What does it mean that the Corinthians came together 'not for the better, but for the worse'?
Paul declared he could not praise the Corinthians because their church gatherings were doing them more harm than good. By mishandling what Paul had delivered to them, especially the Lord’s table, and by allowing divisions, their coming together failed to edify and instead worked against their good.
Les explains that Paul was finding fault with the Corinthians, saying, “I praise you not.” Their problem was especially with the Lord’s table, and they had big problems more than any church could imagine today. Paul says their way of coming into the local church was doing them more harm than good because they were totally mixing up the things he had delivered to them and doing it all wrong. In verse 18 Paul adds that when they came together in the church, there were divisions among them. The church in that setting was not a great big edifice but a small group meeting in someone’s living room or patio.
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
More Questions
Why did the Corinthians' church gatherings do them more harm than good?
The way the Corinthians were conducting their gatherings caused their coming into the local church to do them more harm than good.
How bad were the Corinthians' problems with the Lord's table?
The Corinthian church had serious problems with the Lord's table — bigger problems than any church today could imagine.