1 Corinthians 11:20

The Greek words do not necessarily signify into one place, they may as well be translated, for the same thing, and possibly that were the better translation of them in this place; divisions appearing the worse amongst persons that met as one and the same body, and for one and the same grave action, and that such an action as declared them one body, and laid upon them the highest obligation to brotherly love imaginable. This is not to eat the Lord's supper: some words must be here supplied to complete the sense. This is not to eat; that is, as you do it is indeed not to do it; to eat the Lord's supper in an unlawful manner, is not to eat it. It is called the Lord's supper, either because he ordained and instituted it, or because it was instituted for the remembrance of his death, 1 Corinthians 11:26 Luke 22:19. Some think that the sacrament of the Lord's supper is here meant, and so one would think, by comparing what is here with 1 Corinthians 11:23,24. Others say, that the love feast is here intended, which ordinarily preceded the Lord's supper; the reason they give is, because the abuses here mentioned, viz. not staying one for another till the whole church were met, one eating plentifully, another sparingly, some being hungry while others had ate and drank enough, could not be at the Lord's supper, where the minister beginneth not till the whole church be assembled, and where there is no such liberal eating and drinking. To this purpose we are told, that by an ancient custom in Greece (within which Corinth was) the rich men offered some things to their idols, (which after that action the poor had for their relief), and made feasts in the idol's temples, of which all had a liberty to eat. That the Christians imitated this practice of theirs, and the rich amongst them upon the Lord's days made feasts, at which both poor and rich Christians might be, and the poor carried away what was left. But this church growing corrupt every way, and having got teachers to their humours, they at these feasts neglected the poor, inviting only the rich to them, and also exceeding in their provision for their rich guests. These feasts were called feasts of love, or love feasts, either because:

1. Love to God was that which (pretendedly at least) caused them.

2. Or because they were representations of our Lord's last supper, in which he first ate the paschal lamb, then instituted what we call the Lord's supper; or because they immediately preceded or followed the administration of the Lord's supper, from whence the love feast, being immediately before or after it, had also the same name. But if we allow this, we must make the love feasts also Christ's institution, and instituted in remembrance of him, neither of which can be proved. The meaning must be: You cannot rightly communicate at the Lord's table, when immediately before or after that table, at your love feast, you are guilty of such disorderly actions. In the mean time, only what Christ instituted for remembrance of his death is what the apostle calls the Lord's supper.