💀your ankle bone connected from your heel bone your heel bone connected from your foot bone Your foot bone connected from your toe bone I hear the word of the Lord oh well dem bones dem bones dem dry bones -- 🎶👨‍👦‍👦 everybody sing ❗❗

Posted : 5 May, 2022 10:55 AM

1 Corinthians 12 (21-26) Continued elaboration, showing that the less “glamorous” parts of the body are just as important



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.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 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, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.



a. And the eye cannot say to the hand: Now Paul writes to those tempted to pride and a sense of superiority because of their gifts or place in the body. They cannot say to such parts, “I have no need of you.”



b. Those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary: Often, we consider a part of our body unnecessary or of low importance, until it is hurt – then we realize how important it is! The hand or the eye may seem to be more important, and may have more “glamour” in its position, but it is not more necessary or important than other parts of the body

c. Less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor: The parts of our bodies normally covered by clothes are often considered less honorable, but we give them greater honor by clothing them so carefully.



i. Clarke on the less honorable parts: “Seem to mean the principle viscera, such as heart, lungs, stomach, and intestinal canal. These, when compared with the arms and limbs, are comparatively weak; and some of them, considered in themselves, uncomely and less honourable; yet these are more essential to life than any of the others.”



ii. Even so, God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it: If someone feels they are a “hidden” or “unglamorous” member of the body of Jesus Christ, God knows how to bestow honor upon them.



d. That there should be no schism in the body: Seen from God’s perspective, with the illustration of the body, there is never any reason for schism in the body. The “pride” of the “honorable” member is checked, as is the “shame” of the “less honorable” member.



That the members should have the same care for one another: Paul’s theological point about the nature of the body of Jesus Christ has now come to a very practical application. The Corinthian Christians should care for one another because they are all part of the same body.



i. The parts of the body work together. The eyes and ears do not only serve themselves, but the whole body. The hands do not only feed and defend themselves, but the whole body. The heart does not only supply blood to itself, but serves the whole body. Sometimes there is a part of our body that only lives to serve itself. It doesn’t contribute anything to the rest of the body, and everything it gets it uses to feed and grow itself. We call this cancer.



ii. “I want every member of this church to be a worker. We do not want any drones. If there are any of you who want to eat and drink, and do nothing, there are plenty of places elsewhere, where you can do it; there are empty pews about in abundance; go and fill them, for we do not want you. Every Christian who is not a bee is a wasp. The most quarrelsome persons are the most useless, and they who are the most happy are peaceable, are generally those who are doing most for Christ.” (Spurgeon)



f. The same care for one another: Paul could have, and some today think he should have, just come out and said “care for one another” and ignore the spiritually true foundation for such caring. “Come on, Paul. Don’t bother us with theology. Just tell us what to do.” But Paul wants more than a result from the Corinthian Christians; he also wants them to have understanding. He also knows that ultimately, the best results are based on understanding!



g. And if one member suffers: The care for one another mentioned in the previous verse is now explained. It means to have a heart towards, and sympathy with, our fellow members, though they be different.

Post Reply