The word "that" here signifies not the cause, but the consequence of the matter, as is evident from many passages. For when the proud do not receive others at their table, then the "approved" are revealed, that is, the poor, because they endure contempt, whereas before this their endurance was not visible. Or he calls "approved" those who still preserve the custom regarding the table; for not all violated it. Thus, when the violators prove to be unapproved, the keepers prove to be approved.
1 Cor. 11:20. Furthermore, you come together in such a way that it does not mean to eat the Lord's Supper.
The gathering serves as a sign of love and communion: yet in practice this does not happen. He calls it the Lord's Supper, referring to the common table as an imitation of that Last Supper which the Lord shared with His disciples. For this reason he also called the meal a supper. So take note, he says, of what you are depriving yourselves; you are depriving yourselves of the imitation of the table of your Master.
1 Cor. 11:21. Each one hastens to eat his own food before the others.
You have turned this Lord's Supper into your own private one. For as long as it was common, it was also called the Lord's Supper; for the Master's goods are common to all servants. But since each one hastens to eat his own supper, not waiting for the poor, but eating by himself, you have dishonored your supper, having made it private instead of the Lord's.
1 Cor. 11:21. So that one goes hungry, while another gets drunk.
The poor man goes hungry, while the rich man gets drunk. Thus, there are two vices: one — you despise the poor, the other — you yourselves get drunk, consuming by yourselves what you ought to have offered to the poor as well. He said expressively: "gets drunk."
1 Cor. 11:22. Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink?
If you do not intend to eat all together, then why do you not eat at home?
1 Cor. 11:22. Or do you despise the church of God?
For when you turn the Lord's Supper into a private one, eating by yourself, you show contempt both for the church and for the place.
1 Cor. 11:22. And put to shame those who have nothing?
The poor are troubled not so much by the fact that you do not feed them, as by the fact that you put them to shame, exposing their poverty, while you yourselves recline grandly and drink to excess.
1 Cor. 11:22. What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? I will not praise you.
Having rebuked them for their error, he softens his speech. He could have said that this is worthy of a thousand deaths; but what does he say? "Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you." He does this in order to make them more condescending toward the poor. For if he had extended his strong rebuke to the end, they would have hardened themselves against the needy, since the apostle reproaches them on their account.
1 Cor. 11:23. For I received from the Lord Himself that which I also delivered to you.
Why does he mention the mysteries and that supper? Very fittingly, in order to convince that your Master deemed all worthy of one and the same table, yet you reject and despise one of your own kind. How does he say that he received from the Lord, when he was not at that time with the Lord, but was a persecutor? So that you may know that even now at the mystical table it is the Lord Himself who imparts the mysteries, just as He did then.
1 Cor. 11:23-24. That the Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread and, having given thanks, broke it and said: take, eat, this is My Body, which is broken for you.
Remember, he says, that He delivered this sacrament to you last of all, moreover on the night in which He was handed over to slaughter, and He did not exclude His betrayer from the table, yet you despise your brother. You were taught to give thanks, for He too gave thanks, to give us a model, yet you do things unworthy of thanksgiving, for you dishonor the Church, and while another goes hungry, you drink to excess. He said to all in common: "Take, eat," and moreover His own Body, which He broke equally for all, delivering it to death, yet you hasten to eat, you do not offer the common bread to distribute to many, but keep it for yourself.
1 Cor. 11:24. Do this in remembrance of Me.
What are you saying? If you were holding a memorial for a son or a father, your conscience would torment you if you did not fulfill what is customary and did not invite the poor, yet when holding a memorial for the Master, you do not even share the meal at all.
1 Cor. 11:25. Likewise also the cup after supper, and said: this cup is the new testament in My Blood.
And in the Old Testament there were cups into which, after the sacrifice, the blood of irrational animals was poured (Exod. 24:6–8), and it was received with a goblet and a cup. Therefore, in place of the blood of irrational animals, which sealed the Old Testament, I now offer My Blood, sealing with it the New Testament. Therefore, do not be troubled when you hear of blood. For if in the Old Testament you received the blood of irrational animals, how much more ought you now to receive the Divine Blood?
1 Cor. 11:25. Do this, whenever you drink, in remembrance of Me.
And through the cup, he says, you perform a remembrance of the Master's death. How then do you alone drink and get drunk, when this fearful cup was given equally for all?