THE CONTEXT:
In chapters 12-14, Paul deals with the issue of spiritual gifts. Rather than celebrating one another's gifts, the Corinthian Christians have become prideful concerning their particular gifts and dismissive of the gifts of others. Therefore spiritual gifts have become a divisive influence among them (see especially 12:12-31).
Paul repeatedly addresses issues related to the gift of tongues (12:10, 28, 30; 13:1; 14:2, 4-25), giving us reason to believe that those issues are especially serious in Corinth. In his lists of gifts (12:4-10, 28), he places the gift of tongues and their interpretation last. He devotes the first half of chapter 14 to counsel concerning the gift of tongues-much more space than he devotes to problems with other spiritual gifts. In that chapter, he says that the gift of prophecy is superior to the gift of tongues (14:2-5, 20-25). Elsewhere, he lists gifts without mentioning the gift of tongues (Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-12).
Paul lists various gifts, including the gift of tongues (vv. 27-30), and then promises to show the Corinthian Christians "a still more excellent way" (12:31). The gift of love is the highest spiritual gift (chapter 13, especially v. 13).
The first account of speaking in tongues took place at Pentecost (Acts 2:5-13). Peter spoke to a crowd composed of people from many different nations, and everyone heard Peter's sermon in his/her own language (Acts 2:8-11).
The gift of tongues that we find in Paul's letter to the Corinthian church is different. Without an interpreter, the language of tongues is unintelligible (14:2, 9-13). Paul doesn't forbid the use of tongues, but emphasizes the necessity of an interpreter to make the tongues intelligible. He speaks in tongues personally (14:18), but says, "I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language" (14:19).
1 CORINTHIANS 12:3b-11. THERE ARE VARIOUS KINDS OF GIFTS, BUT THE SAME SPIRIT
3bNo man speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is accursed" (Greek: anathema). No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," but by the Holy Spirit.
4Now there are various kinds of gifts (Greek: charismaton-from charisma), but the same Spirit. 5There are various kinds of service (Greek: diakonion-from diakonia), and the same Lord. 6There are various kinds of workings (Greek: energematon-from energema), but the same God, who works(Greek: energon-from energeo) all things in all. 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all (Greek: pros to sympheron-for what is beneficial). 8For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom (Greek: logos sophias), and to another the word of knowledge(Greek: logos gnoseos), according to the same Spirit; 9to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; 10and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11But the one and the same Spirit works (Greek: enegei) all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.
"No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' but by the Holy Spirit" (v. 3). It was by the work of the Holy Spirit that these Corinthian Christians found Christ. The Spirit has inspired them to say, "Jesus is Lord."
"Now there are various kinds of gifts (charismaton-from charisma), but the same Spirit" (v. 4). Note that the word translated "gifts" in this verse (charisma) is different from the word translated "spiritual gifts" in verse 1 (pneumatikon). As noted above, in most instances, pneumatikon would be better translated "spiritual things" rather than "spiritual gifts." It is only the context of verse 1 that called for translating it "spiritual gifts." The word charismaton, however, is specifically a word about gifts-special abilities given by God to God's people for God's service.
The word charismaton comes from the word charisma and is related to the word charis, which is usually translated "grace" in the New Testament. Charis is a significant New Testament word, especially in Paul's epistles. Its use in the New Testament has roots in the Hebrew word hesed, used in the Old Testament to speak of God's lovingkindness, mercy, and faithfulness. Greeks (keep in mind that Corinth is a Greek city) often use charis to speak of patronage (financial or political support). To Greeks, the word charis connotes generosity-generosity that demands loyalty on the part of the recipient.
As used in the New Testament, charis refers to the undeserved favor of God. Likewise, the New Testament uses the word charisma to speak of spiritual gifts (special abilities or vocations) that are given by the Spirit to those who could never enjoy them otherwise.
As Paul notes here, there are a variety of gifts. In verses 8-10, he will list nine of those gifts-wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. That list is not comprehensive, however, for there are other gifts. In Romans 12:6-8, Paul lists the gifts of prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and being compassionate. In Ephesians 4:11-12, he lists the gifts of being an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a pastor, and a teacher. Note the variation in those three lists. There is some overlap, but each list includes distinctive gifts. That suggests that these lists are not definitive. There could be other gifts not mentioned in any of these three lists.
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul does not use the word "gift," but speaks of things that are labeled gifts elsewhere, such as speaking in tongues, prophetic powers, understanding mysteries and knowledge, and faith. He goes on to say that these gifts, in the absence of love, are nothing (v. 2). He ends that chapter by saying, "But now faith, hope, and love remain-these three. The greatest of these is love" (v. 13). I interpret this to mean that love is not only a charismaton-a gift-but is the supreme gift.
BUT-and this is the point-while there are many gifts, there is only one Spirit of God who gives them.
"There are various kinds of service (diakonion-from diakonia), and the same Lord" (v. 5). The word diakonion is related to our word "deacon," and denotes a humble kind of service. Jesus said,"Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant" (diakonos) (Matthew 20:26; see also Matthew 23:11). Paul uses the word to show that he is merely a servant of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:5, 9; 2 Corinthians 6:4; Ephesians 1:23; 6:21; Colossians 1:23, 25). He also calls Christ a diakonos (servant) (Romans 15:8).
If you want examples of the varieties of services that Christians might render, just consider the many kinds of service that Christians render on a regular basis in their local church. Those range from the humble (sweeping the floor) to the exalted (handling the sacraments)-but we must be careful not to appreciate the more humble services less than we appreciate the more exalted ones. Each kind of service has its place in the economy of the kingdom of God.
"There are various kinds of workings (energematon-from the noun energema), but the same God, who works (energon-from the verb energeo) all things in all" (v. 6). The noun energema and the verb energeo are words from which we get our word "energy." We could translate this sentence, "there are varieties of things that are created, but it is the same God who energizes (or creates) all of them in everyone."
In verses 4-6, the emphasis is that, while there are many good gifts, it is the one God who gives them all-and gives them to everyone. All Christians are spiritually "gifted" in some sense. Some, like Paul, will have many of the gifts listed above. Others might have only one or two of the gifts (see the comments on v. 4 for lists of spiritual gifts).
If God endows each believer with one or more gifts, we should be careful to look for spiritual gifts in other believers. Doing so will help us to avoid some of the irritation that most of us experience as we rub elbows with other people in the church.
We need also to remember that these spiritual gifts are really that-gifts. They come to us by the grace of God rather than by personal achievement. If we keep that in mind, it will give us a humble spirit if we happen to be among those who are especially gifted.
"But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all" (Greek: pros to sympheron-for that which is beneficial) (v. 7). In verses 8-10, Paul lists nine manifestations of the Spirit. As noted in the comments on verse 4 above, Paul gives additional lists of spiritual gifts in Romans 12:6-8 and Ephesians 4:11-12. In 1 Corinthians 13, he says that love is the greatest gift.
The point of this verse is that all these gifts are given by the Spirit for that which is beneficial-for the common good-not for the exaltation of the gifted person.
"For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom (logos sophias-a message of wisdom), and to another the word of knowledge (logos gnoseos-a message of knowledge), according to the same Spirit" (v. 8). The Corinthians are Greeks, and Greeks prize wisdom and knowledge. It would be an exaggeration to call Greek philosophy a religion, but Greeks tended to approach philosophy with religious intensity.
In chapters 1-4, Paul dealt with issues of wisdom and knowledge. He said, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News-not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn't be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing'" (1:17-19).
"according to the same Spirit" (v. 8b). Given his earlier assessment of wisdom and knowledge, it seems odd that Paul would put these gifts at the head of this list. However, the wisdom and knowledge that Paul lifts up here are different from the wisdom and knowledge that he was talking about earlier. Those were human wisdom and knowledge. These are Godly wisdom and knowledge-gifts given by the Holy Spirit.
"to another faith, by the same Spirit" (v. 9a). Which of these seven things from verses 9-10 is not like the other?
The answer is faith. The other six involve some sort of specific action-healing, working miracles, prophesying, discerning spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues. Not all Christians have even one of those particular gifts, and almost no one has all of them.
Faith is different. While true faith will manifest itself in some sort of action, the possibilities for its manifestations are endless-not like healing, which is very specific.
Faith is also different in that all Christians possess faith. Therefore, we might think of it as the umbrella gift under which all the other gifts are gathered-healing, working miracles, etc.
"by the same Spirit" (v. 9b). Note Paul's repetition of this "same Spirit" theme. There is in the church a great deal of variety, but only one Holy Spirit.
"and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit" (v. 9c). Note that the word "gifts" is plural. Perhaps that means that there is one gift for one kind of healing and another gift for another kind of healing. We certainly recognize that kind of specificity in the medical community today. Perhaps we need to think of that kind of specificity in the faith community. It is also possible that the Spirit might give one person the gift of healing for this situation and another person the gift of healing for a different situation.
Gifts of healing accomplish two things. First, they relieve the suffering of the person who is healed. Second, they equip the church to witness to the power of God in its midst.
Not everyone has the gift of healing, but Jesus did. Paul did. Other apostles did. We have no reason to believe that the gift of healing is not still alive today.
Paul will mention this gift again in verses 28 and 30.
"and to another workings of miracles" (v. 10a). The first recipients of the gift of miracles are found in the Old Testament:
In the New Testament, Jesus worked many miracles, which served two purposes. First, they alleviated suffering. Second, they authenticated Jesus' ministry. In the Gospel of John, Jesus' miracles are called signs, because they point to something larger than the miracles themselves (John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-9; 6:1-40; 9:1-12; 11:1-45).
Jesus' disciples also worked miracles to authenticate their ministry (Acts 2, esp. v. 43; 5:12-20; 14:8; 16:16-27; 19:11-20; 20:9-12; Romans 15:18-19).
"and to another prophecy" (v. 10b). While people today think of prophecy as foretelling the future, the role of a Biblical prophet was to convey a message from God to humans. In many cases, that involved giving people a glimpse of the future, but the foretelling was only in support of the larger prophetic message.
Prophets delivered their message in various forms. Often, they delivered it orally. Some acted out their prophecy in dramatic ways (Hosea, for instance). Many recorded their messages in written form. The seventeen books from Isaiah through Malachi are books of prophecy, but there are written accounts of prophecy in other books as well.
While most Biblical prophecy took place in the Old Testament, the New Testament also includes accounts of prophecy (Acts 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32).
Clergy today often talk about preaching prophetically but their definition of prophetic ministry varies. Some think of prophetic preaching as preaching that takes risks by pronouncing unpopular judgments on powerful entities such as big government or big business. However, much of what is called prophetic preaching today is really popular preaching in service of current cultural or theological fads. There is little risk in preaching it, because it steps on no toes within listening distance-and it is very much in sync with the popular culture.
When I Googled "prophetic ministry," I found a video of a preacher who (1) called his preaching prophetic and (2) claimed to have a message for a "Miss Murphy" sitting in the ninth row. His prophetic message was that God was going to give Miss Murphy her miracle. What flim-flam!
Jesus warned against false messiahs and false prophets (Matthew 7:15; 24:11, 24). How can we distinguish between true and false prophets today? Consider these ten tests:
When applying these tests, we must be careful not to be hypercritical. Even Godly prophets are sinners (Romans 3:23), and few sermons will accomplish everything outlined in tests 1-7. However, these tests provide a starting point for evaluating those who appear to have the gift of prophecy-and also for evaluating our own ministries and our own sermons.
"and to another discerning of spirits" (v. 10c). John counsels, "Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). This has much in common with distinguishing between true and false prophets (see comments on v. 10b above).
We shouldn't be surprised that God gives some people a special gift for discerning spirits. We know people whose reasoned judgments and graceful manner inspire our confidence. Isn't it possible that they are among those whose gifts include discernment of spirits!
"to another different kinds of languages" (v. 10d). What are these various kinds of tongues? We have two very different examples of speaking in tongues in Acts 2:5-13 and in this letter to the Corinthians. In the Acts account, Peter's sermon was heard by people from many nations-and each heard the sermon in his own language. In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul is concerned about speaking in tongues without an interpreter-which means that the speech was not immediately intelligible.
For more on the subject of speaking in tongues, see "The Context" above.
"and to another the interpretation of languages" (v. 10e). Without an interpreter, the language of tongues is unintelligible (14:2, 9-13). Paul doesn't forbid the use of tongues, but does emphasize the necessity of an interpreter to make the tongues intelligible.
It seems, then, that the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues are two different gifts. Could they be combined in a single individual? Probably, but not necessarily.
"But the one and the same Spirit works (enegei) all of these" (v. 11a). This reiterates the emphasis on one Spirit found in verses 4-6 and 8-9. There are many gifts, but one Spirit who energizes all of them.
"distributing to each one separately as he desires" (v. 11b). The Spirit gives spiritual gifts to individuals as the Spirit wills. The emphasis here is more on the Spirit's authority than on the individual distribution of gifts. The Spirit has a plan for distributing spiritual gifts, and distributes them accordingly.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-13. AS THE BODY IS ONE, AND HAS MANY MEMBERS
12For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13For in one Spirit we were all baptized (Greek: ebaptisthemen-from baptizo) into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
"For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ" (v. 12). The word "for" connects this verse with verses 1-11. In those verses, Paul emphasized the variety of gifts and the one Spirit who gives them.
Greeks would be familiar with the "body" and "members" metaphor, because they use similar language with regard to their relationship to the state.
Verse 12 can be represented as a chiastic structure (a literary form common to both Old and New Testaments), as follows:
A: For just as the body is one
B: and has many members
B': and all of the members of the body
A': though many, are one body (Fee, 601)
A and A' are parallel to each other, emphasizing the oneness of the body. Likewise, B and B' are parallel, emphasizing the many members of the body.
In a chiastic structure, the center (in this example, B and B'-many members) functions like a bulls-eye-the center point-the emphasis. This suggests that Paul's primary concern in this text is the variety of members rather than the unity of the body. In verses 12-13, as he sets up his metaphor, he emphasizes the unity of Christ's body. However, beginning with verse 14, he emphasizes the importance of its many members.
Paul uses this metaphor of the church as a body with many members elsewhere:
In 1 Corinthians 11:29, he said, "For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn't discern the Lord's body." This deserves our consideration. While the word "body" in 11:29 could mean Christ's physical body, the context had to do with divisions in the church and Christians who ate and drank to excess while their poorer brothers and sisters went home hungry (11:17-22). Paul outlined the meaning of the Lord's Supper in 11:23-26. He then warned against eating and drinking "in an unworthy way" (v. 27). Then he said, "For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn't discern the Lord's body" (v. 29). "Discern the body" could simply mean recognizing the bread as the body of Christ. However, it could mean showing concern for the church and its members, who are the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18, 24; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23). Or it could mean both.
"so also is Christ" (v. 12b). We expect Paul to say, "so it is with the church," but instead he says, "so also is Christ." While he doesn't say "the body of Christ" in this verse, in verse 27 he says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." It seems likely that, in verse 12, he intends to identify Christ with the church, which is his body.
"For in one Spirit we were all baptized (ebaptisthemen-from baptizo) into one body" (v. 13a). What kind of baptism does Paul mean? When we hear the word, "baptized," we naturally assume water baptism, but that isn't the only kind of baptism mentioned in the New Testament.
John the Baptist promised that Jesus would "baptize you in the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 3:11; see also Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). Just prior to his ascension, Jesus reiterated that promise, saying, "For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5; see also Acts 11:16).
That baptism of Spirit and fire was fulfilled at Pentecost, when "tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak" (Acts 2:3-4). Later in that chapter, three thousand members of the crowd were baptized, presumably by water baptism-but first the disciples were baptized with the Spirit and with fire.
In his encounter with Nicodemus, Jesus didn't use the word "baptism," but he did allude to water and Spirit baptism, saying, "Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't enter into the Kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:5-6).
We associate the Greek word baptizo with water baptism, and that is certainly appropriate. However, we need to keep in mind that baptizo, prior to the rise of the church, referred not to a religious rite but to immersing, dipping, or submerging in water (Renn, 89). A friend of mine, visiting Greece and eating in a restaurant, asked her waiter the meaning of the word baptizo. Rather than using words to explain baptizo, the waiter went to the kitchen to get an egg and a glass of water. He then demonstrated the meaning of baptizo by dropping the egg into the glass, submerging it in water, and saying, "That is baptizo."
Therefore, when Paul says, "we were all baptized into one body," he could be talking about being immersed in water, in the Spirit, or a combination of the two. The fact that he uses the phrase "one Spirit" (vv. 13a, 13c) twice in this verse suggests that he is talking about immersion in the Spirit rather than water baptism-although he could mean both.
But the real point of this verse has to do with "one Spirit" and "one body"-the unity of the church which these Corinthian Christians have impaired by their disputes over spiritual gifts.
"whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free" (v. 13b). These are categories into which people of that time and place tended to separate themselves. In Galatians 3:28, Paul adds the categories of "male nor female." In Colossians 3:11, he adds the categories of barbarian and Scythian. Today we might say "black and white" or "Russian and American."
Both Jews and Greeks would take pride in their identity and each would think of its group as superior to the other. Those who were free would think of themselves as superior to slaves-and, indeed, they were superior according to usual human measures. However, once we are in Christ, those divisions disappear and we are equal before God. God loves us equally. In God's value system, there are only people, not categories.
"and were all given to drink into one Spirit" (v. 13c). When we become Christians, we are not only immersed in the Spirit. The Spirit comes into our innermost selves and dwells within.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:19-26. THE BODY IS NOT ONE MEMBER, BUT MANY
19If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20But now they are many members, but one body. 21The eye can't tell the hand, "I have no need for you," or again the head to the feet, "I have no need for you." 22No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable (Greek: atimotera-from timao), on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts (aschemona) have more abundant propriety; 24 whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, 25that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
"If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now they are many members, but one body. The eye can't tell the hand, 'I have no need for you,' or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need for you'" (v. 19-21). These verses recapitulate the case that Paul has made in verses 15-18.
"No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary" (v. 22). In The Pulpit Commentary on 1 Corinthians, Kenneth Chafin tells about a young man with whom he went to school. The man was an excellent football fullback who had great potential. However, he had an accident on a summer job that resulted in the loss of his big toe. After that loss, he no longer had the quickness and agility that had made him an excellent athlete, so he was no longer competitive. The lesson is that even minor body parts, such as toes, are important. They contribute to the well-being of the whole body, and their loss would be a loss to the whole body.
So it is with the church. Every member is important-even the least among us (Matthew 19:30; Luke 9:46-48).
"Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable (atimotera-from atimao-the opposite of timao), on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable (aschemona) parts have more abundant propriety; whereas our presentable parts have no such need" (v. 23-24a). This is an obvious reference to genitalia. Except for people involved in pornography and an occasional exhibitionist, people treat their private parts privately. Men in locker rooms tend to position themselves with their backs to other men while changing their clothes. They wrap towels around their waists going to and from the showers. Even men who wear tank top shirts to show off their rippling muscles in the weight room tend to behave with modesty in the locker room.
But this modesty does not mean that people do not care about their private parts. On the contrary, a man who has been wounded below the waist on the battlefield is likely to be more concerned about the status of his private parts than with anything else.
This is what Paul means when he says that we treat "our unpresentable parts...more abundant honor."
"But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another" (v. 24b-25). What Paul said in verses 23-24a is part of God's design. God wants us to value all the parts of our bodies-and wants the church to value all of its members.
"When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it" (v. 26a). See the comments on verse 22 above.
Stop to consider what happens when you hit your finger with a hammer or stub your toe. Until the pain subsides, it overwhelms your whole consciousness. You might be able to "play through the pain," but you will be conscious of the pain. You probably won't stop to give thanks for all the body parts that don't hurt, because your pain will draw most of your attention to the member that does hurt. The same would be true if you had a bad toothache or a migraine headache. If one part of our body hurts, we hurt.
So it is (or should be) when a member of the body of Christ is in pain. We should feel sympathy-a word derived from the Greek words syn and pathos-to feel together with. In other words, the pain of other Christians should be our pain. If it isn't, we are out of sync with God's plan and need to pray for God to reorient our thinking and feeling.
"Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (v. 26b). If someone says, "You have beautiful eyes" or "You are really smart," we feel good all over. If someone honors one part of our body, our whole being rejoices.
So it is (or should be) when members of the body of Christ are honored. Once again, we should be in sympathy-able to "feel together with" the honored person the joy that he or she is experiencing. Their joy should be our joy. If not, we are out of sync with God's plan and need to pray for God to reorient our thinking and feeling.
This brings to mind the word envy (Greek: phthonos). Envy is one of the sins of ungodly and wicked people "who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18, 29). It is one of the "works of the flesh" (Galatians 5:19, 21). It is one of the products of false teaching (1 Timothy 6:2, 4). Peter calls us to rid ourselves "all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking" (1 Peter 2:1). What a better world this would be if we would do that!
Envy is the opposite of the feeling that God wants us to have when another member of the body has cause to rejoice. Sadly, we sometimes do feel envious when someone else gets the promotion-or when someone else's child graduates with honors-or when the choir director chooses someone else to sing the solo-etc., etc. etc. That is not how God designed us to be. It is not in accord with God's will. God calls us to share each others suffering and rejoicing.
Krell - BIBLE.ORG - 1 Cor. 12:12-31
Did you know that God is also interested in bodybuilding? He is...although His idea of bodybuilding is of a different nature. God wants to build every muscle in His church. He doesn't want there to be any superior or inferior body parts. He wants everyone and everything to be symmetrical. There can be no undeveloped or lagging parts. God expects every part of the body to grow and do its work.
In our passage, Paul is going to discuss the importance of church teamwork. This is expected because the Old and New Testaments have a corporate emphasis. This is not to depreciate the fact that people become Christians on an individual basis, but that once one is a Christian the focus is always on the health, unity, and well being of the whole.2 In 1 Cor 12:12-31, Paul will inform us that everybody is somebody because we're in this together.3
1. Appreciate the solidarity of the body (12:12-13). These first two verses give the theological basis for the body imagery that is developed in the rest of this passage. Paul states that every part of the body is essential because every believer is a member of the church. In 12:12, he writes, "For4 even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ." This verse is a tongue twister and can be a little confusing. It can help to change the word "member" to "organ," like the organs of the body.5 The term "body" is introduced in 12:12 and then repeatedly employed by Paul 18 times throughout the remainder of the chapter.6 The word "one" occurs five times in 12:12-13. Hence, the emphasis is on unity and oneness. Our body of many members is unified in one body. Paul is so intent on driving home this point of our oneness in the church that he refers to Christ as the church. This is one of the places in Scripture where all believers collectively are called "Christ." Paul had received an inkling of this truth on the road to Damascus when he fell to the earth and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:4) He had been persecuting Christians, not realizing that in so doing he was persecuting Christ. Saul, who later became Paul, would one day learn that every believer is a member of Christ's body. Likewise, you and I are members of the body of Christ...and we are one body.
In 12:13, Paul explains the reason for the oneness of the church: we have all been placed into the body of Christ. Paul puts it like this: "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." Paul argues that every Christian has experienced Spirit baptism. Notice the word "all" as well as the past tense, "were baptized." Every believer shares in this experience. It occurs the moment we trust in Jesus Christ.7 In Spirit baptism the Holy Spirit baptizes the believer into the body of Christ. He makes us a part of His church. The baptism of the Holy Spirit means if you belong to Jesus Christ, you belong to everyone else who belongs to Jesus Christ. This means the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a matter of having a certain level of spiritual maturity, achieving some advanced spiritual state, or receiving a "second blessing." On the contrary, every believer experiences Spirit baptism regardless of his or her race or social status.8 We are now on equal footing in the sense that we are all members of the body of Christ.
The phrase "the baptism of the Holy Spirit" is confusing because biblically it refers to one trusting Christ as Savior, but it is used today of an empowering, yielding, post-conversion experience in the lives of believers. I do not deny the reality of this subsequent experience, but I prefer the description "Lordship experience." We might also speak of deeper fillings of the Holy Spirit.
The figure of drinking of one Spirit recalls John 7:37-39 where Jesus invited the thirsty to come and drink of Him to find refreshment. Baptism and drinking are both initiation experiences and take place at the the moment we believe in Christ.9 In the first figure the Spirit places the believer into Christ, and in the second the Spirit comes into the Christian.10
Now, having been introduced to this important analogy between the human body and the body of Christ, I would say there are two key problems that constantly plague the church and prevent us from enjoying unity in diversity. Those two tendencies are what we might simply call an inferiority complex and a superiority complex, or self-pity and pride. When certain Christians think they just don't have anything to offer and therefore fail to participate in the life of the church, the body cannot be complete. On the other hand, when some think of themselves as God's gift to the church and don't allow others to contribute their gifts, again the body cannot function well. If this passage teaches anything, it teaches us that both inferiority feelings and superiority feelings are out of bounds in Christ's church. Everybody is somebody because we're in this together.
2. Do not underestimate your importance to the body of Christ (12:14-20). In these verses, Paul, in a somewhat humorous vein, attempts to get his point across that every member of the body has a different role to play, but that all of these parts are needed in order for the body to function as a unit. He personifies two different body parts-the foot and the ear-to say, "Because I am not the hand/eye, I am not of the body."11 In this section, certain members have an inferiority complex. In 12:14, Paul writes, "For the body is not one member, but many." Paul is making a simple statement of fact that every part of the body, every organ, is valuable. Everybody is somebody because we're in this together.
In 12:15-16, Paul writes, "If the foot says, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, 'Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body." The phrase "I am not a part of the body" occurs in both 12:15 and 12:16. This is an indication of a feeling of insignificance: "No one thinks that I am important or significant. I have little to contribute to this ministry. I don't really matter to this church." The foot is jealous of the hand because he is covetous of the hand's prominence. The hand is in the public and in the limelight, but the foot is in confinement inside a shoe. We rarely permit our feet to go out in public. We manicure hands and put ointment on them. We make hands beautiful by putting rings on them. We put jewelry on the hand but rarely on the foot. Hands take a scalpel and do delicate operations. They play the piano or violin. No wonder the foot feels inferior! During a church vote, no one in a meeting says, "Raise your foot" it's always "Raise your hand!" The foot thinks, "The hand has so much dexterity, it can pick up things so easily." The foot has an inferiority complex because the hand is out in the limelight!
Yet, the body would be in bad shape without a foot. Did you know that you use more than 200 different muscles to walk?12 If your feet and their muscles are not working well you aren't going very far. Furthermore, if you dislocate a tiny bone in your foot your whole body is miserable. Feet are awfully important. So why should the foot say, "I don't count; I'm not important; no one ever notices me; no one cares about what I do. If I do anything, no one sees me or cares about me. I don't belong. I might as well give up." No, God rewards the foot based on being a foot. If you have been gifted as a foot it's easy to look at those gifted as hands and think how skilled, how capable they are, and that you're not important at all. However, all God expects is that you do what you can with what you have. Remember that each part of the body is important. Everybody is somebody because we're in this together.
Similarly, the ear feels inferior to the eye. The eye is out front whereas the ear is on the side. No one ever talks about the ears. Lovers do look into each other's eyes; they do not look into each other's ears! The only one who looks in our ears is our mother and all she ever says is, "Wash those dirty ears!" They say wonderful things about the eye. Eyes come in color. Poets write poems about the eye but never about the ear. There is nothing very impressive, appearance-wise, about ears. Has anyone ever approached you and said, "You have incredibly attractive ears?" I seriously doubt it. Yet, your ears are critical.
Unfortunately, some at Corinth who lacked the more spectacular gifts of others were discouraged and began to ask whether they had any place or function in the church.13 So Paul moves from the sublime to the ridiculous by envisioning an absurd scenario. In 12:17, he asks, "If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?" Try to picture being an "eye-body"-one massive six-foot eye! How gross it would be if the whole body was an eye. How useless and unattractive. You couldn't hug or kiss. You wouldn't have anything to kiss with, unless you "batted each other" when you got up close. You would get hurt all the time as you rolled around the house. We would see everything but hear nothing. Think of trying to drive a car or getting into bed.14 It isn't so wonderful being an eye. The same could be true if the whole body was an ear. The body depends on union of all the members to function, so it is utterly ridiculous for the body to consist of one member. If all the church had was the pastor/teacher, how impoverished would that church be? A body with just an eye would not be able to hear. A body with just an ear would not be able to smell. We must always recognize that any public ministry is built on a private ministry. My preaching is only as powerful as our praying. The worship is only as fruitful as our nursery. The point is that we need each gift for the body of Christ to function.
In 12:18-20, Paul emphasizes that God sovereignly places the gifts in the church that He desires. Paul writes, "But now God has placed15 the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body." Paul makes it clear that God is the one that has gifted every church the way He wants her gifted. Notice that God "placed the members...just as He desired." The church is all about the sovereignty of God. We are one because of God's work. Everybody is somebody because we're in this together.
[Beginning at 12:21, we have a transition from those who feel inferior in their gifts to those who feel superior. In this section, we see members who suffer from a superiority complex.]
3. Do not overestimate your importance to the body of Christ (12:21-26). Paul explains that we need to squash spiritual pride because we all need each other. He writes, "And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'" With this statement, Paul seems to be getting closer to the difficult issue being faced in Corinth. As we have seen on several occasions in this letter, pride was indeed a problem among the Corinthians.16 Paul needs to get across that all of the members in Corinth need each other, and no one is dispensable.17
In 12:22-25, Paul continues his rebuke: "On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another." Paul argues that every member of the body is necessary. There are no exceptions. Those body parts that are deemed weaker, less honorable, or less presentable18 are all critically important. Paul rejected the Corinthians criteria for evaluating which gifts were most honorable. They had chosen the most visible or audible gifts for selfish reasons. The sole purpose of the gifts was to build up the body of Christ; the true criterion for the greatness of any gift would be its usefulness to the body of Christ.
How does this apply to the church? Every church has people who are out in the forefront and love the public spotlight. But what is really essential to the ongoing life of the church is the people behind the scenes-those who serve faithfully and quietly (and often are the ones who make the leaders look good).
We tend to forget that many of the strengths we so admire in one person are often incompatible with the strengths we admire in another. The grace of a figure skater is useless to a Sumo wrestler. The diligent research and study of my favorite theologian doesn't leave much time for the globetrotting compassion of my favorite missionary.
In 12:26, Paul pens one of the most powerful verses in the Scriptures: "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." If you've ever been sick with a cold or the flu you know that a simple cold, cough, or sore throat can affect your entire body. Worse yet, have you ever had a case of food poisoning? Several years ago, I had a terrible bout with this dreadful condition. I was so sick that I was scared I was going to die and then when I didn't, I wished I had. This little bug didn't just affect my stomach, it affected my whole body. I ached from the tip of my head to the bottom of my feet. I experienced chills. I ran a fever. I was in flat-out agony. When one part of your body suffers, the whole body is brought down.
Paul took the theme of mutual care one step further. As members of the same body we are so closely bound together that we actually share the same feelings. What causes joy for one member delights the whole body. When one member suffers the entire body hurts. Most of us do a better job empathizing with those who suffer than we do rejoicing with those who are honored. If we could ever come to the conviction that we are truly family, it would change many of our attitudes about ourselves and others in the church. I know that I receive greater joy in seeing my children achieve than in my own achievements. If we are family, why is it so difficult to see another member of our own body receive honor? Our measure for evaluating our gifted self-images is not another body member, but our faithfulness in employing our unique gift for the good of the family itself.19 We must desperately yearn for the success of others.
