1 Corinthians 11:22

Have ye not houses? If they assembled only to partake of their individually provided food and drink, they might well do that in their own homes, and so avoid bringing disgrace on the cause of God.

Despise. Do you think so little of the general practice of the whole body of believers in all places that you will set aside principle in order to satisfy your pride in your factions, and to gratify your selfish appetites?

Have not. That is, the destitute ones whose poverty was emphasized by the unfeeling manner in which many of the church members acted at the communion services. Failure to provide for the poor on such occasions not only drew attention to their unfortunate condition, but also revealed the fact that those who acted in that manner were wholly unprepared to partake in the ordinance.

That believers should so far lose sight of the sacred, exalted nature of the Lord’s Supper as to permit jealousy, envy, gluttony, pride, and neglect of the poor to have a place in their thinking and acting, merited the most severe rebuke. Such things showed clearly that those who acted in that way were absolutely devoid of the spirit of Jesus, who loves all impartially and who has tender regard for the unfortunate members of His flock (see Lev. 19:10; Ps. 41:1; 72:4; 132:15; Prov. 14:21; Isa. 14:32; 58:7; Matt. 26:11; Luke 14:13; James 2:5). To show contempt for the poor, and pass them by on account of their lack of the material blessings of life, is looked on by the Lord as ill-treatment of Him. Those who thus treat the poor show their utter misconception of the principles of the kingdom of God (see Matt. 25:40–46). Ministry to the poor, sick, and aged is Christianity in action.

Praise you not. However he might seek for it, there was not one thing that the apostle could commend in their manner of observing the ordinance. On the contrary, there was much ground for unqualified censure. The situation called for the exposition of the purpose of the Lord’s Supper, which follows in vs. 23–30.