(12:1) “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.”
Paul has been responding to their questions (7:1, 25; 8:1). Now he has reached the subject of spiritual gifts (“Now concerning spiritual gifts”). The word “gifts” isn’t in the Greek, so this could refer to “spiritual persons” or “things that come from the Spirit.”[] This rendering could explain why Paul doesn’t immediately jump into the subject of spiritual gifts, but addresses people first (vv.2-3). Before addressing the spiritual gifts, Paul wants to make sure he’s addressing spiritual people. Regardless, Paul addresses spiritual gifts throughout the chapter, and that translations seems most natural here.
(12:2) “You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.”
The Corinthians believed they were wise. Paul is reminding them where they came from.
(12:3) “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’; and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.”
“Jesus is accursed… Jesus is Lord.” Paul will address speaking in tongues in this section (chs. 12-14). Here, he could be noting that “not all so-called inspired utterances are utterances of the Spirit.”[]
“Jesus is Lord.” Blomberg writes, “Here is the fundamental early Christian confession of faith (cf. Rom. 10:9-10), flying both in the face of pagan affirmations of some other deity or emperor as god and master and in the face of Jewish insistence that Yahweh alone merited the title.”[]
(12:4-6) “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.”
The Corinthians were probably familiar with having different gods and idols for each spiritual gift or activity (v.2). Paul is saying that there is diversity in the spiritual gifts, but also unity. In order to show this unity and diversity, Paul mentions all three members of the Trinity. Morris writes, “For the third time Paul brings out his point that there can be no division among Christians on the ground of the ‘gifts’, because it is one and the same God who provides the gifts in all their diversity.”[] Unlike some Charismatic Christians, Paul places an emphasis on all three persons of the Trinity—not just the Holy Spirit.[]
(12:7) “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
This is the thesis statement for the chapter.[] First, Paul explains how God gave the gifts to each believer (vv.8-10), and then he explains how this is for the “common good” (vv.12-26).
God gives a spiritual gift to “each one.” Therefore, every believer has a spiritual gift. Yet Paul is quick to add that these gifts aren’t given for self-glorification, schisms, or factions. We are given them for “the common good.”
(12:8-10) “For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.”
For an explanation of the spiritual gifts, see our earlier articles “Spiritual Gifts” and “The Charismatic Gifts.”
(12:11) “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”
The Holy Spirit is a person. He has a “will,” and is called a “He,” rather than an “it.” He is the One who gives us our gifts. So, if we are unhappy with our gifts, then we need to take this up with God himself.
What could have been occurring in the church in Corinth that Paul gave them this test in verse 3: “So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit” (NIV).
Why does Paul give this test in verse 3 before discussing the use of spiritual gifts?
How would you counsel a Christian who was feeling discouraged about being less gifted than others?
The “word of wisdom” is distinct from the “word of knowledge” (v.8). In what ways is wisdom similar to knowledge? In what ways is it distinct?
For this section, we drew heavily from chapter 5 of Dennis McCallum’s book Members of One Another (2010).
(12:12) “For 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.”
Our physical bodies have both unity and diversity. A person has many body parts, but is still one physical body. The same is true in the Body of Christ—the Christian community (cf. 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:27-28).
Greco-Roman authors used this imagery of a human body to refer to society as a whole, but they came to far different conclusions. Paul uses the metaphor to show our equality and unity, while other authors used it to merely show interdependence:[]
Menenius Agrippa (~494 BC, recorded in Livy, History, 2.32) used the metaphor to argue that the arms and legs of the body (i.e. the workers and slaves) should feed the stomach (i.e. the wealthy rulers). In other words, the message was: “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you!”
Josephus used the metaphor to describe how robbers were affecting the whole region of Judea (Jewish Wars, 4.406).
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (2.1; 7.13) and Epictetus (2.10.3-4) used the metaphor to describe interdependence as well.
Johnson writes, “In these secular writings the political body is viewed as hierarchically constituted, with different stereotyped roles assigned by nature to different members. For example, the limbs (workers) are to remain active (no strikes!) so the belly (ruling class) can be fed, otherwise the whole body will die. Such use of the body image for high-status conservative ideological purposes is not Paul’s point.”[]
(12:13) “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.”
We don’t become a member of the Body of Christ through our upbringing, water baptism, or formal church membership. We become members (in the realist sense) by having a direct encounter with Christ. This occurs when we personally make the decision to surrender to the love of Christ. At this moment, we are placed into Christ, and Christ is placed into us.
There are no second-class Christians. We were “all” baptized into Christ. Paul became a member in the same way that they did (“We” versus “you”). This is referring to spiritual baptism—not water baptism.[] The focus of our unity is not “baptism” but rather the “one Spirit.” If we do not have the Holy Spirit, then we are not members of Christ (Rom. 8:9).
“Whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free.” These were the three major causes for discrimination in the ancient world, as well as today: race, religion, and social status. While we still retain these identities, they lose their significance in light of our ultimate identity in Christ. In biblical thinking, if I am united to Christ, and you are united to Christ, then I am united to you (and you to me).
Paul gives the funny illustration of your body parts saying that they don’t want to be in the physical body anymore. The same is true with believers who aren’t in actively participating in fellowship.
(12:14) “For the body is not one member, but many.”
He repeats the same thought found in verse 12.
(12:15-16) “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. 16 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.”
We can deny that we are members of the body, but this doesn’t change reality. When a believer denies this fundamental truth, they are denying reality. It’s like denying that they are a member of the human race. You can deny reality, but reality doesn’t change. Why then should we dedicate our lives to fellow believers? Because this is a feature of reality. We are joined together in Christ.
(12:17) “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?”
This passage shows that every member is needed. We might feel like we’re not needed, but this doesn’t line up with reality.
(12:18) “But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”
We might deny that we’re identified with Christ or deny that we’re needed. But this denies God’s sovereignty. If we are rebelling against this, we are rebelling against the sovereign hand of God himself. This probably looks back to Paul’s explanation of the spiritual gifts, and how God distributes “to each one individually just as He wills” (v.11). Rather than trying to become one part or another (or have one gift over another), we need to discover through serving others where God has placed us and work at in that role.
(12:19) “If they were all one member, where would the body be?”
God creatively arranged the body of Christ to be a place of diversity—not monolithic unanimity. In a sort of comical representation, Paul asks the question, “If they were all one member, where would the body be?” Imagine if your whole body was just a 200-pound eyeball! This wouldn’t be a body, but a “monstrosity.”[] Garland draws the ancient application for the Corinthians, when he writes, “A church full of only [tongues-speakers] would be no less freakish.”[]
We each retain our individuality in the Body of Christ. It isn’t like being assimilated into the “Borg” from Star Trek. We remain ourselves, but better versions of ourselves.
(12:20) “But now there are many members, but one body.”
See verses 12 and 14.
(12:21) “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.’”
This is comical. After all, “eyes” cannot even talk! But if you can use your imagination, just imagine the foolishness of an eye telling a hand that the other isn’t needed. Paul is stressing not just the presence of the body part, but rather its needed function. In this verse, Paul smashes the Corinthian divisiveness—either their intellectual pride (chs. 1-4) or their social hierarchy (ch.11). Rather than simply telling them to stop being divisive, Paul aptly emphasizes our corporate identity in Jesus: “Be who you are.”
(12:22-24) “On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 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, 24 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.”
Appearances can be deceiving. One member may “seem” weaker, but as it turns out, they are completely necessary. The “less honorable” parts are thought to metaphorically refer to the sexual organs according to Fee[] and Johnson.[] In our estimation, however, we shouldn’t press the metaphor this far. The point is that the body has parts that should covered, and others that should be visible. In the same way, some members of the Body of Christ will be out front, while others will not. Taylor thinks that this could refer to the poor members in Corinth (see 1 Cor. 1:26-28; 11:17-34).
(12:25) “So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
“So that there may be no division in the body.” This doesn’t refer to organizational unity, but to relational unity (cf. Eph. 4:1-3; Phil. 2:1-3).
Seeking status leads to division (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10; 11:18). Instead of dividing over race, social status, etc., we are supposed to “care” for one another. The term “care” (merimnao) can be translated as anxiety in a negative sense. Here it refers to caring for the needs of less honorable believers.
(12:26) “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
“If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.” Paul fills out the organic link: If my tooth aches, then my whole body suffers.
“If one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” Likewise, if one part of my body is powerful, then the whole person is honored. Johnson writes, “To give honor to, say, the legs of a runner or the hands of a surgeon brings praise to the whole person.”[] Of course, we don’t share the honor, but we do share the joy. If my brother in Christ is getting honored, I am not also being honored. However, I do get to experience joy for him. A true sign of humility is to forget about myself so completely that I could experience joy whether I am the one getting honored or if someone else was getting the honor. The humble person can experience the same amount of joy either way. Likewise, in Romans 12:15, Paul commands us to, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Here, we do not have an imperative, but an indicative. That is, this isn’t a command, but a statement of fact.
(12:27) “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”
Paul brings his case to a close by reaffirming this same principle one more time (cf. v.12, 14, 20).
(12:28) “And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.”
Not all the gifts have an equal function in the Christian community. Some have more of a use (e.g. apostles, prophecy, teaching). Similarly, the apostles in Jerusalem said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables” (Acts 6:2). It isn’t that serving tables is beneath anyone—even an apostle. Instead, the point is that teaching the Bible is more important. Indeed, Paul later writes that we should desire the “greater gifts” (v.31).
(12:29-30) “All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?”
We do not all have every spiritual gift, but we should all work toward developing each of these various ministries.
(12:31) “But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.”
The Corinthians focused on their gifts. Paul focuses on love. Our love relationships are far more important than the spiritual gifts.
What are the names of the people in my life who need me? What practical needs can I meet in their lives?
Why did Paul pick a human body as a metaphor to describe the church? In what ways is the church supposed to be similar to a human body? In what ways is it different?
What do you think of this quote from journalist Julia Duin? Do you agree or do you think she’s exaggerating the state of the church today?
Julia Duin: “One of the top reasons people give for their leaving church is loneliness: the feeling—especially in large congregations—that no one knows or cares whether they are there. Many churches have become like supermarkets or gas stations: totally depersonalized arenas where most people no longer feel a responsibility to be hospitable to the person standing next to them… As for those who drop out, no one notices… The people I talk with who have found true community and then must leave it, due to family or job reasons, pine for it for the rest of their lives.”[]
What are the benefits of being in a close and committed group? What are some of the drawbacks?
What are some things that could potentially kill close and committed fellowship? What would you expect to see in a group, if people were losing it in this area? What would be some of the first signs of breakdown in this area?
What would you say to a Christian, if they told you that they don’t have time for fellowship? Or, what would you say if a Christian claimed it was bizarre or weird to meet together so much?
Mark Taylor, 1 Corinthians, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 28, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2014), 282.
Mark Taylor, 1 Corinthians, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 28, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2014), 284.
Craig Blomberg, 1 Corinthians: The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994), 211.
Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 7, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 164-165.
Mark Taylor, 1 Corinthians, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 28, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2014), 287.
Mark Taylor, 1 Corinthians, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 28, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2014), 287.
See footnote. Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987), 602.
Alan F. Johnson, 1 Corinthians, vol. 7, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 2004), 230.
Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987), 604.
Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987), 611.
David Garland, 1 Corinthians: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2003), 595.
Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987), 613.
Alan F. Johnson, 1 Corinthians, vol. 7, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 2004), 233.
Alan F. Johnson, 1 Corinthians, vol. 7, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Westmont, IL: IVP Academic, 2004), 235.
Julia Duin, Quitting Church: Why the Faithful are Fleeing and What to Do about It (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008) 50.
James is an elder at Dwell Community Church, where he teaches classes in theology, apologetics, and weekly Bible studies.
