1 Corinthians 11:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If offenses came by necessity, and not by the will of those who cause them, He would have said in vain, "Woe to that man through whom the offense comes" (Mt 18:7).

We discussed this at length when we examined that passage. Now we must return to the present subject.

That the Apostle here calls disorders at the meals, and the disagreements and strifes that accompanied them, differences of mind, he made clear by what follows. After saying, "I hear that there are divisions among you," he did not stop there.

Wishing to explain what divisions he meant, he goes on to say, "Each one goes ahead with his own meal" (1 Cor 11:21). Again he says, "Have you not houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the Church of God?" (1 Cor 11:22).

It is evident that he is speaking of these disorders. Do not be surprised that he calls them divisions. As I said, he wished by this expression to strike them more deeply.

If he had meant dogmatic divisions, he would not have spoken to them so gently. When he speaks of such things, hear with what force he both guards and rebukes.

He guards when he says, "Even if an angel should preach to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be anathema" (Gal 1:8-9). He rebukes when he says, "You who justify yourselves by the law have fallen away from grace" (Gal 5:4).

He calls the disturbers dogs, saying, "Beware of dogs" (Phil 3:2). Elsewhere he calls them seared in conscience and ministers of the devil (1 Tim 4:2).

Here he says nothing of the kind, but speaks gently and with condescension.

What do the words mean, "that those who are approved may be made manifest among you"? They mean, that they may shine forth more brightly.

He means that for men who are unbending and firm, this not only does no harm, but even makes them more visible and glorious.

The word "that" does not always denote purpose, but often the consequence of an event. Christ uses it so when He says, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind" (Jn 9:39).

Paul himself uses it so when he speaks of the law: "The law entered that the offense might abound" (Rom 5:20). The law was not given so that the Jews’ offenses might increase, but this is what happened.

Christ did not come so that those who saw should become blind. He came with the opposite purpose, yet this is what happened.

In the same way we must understand the words, "that those who are approved may be made manifest among you." The differences of mind did not exist in order that the approved might appear. Yet when the differences appeared, this also happened.

He said this to comfort the poor, who endured such contempt with firmness. Therefore he did not say, "that they may become approved," but, "that those who are approved may be made manifest."

He shows that they were such even before, but were mingled with the others. Because they received consolation from the rich, they were not very conspicuous. Now the disturbance and disagreement have made them known, as a storm makes the helmsman known.

Nor did he say, "that you may appear approved," but, "that those who are approved may be made manifest among you." As in rebuke he did not point to anyone openly, lest he make them more shameless, so also in praise he refrains, lest he make them careless.

He speaks indefinitely, leaving each man’s conscience to apply what is said to himself.

It seems to me that here he comforts not only the poor, but also those who had not violated the custom. It is likely that among them there were some who observed it. For this reason he said, "I believe it in part."

Rightly does he call those approved who not only kept the custom together with others, but did not transgress this noble institution even without them.

By such praises he strives to stir up greater zeal in both groups. Then he shows the very kind of transgression. In what did it consist?

For when the proud do not receive them at their table, the approved appear, that is, the poor, because they endure contempt. Before this, their patience was not visible.

Or he calls those approved who still preserve the custom concerning the table, for not all had violated it. Thus, when the violators are shown to be unapproved, those who preserve it are shown to be approved.

He pays special heed to the saying of the blessed Apostle Paul, who writes in the First Epistle to the Corinthians: "There must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be made manifest among you."

It is as though the Apostle says: the authors of heresies are not immediately uprooted by God, "that the approved may be made manifest," that is, so that it may be seen how firmly, faithfully, and immovably each one loves the universal faith.

Indeed, as soon as some novelty appears, the weight of the grains and the lightness of the chaff immediately become visible. Then, without great effort, everything is swept from the threshing floor that had no weight binding it to it.

Some fly away entirely, no one knows where. Others are so troubled that they fear to flee and are ashamed to remain. They are bewildered, half dead and half alive.

At one moment, with the error growing stronger, they are carried wherever the wind drives them. At another, coming to themselves, they strike back like waves.

At one moment, with blind boldness, they rush at what is plainly unknown to them. At another, with foolish fear, they are terrified of what is perfectly known.

They do not know at all where to go, where to return, what to seek, what to flee, what to hold, or what to abandon.

Yet this turmoil of a wavering and irresolute feeling, if only they wished to examine it, is a remedy given them by the mercy of God.

Outside the most secure harbor of the universal faith, they are tormented, punished, and almost entirely exhausted by various stormy thoughts.

This is so that they may lower the raised sails of their proud mind, which they have unfurled untimely to the wind of novelty.

Then they may return and again enter the most reliable haven of the calm and good mother Church. Having vomited out the bitter and troubled waves of errors, they may then drink the life-giving streams of spring water.

Let them carefully study what they did not know well. Whatever in the whole content of the Church's dogmatic teaching can be understood, let them understand. What cannot be understood, let them believe.

That is, the very thing by which the members of the Church are disturbed assists and disposes toward the confirmation of right and blameless dogmas. By this very thing the catholic and apostolic Church of God is stirred up to growth and ascent to heaven.

To act more forcefully against this basic violation of the character of the love-feast, the Apostle calls these divisions heresies. By this word he does not mean disagreement in dogmas, as is now commonly meant by heresy, but divisions about the tables, as blessed Theophylact says.

Yet if the Apostle’s thought about the inevitability of divisions, or heresies, is taken more broadly, even then it is deeply moving. Through it the spirit of peace was brought among those divided for any reason whatever.

For every division, besides harm, can also bring benefit. In this case, those who remained faithful to the spirit of Christian fellowship were shown to have been tested in their firm devotion to the rules of faith.

Amid these divisions into parties, and even into small family or social circles, they could receive a lesson in patience and an occasion for their good influence.

Heresy in the proper sense can produce an even greater effect. But this does not mean that the Apostle considered the appearance of heresies necessary. He speaks only of the inevitability of divisions and points to a favorable outcome.

This outcome is to become more approved, purified as silver and gold are purified in the furnaces of trial (1 Pet 1:7). In the same way Jesus Christ Himself presents the appearance of offenses as inevitable, while threatening terrible woe to those who cause them (Mt 18:7-8).

Next, the Apostle rebukes the Corinthians for lacking awareness of the essential character of the supper. It was not an ordinary domestic meal, but the Lord’s meal, celebrated in the temple of God.

It resembled the way the Hebrews ate the remains of the sacrifices by the tabernacle and the temple. No unbeliever could take part in that meal.

The time of the love-feast, after communion in the Holy Mysteries, also made it the holy table of the Lord. It was, as it were, a continuation of the Mystical Supper.

So also the Jewish paschal meal continued after the eating of the paschal lamb, which prefigured the Lamb, Christ.

From the idea of the love-feast as the Lord’s meal, this thought follows first. Everything brought for it no longer belonged to those who brought it, but to the Lord. Therefore those appointed by the Lord had to administer it.

The Corinthians, however, did not cease to regard what they had brought as their own. They sought to consume everything by themselves. As a result, some were filled and drunk, while others, the poor, received nothing.

Besides the general disorder and sinfulness, there also appeared negligence toward the temple and contempt for the poor.

Clearly, all this could not be left without strong rebukes. Yet the Apostle evidently spares the guilty, who had probably fallen in this way through carelessness and misunderstanding. Therefore he is content to set before them all their improprieties.

"He has already moved them deeply, proving the seriousness of their fault, and, like an excellent physician, applies a remedy suited to the wounds. On the other hand, he chiefly strove to make them gentle toward the poor, and therefore he himself speaks with them gently" (Chrysostom).

"For if scandals occurred by necessity, and not by the will of those who produce them, then He would have said in vain, 'Woe to that man through whom the scandal comes' (Mt 18:7).

"That the Apostle here truly called the disorders at the meals and the divisions that occurred there heresies, he clearly expressed in the following words.

"For after saying, 'I hear that there are divisions among you,' he did not stop there. Wishing to explain what divisions he meant, he says further, 'Each one takes his own supper beforehand' (1 Cor 11:21).

"It is evident that he is speaking of these disorders. Do not be surprised that he calls them divisions, that is, tearings of the community. As I said, he wished to affect them more strongly by this expression.

"If he had meant dogmatic heresies, he would not have spoken with them so gently" (Chrysostom).

"What do the words mean, 'that those who are approved may be manifest among you'? They mean: that they may shine more brightly.

"He means that for people who are unbending and firm, this not only does no harm, but even makes them more visible and glorious.

"The particle 'that' does not always indicate purpose, but often the result of an action. Christ uses it this way when He says, 'For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind' (Jn 9:39).

"Paul himself uses it so when he says of the law, 'Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound' (Rom 5:20).

"The law was not given so that the transgressions of the Jews should increase, but this is what happened. Christ did not come so that those who see should become blind, but with the opposite purpose. Yet this is what happened.

"In the same way, the words here must be understood: 'that those who are approved may be manifest.' The heresies, that is, the divisions and disorders at the suppers, did not exist in order that the approved might be revealed.

"But when they appeared, this happened. The Apostle said this for the consolation of the poor, who bore contempt with magnanimity.

"Therefore he did not say, 'that they may become approved,' but, 'that those who are approved may be manifest.' He expresses that they were already such before, but were mixed with the others.

"Since they received comfort from the rich, they were not very noticeable. Now disturbance and discord have made them known, just as a storm makes the helmsman known.

"Likewise he did not say, 'that you may appear approved,' meaning you in particular, but, 'that those who are approved may be manifest among you.'

"As in rebuke he did not point directly to anyone, lest he make them more shameless, so also in praise he does not do so, lest he make them careless.

"He speaks indefinitely, leaving each person's conscience to apply what has been said to himself.

"It seems to me that here he consoles not only the poor, but also those who did not violate that custom. Probably there were some among them who observed it.

"Therefore he said, 'I believe it in part.' He rightly calls approved those who not only observed the custom together with others, but did not transgress this beautiful ordinance even without them.

"By such praises he tries to awaken greater zeal in both groups" (Chrysostom).

When he says, "For there must be," he gives a reason. For what? For what preceded: "I hear that there are divisions." Therefore one may think that by these words he also consoles himself, as though saying:

I hear of divisions among you. This is grievous. But what is to be done? This too must occur. Some turn away from the established orders. Others, proving firm in them, are thereby still more confirmed in them for the future.