12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Commentary
Vs. 12 "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ."
The Apostle Paul having mentioned the various giftings of the Spirit given to each believer as He wills. Now draws an analogy of the Body of Christ and all it's members with that of the human body. And so just as the human body has different members with different functions, so is the Body of Christ. Now Paul's analogy should not be restricted to just Spirit gifts (though that is inherently a part of it given the context), but must also include the diversity of people that God calls to Himself, who all make up the Body of Christ. That is the Apostles main point in this section, to help us all see the: "Unity and Diversity in One Body", as the NKJ paragraph heading so simply states it.
Vs. 13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit."
The imperative thought here is that we were all baptized into one body by one Spirit. Whether Jews or Greeks (i.e. Gentiles), whether slaves or free; (thus whatever sort of class, social, or cultural distinctions that defined or categorized us before our salvation); all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have been baptized into one Body of believers by one Spirit. There is then just One Holy Spirit who not only baptized us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ into one Body the moment we believed in Christ (see Eph. 1:13-14). But it is the same Spirit who also equips us with differing Spirit gifts and offices according to His own will. Thus we have all been made to drink into One Spirit, for it is God's Spirit alone who both baptizes us into Christ, as well as unites us all In Christ, who is the Head of the Body. There is then only One Body, One Spirit, One baptism (see Eph. 4:3-6).
Vs. 14 "For in fact the body is not one member but many."
The Body of Christ is not just made up of one member, like the human body there are many different members of it, with unique functions and purposes, yet all make up the same body. And so the Body of Christ is not just made up from one nation, race, culture, gender, or generation of people, but it is made up of us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in whatever generation we believe; who once were not a people, but now we are the people of God (see 1 Peter 2:9-10). Similarly the Body of Christ is not just one Spirit gift. And thus the Body of Christ consists of not just "one member"; that is one type of Spirit gifting or activity; but by God's design it is made up of many different parts which do and perform many different functions. There is then in the Body of Christ not just one type of Spirit gift, but many. Each having its own God given purpose, function, and Spirit enabling/empowering. The human body then is a perfect way to analogize this, and not just the diversity of the Body of Christ, but also the interdependence that is the Body of Christ as well.
Vs. 15-16 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
The Apostle Paul's questions here are meant to reaffirm to us each and every member of the Body of Christ as being not only a part of Christ, but also a necessary member of His Body. For just as the human body has hands and feet, ears and eyes etc., so too does the Body of Christ have many different members with many different functions. And thus though these are distinct from one another, they are all still a part of the body. For just as all the natural parts of the human body are distinct in some way, yet they're all apart of that same body. The same then is absolutely true of the Body of Christ and the various and diverse members of it. Now what makes us all apart of the Body of Christ is not how we are Spirit gifted, rather it is the Spirit of God who has baptized us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ into His Body of believers of which He is the Head, for that alone makes us a member of the Body of Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us (Rom 8:9). Everything else that is seen is basically irreverent as this pertains to our standing with God in Christ. Therefore if you don't exercise the same Spirit gift as another don't fret about it, for it's not the gift you exercise that makes you, it's the Spirit of God inside of you that makes you belong to Christ.
Vs. 17-19 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
In verse seventeen the Apostle Paul embraces the diversity of the body, using a simply analogy he makes it clear that each member of the body though distinct brings it's own giftedness to the whole. Now in case anyone should question this diversity of gifts and people and personalities and such in the Body of Christ the Apostle Paul now states that it is God Himself who has set each one of them in the body as He pleased (vs. 18). And so returning too his initial thought in verse seventeen, the Apostle makes it clear this diversity amongst the members is necessary, for without it where would the body be if all exercised the same Spirit gift. Or all did the same function in the local church. There needs to be many different members, contributing their different gifts and talents and such to make the whole function well.
Vs. 20 "But now indeed there are many members, yet one body."
Many members, yet one body. Thus many different members with many different gifts, talents, life experiences, cultural backgrounds etc. and yet there is just one body of believers, just as the human body has many different members (i.e. parts), yet each memebr belongs too and contributes to the whole.
Vs. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
The eye may see, but what it sees it can't handle. Same with the head it may think, yet it cannot move itself around without the feet. And so neither can say, "I have no need of you". So is the Body of Christ and all us believers with all of our various Spirit given gifts or talents. We may excel in one area, and yet in another we lack. Or we may have great plans and ideas, and yet we can in no way execute them without the assistance and support of the other members of the body. Thus no one in the body of Christ, no matter how gifted they think they are is to think themselves independent of the others.
Vs. 22 "No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary."
Indeed the Apostle Paul says those members which seem to be weaker are necessary. Consider if you will Anna the elderly widow in Lukes gospel who served the Lord night and day with fastings and prayers. By all outward appearances she wouldn't have garnered a second glance from the multitudes who daily made their way into and out of the Temple. And yet there she was serving the Lord night and day who in acknowledgment of her service choose her to be one of His first witnesses after His birth. And so long before there were Apostles, there was Anna, the Lord's faithful servant.
Vs. 23-25 "And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
Vs. 26 "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."
Therefore if one member suffers than all are to suffer with it, or if one is honored than all are to rejoice with it. For the body's unity isn't just found in doctrine, or purpose, but in sharing in each others pain and rejoicing in each others being honored. For to share in each others sufferings is to live and love like Christ. Similarly to rejoice in each others exaltation (i.e. being honored) is to celebrate what God has done through that individual, which again strengthens the whole. And so these are things which we all should do because the joy of the Lord that comes through the Spirit, is most effectively released in us and through us, when we do what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord.
Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Vs. 13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit."
The imperative thought here is that we were all baptized into one body by one Spirit. Whether Jews or Greeks (i.e. Gentiles), whether slaves or free; (thus whatever sort of class, social, or cultural distinctions that defined or categorized us before our salvation); all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have been baptized into one Body of believers by one Spirit. There is then just One Holy Spirit who not only baptized us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ into one Body the moment we believed in Christ (see Eph. 1:13-14). But it is the same Spirit who also equips us with differing Spirit gifts and offices according to His own will. Thus we have all been made to drink into One Spirit, for it is God's Spirit alone who both baptizes us into Christ, as well as unites us all In Christ, who is the Head of the Body. There is then only One Body, One Spirit, One baptism (see Eph. 4:3-6).
Vs. 14 "For in fact the body is not one member but many."
The Body of Christ is not just made up of one member, like the human body there are many different members of it, with unique functions and purposes, yet all make up the same body. And so the Body of Christ is not just made up from one nation, race, culture, gender, or generation of people, but it is made up of us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in whatever generation we believe; who once were not a people, but now we are the people of God (see 1 Peter 2:9-10). Similarly the Body of Christ is not just one Spirit gift. And thus the Body of Christ consists of not just "one member"; that is one type of Spirit gifting or activity; but by God's design it is made up of many different parts which do and perform many different functions. There is then in the Body of Christ not just one type of Spirit gift, but many. Each having its own God given purpose, function, and Spirit enabling/empowering. The human body then is a perfect way to analogize this, and not just the diversity of the Body of Christ, but also the interdependence that is the Body of Christ as well.
Vs. 15-16 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
The Apostle Paul's questions here are meant to reaffirm to us each and every member of the Body of Christ as being not only a part of Christ, but also a necessary member of His Body. For just as the human body has hands and feet, ears and eyes etc., so too does the Body of Christ have many different members with many different functions. And thus though these are distinct from one another, they are all still a part of the body. For just as all the natural parts of the human body are distinct in some way, yet they're all apart of that same body. The same then is absolutely true of the Body of Christ and the various and diverse members of it. Now what makes us all apart of the Body of Christ is not how we are Spirit gifted, rather it is the Spirit of God who has baptized us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ into His Body of believers of which He is the Head, for that alone makes us a member of the Body of Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us (Rom 8:9). Everything else that is seen is basically irreverent as this pertains to our standing with God in Christ. Therefore if you don't exercise the same Spirit gift as another don't fret about it, for it's not the gift you exercise that makes you, it's the Spirit of God inside of you that makes you belong to Christ.
Vs. 17-19 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
In verse seventeen the Apostle Paul embraces the diversity of the body, using a simply analogy he makes it clear that each member of the body though distinct brings it's own giftedness to the whole. Now in case anyone should question this diversity of gifts and people and personalities and such in the Body of Christ the Apostle Paul now states that it is God Himself who has set each one of them in the body as He pleased (vs. 18). And so returning too his initial thought in verse seventeen, the Apostle makes it clear this diversity amongst the members is necessary, for without it where would the body be if all exercised the same Spirit gift. Or all did the same function in the local church. There needs to be many different members, contributing their different gifts and talents and such to make the whole function well.
Vs. 20 "But now indeed there are many members, yet one body."
Many members, yet one body. Thus many different members with many different gifts, talents, life experiences, cultural backgrounds etc. and yet there is just one body of believers, just as the human body has many different members (i.e. parts), yet each memebr belongs too and contributes to the whole.
Vs. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
The eye may see, but what it sees it can't handle. Same with the head it may think, yet it cannot move itself around without the feet. And so neither can say, "I have no need of you". So is the Body of Christ and all us believers with all of our various Spirit given gifts or talents. We may excel in one area, and yet in another we lack. Or we may have great plans and ideas, and yet we can in no way execute them without the assistance and support of the other members of the body. Thus no one in the body of Christ, no matter how gifted they think they are is to think themselves independent of the others.
Vs. 22 "No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary."
Indeed the Apostle Paul says those members which seem to be weaker are necessary. Consider if you will Anna the elderly widow in Lukes gospel who served the Lord night and day with fastings and prayers. By all outward appearances she wouldn't have garnered a second glance from the multitudes who daily made their way into and out of the Temple. And yet there she was serving the Lord night and day who in acknowledgment of her service choose her to be one of His first witnesses after His birth. And so long before there were Apostles, there was Anna, the Lord's faithful servant.
Vs. 23-25 "And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
Those members which we think less honorable, on these we are
bestow greater honor. Now this is
stated twice in these verses of Scripture, so it's emphasis, that is incumbent upon us all, should not be understated. While the unpresentable parts of the body we are to have greater modesty. Thus certain parts of body inherently lack in honor, (and thus should receive honor and acknowledgement from us for the contributions and good that they do and make towards the whole), while other parts of the body require greater modest care. And so these are things we can all individually and collectively do (vs. 23). While our presentable parts have no need (vs. 24). For these are already well regarded for their position and or place they hold in the body, and thus generally are not lacking in honor. While those members of body which are thought as "less honorable" often serve the whole in a no less valuable and needful ways, and yet these often go unnoticed for their service, contribution, and or commitment to the Lord's Body. Therefore as the Apostle Paul says here, we are to give greater honor to those who lack. Not just because it's right to exalt the lowly (consider Luke 1:52; James 1:9-11), but because this is how God composed the Body, "having given greater honor to that part which lacks it," so that there should be no schism in the body, but the members should have the same care for one another. For ultimately the solution to schisms (i.e. divisions) in the church (or just about anywhere else) is to treat all members of the body with a mutual care and concern (vs. 25). Therefore since we are Jesus' disciples, let us all show mutual love and concern for each other; for not only is this is our single most important witness to the world and duty to Christ, but ultimately to each other as well (John 13:35; 1 Cor 13).
stated twice in these verses of Scripture, so it's emphasis, that is incumbent upon us all, should not be understated. While the unpresentable parts of the body we are to have greater modesty. Thus certain parts of body inherently lack in honor, (and thus should receive honor and acknowledgement from us for the contributions and good that they do and make towards the whole), while other parts of the body require greater modest care. And so these are things we can all individually and collectively do (vs. 23). While our presentable parts have no need (vs. 24). For these are already well regarded for their position and or place they hold in the body, and thus generally are not lacking in honor. While those members of body which are thought as "less honorable" often serve the whole in a no less valuable and needful ways, and yet these often go unnoticed for their service, contribution, and or commitment to the Lord's Body. Therefore as the Apostle Paul says here, we are to give greater honor to those who lack. Not just because it's right to exalt the lowly (consider Luke 1:52; James 1:9-11), but because this is how God composed the Body, "having given greater honor to that part which lacks it," so that there should be no schism in the body, but the members should have the same care for one another. For ultimately the solution to schisms (i.e. divisions) in the church (or just about anywhere else) is to treat all members of the body with a mutual care and concern (vs. 25). Therefore since we are Jesus' disciples, let us all show mutual love and concern for each other; for not only is this is our single most important witness to the world and duty to Christ, but ultimately to each other as well (John 13:35; 1 Cor 13).
Vs. 26 "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."
Therefore if one member suffers than all are to suffer with it, or if one is honored than all are to rejoice with it. For the body's unity isn't just found in doctrine, or purpose, but in sharing in each others pain and rejoicing in each others being honored. For to share in each others sufferings is to live and love like Christ. Similarly to rejoice in each others exaltation (i.e. being honored) is to celebrate what God has done through that individual, which again strengthens the whole. And so these are things which we all should do because the joy of the Lord that comes through the Spirit, is most effectively released in us and through us, when we do what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord.
Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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