1 Corinthians 11:17-22
17 “Now in giving this next instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19 For there also have to be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.20 Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper,21 for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.”
Divisions exist among you: The Corinthian believers were allowing disunity to infiltrate the church. This disunity was manifesting in poor etiquette while taking the Lord’s Supper.
Not to eat the Lord’s Supper: The Corinthian believers were using the meal commonly served during the Lord’s Supper which included the wine symbolizing Christ’s blood as a means of becoming drunk and gluttonous while many in their midst were going hungry.
Do you not have houses: Paul wanted believers to not come to communion starving to the point that they ate and drank too much of the food and wine. This alienated the poor amongst them who were waiting all week for a full meal.
