Quick Summary:

Just about everything that could go wrong, did go wrong at Corinth. The problems were many. There were factions based on personalities and factions based on pedigree. There were disagreements over marriage, sexual mores, and dress codes. Skirmishes were breaking out over the proper Christian diet. Members were taking each other to court. And a tug-of-war over spiritual gifts had everyone up in arms.

And though Paul affirms the great GIFTS that are present in the community, he doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the issues they face. By the time we gets to chapter 11 and their behavior around celebrating the communion meal, Paul’s really worked up a head of steam.

What was the problem? The problem was the meal, was not being celebrated in the manner in which Christ intended.
This Meal was supposed to be a meal that would lift up the oneness that Christ’s self offering had brought about for all who received him in faith. But in the Corinthian community the meal had become a sloppy sideshow that only deepened the divisions which were already apparent.

The more you look at the context of the letter the more clear it becomes that “discerning the body” is not about intellectual or theological acumen, it’s about engaging in practices which honor the other members of the community—my brothers and sisters for whom Christ died.