Lessons #377 and 378

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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +

+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +

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Improper conduct in the pre-the Lord’s Supper meal (1 Cor 11:17-22)


17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 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. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

This section of first Corinthians is the prelude to the second major issue Apostle Paul dealt with in his overall concern with the matter of worship that the Corinthians were having problems. In the preceding section (11:2-16) the apostle dealt with the subject of head covering in public worship of believers in Corinth and so that of the church universal. The second subject the apostle deals with is the celebration of the Lord’s Super that he discoursed in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. However, he first dealt with improper conduct among the Corinthians that occur when they gather to worship and to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. It is this improper conduct that the apostle discoursed in verse 17 to 22, that is, the passage of our study. But before we summarize what the section is about, we need to make two observations.

A first observation is that the information contained in this section does not necessarily resolve the concern of many regarding the frequency of the Lord’ Supper as we will note later. I am saying that this section does not in and of itself settle the question that some believers have regarding how often the local church should celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

A second observation about the information given in this section is that it helps us to understand that the early church combined fellowship meal or the love feast with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. In effect, their fellowship meal preceded their celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The first hint of the fact that fellowship meal and the Lord’s Supper occurred together is the information regarding the activities of the early church mentioned in Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.


The phrase to the breaking of bread is translated from a Greek phrase that appears only twice in the Greek NT. Its other occurrence is in the incident that occurred after Jesus’ resurrection when He appeared to two disciples traveling to Emmaus as we read in Luke 24:35:

Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.


The clause of the NIV when he broke the bread is more literally from the Greek in the breaking of the bread. The Greek phrase that translates literally in the breaking of is generally interpreted as the common meal the early church shared that is then followed by the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. We cannot be certain that this common meal is always followed by the Lord’s Supper because of the practice mentioned in Acts 2:46:

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.


The fact that believers of the early church met at different homes from time to time to share fellowship meal does not necessarily mean that they celebrated the Lord’s Supper each time they met. But, it is also possible that they followed each fellowship meal with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. This uncertainty is again reflected in what happened in Troas. Luke reports of the fellowship meal that took place there in Acts 20:7:

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.


This breaking of bread was probably that of the fellowship meal that was followed by the Lord’s Supper although that is not clearly stated since after the apostle went down from the room the believers met to perform the miracle of raising Eutychus from the dead, he went back and broke bread and ate it as we read in Acts 20:11:

Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.


As we have indicated, this breaking of bread was probably a combination of the ordinary fellowship meal and the Lord’s Supper, but it is difficult to be emphatic since it is also possible that the apostle ate food with the assembled believers to sustain him as he continued in his journey. It is not only this example that indicates we cannot be certain whether the fellowship meal is always followed by the Lord’s Supper; there is also the love feast mentioned in Jude 12:

These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead.


The love feasts were evening meals in the early church, during which members came together as an expression of their close relationship with God and with one another. It is believed that the feasts often ended with the Lord’s Supper, but it is also possible that they did not involve the Lord’s Supper. Anyway, what we can be certain is that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is usually preceded by fellowship meal. This is what we can assert from the passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 that we are about to study. It should not surprise us that the Lord’s Supper is associated with ordinary fellowship meal because it was after the Passover meal that the Lord established for us the Lord’s Supper. Therefore, it makes sense if ordinary fellowship meal preceded its celebration in keeping with what transpired with the disciples before the establishment of the Lord’s Supper.

In any case, Apostle Paul began the section we are about to study with a rebuke or criticism to the Corinthians regarding their assembling in the local church that he said it was not something praiseworthy. This he did in the first sentence of verse 17, then beginning in the second sentence through verse 22, the apostle gave his reasons for his criticism or rebuke of the Corinthians. In verse 22, the apostle in a sense recommended what they should do to remedy the problems he identified, only that he did so with a series of rhetorical questions and a recap of his criticism. By the way, unlike the preceding problem of head covering, the apostle was not answering any specific concern of the Corinthians or questions, but he addressed a concern he had based on reports he received concerning the conduct of some in the local church during the fellowship meals that end up with the Lord’s Supper.

The brief summary we have given regarding the section that we are about to study, implies that the message the apostle wanted to deliver to the Corinthians was that of a rebuke for some of them not thinking of others during their fellowship meals that preceded the Lord Supper. This message we need to apply for our own benefit in a manner that is applicable to us. I mean that since we are not the Corinthians and may not necessarily do what the apostle rebuked them, the Holy Spirit still wants us to derive a message from this section that is applicable to the church of Christ. The message we will derive from this section assumes that believers in all local churches should be involved in fellowship meal of one kind or another. This message is this: Think of other believers as you take your portion of food during fellowship meals of believers. This message is one that recognizes that the Scripture provides every necessary instruction we need to function in everything we do in order to glorify our Savior Jesus Christ. In other words, who could imagine that the Scripture has information that is necessary to deal with portion of food one takes in a public gathering where meal is served. Anyhow, although the message is directed towards the fellowship meals of believers, it is one that requires all believers to be sensitive to the needs of their fellow believers. We are supposed to care for others, think about them as we do certain things. This message as we have already alluded should also apply to any public gathering where food is served or even when you eat with others. You should be mindful of the need of others as you load your plate with food. That aside, the general character of what the apostle wrote in our passage is negative in nature because of his rebuke of the Corinthians.

Rebuke, as it stands, is an act that requires proper response from one rebuked so that the person would enjoy blessing the individual had missed because of the action for which the individual is rebuked. Thus, it is no wonder that wisdom personified warns against its rejection or rejecting the rebuke that comes from it as we read in Proverbs 1:23–26:

23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. 24But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you


This passage in Proverbs indicates that a person who accepts rebuke and does something about it would be blessed while a person who does not will suffer. This being the case, our approach to studying the section of 1 Corinthians we are concerned about is in a positive manner. In effect, we will deal with the section as providing actions believers should take to ensure they avoid the failures of the Corinthians for which they were rebuked by the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul. This means that I will make positive statements but to assure you that a given positive declaration is in keeping with the passage we are studying, I will link the positive statement to the negative statement or rebuke in our passage that is the basis for the positive assertion we give. But before I begin with the various assertions, I want you to note that the apostle signaled he was moving to a different topic that is still concerned with public worship of believers.

Apostle’s signal that he was moving to another topic is introduced in the Greek with a Greek particle (de) that was not translated in the NIV and some other English versions. Although the Greek particle in question is routinely translated “but” to reflect a contrast between clauses but when a simple connective is desired, without contrast being clearly implied, it may be translated “and,” and in certain occurrences the particle may be left untranslated. As we have stated, some English versions did not translate it. Although the particle is often translated “but” in the English when there is a perceived contrast between two clauses as reflected in the English versions of this verse that are more literal in their translation, such as the NASB, but it has other meanings such as “now,” “then,” “and,” “so” when it is used to link segments of a narrative. Some commentators take the particle in our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17 to indicate contrast between the praise of the Corinthians by the apostle in verse 2 of this eleventh chapter of Corinthians and the criticism of our present verse. That is possible but unlikely since such would imply that everything the apostle had taught up to this point is parenthetical, which is difficult to conceive. So, in our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17, the Greek particle is used to indicate transition to something new and so it could be translated “now” as done in some of our English versions, such as the NET or the NRSV, to indicate the apostle is moving to a new topic within the general subject of worship in the local church. With this comment, we proceed to consider the various positive assertions we should make as a way of expounding the message of the passage before us which is again: Think of other believers as you take your portion of food during fellowship meals of believers.

A first positive assertion is that the assembling of believers for fellowship meals should be praiseworthy. This leads to the first responsibility of the believer regarding the matter of fellowship meals. Therefore, we state that the first responsibility is that you should aim to make the assembling of believers in fellowship meal praiseworthy. This responsibility is derived from Apostle Paul’s criticism of the Corinthians about their assembling for fellowship meal and the Lord’s Supper. As we stated previously, our approach is to state the responsibility the believer has in such a way as to avoid the failure for which the apostle criticized the Corinthians. The apostle’s criticism of the Corinthians is introduced in the first sentence of 1 Corinthians 11:17 In the following directives I have no praise for you. Literally, the Greek reads this giving of instruction I praise (you) not. This is due to the Greek words the apostle used.

The literal translation indicates that there is a problem because of the word this that is translated in the NIV with the word following. The problem is how to interpret the word “this” or “following.” The word “following” of the NIV is translated from a Greek demonstrative pronoun (houtos) that in general means “this” that may refer to something here and now, directing attention to it. The meaning “this” may designate the nearer of two things. It could be used to refer to something that has immediately preceded and so may be translated “this one.” It can also refer to what follows so it may simply mean “this.” In our context, it is used to describe what follows, that is probably the reason the NIV used the word “following” to translate the Greek pronoun used that is related to the word directives in the NIV.

The word “directives” of the NIV is translated from a Greek verb (parangellō) that means to make an announcement about something that must be done, often used of persons in authority hence means “to give order, to instruct, to command.” Thus, it is with the meaning “to command” that the word is used to describe the Lord Jesus’ commanding evil spirit out of a man as recorded in Luke 8:29:

For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.


It is in the sense of “to command” that the word is used by Apostle Paul to instruct the Thessalonians not to associate with a believer who lives in disobedience to the word of God that the apostle and others have passed on to them as we read in 2 Thessalonians 3:6:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.


In our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17, it is used in the sense of to give instructions to or to direct somebody to do something with authority. However, it is the participial form of the Greek verb that the apostle used. The implication of the apostle using a participle is that he wanted to emphasize that the action he said he was not going to take is one that occurred while he gives the instruction of the passage we are considering. In effect, the apostle did not directly use a verb or a noun that has the meaning of “to instruct” or “instruction” because he wanted the reader to realize that his action takes place in the process of instructing the Corinthians regarding the Lord’s Supper.

The action the apostle takes in the process of giving the instruction that concerns the Lord’s Supper is a negative one in that he refrained from praising the Corinthians as in the sentence in the NIV of 1 Corinthians 11:17 I have no praise for you or literally I praise (you) not. The word “praise” is translated from a Greek verb (epaineō) that is used to express one’s admiration for or approval of a person, object, or event. The word is used with the meaning of “to commend” in the parable of our Lord Jesus regarding the shrewd manager in Luke 16:8:

The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.


Apostle Paul used the Greek word in the sense of commending someone or approving of someone’s action as he did with the Corinthians for their concern for him in that they remembered the truth he taught them as we read in 1 Corinthians 11:2:

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.


In our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17, the Greek word has the sense of expressing one’s approval although the apostle used this with the word “not” to indicate he did not commend the Corinthians. Indeed, the word not used in verse 17 is translated from a Greek negative adverb (ou) that is an objective negative, denying the reality of alleged fact fully and absolutely in contrast to another Greek negative () that is a subjective negative, implying a conditional and hypothetical negation. Thus, the apostle states strongly a fact that cannot be denied concerning his lack of praise for the Corinthians for their conduct that he would get to later.

We should understand that praise or commendation of a person is not an absolute act. By this I mean that no one can be absolutely praised all the time as that is what belongs to God alone. Thus, a person may be praised on one occasion and criticized in another. The problem with most of us is that we want people to praise us all the time without every criticizing us. That is a wrong expectation; for one thing, such an expectation comes close to claiming perfection. As we have said, there are times that we will be praised but at other times we will be criticized. The apostle as a pastor does both in that it is the situation that determines whether he praises or criticizes a local congregation. He praised the believers in Rome for their faith as we read in Romans 1:8:

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.


He did the same with the Thessalonians as recorded in 2 Thessalonians 1:3:

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.


The apostle praised the Macedonians for their generosity as we read in 2 Corinthians 8:1–4:

1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.


He also praised the Corinthians for having the spirit of generosity or willingness to help their fellow believers in Jerusalem as we may gather from what the apostle stated in 2 Corinthians 9:2:

For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.


We know that the apostle praised the Corinthians for their spirit of generosity or willingness to help because they are included in the phrase you in Achaia. Recall that he had commended the Corinthians previously for holding to the truth he had conveyed to them as in the passage we cited previously, that is, 1 Corinthians 11:2:

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.


However, here in our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17, the apostle criticized the Corinthians instead of praising them.

Criticism may or may not be valid. This means that not every criticism deserves your attention. This assertion is an application of the instruction of Ecclesiastes 7:21–22:

21Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you— 22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.


In some cases, people may criticize you for not following rituals that have no scriptural basis as implied in the instruction to ignore such criticism as we read in Colossians 2:16–17:

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

People may even criticize you when you apply the truth they do not understand. This is illustrated by the various criticisms brought against the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. One of the criticisms brought against the Lord stems from people not understanding His teaching especially when He used figurative means to convey the necessity of faith in Him for eternal life, but the people did not understand Him, so they criticized Him as implied in John 6:41–42:

41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”


The point is that it is possible for you to be criticized for applying truth that others do not understand. It is for this reason that we encourage you not to be discouraged by every kind of criticism that you receive. In as much as you should not pay attention to every criticism, but you should recognize that not every criticism is wrong. It all depends on who is criticizing you and the reason for it. The psalmist implies that criticism is to be welcomed if it comes from a believer that is faithful to God’s word and lives it out as we read in Psalm 141:5:

Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;


Rebuke in this passage has the sense of criticizing another in love. In effect, when a certain kind of believer criticizes you in the sense that such individual points out your failure then it is a blessing for you. You should not be defensive but strive to take the criticism as constructive. Of course, you should be careful to avoid criticism by striving always to do what is right. Apostle Paul stated he was careful not to do anything that is subject to criticism as we read in 2 Corinthians 8:20–21:

20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

In any case, criticism of people may not mean much if it is not based on truth of God’s word but deserves careful consideration if it is based on God’s word. Therefore, Apostle Paul conveyed to the Corinthians that his criticism of them is not baseless. That his criticism is based on fact is conveyed in the last clause of 1 Corinthians 11:17 for your meetings do more harm than good. This clause provides the overall reason for the criticism of the apostle because of the word “for” that is translated from a Greek word (hoti) that may mean “that” either as a marker of a narrative or discourse content or as a marker of an explanation. It may be used as a marker introducing direct discourse in which case it is not to be translated into English, but to be represented by quotation marks. Another usage of our Greek word is as a marker of a cause or reason so that it may be translated “because, since, for.” It is with this latter usage that the word is used in our passage. In other words, the clause that begins with the word for in the NIV is to provide summary overall reason for the apostle’s criticism of the Corinthians, with the detail to follow later.

The criticism of the apostle concerns what takes place during fellowship meeting of believers in Corinth described in the NIV with the phrase your meetings. The word “meetings” of the NIV is a noun but it is translated from a Greek verb (synerchomai) that may mean “to come together,” that is, to unite in an intimate relationship in a sexual context as the word is used to indicate that although Joseph was betrothed to Mary their marriage was not concluded since it had not been consummated through sexual intercourse as the word is used in Matthew 1:18:

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.


The word may mean “to come/go” with someone in the sense of traveling with the person as the word is used to describe the believers who accompanied Apostle Peter as he went to the house of Cornelius to give him the gospel of Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 10:23:

Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.


The word may mean “to assemble,” that is, to come together with others as a group as in the assembling of believers for worship as Apostle Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:26:

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.


In our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17, it is used in the sense of “to get together for a specific purpose.” The specific purpose of getting together of the Corinthians is to continue a part of their worship that in this case involves the fellowship meal and the Lord’s Supper. Although it is difficult to separate believers’ getting together from worship and ordinary getting together but there may be a time when believers could gather not necessarily to worship in the regular sense of the word but to carry out an activity that is part of believers’ worship of God. Take for example, it is possible for believers to get together to hear testimony of God’s work or to hear missionary report as was done in the early church after the first missionary work of Paul and Barnabas as we read in Acts 14:27:

On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.


The point is that when believers get together it may not necessarily be for worship in the regular sense of singing, studying the word of God, and celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

Getting together of believers should always be for their benefit. In other words, when believers get together, the aim should be to encourage one another as the Holy Spirit implies through the human author of Hebrews in Hebrews 10:24–25:

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


However, that is not what happened with the Corinthians. Hence, the apostle’s criticism as given in the verbal phrase in the NIV of 1 Corinthians 11:17 do more harm than good. Literally, the Greek reads not for the better but for the worse. This is because the expression “for the better” of our literal translation or “good” in the NIV is translated from a Greek word (kreittōn) that may pertain to being in a high status so may mean “more prominent” or “higher in rank” or “better, preferable” as the word is used to indicate that it is the one who is of a higher rank that blesses one with lower rank in the argument of the human author of Hebrews that indicates Melchizedek, as a high priest, is superior to Abraham in Hebrews 7:7:

And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.


The Greek word may pertain to having a relative advantage in value and so means “more useful” or “more advantageous” or “better.” It is in this sense that Apostle Paul indicated that it would be more advantageous or beneficial to marry than to burn with sexual lust although the word is translated “better” in 1 Corinthians 7:9:

But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.


It is in the sense of being more advantageous or more useful or better that the word is used in our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17. The literal expression “for the worse” or “more harm” of the NIV is translated from a Greek word (hēssōn) that appears only twice in the Greek NT. In its other occurrence, the word has the meaning of “less” as Apostle Paul used it in his rhetorical question to the Corinthians that compares his love for them to their love for him as we read in 2 Corinthians 12:15:

So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?


In our passage of 1 Corinthians 11:17, the word has the meaning of “for the worse.” Thus, the apostle criticized the Corinthians because their getting together as a church does not lead to edification of fellow believers but in tearing down others. The apostle then elaborated on what he meant but before we get to this in our next study, let us elaborate on the responsibility we indicated is derived from positive assertion that is derived from the criticism of the apostle.

Recall that the first responsibility derived from Apostle Paul’s criticism of the Corinthians about their assembling for fellowship meal and the Lord’s Supper is that you should aim to make the assembling of believers in fellowship meal praiseworthy. We should explore how we go about doing this in a general way before we focus on what the apostle stated in the passage we are considering. To do this, we should begin first with the mindset that whatever we do should be done to bring glory to the Lord as the apostle had already stated in 1 Corinthians 10:31:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Then, we resolve that we will not do anything that will cause a fellow believer to sin during the fellowship meal in keeping with what the apostle stated generally in 1 Corinthians 10:32:

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God.


The command in this verse requires that you be sensitive to others in what you do or say. I am saying that you are not to be mindless to utter or do whatever comes to mind. You should constantly filter your thought throughout the period of getting together of believers by using what the Holy Spirit stated through the apostle as recorded in Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.


If you filter your thoughts by using this passage, then what that means is that you are filled of the Holy Spirit. So, we can say that it is important that during the fellowship meal that you be controlled by the Holy Spirit. You should remain conscious that although it is a fellowship meal but that it is still a part of worshipping of the Lord that requires the believer to be under the control of the Holy Spirit.

A believer controlled by the Holy Spirit during the fellowship meal would be concerned with ensuring that he thinks of others first before himself. In effect, the person would put others ahead of him or her in whatever way necessary to ensure that what is done brings glory to the Lord Jesus. This is tantamount to operating based on the command of the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul stated in Philippians 2:3:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.


This verse indicates that we should avoid “selfish ambition” which is a strong drive for personal success without moral inhibitions. In the context of fellowship meal, this would mean that a person wants to satisfy self without the least being concerned about others. The individual is thinking only of self and so it is impossible to think of others. But the positive command is to consider others better than ourselves in humility. How this works out in fellowship meal is to put others ahead of yourself so that as you participate in it, you have in mind to ensure that others would have enough of everything used in the fellowship meal. Furthermore, you should seek to help do whatever is necessary to ensure that serving of meals go smoothly. This is particularly important with the ladies. You should be careful to help so that a few individuals are not left to carry out with setting up the things needed and cleaning up afterwards. Remember that we have already stated that it is important not to cause others to sin. Do you think that it is possible to that if you do not help when you can that it could cause others to grumble? The Scripture requires us to serve one another or do things without grumbling or complaining as we read, for example, in Philippians 2:14:

Do everything without complaining or arguing,


So, while some may be helping and may not grumble but being sensitive to others requires that you remove the possibility of temptation for others to grumble by doing things that will make it easier to avoid grumbling. Having said this, if you are one of those that serve, it is important that you recognize that you are doing whatever it is that you do for the Lord Jesus Christ and so you should not grumble. I am saying you should adhere to what is stated in Ephesians 6:7–8:

7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.


The point is that you should be sensitive to others both in terms of service and consumption of food that is used as part of fellowship meal.

There is one more thing that believers who get together for fellowship meal should ensure that it does not exist among them as they get together; it is favoritism. By favoritism we mean the unfair treatment of a person or group in preference to another. It creates division in the body of Christ and so should be avoided. The apostle had already in this epistle rebuked the Corinthians for division as we read in 1 Corinthians 1:10:

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

As we have stated, favoritism creates division in the body of Christ that should not be there. It is often the case that we may show favoritism but not be aware of it. It is usually the person who suffers the effect of favoritism that observes it. This we can learn from the sin of favoritism that crept into the early church that the church addressed by appointing of the seven men that oversaw the administration of material matters of the early church. This charge of favoritism that crept into the church fellowship is stated in Acts 6:1:

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.


The verse enables us to recognize how easily sin finds its way among believers and they may not easily recognize it. Here we are dealing with the same people, the Jews at the beginning of the church. These Jews were described either as Grecian or Hebraic. Grecian Jews were Jews of the Diaspora living in Jerusalem. They were Greek speaking and have been influenced by Greek culture. While the Hebraic Jews were those who have never left the land and so could speak the Hebrew or Aramaic Jewish language and valued the beliefs, tradition and history of their people. Thus, the two groups were separated primarily by language and culture, but sin found a way to creep in to use this difference to cause those charged with providing daily portion of food to discriminate between the two groups perhaps unaware of their action. If sin of favoritism could easily creep in among the same people who were separated by language how much easier that would creep into a community of believer with diverse ethnicity. Because sin in form of favoritism could creep into a local church, believers should specifically be careful to observe anything that points towards that sin and avoid it. The early church was not conscious of favoritism but that occurred as indicated by the clause because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The word “overlooked” is translated from a Greek verb (paratheōreō) that appears only here in the Greek NT that means “to fail to consider something sufficiently, and as a result, fail to respond appropriately,” hence “to overlook, to neglect, to disregard.” The Greek used the imperfect tense. The Greek imperfect tense used here implied that this neglecting of the widows of the Grecian Jews kept occurring that even the apostles did not notice it until it was brought to their attention, and immediately they acted to rectify the problem through the appointment of the seven men to handle distribution of daily food among believers of the early church.

Every local church should be careful to ensure that there is no favoritism as the Holy Spirit warns against it. He warned against it through the instruction given to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:21:

I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.


The same warning is repeated through James as we read in James 2:1–4:

1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?


Anyway, it is important that during the fellowship meal that we do nothing that will indicate favoritism. If we did this and followed all that we have discussed then we would fulfill the first responsibility we have stated, which is, you should aim to make the assembling of believers in fellowship meal praiseworthy.









12/31//21