I Corinthians 11:22 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 11:22 Commentary: Shaming the Poor at the Lord's Supper
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul rebukes the Corinthians for treating the assembly as a place for private meals, despising the church and shaming the poor.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul rebukes the Corinthians for making the Lord's Supper a private meal, despising the church, and shaming the poor.
- Key words: καταφρονεῖτε (despise), καταισχύνετε (put to shame), οἰκία (house), ἐκκλησία (church), τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας (those who have nothing).
- Main debate: Whether “church of God” refers to the place or the people; most agree it is the gathered people.
- Theological theme: The holiness of the church and the obligation to care for the poor within the fellowship.
- Best use: A warning against class divisions in worship and a call to examine how we treat the needy.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Don’t you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No, I will not!
WEB World English Bible 2000
What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you.
KJV King James Version 1769
What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
why, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or the assembly of God do ye despise, and shame those not having? what may I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I do not praise!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Have ye not then houses for eating and drinking? or do ye despise the assembly of God, and put to shame them who have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you? In this [point] I do not praise.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
What, have you no houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Pues qué, ¿ no tenéis casas en que comáis y bebáis? ¿ ó menospreciáis la iglesia de Dios, y avergonzáis á los que no tienen? ¿ Qué os diré? ¿ os alabaré? En esto no os alabo.
Por acaso não tendes casas para comer e para beber? Ou desprezais a Igreja de Deus, e envergonhais os que não têm? Que vos direi? Eu vos elogiarei? Nisto eu não vos elogio.
N’ avez-vous pas des maisons pour y manger et boire? Ou méprisez-vous l’ Église de Dieu, et faites-vous honte à ceux qui n’ ont rien? Que vous dirai-je? Vous louerai-je? En cela je ne vous loue point.
Habt ihr aber nicht Häuser, da ihr essen und trinken könnt? Oder verachtet ihr die Gemeinde Gottes und beschämet die, so da nichts haben? Was soll ich euch sagen? Soll ich euch loben? Hierin lobe ich euch nicht.
Hebt gij dan geen huizen, om er te eten en te drinken? Of veracht gij de Gemeente Gods, en beschaamt gij degenen, die niet hebben? Wat zal ik u zeggen? Zal ik u prijzen? In dezen prijs ik u niet.
Non avete voi delle case per mangiare e bere? O disprezzate voi la chiesa di Dio e fate vergogna a quelli che non hanno nulla? Che vi dirò? Vi loderò io? In questo io non vi lodo.
Azaż domów nie macie do jedzenia i do picia? Albo zborem Bożym gardzicie i zawstydzacie tych, którzy nie mają? Cóż wam rzekę? Pochwalęż was? W tem nie chwalę.
Разве у вас нет домов на то, чтобы есть и пить? Или пренебрегаете церковь Божию и унижаете неимущих? Что сказать вам? похвалить ли вас за это? Не похвалю.
你們 要吃 喝，難道沒 有家 嗎？還是 藐視 神 的教會， 叫那沒 有 的羞愧呢？我向你們 可怎麼 說呢？可因 此 稱讚 你們嗎？我不 稱讚！
What? have you not houses to take your meals in? or have you no respect for the church of God, putting the poor to shame? What am I to say to you? am I to give you praise? certainly not.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 11:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Paul rebukes the Corinthians for turning the Lord's Supper into a private meal. The clause have ye not houses to eat and to drink in is a sharp rhetorical question. Barnes observes that the church of God is not a place for feasting, and even without disorder it was grossly irregular to make public worship a place for a festival. Gill notes that the phrase shows the Corinthians were eating their own supper in the house of God, not at home. The phrase despise ye the church of God, according to Calvin, the word ἐκκλησία refers to the assembly of believers, not a building, means they treat the sacred gathering with contempt by using it for ordinary eating. Vincent adds that the Greek for them that have not (τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας) means the poor absolutely, not those lacking houses. So the behaviour shames the poor by exposing their lack publicly. Clarke and Wesley agree: the poor are the larger part of the church, and to humiliate them is to despise God's people. The verse ends with Paul refusing all praise: In this I praise you not, a direct reversal of his earlier commendation in 1 Corinthians 11:2.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Paul rebukes the Corinthians for using the assembly to eat ordinary meals, thereby despising the church of God and shaming the poor.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'church of God' | It refers to the Christian community, the assembly of believers, not primarily a building. | Some earlier interpreters (like Grotius, as cited by Barnes) took it as the place of worship, but nearly all modern commentators see it as the people. |
| The identity of 'them that have not' | It refers to the poor, those who lack resources to contribute to the meal. | Some (like Gill's margin) specify 'not having houses', but Vincent and most others take it absolutely as 'the poor'. |
| Whether the feast was the Lord's Supper or a separate love feast | The passage concerns the abuse of the meal connected with the Eucharist. | Some see the love feast as a separate meal preceding or following the Supper; others believe the terms are interchangeable in this context. Poole argues the love feast was not instituted by Christ. |
| The severity of Paul's rebuke | Paul strongly condemns the behaviour, refusing to praise them. | Some traditions (e.g., Wesleyan) emphasize the social sin of neglecting the poor; others (e.g., Reformed) focus on the profanation of the sacrament. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Corinthian church met in private homes, not a public basilica. The Lord's Supper was connected to a love feast (the agape meal), as seen in Acts 2:42-47. Wealthy members brought food, but instead of sharing, they consumed their own provisions, leaving the poor hungry. Some became drunk. This is the background to Paul's rebuke.
Verse 21 describes each person taking his own supper first, so one is hungry and another drunk. Paul's question in verse 22, What, don't you have houses to eat and to drink in?, drives home the point: the assembly is for the Lord's Supper, not for satisfying personal appetite. Calvin explains that while eating together might seem permissible, to convert a sacred assembly to purposes foreign to its nature is wrong. The church gathers for doctrine, prayer, hymns, sacraments, and confession, not for ordinary meals.
The phrase despise ye the church of God must be understood in this context. The Corinthians were not despising a building; they were despising the gathered people of God, especially the poor. As the Cambridge Bible notes, the Greek word ἐκκλησία favours the idea of a people called out by God. James 2:5-6 shows similar concern: God chose the poor, yet the rich dishonour them.
Cross-references reinforce the sacredness of the assembly. Acts 20:28 calls it the church of God purchased with Christ's own blood. 1 Timothy 3:15 calls it the pillar and ground of the truth. So to treat the assembly as a common dining hall was not just a social mistake; it was a sin against the holiness of God's people. The poor who came expecting fellowship were publicly shamed (καταισχύνετε, to disgrace), and this shame was a direct violation of the mutual love the Supper was meant to symbolize.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Corinthians 11:22. Calvin mentions that some manuscripts connect the words differently in the final clause, but the Greek text is stable across the major traditions. The reading Shall I praise you? In this I praise you not is well-supported and accepted by all major translations.
Reception History
This verse has been cited throughout church history to defend the sacredness of the Lord's Supper and to rebuke class distinctions within the congregation. Early church fathers used it to argue that the Eucharist should not be treated as a common meal. During the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin appealed to it to stress that the church gathering is for worship, not for feasting. In the Methodist revival, Wesley and Clarke emphasized the duty to honour the poor in Christian fellowship. The verse continues to challenge modern churches to examine whether their practices exclude or shame the economically vulnerable.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Wrong Place for Ordinary Meals. Paul asks, Don't you have houses to eat and drink in? The church gathering is not a dining hall. Home is the place for satisfying hunger; the assembly is for worship, the Lord's Supper, and mutual edification.
- Despising the Church of God. To treat the sacred gathering as a common meal is to hold the church in contempt. It shows disregard for the body of Christ, which He purchased with His blood.
- Shaming the Poor. The Corinthians' behaviour exposed and humiliated those who had nothing. To shame the poor is to despise God's choice (James 2:5) and to mock the Maker of the poor (Proverbs 17:5).
Five-Point Outline
- What is the Lord's Supper for? It is a proclamation of Christ's death until He comes (v. 26), not a private meal.
- Homes have a purpose. Ordinary eating and drinking belong at home, not in the assembly.
- The church is the church of God. It is not a social club; it is a sacred community called out by God (Acts 20:28).
- Poverty is not a shame. The poor are honoured in the church; they should be welcomed, not embarrassed.
- Paul refuses praise. Even though the Corinthians had good points (v. 2), this behaviour cancels all commendation.
Illustration Hooks
- The Potluck That Went Wrong. A church potluck where the wealthy eat expensive dishes in a separate room, leaving the leftovers for the low-income members. The atmosphere feels less like fellowship and more like a class divide.
- The Wedding Reception. Imagine guests at a wedding reception opening their own takeout containers while ignoring the table set for everyone. That is how the Corinthians treated the Lord's table.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does this passage mean we should never eat together in church? Not at all, but it warns against eating that divides or excludes.
- How do we shame the poor today? By making church events financially exclusive, or by ignoring those who can't contribute.
- Why is Paul so harsh about a meal? Because the meal is tied to the gospel. Divisions at the Supper undermine its meaning.
Leading a Discussion
Paul's question cuts to the heart of worship: are we assembling for God or for ourselves? This verse challenges us to examine our motives when we gather. The Corinthians had turned the Lord's Supper into a selfish meal, hurting the poor and dishonouring the church. As we discuss, consider how your own church community cares for those who have less.
Discussion Questions
- Read 1 Corinthians 11:20-22. What was wrong with how the Corinthians were eating the Lord's Supper?
- Paul asks, Don't you have houses to eat and drink in? Why is it important to keep ordinary meals separate from the assembly?
- What does it mean to despise the church of God in this context? How is that connected to shaming the poor?
- How might a church today unintentionally shame those who have little? Consider finances, food, or social standing.
- Read Proverbs 17:5. How does mocking the poor relate to dishonouring God?
- Why does Paul refuse to praise them (v. 22) even though he praised them earlier (v. 2)? What does this teach us about consistency in Christian conduct?
- What can your group do to ensure that your church gatherings are places of welcome for everyone, regardless of economic status?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Proverbs 17:5 | Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished. |
| Acts 20:28 | Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood. |
| I Corinthians 10:32 | Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; |
| I Corinthians 11:2 | Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you. |
| I Corinthians 11:17 | But in giving you this command I don’t praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. |
| I Corinthians 15:9 | For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God. |
| I Timothy 3:5 | (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?) |
| I Timothy 3:15 | but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists the Corinthians should have eaten ordinary meals at home, keeping the church gathering solely for the Lord's Supper. He specifies that "them that have not" refers not to those lacking food at that moment but to people too poor to provide for themselves, whom their behavior shames.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that using the church building for festive meals is fundamentally wrong, even without disorder, because the church is not a place for ordinary eating. He also sees the rebuke as targeting the public shame inflicted on the poor, whose lack of means is exposed when wealthier members feast while they go hungry. Such treatment, he says, is especially dishonorable in a Christian community where all are supposed to be equal.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that Paul dislikes the practice of feasting in the church assembly even apart from the specific abuses. His point is that the gathering is meant for sacred purposes like doctrine, prayer, and the sacraments, making eating and drinking something that should be done at home, not in that setting.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that the Lord's Supper had a threefold purpose: to unite believers in mutual love, to solemnly commemorate Christ's sacrifice, and to provide spiritual nourishment. Despising the church means dishonoring the gathered people of God, not the building, while shaming those who have nothing means disgracing the poor.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Paul rebukes believers who treat the Lord's Supper as a private meal, shaming the poor by their indifference. The Geneva note emphasizes that such behavior despises the church itself, not merely a ritual. Public disgrace of the needy is incompatible with true Christian fellowship.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that the disorderly eating was happening in the church itself, not in private homes. He notes that Jewish law forbade eating in synagogues, so Christians should have known better than to hold intemperate feasts in God's house, bringing shame on the poor and contempt on the church.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the wealthy believers were treating the church gathering as a place to satisfy their own appetites, while the proper place for that is at home. Their real offense was contempt for the poor whom God chose for the church, shaming those who lacked resources instead of sharing with them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the Corinthians' shameful behavior at the Lord's Supper turned the sacred institution against itself, making them spiritually worse instead of better. His key warning is that Christ's ordinances, if they do not improve and soften the soul, will inevitably harden and harm it.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent points out that "them that have not" means the poor, not those without houses. By shaming their poorer members at the communal meal, the Corinthians were behaving like pagans, not Christians. He cites Socrates as an example of how even a pagan philosopher urged equal sharing at feasts.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that the poor are the larger and better part of the church. He reads Paul's rebuke as accusing the Corinthians of deliberate contempt: they were not merely careless but designedly dishonoring the poor by feasting separately.