"So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come."
This chapter’s final words on the Lord’s Table wrap things up by addressing the subjects of unity and respect. The call for unity comes in the directive to observe the ordinance together. In the book of Ephesians, the church is described as one body with many members that are to be walking together in unity. We get a glimpse of that in these verses. The ordinance is to be observed by everyone at the same time. It is something that you all do together.
And the motivation for this unity is the respect that you have for other believers. You should not to be eating feasts in front of the hungry because, unlike most of the world, you care about the hungry, especially if they are believers. It is perhaps surprising that the respect is not for the Lord Himself. Surely that is a part of the equation. But here we see that God is keenly interested in our being rightly related to one another.
If we fail to walk in unity and respect for other believers, especially while participating in the Lord’s table, we will be judged. Our relationships with others are important to God.
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