Homilies on First Corinthians

“For in your eating, each one takes before other his own supper,” says he, “and one is hungry, and another is drunken.”

Perceivest thou how he intimates that they were disgracing themselves rather? For that which is the Lord's, they make a private matter: so that themselves are the first to suffer indignity, depriving their own table of its greatest prerogative. How and in what manner? Because the Lord's Supper, i.e. the Master's, ought to be common. For the property of the master belongs not to this servant without belonging to that, but in common to all. So that by “the Lord's” Supper he expresses this, the “community” of the feast. As if he had said, “If it be your master's, as assuredly it is, you ought not to withdraw it as private, but as belonging to your Lord and Master to set it in common before all. For this is the meaning of, 'the Lord's.' But now thou dost not suffer it to be the Lord's, not suffering it to be common but feasting by yourself.” Wherefore also he goes on to say,

“For each one takes before other his own supper.” And he said not, “cuts off,” but “takes before,” tacitly censuring them both for greediness and for precipitancy. This at least the sequel also shows. For having said this, he added again, “and one is hungry, and another is drunken,” each of which showed a want of moderation, both the craving and the excess. See also a second fault again whereby those same persons are injured: the first, that they dishonor their supper: the second, that they are greedy and drunken; and what is yet worse, even when the poor are hungry. For what was intended to be set before all in common, that these men fed on alone, and proceeded both to surfeiting and to drunkenness. Wherefore neither did he say, “one is hungry, and another is filled:” but, “is drunken.” Now each of these, even by itself, is worthy of censure: for it is a fault to be drunken even without despising the poor; and to despise the poor without being drunken, is an accusation. When both then are joined together at the same time, consider how exceeding great is the transgression.

Next, having pointed out their profaneness, he adds his reprimand in what follows, with much anger, saying,