18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.
18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions
18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,
18 First, I get this report on your divisiveness, competing with and criticizing each other. I'm reluctant to believe it, but there it is.
18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:18
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:17-22
(Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-22)
The apostle rebukes the disorders in their partaking of the Lord's supper. The ordinances of Christ, if they do not make us better, will be apt to make us worse. If the use of them does not mend, it will harden. Upon coming together, they fell into divisions, schisms. Christians may separate from each other's communion, yet be charitable one towards another; they may continue in the same communion, yet be uncharitable. This last is schism, rather than the former. There is a 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 time as the supper. The rich despised the poor, and ate and drank up the provisions they brought, before the poor were allowed to partake; thus some wanted, while others had more than enough. What should have been a bond of mutual love and affection, was made an instrument of discord 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 a cloak for hypocrisy? Let us never rest in the outward forms of worship; but look to our hearts.