Note 5 at 1Co 11:22: Some people have misinterpreted this verse, just as 1Co 11:20 (see note 3 at that verse), to say that it is wrong to eat or drink in the church assemblies. Paul was not forbidding that but was putting forth a proper method of conduct for the Lord's Supper. The Corinthians had turned communion into a feast where those who were well-off gorged themselves while those who were without went hungry (1Co 11:21). This obviously was not the type of unity that was evident in the first Lord's Supper and that the Lord intended His followers to observe in communion (see note 2 at 1Co 11:19).

The observance of communion should focus on the sacrificial offering of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus for us, not on food. This is why churches usually take just a symbolic amount of wine, or juice, and bread instead of a meal. Meals in the church building are not wrong as long as there is ample provision to supply those who may not be able to provide food for themselves.

Note 6 at 1Co 11:22: There are eight different Hebrew and four different Greek words used to describe the poor in the Holy Scriptures. The English word "poor" is used a total of 205 times in the King James Version. As stated by Jesus, the poor are always among us (Mt 26:11), and blessings are promised to those that consider them (Ps 41:1 and 112:9). Jesus' concern for the poor (Ac 20:35) carried down through the apostles (Ga 2:9-10) to the early church as they cared for the poor, the widows (Ac 2:45; 4:34; 6:1, and 8), and promoted special collections for the needy saints (Ro 15:26).

In the Old Testament, the Law of Moses protected the needy by supplying special legislation that gave a portion of the tithes to the poor (De 14:28-29 and 26:12-13), supplied them with the right to glean the fields (Le 19:9-10 and De 24:19-21), restored their land in the Year of Jubilee (Le 25:25-28), gave daily payment of wages rather than weekly or monthly (Le 19:13), and provided justice for them and freedom from oppression (Ex 23:6 and De 7:19).

God also promised to hear their prayers (Ps 69:33) and to help, shelter, and provide for them (Ps 72:12-13, 132:15; and Isa 41:17).

We are told in Scripture that to have pity upon the poor is to lend to the Lord (Pr 19:17), to oppress the poor is to reproach our Maker (Pr 14:31), a special blessing of healing and deliverance in time of trouble will be granted to those considering the poor (Ps 41:1-3), and those who have mercy on the poor will be happy (Pr 14:21).