And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
We are given to understand by this that it was too much for him to set forth in a letter the whole manner of proceeding to be observed by the universal church and that what he set in order personally cannot be altered. Letter , To Januarius.
Paul adds that he will deal with everything else when he comes. It is likely that the Corinthians would have objected that not everything could be put right by letter. Therefore, Paul tells them to get on with these things in the meantime and that he will do the rest in due course.
By permitting, he hinders it, and more strongly than by an absolute prohibition. For he brings him out of the church and sends him to his house, hereby severely reprimanding and ridiculing them, as slaves to the belly and unable to contain themselves. For he said not, if any despise the poor, but, if any hunger, discoursing as with impatient children; as with brute beasts which are slaves to appetite. Since it would be indeed very ridiculous, if, because they were hungry they were to eat at home.
Yet he was not content with this, but added also another more fearful thing, saying, that your coming together be not unto judgment: that you come not unto chastisement, unto punishment, insulting the Church, dishonoring your brother. For for this cause ye come together, says he, that you may love one another, that you may profit and be profited. But if the contrary happen, it were better for you to feed yourselves at home.
This, however, he said, that he might attract them to him the mo...
