Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:20-21

"When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possible to eat the Lord`s supper: for in your eating each one taketh before [other] his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken." — 1 Corinthians 11:20-21 (ASV)

When you come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one takes before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

These Corinthians had fallen into a very peculiar state. I do not think that any Baptist Church that I have ever known of has acted in this fashion; but when churches have no ministers, when there is an open ministry where everybody talks and nobody listens, they fall into a peculiar condition, especially into divisions and heartbreaking strifes.

It was so in the case of this church at Corinth. Here everybody brought his own provision, and some ate to the full, and others had not enough; and they thought that they were observing "the Lord's supper."

When you come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one takes before other his own supper, and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

They had such low notions of the communion that they seemed to think that, if they ate together, each one bringing his own provision, they would be celebrating the Lord's supper; but Paul would not agree to that. What did he say?

When you come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating everyone takes before another his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

They seem to have brought their own provisions to the assembly, and to have made a feast of them, and they even thought that was an observance of the Lord's supper. They differed in social position; and, consequently, one had little and another much, and some even went to excess so that they were actually "drunken." Paul might well rebuke such unseemly conduct.

But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee:

You know how very quick the hand always is to go up to the eye when it is in danger. You do not have to wait to tell it what to do; but, in an instant, the hand is up, for there is a fellow feeling between the members of the same body. The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee. And the hand never feels that it may leave the eye to take care of itself; it is ready at once to protect it.