Meal Practices in Associations: Reimagining Social Conflicts at the Corinthian Lord's Supper

Current scholarly endeavours regarding the nature of σχίσματα (“divisions”), which determine the entire exegesis of 1 Cor 11:17-34, have frequently arrived at either of the two following conjectures: difference in arrival time between the wealthier members and the poorer members and inhospitality of the former toward the latter in terms of food sharing. The specific understanding of προλαμβάνω in v. 21 and ἐκδέχομαι in v. 33 is critically affected in the first conjecture by the temporal reading of the two verbs (“take in advance” and “wait for”) - problematizing the wealthier members’ proceeding to eat the Corinthian Lord’s Supper without waiting for the poorer members’ arrival - and in the second conjecture by the non-temporal reading of the verbs (“take” and “receive”) - problematizing greediness of the wealthier members who did not share their food with the poorer members who were present with them but had little or nothing to eat. The conclusion reached in both conjectures is that the poorer members were neglected and humiliated, especially by not receiving any food besides bread and wine at the Corinthian Lord’s Supper. Arguing from the honour and shame codes pertinent to table fellowship attested in both ancient literature and Greco-Roman private associations, this study mainly argues against the first conjecture by claiming that the temporal reading of προλαμβάνω and ἐκδέχομαι is built on anachronistic scholarly assumptions, and so should be abandoned. While supporting the non-temporal reading of the two verbs, however, this study also argues against so-called ‘common constructed views’ of the second conjecture, such as methods of provisioning meals, distribution practice, menu items, and abuses in food consumption by the wealthier members which led the poorer members to be neglected and humiliated at the Corinthian Lord’s Supper. On the basis of a newly constructed understanding of the nature of the σχίσματα from both ancient literature and private associations, this study attempts to provide, particularly in comparison to communal and periodic meal practices in associations, both a socially and historically precise understanding of some details involved in 1 Cor 11:17-34.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD