17 from 1 Corinthians 11:16, while the Greek evidently intimates a connection between them; and (2) it is unnatural to separate the statement so far from the command to which it refers.

It is better to regard these words as explained above—forming a kind of intellectual isthmus connecting the two broad fields of thought that the earlier and later portions of the chapter embrace.

I praise you not.—This carries the thought back to 1 Corinthians 11:2 and shows that the commendation expressed there is still the writer's starting point, or rather the point of departure from which he proceeds to censure.

That ye come together.—Although in the English Version the word “you” is inserted (“I praise you not”), it does not occur in the Greek. The passage is not, “I do not praise you because of various reasons,” but, “I do not praise your coming together not for the better, but for the worse.” These words introduce the new topic that follows.