A friend of mine in college believed that at least once a week he needed to reach popping point, meaning that he ate so much one more bite would make him explode. As a young man I embraced this philosophy wholeheartedly. It wasn’t until a few years later (when my metabolism slowed) the dangers of popping point emerged. But even today it’s a tempting prospect.
Several members of the church in Corinth employed a similar practice at their communal meals. They ate plenty, even to the point of pulling away into a private dining space with their own spread, excluding fellow church members. Paul called them out:
Your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you…for while you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.
One group reached popping point, while another stared at empty plates. All in the same fellowship hall.
The church in Corinth faced many problems, but this stark dichotomy reveals a major one. The issue ran deeper than full bellies. The church stratified into a wealthy upper crust and lower class parishioners. Many churches over the years divided in the same way. Yet Paul cuts no slack.
The point of a church body is togetherness, sharing needs and plenty. Paul actually expected this group of believers to practice the words of their Savior – to do unto others as would be done unto them.
Today our lives and places of worship must also match the teachings of Jesus. The last person in the buffet line at a church supper should enjoy just as bountiful a spread as the first. Maybe that jello salad with marshmallows has disappeared, but there should still be plenty to eat.
1 Corinthians 11 in reading the Bible in 2023
Photo by Markus Winkler
Very interesting I have experienced this very thing several times and the sad point is it has been with Christian men.
Yes, sometimes the end of the line is pretty scarce. Also true with college students!