Day 175: Body language – 1 Corinthians 12 vs 12 – 31

12-13 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 14-16 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19-21 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

22-24 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25-26 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 

28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages. 29-30 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? 31 Of course not! So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all! 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 from the New Living Translation (English Standard Version link)

The background to this section is that some Christians at Corinth were jealous of others who had been given what looked like more visible and important abilities than what God's Spirit had given to them. So Paul used this simple but very helpful example of our natural bodies to show how each individual part adds to making up a complete person, and how each of our body parts needs all the other parts. He obviously used that illustration to teach that we should regard the Church as being like a body – and individual Christians as the various parts of the spiritual body. So what's the important truth of vs 18?

Just as God designed our human bodies to be able to walk, touch, see, and hear – so He also designs the Church and appoints various people to carry out different roles. And, as vs 19-21 explain, no-one in the Church should ever be made to feel they are not needed. In fact, vs 22-24 teach that there may be people in the Church who appear to have little to offer, but who we should show extra care for. Lastly, in vs 28-30 he mentions some of the roles and abilities the Holy Spirit has given to the Church and points out that not everyone is called to the most prominent role. He said earlier how strange our human body would be if it had only one part! So what was his advice in vs 31 to those rather self-centered Christians in Corinth?

Do we want God's Spirit to equip us with some spiritual ability so that we can feel good about ourselves and impress others - or so that we can serve even the most insignificant believer in the flock? Jesus once said that whatever deeds of love and mercy we have shown to the 'least' of his brothers and sisters – was like an act of love and mercy to Christ Himself. (Matthew 25:31-40) That’s what Chapter 13 will be about.