Problems in the Assembling

These few lines are vitally related to the verses that follow, verses 23–26 and verses 27–34, although the weighty traditional nature of the ensuing verses distinguishes verses 23–34 from verses 17–22 and suggests the separation of the discussion of the Lord’s Supper into smaller, more manageable parts. Paul’s words and his concerns are straightforward, nearly self-evident, although the energy of his argument causes the discussion to shift about in a way that might be difficult for some readers to follow.

11:17 Paul identifies and criticizes a problem or problems related to when the Corinthians come together. He takes a point of departure from the beginning of the previous section (11:2), where he had praised the Corinthians; now he says by contrast that he is …