Who was at the bottom of the social scale in Corinth, and who was at the top?
In Corinth, slaves and bond slaves stood at the bottom of the social scale, while wealthy merchant men, probably shipowners whose vessels were at sea and for whom Corinth was a home bay, stood at the top. The Corinthian church drew from the whole strata of society, including a few Jews and more Gentiles.
Les explains that the Corinthian believers were from the whole strata of society—a few Jews and more than likely more Gentiles. In that day and time, the bottom of the social totem pole was occupied by slaves and bond slaves. At the top were wealthy merchant men who probably had ships out at sea, with Corinth as their home bay. So within that little congregation there was a whole cross-section of society. Les also notes this mattered because before the official Lord's Communion table they would have a potluck supper, and people are people; the bottom echelon would bring what they could afford, the mundane, cheaper things.