“If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home.” That quote from 1 Corinthians doesn’t sound very hospitable does it?
There are plenty of times in Paul’s writings where he sounds a wee bit harsh. At least if you take it out of context and try to apply what he’s saying to everyday life. But if you zoom out a bit and see what he’s actually talking about and why, it’s easier to understand the love in his heart for his fellow man. And it’s easier to see why Paul wants us to really pay attention.
In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Paul is talking to the people of the church about The Lord’s Supper. It appears the people weren’t gathering to share “The Lord’s Supper”. They seemed to be using the time as an excuse to merely dine and drink. Paul got a little irate and asked “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?” That’s like someone today saying “Dude! You should do this at home! Don’t party here.”
If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home.
This means…if you’re merely hungry for a meal, stay home and make a sandwich. But if you’re hungry for the Bread of Life, then by all means enjoy the Lord’s Supper together. But the Lord’s Supper isn’t about mere bread and wine that goes bad. It’s about the body and blood of the One who came to earth as a man…suffered and died for the sins of all mankind…and rose again to be the “firstborn from the dead”.
If you’re hungry for that Truth, you should be a part of that supper. But if you’re just hungry, order a pizza, stay home, and watch a movie.
In Faith, Hope, and Love”
