Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 4. Factions in the assembly
11:17 Now this I ordain: not praising you, that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. [n. 621]
11:18 For first of all I hear that when you come together in the church, there are schisms among you. And in part I believe it. [n. 623]
11:19 For there must be also heresies: that they also, who are approved may be made manifest among you. [n. 626]
11:20 When you come together therefore into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord’s supper. [n. 629]
11:21 For every one takes before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk. [n. 633]
11:22 What, have you no houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not. [n. 636]
621. After reproaching the Corinthians for their error in covering, namely, because the women came to the sacred mysteries with their head uncovered, the Apostle then argues against their error about factions in the assembly, because while they gathered for the sacred mysteries, they spent their time in contentions.
First, he touches on their shortcoming in general;
second, in particular, at for first of all.
622. First, therefore, he says, now this, which was stated above, namely, that women should be veiled in church, I ordain, in order that he might thus induce them to this observance in three ways. First, indeed, by reason; second, by custom; third, by command, which should persuade them without the other two: keep my commandments and you shall live (Prov 4:4); a three-ply cord is not quickly broken (Eccl 4:12). Not praising you, but rather censuring you, that you come together into the church not for the better, as it should be, but for the worse through your fault.
For all gregarious animals, for example, doves, cranes, cows, each form one group by natural instinct, in order that things be better for them in a bodily way. Hence man, too, being a gregarious or social animal, as the Philosopher proves in Politics I, should act according to reason, so that many form one group for their betterment, just as in secular affairs many come together to form the unity of a city; so that it is better for them in a worldly way, namely, because of the security and sufficiency of life. Therefore, believers should come together into a unity for some better spiritual things: when people gather together and kings, to worship the Lord (Ps 102:22); in the counsel and congregation of the just the works of the Lord are great (Ps 111:1). But they came together for the worse on account of the sins they committed, when they assembled: I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly (Isa 1:13); an assembly of the wicked is like two gathered together (Sir 21:9).
623. Then when he says, for first of all, he mentions in detail how they assemble for the worse.
First, he presents a judgment of guilt, saying, for first of all, among others, namely, that you come together for the worse, I hear that when you come together in the church, there are schisms among you, namely, through contentions, which they practiced. This by no means is suited to the Church, which is established in unity: there is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your call (Eph 4:4). But this was predicted: you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many (Isa 22:9).
624. But a Gloss says: by saying, first of all, he shows that the first evil is dissension, from which all the rest arise. For where there is dissension, nothing is right.
But this seems to be opposed by the following statements: the beginning of every sin is pride (Sir 9:15) and the love of money is the root of all evils (1 Tim 6:10).
But it must be said that these authorities speak in regard to personal sins of individual men, the first of which is pride on the part of aversion and greed for money on the part of conversion. But the Gloss here speaks about the sins of the multitude, among which the first is dissension, by which the reign of discipline is weakened. Hence it is said: where jealousy and contention exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice (Jas 3:16).
625. Second, he presents the credulity of his hearers when he says, and in part I believe it, i.e., as to some of you who were prone to contention, according to what was said above: there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you says: I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I of Cephas (1 Cor 1:11–12). But others were not contentious, who said, and I of Christ (1 Cor 1:12). Hence it is said: as a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens (Song 2:2), i.e., good among the evil.
626. Third, he assigns the reason for their credulity, saying, for there must be not only factions among you but also heresies.
Two things must be considered here: first, what heresy is; second, how it is necessary that there be heresies.
627. In regard to the first it should be known that, as Jerome comments on the epistle to the Galatians, the Greek word, heresy, means ‘election’ or ‘choice’, namely, because each one selects for himself that discipline which he considers to be better. From this two things can be taken: first, that it is of the very nature of heresy that a person follow his own private discipline, as though by his own choice, but not the public discipline handed down by God.
Second, that he obstinately cling to this discipline. For choice implies firm adherence; and therefore the heretic is one who scorns the discipline of the faith handed down by God and obstinately follows his own error.
Now something pertains to the discipline of the faith in two ways: in one way directly, as the articles of faith, which are proposed to be believed of themselves. Hence an error in regard to them makes one a heretic, if obstinacy is present. But a person cannot be excused from such an error on account of some simplicity especially in regard to those about which the Church made a solemn proclamation and which are generally spoken about by the faithful, such as the mystery of the Trinity, the birth of Christ, and so on.
But other things pertain to the discipline of the faith indirectly, namely, inasmuch as they are not proposed as something to be believed of themselves, but from their denial something contrary to the faith follows; for example, if it is denied that Isaac was the son of Abraham, something contrary to the faith follows, namely, that Sacred Scripture contains something false.
From such things one is not judged heretical, unless he continues in his opinion so obstinately, that he would not depart from his error, even though he sees what follows from his position. Therefore, the obstinacy with which someone spurns the judgment of the Church in matters pertaining to the faith directly or indirectly makes a man a heretic. Such obstinacy proceeds from pride, whereby a person prefers his own feelings to the entire Church. Hence the Apostle says: if anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words (1 Tim 6:3ff).
628. Second, it must be considered how it is suitable that heresies exist. For if it is suitable for heretics to be, it seems that they are commendable and should not be stamped out.
But it should be noted that there are two ways in which something is described as suitable to be. In one way from the intention of the one who does this; for example, if we should say that judgments ought to be, because judges make judgments intending to establish justice and peace in human affairs. In another way from the intention of God who ordains evil things to good, who directs the persecutions of tyrants to the glory of the martyrs. Hence Augustine says in Enchiridion, that God is so good that he would not permit evil in any way, unless he were powerful enough that from each evil he can draw some good. And according to this it is said: woe to the world for temptations to sin. For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to that man from whom temptations come (Matt 18:7). And according to this the Apostle says, there must be also heresies, inasmuch as God has ordained the malice of heretics to the good of the faithful.
He says this, first, for the clearer declaration of truth. Hence Augustine says in The City of God: a question raised by an adversary is an occasion for learning; indeed, many things pertaining to the Catholic faith, when they are devised by the clever energy of heretics, in order that they may be defended against them, are considered more carefully and understood more clearly and preached with more emphasis. Hence it is said: iron sharpens iron; and one man sharpens another (Prov 27:17). Second, to reveal the weakness of faith in those who believe rightly. And this is what the Apostle says, that they also, who are approved, i.e., approved by God, may be made manifest among you: like gold in the furnace he tried them (Wis 3:6).
629. Then when he says, when you come together therefore, he accuses them of a third fault, namely, that they sinned in the way and order in which they took the body of Christ. All that follows can be explained in two ways. According to the first explanation they are accused of taking the body of Christ just after eating.
In regard to this he does four things.
First, he mentions the harm they incur;
second, he mentions the fault, at for every one takes;
third, he looks for the cause of the fault, at what, have you no houses;
fourth, he concludes his rebuke, what shall I say to you.
630. He says, therefore, first, when you come together, there are schisms among you, therefore, you come together therefore into one, in body, not in mind, now you have come to this which is not, i.e., not lawful or is not becoming for you, to eat the Lord’s supper, i.e., receive the sacrament of the Eucharist, which the Lord gave his disciples at supper. For this sacrament, says Augustine in On John, is the sacrament of unity and love. Therefore, it is not suited to dissenters; eat, O friends and drink; drink deeply, O lovers (Song 5:2).
631. Or better: it can be referred to what follows, so that the sense is: not only are there disputes among you when you come together, but it has now become your custom to do what is not lawful for you, namely, to eat the Lord’s supper, which you approach right after eating. For because the Lord gave this sacrament to his disciples after supper (Matt 26:26), the Corinthians also wanted to take the body of Christ after a common meal.