1 Corinthians · Chapter 12

V. 1. Now concerning spiritual gifts-The abundance of these in the churches of Greece strongly refuted the idle learning of the Greek philosophers. But the Corinthians did not use them wisely, which occasioned St. Paul's writing concerning them. He describes,

1. The unity of the body, 1 Corinthians 12:1-27. 2. The variety of members and offices, 1 Corinthians 12:27-30. 3. The way of exercising gifts rightly, namely, by love, 1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13: and adds, 4. A comparison of several gifts with each other, in the fourteenth chapter. 1 Corinthians 14:1-40.

Verse 1. Now concerning spiritual gifts] This was a subject about which they appear to have written to the apostle, and concerning which there were probably some contentions among them. The words peri twn pneumatikwn may as well be translated concerning spiritual persons, as spiritual gifts; and indeed the former agrees much better with the context. I would not have you ignorant.] I wish you fully to know whence all such gifts come, and for what end they are given, that each person may serve the Church in the capacity in which God has placed him, that there may be no misunderstandings and no schism in the body.

Verses 1, 2. Now concerning spiritual gifts — Miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, bestowed on many believers in those times, for their confirmation in the faith, and the conviction of infidels. The abundance of these gifts in the churches of Greece, strongly refuted the idle learning of the Greek philosophers. But the Corinthians did not use those gifts wisely, which occasioned the apostle’s writing concerning them. In doing this, after putting the brethren at Corinth in mind that before their conversion they were worshippers of idols, which, being themselves dumb, could not impart to their votaries the ability of speaking foreign languages, as Christ had done to many of his disciples; and after giving the Corinthians a rule by which they might judge correctly of every one who pretended to possess those gifts by divine inspiration, he, 1st, Speaks of the diversity of the gifts, which God by his Spirit had conferred on his church, of the various administrations and offices appointed by the same Lord, and of the different operations of Him that worketh all in all, verses 1-11. 2dly, He describes the unity of the body, with its various members, and their uses, verses 12-30. 3dly, Shows the way of exercising gifts rightly, namely, by love, verse 31-13. throughout; and adds, 4thly, A comparison of several gifts with each other in chap. 14. I would not have you ignorant — Of the Author, nature, ends, and uses of these gifts. Ye know that ye were Gentiles — Idolatrous heathen, and were then destitute of all spiritual gifts. Whatever gifts, therefore, ye possess, ye have received them from the free grace of God; carried away — By a blind credulity; unto, and after, these dumb idols — The blind to the dumb: idols of wood and stone, unable to speak themselves, and much more to open your mouths, as God has done; even as ye were led — By the subtlety of your priests, or by some diabolical imposture, or pretended miracles.

Verse 1, 2. Now concerning spiritual gifts, and gifts promised to old men, to young men, and to handmaids, according to Joel 2:28, I would now speak, in the third part of this epistle, and apprise you that those endowments are altogether divine, and are the emanations of celestial glory; the adornings of God our Saviour, peculiar to the christian church. Proofs demonstrative of the divine authority of our religion. While you bowed before dumb idols, all around you were the desolations of winter; now in the church, all is the verdure and beauty of summer.

1. Of gifts—their true place and value, 1-31.

a. The source of these varied gifts, the One Spirit, 1-11.

1. Now—As there is no reference in this triad of chapters to any inquiries made by the Corinthians, it is probable that this piece is based on information. Ignorant—As just-converted Gentiles, with their ideas of Christian morality but imperfectly shaped, little acquainted with the Old Scriptures, and the New not as yet having been fully written, it is no wonder the Corinthians were ignorant. Paul seeks here to efface from their minds some traces of their old polytheism by impressing them with the truth that all their variety of gifts is from one Spirit, the Infinite Unity. Ten times in thirteen verses does he trace their varied gifts to one Spirit.

Ver. 1. Spiritual gifts, or spiritual-things: Romans 1:11; 15:27; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 9:11; 10:3f; 14:1; etc: things pertaining to, i.e. bestowed by, the Spirit of God, 1 Corinthians 12:3f. The lists in 1 Corinthians 12:7ff, 28ff, show that the word is used here as a technical term for the special and various capacities for Christian work, ordinary or extraordinary, with which the Spirit enriches those in whom He dwells. This technical sense was very appropriate. For, these capacities were a conspicuous proof that they who possessed them were animated by a spirit higher than their own.

This new subject suggests to Paul, by contrast, the powerlessness of idolatry, 1 Corinthians 12:2. He begins it by stating the relation between inward spiritual gifts and the historic Jesus, 1 Corinthians 12:3; and the variety and the one source of these gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; of which he gives examples, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. As in the human body various powers, all needful, are variously allotted, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; so in the church, 1 Corinthians 12:28-30. Yet some gifts are greater than others, 1 Corinthians 12:31: and love is both the best way to the greater gifts and itself greater than the greatest of them, 1 Corinthians 13. Prophecy is more useful, and therefore more to be desired, than speaking with tongues, 1 Corinthians 14:1-25. The possession of gifts is no excuse for disorder, 1 Corinthians 14:26-39.

V. 2. Ye were heathens-Therefore, whatever gifts ye have received, it is from the free grace of God.

Carried away-By a blind credulity.

After dumb idols-The blind to the dumb; idols of wood and stone, unable to speak themselves, and much more to open your mouths, as God has done.

As ye were led-By the subtlety of your priests.

Verse 2. Ye were Gentiles] Previously to your conversion to the Christian faith; ye were heathens, carried away, not guided by reason or truth, but hurried by your passions into a senseless worship, the chief part of which was calculated only to excite and gratify animal propensities. Dumb idols] Though often supplicated, could never return an answer; so that not only the image could not speak, but the god or demon pretended to be represented by it could not speak: a full proof that an idol was nothing in the world.

Verses 1, 2. Now concerning spiritual gifts — Miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, bestowed on many believers in those times, for their confirmation in the faith, and the conviction of infidels. The abundance of these gifts in the churches of Greece, strongly refuted the idle learning of the Greek philosophers. But the Corinthians did not use those gifts wisely, which occasioned the apostle’s writing concerning them. In doing this, after putting the brethren at Corinth in mind that before their conversion they were worshippers of idols, which, being themselves dumb, could not impart to their votaries the ability of speaking foreign languages, as Christ had done to many of his disciples; and after giving the Corinthians a rule by which they might judge correctly of every one who pretended to possess those gifts by divine inspiration, he, 1st, Speaks of the diversity of the gifts, which God by his Spirit had conferred on his church, of the various administrations and offices appointed by the same Lord, and of the different operations of Him that worketh all in all, verses 1-11. 2dly, He describes the unity of the body, with its various members, and their uses, verses 12-30. 3dly, Shows the way of exercising gifts rightly, namely, by love, verse 31-13. throughout; and adds, 4thly, A comparison of several gifts with each other in chap. 14. I would not have you ignorant — Of the Author, nature, ends, and uses of these gifts. Ye know that ye were Gentiles — Idolatrous heathen, and were then destitute of all spiritual gifts. Whatever gifts, therefore, ye possess, ye have received them from the free grace of God; carried away — By a blind credulity; unto, and after, these dumb idols — The blind to the dumb: idols of wood and stone, unable to speak themselves, and much more to open your mouths, as God has done; even as ye were led — By the subtlety of your priests, or by some diabolical imposture, or pretended miracles.

Verse 1, 2. Now concerning spiritual gifts, and gifts promised to old men, to young men, and to handmaids, according to Joel 2:28, I would now speak, in the third part of this epistle, and apprise you that those endowments are altogether divine, and are the emanations of celestial glory; the adornings of God our Saviour, peculiar to the christian church. Proofs demonstrative of the divine authority of our religion. While you bowed before dumb idols, all around you were the desolations of winter; now in the church, all is the verdure and beauty of summer.

2. Carried away—Literally, ye were led as ye happened, (by your priests,) to idols that were voiceless. They were bandied about among a multitude of dead and dumb gods, knowing nothing of the living, speaking One.

Ver. 2. The new powers, far surpassing man's natural power, possessed by the early Christians, remind Paul, by contrast, of the worthless images of heathendom, whose unreasoning votaries his readers formerly were. Voiceless: a conspicuous proof of worthlessness, (Habakkuk 2:18f; 3 Macc. 4:16,) in contrast to the new powers of speech so characteristic of early Christianity. That idols cannot speak, proves that they cannot hear and understand.

Led, led away; graphic picture of the unreasoning action, and the bondage, of idolaters, While frequenting the temples, and following the processions, of heathenism they were really surrendering themselves to the guidance of an unseen power operating upon them as circumstances or events might determine. Men are idolaters usually not by their own choice, but by circumstances. In Ephesians 2:2f we have a similar contrast of past and present.

V. 3. Therefore-Since the heathen idols cannot speak themselves, much less give spiritual gifts to others, these must necessarily be among Christians only.

As no one speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed-That is, as none who does this, (which all the Jews and heathens did,) speaketh by the Spirit of God-Is actuated by that Spirit, so as to speak with tongues, heal diseases, or cast out devils.

So no one can say, Jesus is the Lord-None can receive him as such; for, in the scripture language, to say, or to believe, implies an experimental assurance.

But by the Holy Ghost-The sum is, None have the Holy Spirit but Christians: all Christians have this Spirit.

Verse 3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God] It was granted on all hands that there could be no religion without Divine inspiration, because God alone, could make his will known to men: hence heathenism pretended to this inspiration; Judaism had it in the law and the prophets; and it was the very essence of the Christian religion. The heathen priests and priestesses pretended to receive, by inspiration from their god, the answers which they gave to their votaries. And as far as the people believed their pretensions, so far they were led by their teaching. Both Judaism and heathenism were full of expectations of a future teacher and deliverer; and to this person, especially among the Jews, the Spirit in all the prophets gave witness. This was the Anointed One, the Messiah who was manifested in the person of Jesus of Nazareth; and him the Jews rejected, though he proved his Divine mission both by his doctrines and his miracles. But as he did not come as they fancied he would-as a mighty secular conqueror, they not only rejected but blasphemed him; and persons among them professing to be spiritual men, and under the influence of the Spirit of God, did so. But as the Holy Spirit, through all the law and the prophets gave Testimony to the Messiah, and as Jesus proved himself to be the Christ both by his miracles and doctrines, no man under the inspiration of the Divine Spirit could say to him anethema-thou art a deceiver, and a person worthy of death, &c., as the Jews did: therefore the Jews were no longer under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. This appears to be the meaning of the apostle in this place. No man speaking by the Spirit, &c.

And that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord] Nor can we demonstrate this person to be the Messiah and the Saviour of men, but by the Holy Ghost, enabling us to speak with divers tongues, to work miracles; he attesting the truth of our doctrines to them that hear, by enlightening their minds, changing their hearts, and filling them with the peace and love of God.

Verse 3. Wherefore — Since it was so with you once, and it is otherwise now, this is a full demonstration of the truth of the Christian religion, through your faith in, and reception of, which, you received these gifts, which none of the heathen idols, blind, and dumb, and lifeless as they were, could possibly confer upon you. I give you to understand, that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God — Who is endued with these spiritual gifts, or is at all inspired by the Holy Spirit; calleth Jesus accursed — Pronounces him to be an impostor, and therefore justly punished with death. It seems that some, who pretended to be inspired, did this; probably the Jewish exorcists, together with the heathen priests and priestesses, who in their enthusiastic fits reviled Jesus. Now the apostle intended here to teach the Corinthians, that if any such persons were really inspired, that is, if they spake by any supernatural impulse, it certainly proceeded from evil spirits, and not from the Spirit of God, who never would move any one to speak in that manner of Jesus. By this the apostle cuts off all who spoke blasphemously and irreverently of Christ, whether Jews or heathen, from all pretences to the possession of spiritual gifts, or of any supernatural influence from the true God. These gifts and inspirations could only be found among true Christians. On the other hand, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord — Can receive him as such; can think or speak reverently of him; can make profession of his name, when that profession would expose him to imprisonment and martyrdom; can worship him aright, and heartily acknowledge his divinity and lordship, (against which there was then the greatest opposition made,) so as to subject himself sincerely and entirely to his government: but by the Holy Ghost — By his directing, renewing, and purifying influences. The sum is, None have the Holy Spirit but true Christians; true believers in, and disciples of, the Lord Jesus; and all such have the Spirit, at least in his enlightening and sanctifying graces.

Ver. 3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed. The Jew or the Greek who does this, speaks by an evil spirit, execrating him as an impostor, and a false Christ. On the other hand, no man can say, like Stephen, Lord Jesus, but by the Holy Ghost; for the Spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 19:10. How can we call him Lord, when we serve another lord? It is the Spirit of adoption which cries Abba, Father, and testifies that we are the children of God. When demons and bad men have confessed him, the confessions have been coercive, and their mouths were soon shut.

3. Jesus accursed—The pagans who blasphemed Christ, and the persecuting emperors who required Christians to blaspheme Christ, were under dumb idols, adverse to the one Spirit. Say—From the heart and in truth. Holy Ghost—Unless the Holy Spirit give the power, Christ can neither be truly received nor savingly confessed.

Ver. 3. Their unfavorable former position moves Paul to instruct them in the matter before us. This suggests the disadvantage, for understanding Christianity, of converts from heathenism as compared with those who, like Paul and Timothy, had been trained from childhood in the Jewish Scriptures.

Speaking in the Spirit of God: moved, guided, and controlled by the Spirit, as in Romans 8:15; Matthew 22:43. Cp. 2 Samuel 23:2.

Anathema: as in Romans 9:3. The Spirit never moves a man to say that Jesus is under the curse of God. Cp. 1 John 4:2f. No one can say etc.: It is absolutely impossible for any one not moved by the Spirit to look up to Jesus and call Him “Master,” meaning what he says; i.e. to look at Jesus with the feelings with which we look at earthly masters, waiting for commands and expecting reward.

Jesus: appropriately used, twice, to designate our Lord as a man among men.

This verse embodies two important principles already asserted in 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, viz. that inward spiritual life is always in harmony with historic Christianity, i.e. that the Spirit of God, who is the animating principle of all devotion to God, ever leads men to recognize the claims of the carpenter of Nazareth; and that without the inward presence of the Spirit none can recognize rightly these claims. This latter principle implies that every one who looks up to Jesus and from the heart calls Him Master (cp. 1 Corinthians 1:2) possesses the inward presence of the Spirit, and therefore possesses a measure of capacity for Christian work. Upon this broad basis rests the whole teaching of 1 Corinthians 12.

V. 4. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit-Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. The apostle treats of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:7, &c.; of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:12, &c.; of God, 1 Corinthians 12:28, &c.

Verse 4. There are diversities of gifts] carismatwnu Gracious endowments, leading to miraculous results; such as the gift of prophecy, speaking different tongues, &c. And these all came by the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit.

Verses 4-6. Now there are diversities of gifts — Carismatwn, gifts of grace, both as to kind and degree; but the same Spirit — Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. And there are differences of administrations — Of offices or functions in the church, wherein those gifts are to be exercised, which are indeed but services, and therefore not fit fuel for pride; but the same Lord — Appoints them all. Christ, who, as King of his church, instituted all these offices, prescribes the manner of executing them all; and calls one person to one kind of ministry, and another to another. And there are diversities of operations — Energhmatwn, of energies, or effects produced. The word is of a larger extent than either gifts or administrations, the two former words used: but it is the same God who worketh all these effects in all — The persons concerned.

Ver. 4. There are diversities of carismatwn, chrisms, unction, divine endowments, gifts of grace. But it is the same Spirit, it is the gift of God, and of Christ, and of the same Lord, indicative that the same unity subsists in the mystical body as in the adorable Trinity.

4. Diversities of gifts—Which Paul will soon enumerate. Same Spirit— Do not, as of old, suppose that one man is inspired by Apollo to prophesy; another by Minerva to utter the word of wisdom; another by the Muses to give forth a psalm or pour forth the utterances of tongues. All these, then, are the various breathings from one Power.

Ver. 4.-6. Variety in the just-mentioned unity, and emphatic reassertion of the unity.

Gifts-of-grace: technical use, as in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30f, Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10; corresponding with the technical use of spiritual things in 1 Corinthians 12:1. See Romans 1:11. Instead of giving to one man the whole round of the capacities which His favor prompts Him to bestow, the One Spirit who dwells in all believers gives different capacities to different men.

Ministries: see under Romans 12:7: the various positions and kinds of work allotted by the One Master to His various servants, requiring from each some work for the common good. The technical sense “deacon” is forbidden here by the breadth of the statement. Cp. 1 Peter 4:10. Lord, or Master; correlative to ministry, and pointing to “Lord Jesus” in 1 Corinthians 12:3. See under Romans 1:4. Works-done: results produced, corresponding to works all things. Whatever is done in any one is done by the Father, who sent His Son to be our Master, and His Spirit to be the motive principle of our life. Thus, as usual, Paul leads us up to the presence of the Father; and lingers there. Moreover, that the gifts are from the spirit and that the ministries are service to Christ, is evident: but it is needful to say expressly that the results achieved are wrought by the Father.

Notice the rising climax, revealing the relation of these various gifts to the three persons of the Trinity, and culminating in the presence of Him who is Supreme even in the Godhead. Cp. Ephesians 4:4ff. Paul has already said that the Holy Spirit, who dwells in all believers, ever moves them to call Jesus their Master. But their capacities are different, fitting them for different kinds of service, and producing different kinds of results. Yet all the capacities come from one Spirit: the different kinds of service are for the same Master: and the different results are produced by the same First Cause.

V. 5. Administrations-Offices.

But the same Lord appoints them all.

Verse 5. Differences of administrations] diakoniwn. Various offices in the Church, such as apostle, prophet, and teacher; under which were probably included bishop or presbyter, pastor, deacon, &c.; the qualifications for such offices, as well as the appointments themselves, coming immediately from the one Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 4-6. Now there are diversities of gifts — Carismatwn, gifts of grace, both as to kind and degree; but the same Spirit — Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. And there are differences of administrations — Of offices or functions in the church, wherein those gifts are to be exercised, which are indeed but services, and therefore not fit fuel for pride; but the same Lord — Appoints them all. Christ, who, as King of his church, instituted all these offices, prescribes the manner of executing them all; and calls one person to one kind of ministry, and another to another. And there are diversities of operations — Energhmatwn, of energies, or effects produced. The word is of a larger extent than either gifts or administrations, the two former words used: but it is the same God who worketh all these effects in all — The persons concerned.

Ver. 5. There are differences, distinctions, of administrations, but the same Lord; and he is called Lord here from the work of redemption, as in other places. Romans 7:4. 14:9. 2 Corinthians 5:15. Titus 2:14. Malachi 3:1.

5. Differences of administrations—Different Church offices, duties, or exercises, in which the gifts were employed.

Ver. 4.-6. Variety in the just-mentioned unity, and emphatic reassertion of the unity.

Gifts-of-grace: technical use, as in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30f, Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10; corresponding with the technical use of spiritual things in 1 Corinthians 12:1. See Romans 1:11. Instead of giving to one man the whole round of the capacities which His favor prompts Him to bestow, the One Spirit who dwells in all believers gives different capacities to different men.

Ministries: see under Romans 12:7: the various positions and kinds of work allotted by the One Master to His various servants, requiring from each some work for the common good. The technical sense “deacon” is forbidden here by the breadth of the statement. Cp. 1 Peter 4:10. Lord, or Master; correlative to ministry, and pointing to “Lord Jesus” in 1 Corinthians 12:3. See under Romans 1:4. Works-done: results produced, corresponding to works all things. Whatever is done in any one is done by the Father, who sent His Son to be our Master, and His Spirit to be the motive principle of our life. Thus, as usual, Paul leads us up to the presence of the Father; and lingers there. Moreover, that the gifts are from the spirit and that the ministries are service to Christ, is evident: but it is needful to say expressly that the results achieved are wrought by the Father.

Notice the rising climax, revealing the relation of these various gifts to the three persons of the Trinity, and culminating in the presence of Him who is Supreme even in the Godhead. Cp. Ephesians 4:4ff. Paul has already said that the Holy Spirit, who dwells in all believers, ever moves them to call Jesus their Master. But their capacities are different, fitting them for different kinds of service, and producing different kinds of results. Yet all the capacities come from one Spirit: the different kinds of service are for the same Master: and the different results are produced by the same First Cause.

V. 6. Operations-Effects produced. This word is of a larger extent than either of the former.

But it is the same God who worketh all these effects in all the persons concerned.

Verse 6. Diversities of operations] energhmatwn. Miraculous influences exerted on others; such as the expulsion of demons, inflicting extraordinary punishments, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Elymas the sorcerer, &c., the healing of different diseases, raising the dead, &c.: all these proceeded from God the Father, as the fountain of all goodness and power, and the immediate dispenser of every good and perfect gift. In the three preceding verses we find more than an indirect reference to the doctrine of the sacred Trinity.

GIFTS are attributed to the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:4. ADMINISTRATIONS to the Lord Jesus, 1 Corinthians 12:5. OPERATIONS to God the Father, 1 Corinthians 12:6. He who may think this fanciful must account for the very evident distinctions here in some more satisfactory way.

Verses 4-6. Now there are diversities of gifts — Carismatwn, gifts of grace, both as to kind and degree; but the same Spirit — Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. And there are differences of administrations — Of offices or functions in the church, wherein those gifts are to be exercised, which are indeed but services, and therefore not fit fuel for pride; but the same Lord — Appoints them all. Christ, who, as King of his church, instituted all these offices, prescribes the manner of executing them all; and calls one person to one kind of ministry, and another to another. And there are diversities of operations — Energhmatwn, of energies, or effects produced. The word is of a larger extent than either gifts or administrations, the two former words used: but it is the same God who worketh all these effects in all — The persons concerned.

Ver. 6. There are diversities of operations, for this unction attends all the labours of the ministry; but it is God the Father, the fountain of deity, working the same thing. And assuredly, if a Trinity be not here revealed, language is devoid of meaning.

6. Operations—Better, in-workings. Divine operations within the soul, whereby the exercises referred to were wrought. The apostle having thus enforced the unity of origin, now (vv. 7-10) analyzes the variety of gifts, in order still more emphatically (11-13) to trace them all to one Source.

Ver. 4.-6. Variety in the just-mentioned unity, and emphatic reassertion of the unity.

Gifts-of-grace: technical use, as in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30f, Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10; corresponding with the technical use of spiritual things in 1 Corinthians 12:1. See Romans 1:11. Instead of giving to one man the whole round of the capacities which His favor prompts Him to bestow, the One Spirit who dwells in all believers gives different capacities to different men.

Ministries: see under Romans 12:7: the various positions and kinds of work allotted by the One Master to His various servants, requiring from each some work for the common good. The technical sense “deacon” is forbidden here by the breadth of the statement. Cp. 1 Peter 4:10. Lord, or Master; correlative to ministry, and pointing to “Lord Jesus” in 1 Corinthians 12:3. See under Romans 1:4. Works-done: results produced, corresponding to works all things. Whatever is done in any one is done by the Father, who sent His Son to be our Master, and His Spirit to be the motive principle of our life. Thus, as usual, Paul leads us up to the presence of the Father; and lingers there. Moreover, that the gifts are from the spirit and that the ministries are service to Christ, is evident: but it is needful to say expressly that the results achieved are wrought by the Father.

Notice the rising climax, revealing the relation of these various gifts to the three persons of the Trinity, and culminating in the presence of Him who is Supreme even in the Godhead. Cp. Ephesians 4:4ff. Paul has already said that the Holy Spirit, who dwells in all believers, ever moves them to call Jesus their Master. But their capacities are different, fitting them for different kinds of service, and producing different kinds of results. Yet all the capacities come from one Spirit: the different kinds of service are for the same Master: and the different results are produced by the same First Cause.

V. 7. The manifestation-The gift whereby the Spirit manifests itself. Is given to each-For the profit of the whole body.

Verse 7. The manifestation of the Spirit] fanerwsiv tou pneumatov. This is variably understood by the fathers; some of them rendering fanerwsiv by illumination, others demonstration, and others operation. The apostle’s meaning seems to be this: Whatever gifts God has bestowed, or in what various ways soever the Spirit of God may have manifested himself, it is all for the common benefit of the Church. God has given no gift to any man for his own private advantage, or exclusive profit. He has it for the benefit of others as well as for his own salvation.

Verses 7-9. But the manifestation of the Spirit — That ability to exercise some spiritual gift, whereby the Spirit manifests his presence with the person possessed of the gift; is given to every man — That has it; to profit withal — For the profit of the whole body; to edify the different members of the church, and to be only thus used, and not for the purposes of pride and division. For to one is given, by the immediate influence of the Spirit, the word of wisdom — Ability to speak what is instructive and prudent, by way of information, counsel, caution, warning, encouragement, exhortation, &c., in any matters of duty or privilege: to another, the word of knowledge — An acquaintance with, and ability to expound, the Holy Scriptures aright, and to understand and explain the mysteries of redemption and salvation. To another, faith — Faith may here mean, 1st, An extraordinary trust in God, under the most difficult or dangerous circumstances; producing that supernatural courage which enabled our Lord’s apostles, and other disciples, to bear testimony to the gospel, not only in the presence of kings and magistrates, but before the most enraged enemies. In consequence of this gift, we find Peter and John speaking with such boldness before the chief priests and council, as astonished them, Acts 4:13, 29. 2d, It signifies that firm persuasion of the power, love, and faithfulness of God, and confidence therein, which led the apostles to attempt and succeed in the performing of miraculous works, when they felt an inward impulse so to do. Of this faith Christ speaks Matthew 17:20; and Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:2. To another, the gifts of healing — Power to heal various bodily diseases in an extraordinary way. In the original it is iamatwn, healings; in the plural, denoting the variety of diseases that were healed. This gift was promised by Christ, not only to the apostles and public teachers in the first church, but generally to those who should believe, Mark 16:18. Accordingly, many of the first Christians possessed it; and by exercising it, they not only confirmed the gospel, but they conciliated the good-will of the more considerate heathen, who could not but esteem the Christians when, in these miracles, they discerned the beneficent nature of their religion. The apostles, however, possessed these gifts in a more eminent degree, and exercised them in a superior manner. See Acts 5:15, and 19:12. It must be observed, however, that, in the exercise of this gift, none endued with it, not even the apostles, were permitted to act according to their own pleasure; but were always directed to the exercise of it by an impression on their minds from God; otherwise Paul would not have left Trophimus sick at Miletus; nor have suffered his beloved Timothy to labour under his infirmities; nor Epaphroditus to be sick nigh unto death. This gift, however, need not be wholly confined to the healing of diseases by a word or touch. It may exert itself, also, though in a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied. And it may often be this, and not superior skill, which makes some physicians more successful than others. And thus it may be with regard to other gifts likewise. “As, after the golden shields were lost,” says Bengelius, “the king of Judah put brazen ones in their place, so, after the pure gifts of the Spirit were lost, the power of God exerted (and still exerts) itself in a more covert manner, under human studies and helps: and that the more plentifully, according as there is the more room given for it.”

Ver. 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man, for utility and edification in the church. Ostervald says that father Cheminai’s sermons have much unction. Chrysostom, he adds, raises us up to heaven, even in his exordiums. A good man has a fountain of eloquence in his own breast. He who thus speaks has demonstrations that he promotes the conversion of his hearers, together with the peace and concord of the church. If the preacher’s heart burn with love, all these heavenly effects will follow.

7. Manifestation—The exhibition in the exercise. To profit—Utility is made the test of the rank and value of the gift, as in 1 Corinthians 13:19 more fully.

The gifts here mentioned have been variously classified, but not in the order of their mention by the apostle. We propose a classification into gifts of mind, of voice, and of action; thought, word, and deed. Under mind, are gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, discerning of spirits, and interpretation; under gifts of voice or utterance, prophecy and tongues; under gifts of action, healing and working of miracles.

Ver. 7. Each-one: emphatic, repeated in 1 Corinthians 12:11, and leading on to “all” (three times) in 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13. Not only (1 Corinthians 12:3) does every servant of Christ possess the Spirit, but amid various gifts, kinds of service, and results produced, every one has some capacity for usefulness.

Is-given: i.e. day by day; not once for all as bodily capacities are given. Only so far as each moment the Spirit works in us can we do spiritual work.

Manifestation of the Spirit: (2 Corinthians 4:2, see under Romans 1:19:) the Holy Spirit dwelling in each believer and made apparent by the capacities for usefulness which He imparts. With a view to profit: i.e. benefit to the church arising from gifts possessed by each member. This leads towards the argument of 1 Corinthians 12:21-26. Each has a capacity for usefulness, an outflow of the Spirit, given to him for the general good.

V. 8. The word of wisdom-A power of understanding and explaining the manifold wisdom of God in the grand scheme of gospel salvation. The word of knowledge-Perhaps an extraordinary ability to understand and explain the Old Testament types and prophecies.

Verse 8. Word of wisdom] In all these places I consider that the proper translation of logov is doctrine, as in many other places of the New Testament. It is very difficult to say what is intended here by the different kinds of gifts mentioned by the apostle: they were probably all supernatural, and were necessary at that time only for the benefit of the Church. On the 8th, 9th, and 10th verses, much may be seen in Lightfoot, Whitby, Pearce, and others. {1 Corinthians 12:8-10} By doctrine of wisdom we may understand, as Bp. Pearce and Dr. Whitby observe, the mystery of our redemption, in which the wisdom of God was most eminently conspicuous: see 1 Corinthians 2:7, 10; and which is called the manifold wisdom of God, Ephesians 3:10. Christ, the great teacher of it, is called the wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians 1:24; and in him are said to be contained all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Colossians 2:3. The apostles to whom this doctrine was committed are called sofoi, wise men; (Matthew 23:34;) and they are said to teach this Gospel according to the wisdom given them, 2 Peter 3:15.

2. By the doctrine of knowledge we may understand either a knowledge of the types, &c., in the Old Testament; or what are termed mysteries; the calling of the Gentiles, the recalling of the Jews, the mystery of iniquity, of the beast, &c., and especially the mystical sense or meaning of the Old Testament, with all its types, rites, ceremonies, &c., &c.

3. By faith, 1 Corinthians 12:9, we are to understand that miraculous faith by which they could remove mountains, 1 Corinthians 13:2; or a peculiar impulse, as Dr: Whitby calls it, that came upon the apostles when any difficult matter was to be performed, which inwardly assured them that God’s power would assist them in the performance of it. Others think that justifying faith, received by means of Gospel teaching, is what is intended.

4. Gifts of healing simply refers to the power which at particular times the apostles received from the Holy Spirit to cure diseases; a power which was not always resident in them; for Paul could not cure Timothy, nor remove his own thorn in the flesh; because it was given only on extraordinary occasions, though perhaps more generally than many others.

5. The working of miracles, energhmata dunamewn, 1 Corinthians 12:10. This seems to refer to the same class as the operations, energhmatwn, 1 Corinthians 12:6, as the words are the same; and to signify those powers by which they were enabled at particular times to work miraculously on others; ejecting demons, inflicting punishments or judgments, as in the cases mentioned under 1 Corinthians 12:6. It is a hendyadis for mighty operations.

6. Prophecy. This seems to import two things: 1st, the predicting future events, such as then particularly concerned the state of the Church and the apostles; as the dearth foretold by Agabus, Acts 11:28; and the binding of St. Paul, and delivering him to the Romans, Acts 21:10, &c.; and St. Paul’s foretelling his own shipwreck on Malta, Acts 27:25, &c. And 2dly, as implying the faculty of teaching or expounding the Scriptures, which is also a common acceptation of the word.

7. Discerning of spirits. A gift by which the person so privileged could discern a false miracle from a true one; or a pretender to inspiration from him who was made really partaker of the Holy Ghost. It probably extended also to the discernment of false professors from true ones, as appears in Peter in the case of Ananias and his wife.

8. Divers kinds of tongues. genh glwsswn, Different languages, which they had never learned, and which God gave them for the immediate instruction of people of different countries who attended their ministry.

9. Interpretation of tongues. It was necessary that while one was speaking the deep things of God in a company where several were present who did not understand, though the majority did, there should be a person who could immediately interpret what was said to that part of the congregation that did not understand the language. This power to interpret was also an immediate gift of God’s Spirit, and is classed here among the miracles.

Verses 7-9. But the manifestation of the Spirit — That ability to exercise some spiritual gift, whereby the Spirit manifests his presence with the person possessed of the gift; is given to every man — That has it; to profit withal — For the profit of the whole body; to edify the different members of the church, and to be only thus used, and not for the purposes of pride and division. For to one is given, by the immediate influence of the Spirit, the word of wisdom — Ability to speak what is instructive and prudent, by way of information, counsel, caution, warning, encouragement, exhortation, &c., in any matters of duty or privilege: to another, the word of knowledge — An acquaintance with, and ability to expound, the Holy Scriptures aright, and to understand and explain the mysteries of redemption and salvation. To another, faith — Faith may here mean, 1st, An extraordinary trust in God, under the most difficult or dangerous circumstances; producing that supernatural courage which enabled our Lord’s apostles, and other disciples, to bear testimony to the gospel, not only in the presence of kings and magistrates, but before the most enraged enemies. In consequence of this gift, we find Peter and John speaking with such boldness before the chief priests and council, as astonished them, Acts 4:13, 29. 2d, It signifies that firm persuasion of the power, love, and faithfulness of God, and confidence therein, which led the apostles to attempt and succeed in the performing of miraculous works, when they felt an inward impulse so to do. Of this faith Christ speaks Matthew 17:20; and Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:2. To another, the gifts of healing — Power to heal various bodily diseases in an extraordinary way. In the original it is iamatwn, healings; in the plural, denoting the variety of diseases that were healed. This gift was promised by Christ, not only to the apostles and public teachers in the first church, but generally to those who should believe, Mark 16:18. Accordingly, many of the first Christians possessed it; and by exercising it, they not only confirmed the gospel, but they conciliated the good-will of the more considerate heathen, who could not but esteem the Christians when, in these miracles, they discerned the beneficent nature of their religion. The apostles, however, possessed these gifts in a more eminent degree, and exercised them in a superior manner. See Acts 5:15, and 19:12. It must be observed, however, that, in the exercise of this gift, none endued with it, not even the apostles, were permitted to act according to their own pleasure; but were always directed to the exercise of it by an impression on their minds from God; otherwise Paul would not have left Trophimus sick at Miletus; nor have suffered his beloved Timothy to labour under his infirmities; nor Epaphroditus to be sick nigh unto death. This gift, however, need not be wholly confined to the healing of diseases by a word or touch. It may exert itself, also, though in a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied. And it may often be this, and not superior skill, which makes some physicians more successful than others. And thus it may be with regard to other gifts likewise. “As, after the golden shields were lost,” says Bengelius, “the king of Judah put brazen ones in their place, so, after the pure gifts of the Spirit were lost, the power of God exerted (and still exerts) itself in a more covert manner, under human studies and helps: and that the more plentifully, according as there is the more room given for it.”

Ver. 8-10. The word of wisdom. On these twelve gifts see the reflections below; only I would add here, that critics, as is usual, give various expositions. Some think that the word of knowledge designates the knowledge of future things by the Spirit of prophecy. The gift of tongues is to be noted as peculiarly admirable, and most convincing to unbelievers, who were the proper judges, and especially in the city of Corinth, where very many languages were spoken. They saw that God did aid the utterance of the speakers in a supernatural manner. The gift of discerning of spirits not only respects the admission of members to communion, but also the selection of officiating ministers.

8. Word of wisdom… knowledge—Our knowledge is the amount we know; that is, the mass of facts and principles embraced in our memory. Or, wisdom is the capacity for applying our knowledge in judgments or practice. The word of knowledge would draw from the stores laid up in the mind of the Christ-history and the Old Testament records, with the whole mass of Christian truths. Wisdom would unfold itself in profound maxims, and sagacious counsels, plans, and courses of conduct.

Ver. 8.-10. List of gifts, in support of 1 Corinthians 12:7, making very prominent that all come from the One Spirit. The list is broken up, by a slight verbal change, into three series: intellectual gifts, wisdom and knowledge, 1 Corinthians 12:8; gifts conspicuously miraculous, under the heading of faith, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 10a; gifts connected with tongues, 1 Corinthians 12:10b.

Word of wisdom: not the same (cp. 1 Corinthians 1:5) as wisdom; mentioned specially here because it is in the utterance (cp. 1 Corinthians 2:13) of wisdom that the Spirit within is manifested to those around.

Wisdom and knowledge: found together in Romans 11:33; Colossians 2:3; Ecclesiastes 1:16, 18; 2:21, 26; 9:10. Cp. Colossians 1:9; Philippians 1:9. The difference is difficult to mark in exact detail; but, in broad outline, is quite clear. Knowledge is mere acquaintance with things past present, or future. Wisdom is, from the Christian point of view, such a direct grasp of underlying principles and eternal realities as enables a man to choose the right goal and the best path in life. See note under 1 Corinthians 2:5. Paul's readers were rich in knowledge: and (1 Corinthians 8:2) it tended to inflate them. But he could not (1 Corinthians 2:6) speak to them wisdom: nor does wisdom ever inflate. Wisdom, as the highest mental excellence may be distinguished, as here, from knowledge: from “understanding,” (Colossians 1:9,) a capacity for interpreting the details of daily life; and from “prudence,” (Ephesians 1:8,) a thoughtful capacity for choosing the best means for any ends we have in view. [For the distinction as understood by the Greeks, Aristotle, Nicom, Ethics bk. vi. 5-10 is very instructive.]

Through according to, in the Spirit: three aspects conspicuously put, of the relation of these gifts to the Spirit. He is the channel through which they come, the standard with which they agree, and the element in which they are possessed and used. Only by the operation of the Spirit, can we understand the words of spiritual men, and thus take up knowledge, i.e. learn what they knew before us: and this communication of knowledge accords with the nature of the spirit; as does the revelation of the deeper mysteries of wisdom.

V. 9. Faith may here mean an extraordinary trust in God under the most difficult or dangerous circumstances.

The gift of healing need not be wholly confined to the healing diseases with a word or a touch. It may exert itself also, though in a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied; and it may often be this, not superior skill, which makes some physicians more successful than others. And thus it may be with regard to other gifts likewise. As, after the golden shields were lost, the king of Judah put brazen in their place, so, after the pure gifts were lost, the power of God exerts itself in a more covert manner, under human studies and helps; and that the more plentifully, according as there is the more room given for it.

Verses 7-9. But the manifestation of the Spirit — That ability to exercise some spiritual gift, whereby the Spirit manifests his presence with the person possessed of the gift; is given to every man — That has it; to profit withal — For the profit of the whole body; to edify the different members of the church, and to be only thus used, and not for the purposes of pride and division. For to one is given, by the immediate influence of the Spirit, the word of wisdom — Ability to speak what is instructive and prudent, by way of information, counsel, caution, warning, encouragement, exhortation, &c., in any matters of duty or privilege: to another, the word of knowledge — An acquaintance with, and ability to expound, the Holy Scriptures aright, and to understand and explain the mysteries of redemption and salvation. To another, faith — Faith may here mean, 1st, An extraordinary trust in God, under the most difficult or dangerous circumstances; producing that supernatural courage which enabled our Lord’s apostles, and other disciples, to bear testimony to the gospel, not only in the presence of kings and magistrates, but before the most enraged enemies. In consequence of this gift, we find Peter and John speaking with such boldness before the chief priests and council, as astonished them, Acts 4:13, 29. 2d, It signifies that firm persuasion of the power, love, and faithfulness of God, and confidence therein, which led the apostles to attempt and succeed in the performing of miraculous works, when they felt an inward impulse so to do. Of this faith Christ speaks Matthew 17:20; and Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:2. To another, the gifts of healing — Power to heal various bodily diseases in an extraordinary way. In the original it is iamatwn, healings; in the plural, denoting the variety of diseases that were healed. This gift was promised by Christ, not only to the apostles and public teachers in the first church, but generally to those who should believe, Mark 16:18. Accordingly, many of the first Christians possessed it; and by exercising it, they not only confirmed the gospel, but they conciliated the good-will of the more considerate heathen, who could not but esteem the Christians when, in these miracles, they discerned the beneficent nature of their religion. The apostles, however, possessed these gifts in a more eminent degree, and exercised them in a superior manner. See Acts 5:15, and 19:12. It must be observed, however, that, in the exercise of this gift, none endued with it, not even the apostles, were permitted to act according to their own pleasure; but were always directed to the exercise of it by an impression on their minds from God; otherwise Paul would not have left Trophimus sick at Miletus; nor have suffered his beloved Timothy to labour under his infirmities; nor Epaphroditus to be sick nigh unto death. This gift, however, need not be wholly confined to the healing of diseases by a word or touch. It may exert itself, also, though in a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied. And it may often be this, and not superior skill, which makes some physicians more successful than others. And thus it may be with regard to other gifts likewise. “As, after the golden shields were lost,” says Bengelius, “the king of Judah put brazen ones in their place, so, after the pure gifts of the Spirit were lost, the power of God exerted (and still exerts) itself in a more covert manner, under human studies and helps: and that the more plentifully, according as there is the more room given for it.”

Ver. 8-10. The word of wisdom. On these twelve gifts see the reflections below; only I would add here, that critics, as is usual, give various expositions. Some think that the word of knowledge designates the knowledge of future things by the Spirit of prophecy. The gift of tongues is to be noted as peculiarly admirable, and most convincing to unbelievers, who were the proper judges, and especially in the city of Corinth, where very many languages were spoken. They saw that God did aid the utterance of the speakers in a supernatural manner. The gift of discerning of spirits not only respects the admission of members to communion, but also the selection of officiating ministers.

9. Faith—Chrysostom and the current of modern commentators understand the faith of miracles, which can remove mountains. 1 Corinthians 13:2. But that is included in the working of miracles itself, in verse 10. Hodge comes nearest to the truth: “Such a faith as enabled men to become confessors and martyrs, and which is so fully illustrated in Hebrews 11:33-40. This is something as truly wonderful as the gift of miracles.” Or, as we should express it, that realization of divine realities by which a powerful and heroic Christian character is formed, shown in maintaining truth resistlessly, and suffering for it unshrinkingly. St. Stephen, both in his contests with gainsayers and his martyrdom, was a striking specimen. Thus there is the faith of miracles and the faith of heroism. Healing—See note Acts 3:4. Healing, though usually included under miracles, is placed by itself, inasmuch as there were those endowed with the power for this only.

Ver. 9.-10a. Second series of gifts.

Faith: belief, not of the Gospel, (for this is, to all Christians, the one source of all Christian life and usefulness, Romans 12:3,) but of some special revelation not given to all. Its position at the head of the second series, suggests a connection with the gifts which follow. And 1 Corinthians 13:2 suggests a special relation to the next pair of gifts. Power to work miracles was probably, according to an abiding principle (Matthew 9:29) of the Gospel, conditional on faith. We can conceive that God revealed to a man His will to work a miracle through his hands; and that, if the revelation was embraced with confident assurance, the miracle followed. In 2 Kings 2:14 the effort of such faith, and in Acts 3:6 its confident assurance, find voice. Probably, as in the latter case, the faith of the worker was usually a conspicuous accompaniment of the miracle. Hence the special mention of faith here.

In the same Spirit: as the surrounding element and the divine source of confident assurance that God will fulfill His promise, i.e. in this case, His promise to work a miracle through the believers agency. See under Romans 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:13.

Gifts of healings: in the plural, because each cure was a special and fresh gift of God.

In the One Spirit: is the one source of the many cures wrought by many persons. These words are not repeated, because it is quite evident that they are true of all the following gifts.

Workings of powers: any other supernatural manifestation of God's power, beside the healing of diseases. Probably cures were mentioned first as being the most common kind of miracle.

Prophecy: an utterance of truth under a special, and probably temporary, influence of the Spirit. See note, 1 Corinthians 14:40. Discernment: power to distinguish the Holy Spirit's voice from that of evil spirits. Akin to “discern” in 1 Corinthians 14:29; 11:29, 31; and in the same sense. Cp. 1 John 4:1.

Spirits: a general term, as in 1 John 4:1. When men spoke under the influence of a spirit other than their own, it was needful to determine its nature.

It is not unlikely that this second pair of gifts was, like the first pair, a manifestation of faith in a special and personal revelation; that God first revealed to a man His purpose to make him a mouthpiece of the Spirit or a judge of the professedly inspired words of another man, and then fulfilled His purpose in proportion to the man's faith. Faith is not conspicuously at the head of this second series of gifts, probably because these were occasional manifestations of the spirit, preceded by belief of a special revelation; whereas, in the word of wisdom etc., as a more abiding endowment, faith was less conspicuous though doubtless always present as an essential condition. The gift of tongues possibly was not preceded by a special revelation.

V. 10. The working of other miracles. Prophecy-Foretelling things to come.

The discerning-Whether men be of an upright spirit or no; whether they have natural or supernatural gifts for offices in the church; and whether they who profess to speak by inspiration speak from a divine, a natural, or a diabolical spirit.

Verses 10, 11. To another, the working of miracles — That is, miracles of a different kind; such as taking up serpents, drinking any deadly draught without hurt, and especially casting out devils. But it may not be improper to observe here, that the original expression, energhmata dunamewn, here rendered the working of miracles, is translated by Dr. Macknight, the inworkings of powers, the former word being derived from energew, signifying not to work simply, but to work in another. And he thinks it is here intended to express the power which the apostles had of conferring the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost on those on whom they laid their hands: a power which was peculiar to the apostles, by which they were raised above all the other spiritual men, and by which they spread the gospel everywhere with the greatest success. To another, prophecy — The foretelling of things to come. To another, the discerning of spirits — That is, ability to discern whether professors of Christianity were of an upright spirit, or not; whether they had natural or supernatural gifts for offices in the church; and whether they who professed to speak by inspiration spoke from a divine, a natural, or diabolical spirit; and consequently to distinguish, with certainty, true doctrine from false. For, as there appeared very early among the professed disciples of Christ, false teachers, who, to gain credit to their errors, pretended to deliver them by inspiration, a gift of this kind was very necessary for preventing the faithful from being led away by them, especially in the first age, before the writings of the apostles and evangelists were generally spread abroad. Hence the caution, 1 John 4:1, Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are from God, because many false prophets are gone forth into the world. Again, the gift of discerning spirits was bestowed on some, to enable them, on certain occasions, to discover what passed in the minds of their enemies, that they might make it known for the benefit of the church; 1 Corinthians 14:25. Thus Peter knew the fraudulent purpose of Ananias and Sapphira, and Paul the malice of Elymas. But here it is to be observed, that neither the knowledge of what passed in the minds of enemies, nor the knowledge of the characters of private Christians, or of the qualifications of those who aspired after sacred offices, was bestowed as a habit. On most occasions, it seems, the rulers were left in these matters to guide themselves by their own sagacity, or by that ordinary illumination which they received from the Spirit of wisdom.

To another, divers kinds of tongues — Ability to speak languages which they had not learned. This gift was one of the primary causes of the rapid growth of Christianity. For by it the preachers of the gospel were able, immediately on their coming into any country, to declare the wonderful things of God, without waiting till, in the ordinary course, they learned the language of the country. The persons who were endowed with this faculty, had not the knowledge of all languages communicated to them, but of such only as they had occasion for. This appears from 1 Corinthians 14:18, where the apostle told the Corinthians that he spake more foreign tongues than they all did. And even the languages which were given them, may not have been communicated to them all at once, but only as they had occasion for them. To another, the interpretation of tongues — Ability to interpret into a language known, suppose into the common language of the place, that which others, suppose foreigners, or those to whom a language was given by inspiration, delivered in a tongue with which the hearers were not acquainted. From this being mentioned as a distinct gift from that of speaking foreign languages, Macknight infers, that not every one who understood the foreign language, in which an inspired teacher spake, was allowed to interpret what he spake. The only person, he thinks, permitted to do this, was the interpreter, endowed with an especial inspiration for that end. Because, “the doctrines of the gospel, being entirely different from all the ideas which the heathen had been accustomed to entertain on religious subjects, any interpretation of what was delivered by the Spirit in a foreign language, made without a supernatural direction, might have led the church into errror. Further, the faculty of interpreting foreign languages by inspiration was, in another respect, a gift very necessary in the first age; for the books of the Old Testament being written in Hebrew, a language not then understood by the vulgar, even in Judea, and the writings of the apostles and evangelists being all in the Greek tongue, on account of its emphasis and precision; and that tongue being nowhere spoken by the common people, except in Greece and some cities of the Lesser Asia, if there had not been in every church inspired interpreters, who could translate these divinely-inspired writings into the common language, they would have been, in a great measure, useless; especially at the beginning, when the knowledge of them was most wanted. Whereas every church having inspired interpreters of foreign languages commonly present in their religious assemblies, to translate the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures into the language of the country, the common people, everywhere, had an opportunity of deriving from these writings all the knowledge and comfort they are fitted to yield. Such were the supernatural gifts with which the first preachers and ministers of the gospel were endowed; and by which they effectually and speedily established the gospel in the most populous and civilized provinces of the Roman empire.” And all these — Diversities of gifts, the apostle adds, worketh that one and the self-same Spirit — They all flow from one and the same fountain; dividing to every man severally, kaqwv bouletai, as he willeth — An expression which does not so much imply arbitrary pleasure, as a determination founded on wise counsel.

Ver. 8-10. The word of wisdom. On these twelve gifts see the reflections below; only I would add here, that critics, as is usual, give various expositions. Some think that the word of knowledge designates the knowledge of future things by the Spirit of prophecy. The gift of tongues is to be noted as peculiarly admirable, and most convincing to unbelievers, who were the proper judges, and especially in the city of Corinth, where very many languages were spoken. They saw that God did aid the utterance of the speakers in a supernatural manner. The gift of discerning of spirits not only respects the admission of members to communion, but also the selection of officiating ministers.

10. Working of miracles—Literally, the in-working (by God in the man) of powers, that is, supernatural or miraculous powers. Prophecy—Inspired preaching; either predicting the future, unfolding mysterious truth, or searching the secrets of men’s hearts and characters, 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25. Discerning of spirits—The power of detecting the hypocrite, as Peter did Ananias; of distinguishing true and false gifts; of recognising genuine inspiration. Traces of this power, more or less active, by spiritual sympathy with true inspiration pervading the body of the Church, enabled it to select the right books for the New Testament canon. The pretensions of modern criticism to decide whether one or another book belongs to the canon are often arrogant. On the original pentecostal miracle of tongues, see our note Acts 2:4. In that primal miracle we suppose every individual heard the self-same word each in his own language. But later, as indicated in that note, by decline, only those understanding the one language miraculously spoken took the meaning; later still, a specially inspired interpreter was necessary; and finally, perhaps, the utterance lost all language form, was unintelligible to the utterer himself, being only the emotional vocal outflow of fervent religious emotion. See notes on 1 Corinthians 14:1-19. Thus there were various kinds of tongues. Interpretation of tongues. See notes 1 Corinthians 14:27.

Ver. 10b. A third series.

Gifts of tongues etc.: see note under 1 Corinthians 14:40.

V. 11. As he willeth-The Greek word does not so much imply arbitrary pleasure, as a determination founded on wise counsel.

Verse 11. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit] All these gifts are miraculously bestowed; they cannot be acquitted by human art or industry, the different languages excepted; but they were given in such a way, and in such circumstances, as sufficiently proved that they also were miraculous gifts.

Verses 10, 11. To another, the working of miracles — That is, miracles of a different kind; such as taking up serpents, drinking any deadly draught without hurt, and especially casting out devils. But it may not be improper to observe here, that the original expression, energhmata dunamewn, here rendered the working of miracles, is translated by Dr. Macknight, the inworkings of powers, the former word being derived from energew, signifying not to work simply, but to work in another. And he thinks it is here intended to express the power which the apostles had of conferring the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost on those on whom they laid their hands: a power which was peculiar to the apostles, by which they were raised above all the other spiritual men, and by which they spread the gospel everywhere with the greatest success. To another, prophecy — The foretelling of things to come. To another, the discerning of spirits — That is, ability to discern whether professors of Christianity were of an upright spirit, or not; whether they had natural or supernatural gifts for offices in the church; and whether they who professed to speak by inspiration spoke from a divine, a natural, or diabolical spirit; and consequently to distinguish, with certainty, true doctrine from false. For, as there appeared very early among the professed disciples of Christ, false teachers, who, to gain credit to their errors, pretended to deliver them by inspiration, a gift of this kind was very necessary for preventing the faithful from being led away by them, especially in the first age, before the writings of the apostles and evangelists were generally spread abroad. Hence the caution, 1 John 4:1, Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are from God, because many false prophets are gone forth into the world. Again, the gift of discerning spirits was bestowed on some, to enable them, on certain occasions, to discover what passed in the minds of their enemies, that they might make it known for the benefit of the church; 1 Corinthians 14:25. Thus Peter knew the fraudulent purpose of Ananias and Sapphira, and Paul the malice of Elymas. But here it is to be observed, that neither the knowledge of what passed in the minds of enemies, nor the knowledge of the characters of private Christians, or of the qualifications of those who aspired after sacred offices, was bestowed as a habit. On most occasions, it seems, the rulers were left in these matters to guide themselves by their own sagacity, or by that ordinary illumination which they received from the Spirit of wisdom.

To another, divers kinds of tongues — Ability to speak languages which they had not learned. This gift was one of the primary causes of the rapid growth of Christianity. For by it the preachers of the gospel were able, immediately on their coming into any country, to declare the wonderful things of God, without waiting till, in the ordinary course, they learned the language of the country. The persons who were endowed with this faculty, had not the knowledge of all languages communicated to them, but of such only as they had occasion for. This appears from 1 Corinthians 14:18, where the apostle told the Corinthians that he spake more foreign tongues than they all did. And even the languages which were given them, may not have been communicated to them all at once, but only as they had occasion for them. To another, the interpretation of tongues — Ability to interpret into a language known, suppose into the common language of the place, that which others, suppose foreigners, or those to whom a language was given by inspiration, delivered in a tongue with which the hearers were not acquainted. From this being mentioned as a distinct gift from that of speaking foreign languages, Macknight infers, that not every one who understood the foreign language, in which an inspired teacher spake, was allowed to interpret what he spake. The only person, he thinks, permitted to do this, was the interpreter, endowed with an especial inspiration for that end. Because, “the doctrines of the gospel, being entirely different from all the ideas which the heathen had been accustomed to entertain on religious subjects, any interpretation of what was delivered by the Spirit in a foreign language, made without a supernatural direction, might have led the church into errror. Further, the faculty of interpreting foreign languages by inspiration was, in another respect, a gift very necessary in the first age; for the books of the Old Testament being written in Hebrew, a language not then understood by the vulgar, even in Judea, and the writings of the apostles and evangelists being all in the Greek tongue, on account of its emphasis and precision; and that tongue being nowhere spoken by the common people, except in Greece and some cities of the Lesser Asia, if there had not been in every church inspired interpreters, who could translate these divinely-inspired writings into the common language, they would have been, in a great measure, useless; especially at the beginning, when the knowledge of them was most wanted. Whereas every church having inspired interpreters of foreign languages commonly present in their religious assemblies, to translate the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures into the language of the country, the common people, everywhere, had an opportunity of deriving from these writings all the knowledge and comfort they are fitted to yield. Such were the supernatural gifts with which the first preachers and ministers of the gospel were endowed; and by which they effectually and speedily established the gospel in the most populous and civilized provinces of the Roman empire.” And all these — Diversities of gifts, the apostle adds, worketh that one and the self-same Spirit — They all flow from one and the same fountain; dividing to every man severally, kaqwv bouletai, as he willeth — An expression which does not so much imply arbitrary pleasure, as a determination founded on wise counsel.

11. One… Spirit—Let there be no strife or rivalry between the possessors of different gifts; but let all in unison trace them up to one source, and exercise them in harmony. Dividing—It was not that these exercises were a spontaneous welling up of religious excitement, and assuming these forms, but a definite, divine assignment to each individual of his particular charism. As he will—Wills.

b. The various gifts should harmonize the Church into one body, 12-26. The semblance between the human body and the body politic or social is so striking, and pregnant with so many lessons of loyalty, peace, and patriotism, that it has been popular in all ages. The apologue of Menenius Agrippa, as given by Livy in the early history of Rome, is memorable in literature. The common people, wearied with the tyranny of the aristocracy, and determined no longer to feed its greediness, had seceded from Rome, when Menenius related to them how the limbs of the human body rebelled against the lazy belly, and refused to work for it any longer until want of nourishment and digestion taught them that the refusing to feed the centre was to starve the whole. Applied to the sacred organism, the Church, Paul here uses the same parable to soothe the rivalries between the different possessors of charisms.

Ver. 11. Repeats, after a survey of the different kinds of gifts, the chief thought of 1 Corinthians 12:4-10, viz. that the various capacities for usefulness have one source, the Holy Spirit.

Dividing: cognate to “varieties” in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, marking the end of the matter there introduced.

Individually: so that each has a gift of his own.

As He likes; asserts emphatically that the distribution of the gifts springs simply and only from the sovereign choice of the Spirit.

He: or It: see Romans 8:16. The original has no pronoun. That the Spirit has a will, and is yet in 1 Corinthians 12:4ff distinguished from and placed side by side of, the Father and the Son, implies clearly that He is a Person distinct from Them, and that the words Spirit of God are not a mere description of the Father as animating men. For to have a Will is the essence of personality. Still more clearly is this implied in the words of Christ recorded in John 16:13: “He will not speak prompted by Himself; but as many things as He may hear He will speak.” For He who can listen to the Father must be a person distinct from Him. Again, since the Spirit possesses the entire knowledge of God, as our spirits know all that we know, (1 Corinthians 2:10f,) He must be infinite and therefore divine. For the finite cannot comprehend the Infinite. The matter of spiritual gifts is now fairly before us. We have learned that the Spirit ever prompts men to bow to Jesus; and that His presence is an indisputable condition of service of Jesus. We have had a list of various capacities for usefulness possessed by the early church; and have been taught emphatically and repeatedly that all these are from the One Spirit of God, who fits us for service of the One Master and produces results wrought by God in us. The way is now open for the wonderful parable of § 23.

With 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 compare Homer's Iliad, bk. xiii. 730ff. “To one God gave warlike works

To another, dancing; to a different one harp and song.

In another's breast far-seeing Zeus puts

A noble mind, of which many men reap benefit.”

V. 12. So is Christ-That is, the body of Christ, the church.

Verse 12. For as the body is one] Though the human body have many members, and though it be composed of a great variety of parts, yet it is but one entire system; every part and member being necessary to the integrity or completeness of the whole.

So also is Christ.] That is, So is the Church the body of Christ, being composed of the different officers already mentioned, and especially those enumerated, 1 Corinthians 12:28, apostles, prophets, teachers, &c. It cannot be supposed that Christ is composed of many members, &c., and therefore the term Church must be understood, unless we suppose, which is not improbable, that the term o cristov, Christ, is used to express the Church, or whole body of Christian believers.

Verses 12, 13. For as the human body is one, and yet hath many members — For different offices; and all the members, though many, constitute but one body — United in one well-regulated system; so also is Christ — That is, mystically considered, namely, the whole church or society, of which Christ is the head: in which, though there are several members, having different gifts, yet they do not constitute several churches, but only one church, and therefore they should all use their gifts for the good of that one. For by one Spirit — When it is indeed received by us; we are all baptized into one body — Are constituted true members thereof, united to the head of that body by faith, and to all the other members thereof by love: we are pardoned, regenerated, and created anew, and so made members of the true, invisible, or spiritual church; whether we be Jews or Gentiles — Who are at the greatest distance from each other by nature; whether we be bond or free — Slaves or freemen, who are at the greatest distance from each other by law and custom: we have all been made to drink into one Spirit — In other words, The religion we before professed, whether true or false; the rank which we now hold in life, whether high or low; makes no difference as to the grand point: our union with the body, and its various members, as well as with the head, is the same, and the same happy consequences follow from that union; we all imbibe the influences of the same Spirit, by which the divine life was at first produced, and is continually preserved in our souls.

I CORINTHIANS

SECTION 23 AS IN THE HUMAN BODY THERE

ARE MANY MEMBERS, ALL NEEDFUL FOR THE

GENERAL GOOD, SO IN THE CHURCH

CH. 12:12-30

For, just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body; so also is Christ. For indeed in one Spirit we all were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen. And we all were made to drink one Spirit. For also the body is not one member, but many. If the foot say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body; it is not on this account not of the body. And, if the ear say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body; it is not on this account not of the body. If all the body were eye, where would be the hearing? If all were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has put the members, each one of them, in the body, according as His will was. And if all of them were one member, where would be the body? But now are there many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, No need of thee have I: or again the head to the feet, No need of you have I. But much rather the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those which we think to be less honourable parts of the body, these we clothe with more abundant honour: and our unseemly parts have more abundant seemliness. But the seemly parts have no need. Yes, God has mixed together the body, to that which falls short having given more abundant honour; that there may be no division in the body, but that the same care the members may have on behalf of each other. And both if one member suffers, there suffer with it all the members: and if one member is glorified, there rejoice with it all the members. And you are Christ's body, and members part with part. And some indeed God placed in the church-first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miraculous powers, then gracious gifts of healings, helpings, governings, kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all miraculous powers? have all gracious gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? This section explains the Spirit's allotment of different gifts to different church-members, by the analogy of the human body. The analogy is asserted in 1 Corinthians 12:12; and justified in 1 Corinthians 12:13 by the spiritual facts of the church. Its lower side is expounded practically in 1 Corinthians 12:14-26: 1 Corinthians 12:27 reasserts the analogy: 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 develop its higher side.

Ver. 12. A comparison closely interwoven (cp. 1 Corinthians 6:15; Romans 12:4; Ephesians 1:23; 4:16, 25; 5:30) into the mind of Paul; and among the sacred writers, peculiar to him.

Is one: as having one interest, and being instinctively conscious of this. See below. A living body is the most wonderful instance on earth of oneness amid variety. With great emphasis Paul says that all the members, though they are many, not only belong to, but are, one body. Just as we have many bodily members which together make up one undivided body, so also it is with Christ.

V. 13. For by that one Spirit, which we received in baptism, we are all united in one body.

Whether Jews or Gentiles-Who are at the greatest distance from each other by nature.

Whether slaves or freemen-Who are at the greatest distance by law and custom.

We have all drank of one Spirit-In that cup, received by faith, we all imbibed one Spirit, who first inspired, and still preserves, the life of God in our souls.

Verse 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized, &c.] As the body of man, though composed of many members, is informed and influenced by one soul; so the Church of Christ, which is his body, though composed of many members, is informed and influenced by one Spirit, the Holy Ghost; actuating and working by his spiritual body, as the human soul does in the body of man.

To drink into one Spirit.] We are to understand being made partakers of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost agreeably to the words of our Lord, John 7:37, &c.: If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink: this he spake of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive. On this verse there is a great profusion of various readings, which may be found in Griesbach, but cannot be conveniently noticed here.

Verses 12, 13. For as the human body is one, and yet hath many members — For different offices; and all the members, though many, constitute but one body — United in one well-regulated system; so also is Christ — That is, mystically considered, namely, the whole church or society, of which Christ is the head: in which, though there are several members, having different gifts, yet they do not constitute several churches, but only one church, and therefore they should all use their gifts for the good of that one. For by one Spirit — When it is indeed received by us; we are all baptized into one body — Are constituted true members thereof, united to the head of that body by faith, and to all the other members thereof by love: we are pardoned, regenerated, and created anew, and so made members of the true, invisible, or spiritual church; whether we be Jews or Gentiles — Who are at the greatest distance from each other by nature; whether we be bond or free — Slaves or freemen, who are at the greatest distance from each other by law and custom: we have all been made to drink into one Spirit — In other words, The religion we before professed, whether true or false; the rank which we now hold in life, whether high or low; makes no difference as to the grand point: our union with the body, and its various members, as well as with the head, is the same, and the same happy consequences follow from that union; we all imbibe the influences of the same Spirit, by which the divine life was at first produced, and is continually preserved in our souls.

Ver. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, the church, the spiritual body of Christ. This is rising in a climax, for the gifts are but the adornings of the body. In this celestial family a new order, a divine organization subsists. The distinctions of jew and gentile, of rich and poor, subsist no longer. Seeing things in the same light, they love with the same flame. This baptism of conformity to the Saviour’s death, indicates a cessation from our own works, the works of iniquity, and a resurrection to seek the things that are above. — If this be the unity of the heavenly family, where now, oh ye Corinthians, is your party spirit of Paul, of Apollos, and of Cephas. We have all drank into one spirit of concord, of love, of worship, and zeal to evangelize the world: in all these views we are of one mind, of one accord.

13. One Spirit—As the vital principle organizes and holds in shapely unity the various elements of a living body, so does the one Spirit organize, vivify, and unify the body of the Church. That same divine One holds alike the various charisms in harmony and the body in unity. Baptized—The descent of the pentecostal Spirit, like the outpouring of baptismal water, consecrated its subjects into the living Church. So the same spiritual outpouring sanctifies the members into one holy Church. Jews or Gentiles—Whether formerly worshippers of Jehovah or of dumb idols. Bond or free—Irrespective of rank or condition of life. The slave is enlarged into spiritual freedom; the freeman is bound, and yet ennobled, into the service of Christ. Drink into one Spirit—Into is omitted by the best authorities. In John 7:37 the Spirit is compared to water which is drank. So that in the first part of the verse the Spirit is applied to us, and in this part we drink the Spirit.

Ver. 13. Proof of “so also is Christ.”

We all: emphatic, in contrast to the human body.

Baptized into, or for one body: see note, Romans 6:3. It denotes either the aim or the result of baptism; perhaps here the latter. They were made by baptism members of an outward and visible community which has a oneness similar to that of a human body. Nothing suggests any but the common sense of water-baptism. For the baptism of the Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16) is never mentioned by Paul: and here body in contrast to Spirit suggests an outward and visible community, and an outward rite of admission to it.

In One Spirit: put prominently forward as the invisible source of the oneness of the visible community of the baptized. Just as the oneness of the human body flows from the one living spirit which animates, and moves in harmony, all the members. This oneness, a dead body has lost. Consequently, baptism is an effective union only when administered in the Spirit as its surrounding and life-giving element. In this sense Paul's readers were in one Spirit baptized into and made members of one living body. This assumes, as does 1 Corinthians 6:11, that all were genuine believers; and that in all such the Spirit is, 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 12:3. If at Corinth there were false brethren, these are left out of view. Jews or Greeks etc.: national distinctions and the widest social distinctions being completely broken down.

And we all etc.; gives further prominence to the great teaching of 1 Corinthians 12:13a, which permeates 1 Corinthians 12, and lies at the base of the comparison before us, viz. that every genuine member of the church has received into himself, henceforth to be to him the source of a new life, the One Spirit who makes the many members into one living body. Notice here two aspects of the Spirit's relation to us. We receive Him into ourselves; and we are ourselves in Him. For He both permeates our being, moving and filling us from within, and by so doing raises us into a new element in which we henceforth live.

This verse does not imply that Paul's readers received the Spirit in the moment of their baptism. Cp. Acts 10:44-48. Baptism, like the Lord's Supper, was commanded by Christ, and thus made a condition of salvation indispensable in all ordinary cases; and for the same reason, viz. to give to, and maintain in, His people a visible and united front before the world. There was, therefore, no way to the blessings of the Gospel except through baptism. And Paul could correctly say (Titus 3:5) that God saved His people “through the laver of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit;” and Ananias (Acts 22:16) could say, “Have thyself baptized and wash away thy sins.” Consequently, without a purpose to be baptized there could be no intelligent and sustained faith; and therefore no reception of the Holy Spirit. But, nevertheless, the spirit is received by faith when we believe: Galatians 3:14; John 7:39. In this verse Paul simply links together, as necessarily connected in all ordinary cases, the outward rite and the spiritual element which alone gave it reality.

Verse 14. For the body is not one member] The mystical body, the Church, as well as the natural body, is composed of many members.

Verses 14-20. For the body is not one member, but many — All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. If the foot — One of inferior gifts and place; shall say, Because I am not the hand — Do not appear in a more honourable place, and have not a more important office; I am not of the body — I am separated from, or despised by it, in my low situation; is it therefore not of the body — Is the inference good? Would it have reason on this account to represent or think itself an outcast? The foot here is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand, the ear of the eye; each of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men, each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him. Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, active officers in the church; the eye, discerning teachers; and the ear, attentive hearers. If the whole body were an eye — And a man could look, at will, through every pore; where were the hearing — That important sense, which admits so much pleasing entertainment and improvement? And if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling — A sense which, though less important than the former, is not destitute of its proper delight and its proper use. The sense is, If all the members of the church had the same gifts, though the most excellent, as seeing or hearing, what would become of the church? There must be different offices and gifts for different uses, and each ought to employ his gift, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole. But now we see God — The wise and great Creator; hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him — With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness. If they were all one member — Or if the members were all of one form and use; where were the body — How could it possibly subsist? But now they are many members — Different from each other, possessed of different powers, and intended for different uses; yet but one harmonious, regular body — Furnished for the various animal functions, and capable of a variety of sensations and actions. And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

14. Body… many—The apostle varies the phases of the body to meet the complaints of the different cavillers. There were the weaker members met in 14-20, and the stronger in 21-27. The former would have all equal and essentially identical. But this would destroy the variety of members in the body. The whole body cannot be one limb.

Ver. 14. Parallel with 1 Corinthians 12:12a, developing for use the comparison there introduced. Paul accounts for the differences of nationality and rank in the church animated by one Spirit, by reminding us that also the human body is not all alike but consists of many members. This is made very clear in 1 Corinthians 12:15, 16 by the evident absurdity of inferring that because one member is unlike some other it therefore does not enjoy the privilege of belonging to the body. This inference might be drawn not merely by the lowest members but by those next to the highest; and with equal absurdity. Notice that the members mentioned compared themselves, as men do, with others resembling, though superior to, themselves.

V. 15. The foot is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand; the ear, of the eye; each, of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him.

Is it therefore not of the body-Is the inference good? Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, officers in the church; the eye, teachers; the ear, hearers.

Verse 15. If the foot shall say, &c.] As all the members of the body are necessarily dependent on each other, and minister to the general support of the system, so is it in the Church. All the private members are intimately connected among themselves, and also with their pastors; without which union no Church can subsist.

Verses 14-20. For the body is not one member, but many — All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. If the foot — One of inferior gifts and place; shall say, Because I am not the hand — Do not appear in a more honourable place, and have not a more important office; I am not of the body — I am separated from, or despised by it, in my low situation; is it therefore not of the body — Is the inference good? Would it have reason on this account to represent or think itself an outcast? The foot here is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand, the ear of the eye; each of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men, each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him. Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, active officers in the church; the eye, discerning teachers; and the ear, attentive hearers. If the whole body were an eye — And a man could look, at will, through every pore; where were the hearing — That important sense, which admits so much pleasing entertainment and improvement? And if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling — A sense which, though less important than the former, is not destitute of its proper delight and its proper use. The sense is, If all the members of the church had the same gifts, though the most excellent, as seeing or hearing, what would become of the church? There must be different offices and gifts for different uses, and each ought to employ his gift, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole. But now we see God — The wise and great Creator; hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him — With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness. If they were all one member — Or if the members were all of one form and use; where were the body — How could it possibly subsist? But now they are many members — Different from each other, possessed of different powers, and intended for different uses; yet but one harmonious, regular body — Furnished for the various animal functions, and capable of a variety of sensations and actions. And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

15. No one must think he does not belong to the Church because he is a supporter, and not an executive, of the Church; any more than a foot shall claim that it is not of the body because it is not the hand.

V. 16. The ear-A less noble part.

The eye-The most noble.

Verses 14-20. For the body is not one member, but many — All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. If the foot — One of inferior gifts and place; shall say, Because I am not the hand — Do not appear in a more honourable place, and have not a more important office; I am not of the body — I am separated from, or despised by it, in my low situation; is it therefore not of the body — Is the inference good? Would it have reason on this account to represent or think itself an outcast? The foot here is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand, the ear of the eye; each of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men, each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him. Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, active officers in the church; the eye, discerning teachers; and the ear, attentive hearers. If the whole body were an eye — And a man could look, at will, through every pore; where were the hearing — That important sense, which admits so much pleasing entertainment and improvement? And if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling — A sense which, though less important than the former, is not destitute of its proper delight and its proper use. The sense is, If all the members of the church had the same gifts, though the most excellent, as seeing or hearing, what would become of the church? There must be different offices and gifts for different uses, and each ought to employ his gift, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole. But now we see God — The wise and great Creator; hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him — With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness. If they were all one member — Or if the members were all of one form and use; where were the body — How could it possibly subsist? But now they are many members — Different from each other, possessed of different powers, and intended for different uses; yet but one harmonious, regular body — Furnished for the various animal functions, and capable of a variety of sensations and actions. And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

16. No one must claim that he is not sharer of the Church because he is only a hearer and not an overseer, any more than the ear is excluded from the body because it is not the eye.

Verses 14-20. For the body is not one member, but many — All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. If the foot — One of inferior gifts and place; shall say, Because I am not the hand — Do not appear in a more honourable place, and have not a more important office; I am not of the body — I am separated from, or despised by it, in my low situation; is it therefore not of the body — Is the inference good? Would it have reason on this account to represent or think itself an outcast? The foot here is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand, the ear of the eye; each of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men, each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him. Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, active officers in the church; the eye, discerning teachers; and the ear, attentive hearers. If the whole body were an eye — And a man could look, at will, through every pore; where were the hearing — That important sense, which admits so much pleasing entertainment and improvement? And if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling — A sense which, though less important than the former, is not destitute of its proper delight and its proper use. The sense is, If all the members of the church had the same gifts, though the most excellent, as seeing or hearing, what would become of the church? There must be different offices and gifts for different uses, and each ought to employ his gift, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole. But now we see God — The wise and great Creator; hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him — With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness. If they were all one member — Or if the members were all of one form and use; where were the body — How could it possibly subsist? But now they are many members — Different from each other, possessed of different powers, and intended for different uses; yet but one harmonious, regular body — Furnished for the various animal functions, and capable of a variety of sensations and actions. And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

17. Whole body—If all are clergy where are the laity? If all are captains where are the privates?

Ver. 17.-18. Not only is difference from others no proof that a member does not belong to the body, but it is a real gain to the body, which otherwise would be seriously defective. For the greater abundance of the best faculties would in no way supply the lack of the lesser ones. But now: as things actually are, in contrast to all the members being alike. God has put: the existing arrangement is His work.

According as He willed: when He formed the eternal purpose to make man. Paul strengthens his appeal to the Creator by pointing to His sovereign and deliberate determination.

Each one of them; suggests God's special forethought about each member, and thus rebukes those who would have chosen otherwise.

V. 18. As it hath pleased him-With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness.

Verses 14-20. For the body is not one member, but many — All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. If the foot — One of inferior gifts and place; shall say, Because I am not the hand — Do not appear in a more honourable place, and have not a more important office; I am not of the body — I am separated from, or despised by it, in my low situation; is it therefore not of the body — Is the inference good? Would it have reason on this account to represent or think itself an outcast? The foot here is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand, the ear of the eye; each of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men, each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him. Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, active officers in the church; the eye, discerning teachers; and the ear, attentive hearers. If the whole body were an eye — And a man could look, at will, through every pore; where were the hearing — That important sense, which admits so much pleasing entertainment and improvement? And if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling — A sense which, though less important than the former, is not destitute of its proper delight and its proper use. The sense is, If all the members of the church had the same gifts, though the most excellent, as seeing or hearing, what would become of the church? There must be different offices and gifts for different uses, and each ought to employ his gift, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole. But now we see God — The wise and great Creator; hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him — With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness. If they were all one member — Or if the members were all of one form and use; where were the body — How could it possibly subsist? But now they are many members — Different from each other, possessed of different powers, and intended for different uses; yet but one harmonious, regular body — Furnished for the various animal functions, and capable of a variety of sensations and actions. And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

18. Now hath God—This variety in unity is established by God. Men are variously endowed to perform different parts in the social organization; and when any part refuses its allotment, it first deranges the system and then destroys itself. Pleased him—For it is wonderful to observe how the whole system of nature is an organism in which the unity exists, lives, works, and prospers, by the harmonious working of the individuals.

Ver. 17.-18. Not only is difference from others no proof that a member does not belong to the body, but it is a real gain to the body, which otherwise would be seriously defective. For the greater abundance of the best faculties would in no way supply the lack of the lesser ones. But now: as things actually are, in contrast to all the members being alike. God has put: the existing arrangement is His work.

According as He willed: when He formed the eternal purpose to make man. Paul strengthens his appeal to the Creator by pointing to His sovereign and deliberate determination.

Each one of them; suggests God's special forethought about each member, and thus rebukes those who would have chosen otherwise.

Verses 14-20. For the body is not one member, but many — All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. If the foot — One of inferior gifts and place; shall say, Because I am not the hand — Do not appear in a more honourable place, and have not a more important office; I am not of the body — I am separated from, or despised by it, in my low situation; is it therefore not of the body — Is the inference good? Would it have reason on this account to represent or think itself an outcast? The foot here is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand, the ear of the eye; each of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men, each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him. Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, active officers in the church; the eye, discerning teachers; and the ear, attentive hearers. If the whole body were an eye — And a man could look, at will, through every pore; where were the hearing — That important sense, which admits so much pleasing entertainment and improvement? And if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling — A sense which, though less important than the former, is not destitute of its proper delight and its proper use. The sense is, If all the members of the church had the same gifts, though the most excellent, as seeing or hearing, what would become of the church? There must be different offices and gifts for different uses, and each ought to employ his gift, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole. But now we see God — The wise and great Creator; hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him — With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness. If they were all one member — Or if the members were all of one form and use; where were the body — How could it possibly subsist? But now they are many members — Different from each other, possessed of different powers, and intended for different uses; yet but one harmonious, regular body — Furnished for the various animal functions, and capable of a variety of sensations and actions. And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

19. One member—All reduced to a monotonous sameness. Body—The entire organism would lose its power of operation.

Ver. 19.-20. The absurdity of the objections in 1 Corinthians 12:15, 16, already exposed by the question 1 Corinthians 12:17, which evoked the contrary statement of 1 Corinthians 12:18, is still further exposed in 1 Corinthians 12:19 by another question, making with those of 1 Corinthians 12:17 a climax. Not only would a body in which the whole was endowed with the same faculties, even with the noblest faculties be seriously defective, but it would be no body at all, i.e. it would lack that which we all conceive to be the very essence of a living body. For a body is something composed of many and various parts endowed with widely different and mutually-supplementing capacities, all animated by one spirit and having one interest which all subserve. Therefore, to conceive all members to be equally endowed, would destroy our conception of a living body, a conception which we all feel to be not only very good but divinely wonderful. 1 Corinthians 12:20 is parallel with 1 Corinthians 12:18; and repeats the statement of 1 Corinthians 12:14 and 1 Corinthians 12:12, after showing the absurdity of the contrary supposition.

V. 20. But one body-And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

Verses 14-20. For the body is not one member, but many — All of which are necessary, that the various sorts of offices belonging to the body may be all performed: thus there must be different gifts and offices in the church of Christ, which all conduce to the advantage and perfection of the whole. If the foot — One of inferior gifts and place; shall say, Because I am not the hand — Do not appear in a more honourable place, and have not a more important office; I am not of the body — I am separated from, or despised by it, in my low situation; is it therefore not of the body — Is the inference good? Would it have reason on this account to represent or think itself an outcast? The foot here is elegantly introduced as speaking of the hand, the ear of the eye; each of a part that has some resemblance to it. So among men, each is apt to compare himself with those whose gifts some way resemble his own, rather than with those who are at a distance, either above or beneath him. Perhaps the foot may represent private Christians; the hand, active officers in the church; the eye, discerning teachers; and the ear, attentive hearers. If the whole body were an eye — And a man could look, at will, through every pore; where were the hearing — That important sense, which admits so much pleasing entertainment and improvement? And if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling — A sense which, though less important than the former, is not destitute of its proper delight and its proper use. The sense is, If all the members of the church had the same gifts, though the most excellent, as seeing or hearing, what would become of the church? There must be different offices and gifts for different uses, and each ought to employ his gift, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole. But now we see God — The wise and great Creator; hath set the members in the body as it hath pleased him — With the most exquisite wisdom and goodness. If they were all one member — Or if the members were all of one form and use; where were the body — How could it possibly subsist? But now they are many members — Different from each other, possessed of different powers, and intended for different uses; yet but one harmonious, regular body — Furnished for the various animal functions, and capable of a variety of sensations and actions. And it is a necessary consequence of this unity, that the several members need one another.

20-21. Thus far St. Paul has sought to convince the members envious of others’ superiority. He now seeks to humble the arrogant in their dealings with the humble class.

Ver. 19.-20. The absurdity of the objections in 1 Corinthians 12:15, 16, already exposed by the question 1 Corinthians 12:17, which evoked the contrary statement of 1 Corinthians 12:18, is still further exposed in 1 Corinthians 12:19 by another question, making with those of 1 Corinthians 12:17 a climax. Not only would a body in which the whole was endowed with the same faculties, even with the noblest faculties be seriously defective, but it would be no body at all, i.e. it would lack that which we all conceive to be the very essence of a living body. For a body is something composed of many and various parts endowed with widely different and mutually-supplementing capacities, all animated by one spirit and having one interest which all subserve. Therefore, to conceive all members to be equally endowed, would destroy our conception of a living body, a conception which we all feel to be not only very good but divinely wonderful. 1 Corinthians 12:20 is parallel with 1 Corinthians 12:18; and repeats the statement of 1 Corinthians 12:14 and 1 Corinthians 12:12, after showing the absurdity of the contrary supposition.

V. 21. Nor the head-The highest part of all. To the foot-The very lowest.

Verse 21. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee] The apostle goes on, with his principal object in view, to show that the gifts and graces with which their different teachers were endowed were all necessary for their salvation, and should be collectively used; for not one of them was unnecessary, nor could they dispense with the least of them; the body of Christ needed the whole for its nourishment and support. The famous apologue of Menenius Agrippa, related by Livy, will serve to illustrate the apostle’s reasoning: the Roman people, getting into a state of insurrection and rebellion against the nobility, under pretext that the great men not only had all the honours but all the emoluments of the nation, while they were obliged to bear all the burdens, and suffer all the privations; they then in riotous assemblage left their homes and went to Mount Aventine. Matters were at last brought to such an issue, that the senators and great men were obliged to fly from the city, and the public peace was on the point of being utterly ruined: it was then thought expedient to send Menenius Agrippa to them, who was high in their esteem, having vanquished the Sabines and Samnites, and had the first triumph at Rome. This great general, who was as eloquent as he was valiant, went to the Mons Sacer, to which the insurgents had retired, and thus addressed them: Tempore, quo in homine non, ut nunc emnia in unum consentiebant, sed singulis membris suum cuique consilium, suus sermo fuerat, indignatas reliquas partes, sua cura, suo labore ac ministerio ventri omnia quæri; ventrem, in medio quietum, nihil aliud, quam datis voluptatibus frui. Conspirasse inde, ne manus ad os cibum ferrent, nec os acciperet datum, nec dentes conficerent. Hac ira, dum ventrem fame domare vellent, ipsa una membra totumque corpus ad extremam tabem venisse. lnde apparuisse, ventris quoque haud segne ministerium esse: nec magis ali, quam alere eum, reddentem in omnes corporis partes hunc, quo vivimus vigemusque, divisum pariter in venas maturum, confecto cibo, sanquinem. T. Livii, Histor. lib. ii. cap. 32. “In that time in which the different parts of the human body were not in a state of unity as they now are, but each member had its separate office and distinct language, they all became discontented, because whatever was procured by their care, labour, and industry, was spent on the belly; while this, lying at ease in the midst of the body, did nothing but enjoy whatever was provided for it. They therefore conspired among themselves, and agreed that the hands should not convey food to the mouth, that the mouth should not receive what was offered to it, and that the teeth should not masticate whatever was brought to the mouth. Acting on this principle of revenge, and hoping to reduce the belly by famine, all the members, and the whole body itself, were at length brought into the last stage of a consumption. It then plainly appeared that the belly itself did no small service; that it contributed not less to their nourishment than they did to its support, distributing to every part that from which they derived life and vigour; for by properly concocting the food, the pure blood derived from it was conveyed by the arteries to every member.”

This sensible comparison produced the desired effect; the people were persuaded that the senators were as necessary to their existence as they were to that of the senators, and that it required the strictest union and mutual support of high and low to preserve the body politic. This transaction took place about 500 years before the Christian era, and was handed down by unbroken tradition to the time of Titus Livius, from whom I have taken it, who died in the year of our Lord 17, about forty years before St. Paul wrote this epistle. As his works were well known and universally read among the Romans in the time of the apostle, it is very probable that St. Paul had this famous apologue in view when he wrote from the 14th verse to the end of the chapter. {1 Corinthians 12:14-31}

Verses 21-23. And the eye — In its commanding station, and possessed as it is of light and discernment; cannot say to the hand — Endowed with neither of these qualities, and the mere instrument of action; I have no need of thee — For by the hand the whole body is maintained and fed, and the eye itself preserved and defended. Nor again the head — Elevated as it is, and so admirably furnished with all the nerves and organs planted in it, cannot say to the feet — The most distant and extreme parts, mean as their form and office seems; I have no need of you — Since by them the head and all the other parts of the body are supported, and are removed from place to place. “The apostle mentions the two principal members of the body, the eye and the head, and affirms that they need the service of the inferior members, to teach such as hold the most honourable offices in the church not to despise those who are placed in the lowest stations: for as in the body, the hand needs the direction of the eye, and the eye the assistance of the hands, so in the church they who follow the active occupations of life, need the direction of the teachers. On the other hand, the teachers need to be supported by the labour of the active members.” Nay, those members which seem to be more feeble — Because unable to endure external injury, such as the brain, the lungs, the heart, and bowels; or the veins, arteries, and other minute channels in the body; are more abundantly necessary — For without them the animal functions can by no means be discharged, nor the body preserved in life and health. And likewise those members which we think to be less honourable — Or graceful, on account of their place and use; upon these we bestow — Greek, peritiqemen, these we surround with more abundant honour — By carefully covering them. And our uncomely parts have — By virtue of the dress we put upon them; more abundant comeliness — Than most of the rest. It is as if he had said, The face, on which the image of God is particularly stamped, we leave uncovered; but as for those parts which decency or custom teaches us to conceal, we contrive not only to cover, but also, as far as we conveniently can, to adorn by covering. “This observation, concerning the pains which we take in adorning or concealing the weak and uncomely members of our body, the apostle makes to teach the higher members of the church to advance the honour of the whole body, by concealing the weakness and imperfections of the lowest, and by setting off their gifts and graces, whatever they may be, to the best advantage, for the reason mentioned verse 25. And when such attention is paid to the inferior, by the superior members of the church, the inferior, laying aside all envy, should willingly suffer the superior members to recommend themselves to the esteem of the whole body, by the lustre and usefulness of their more excellent gifts.”

21. The overseer, the eye, cannot dispense with the worker, the hand. The official, the head, cannot spare the membership, the feet.

Ver. 21. Continues the description, begun in 1 Corinthians 12:20, of the human body, by adding a fact implied in 1 Corinthians 12:17 and bearing very broadly on the Church of Christ. Without the labor of the hand, the lustre and the sight of the eye would perish. For, all the members need that which each one contributes to the general good, which is also its own good.

The head, the feet: widest extremes. Probably Paul thought only of the human body, not of Christ, the Head of the Church. As divine Christ needs (Acts 17:25) no one. Yet perhaps we may say reverently that as incarnate He needs, for the purpose and according to the purpose for which He became man, the services and even the sufferings (Colossians 1:24) of those whom He joins to Himself as members of His body. The argument of Estius that, since Christ does not need man's help, the head here must be the pope, is overturned by his own words a few lines below: “The metaphorical body is not bound to square with the human body in all points, but in those only for which the reference or comparison was chosen.”

V. 22. The members which appear to be weaker-Being of a more delicate and tender structure; perhaps the brains and bowels, or the veins, arteries, and other minute channels in the body.

Verse 22. Those members-which seem to be more feeble] These, and the less honourable and uncomely, mentioned in the next verses, seem to mean the principal viscera, such as the 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. A man may lose an eye by accident, and an arm or a leg may be amputated, and yet the body live and be vigorous; but let the stomach, heart, lungs, or any of the viscera be removed, and life becomes necessarily extinct. Hence these parts are not only covered, but the parts in which they are lodged are surrounded, ornamented, and fortified for their preservation and defence, on the proper performance of whose functions life so immediately depends.

Verses 21-23. And the eye — In its commanding station, and possessed as it is of light and discernment; cannot say to the hand — Endowed with neither of these qualities, and the mere instrument of action; I have no need of thee — For by the hand the whole body is maintained and fed, and the eye itself preserved and defended. Nor again the head — Elevated as it is, and so admirably furnished with all the nerves and organs planted in it, cannot say to the feet — The most distant and extreme parts, mean as their form and office seems; I have no need of you — Since by them the head and all the other parts of the body are supported, and are removed from place to place. “The apostle mentions the two principal members of the body, the eye and the head, and affirms that they need the service of the inferior members, to teach such as hold the most honourable offices in the church not to despise those who are placed in the lowest stations: for as in the body, the hand needs the direction of the eye, and the eye the assistance of the hands, so in the church they who follow the active occupations of life, need the direction of the teachers. On the other hand, the teachers need to be supported by the labour of the active members.” Nay, those members which seem to be more feeble — Because unable to endure external injury, such as the brain, the lungs, the heart, and bowels; or the veins, arteries, and other minute channels in the body; are more abundantly necessary — For without them the animal functions can by no means be discharged, nor the body preserved in life and health. And likewise those members which we think to be less honourable — Or graceful, on account of their place and use; upon these we bestow — Greek, peritiqemen, these we surround with more abundant honour — By carefully covering them. And our uncomely parts have — By virtue of the dress we put upon them; more abundant comeliness — Than most of the rest. It is as if he had said, The face, on which the image of God is particularly stamped, we leave uncovered; but as for those parts which decency or custom teaches us to conceal, we contrive not only to cover, but also, as far as we conveniently can, to adorn by covering. “This observation, concerning the pains which we take in adorning or concealing the weak and uncomely members of our body, the apostle makes to teach the higher members of the church to advance the honour of the whole body, by concealing the weakness and imperfections of the lowest, and by setting off their gifts and graces, whatever they may be, to the best advantage, for the reason mentioned verse 25. And when such attention is paid to the inferior, by the superior members of the church, the inferior, laying aside all envy, should willingly suffer the superior members to recommend themselves to the esteem of the whole body, by the lustre and usefulness of their more excellent gifts.”

22. Nay, much more—The ruled can do without the rulers even better than the vice versa. It is for the ruled that the rulers exist. And often, in some way or other, the ruled are the real rulers. Just as the humblest parts of the human system really rule the rest. More feeble—The most delicate nerves and fibres are most necessary to vitality.

Ver. 22.-24a. But etc.: in contrast to “No need of you have I.” Much rather: we are much more ready to say what follows than what goes before. To which weaker members Paul refers, it is needless to determine. Many members, necessary to the body, are incapable of self-defense: and the strength of the strong members is ever ready to protect them. A special reference to the eye, is made unlikely by 1 Corinthians 12:21.

Less-honoured: viewed by us with less pride. For these we show our esteem by clothing them, for their well-being and comfort, carefully and it may be luxuriously and beautifully.

Unseemly: stronger than less honoured, completing the triple climax. Seemliness: respectable in appearance, because suitably clothed. The face has no need of the care bestowed upon, and the expensive covering provided for, the feet. Nor do we adorn the eye. Thus we treat the members of our body, not according to their excellence or our esteem of them, but according to their need.

V. 23. We surround with more abundant honour-By so carefully covering them.

More abundant comeliness-By the help of dress.

Verses 21-23. And the eye — In its commanding station, and possessed as it is of light and discernment; cannot say to the hand — Endowed with neither of these qualities, and the mere instrument of action; I have no need of thee — For by the hand the whole body is maintained and fed, and the eye itself preserved and defended. Nor again the head — Elevated as it is, and so admirably furnished with all the nerves and organs planted in it, cannot say to the feet — The most distant and extreme parts, mean as their form and office seems; I have no need of you — Since by them the head and all the other parts of the body are supported, and are removed from place to place. “The apostle mentions the two principal members of the body, the eye and the head, and affirms that they need the service of the inferior members, to teach such as hold the most honourable offices in the church not to despise those who are placed in the lowest stations: for as in the body, the hand needs the direction of the eye, and the eye the assistance of the hands, so in the church they who follow the active occupations of life, need the direction of the teachers. On the other hand, the teachers need to be supported by the labour of the active members.” Nay, those members which seem to be more feeble — Because unable to endure external injury, such as the brain, the lungs, the heart, and bowels; or the veins, arteries, and other minute channels in the body; are more abundantly necessary — For without them the animal functions can by no means be discharged, nor the body preserved in life and health. And likewise those members which we think to be less honourable — Or graceful, on account of their place and use; upon these we bestow — Greek, peritiqemen, these we surround with more abundant honour — By carefully covering them. And our uncomely parts have — By virtue of the dress we put upon them; more abundant comeliness — Than most of the rest. It is as if he had said, The face, on which the image of God is particularly stamped, we leave uncovered; but as for those parts which decency or custom teaches us to conceal, we contrive not only to cover, but also, as far as we conveniently can, to adorn by covering. “This observation, concerning the pains which we take in adorning or concealing the weak and uncomely members of our body, the apostle makes to teach the higher members of the church to advance the honour of the whole body, by concealing the weakness and imperfections of the lowest, and by setting off their gifts and graces, whatever they may be, to the best advantage, for the reason mentioned verse 25. And when such attention is paid to the inferior, by the superior members of the church, the inferior, laying aside all envy, should willingly suffer the superior members to recommend themselves to the esteem of the whole body, by the lustre and usefulness of their more excellent gifts.”

23. Less honourable—The digestive and reproductive systems in the human frame, while, strange as is the problem, propriety shrinks from naming them, are still the objects of our most earnest care. In the apologue of Menenius Agrippa it was the belly that was the aristocracy. The sexual passion, as a sentiment or as an appetite, rules a large share of human life. Uncomely… comeliness—We make an ornament of that dress which was originally a mere cover; a cover for comfort or for modesty. It is marvellous to note how small a share of the human system propriety allows to be uncovered.

Ver. 22.-24a. But etc.: in contrast to “No need of you have I.” Much rather: we are much more ready to say what follows than what goes before. To which weaker members Paul refers, it is needless to determine. Many members, necessary to the body, are incapable of self-defense: and the strength of the strong members is ever ready to protect them. A special reference to the eye, is made unlikely by 1 Corinthians 12:21.

Less-honoured: viewed by us with less pride. For these we show our esteem by clothing them, for their well-being and comfort, carefully and it may be luxuriously and beautifully.

Unseemly: stronger than less honoured, completing the triple climax. Seemliness: respectable in appearance, because suitably clothed. The face has no need of the care bestowed upon, and the expensive covering provided for, the feet. Nor do we adorn the eye. Thus we treat the members of our body, not according to their excellence or our esteem of them, but according to their need.

V. 24. Giving more abundant honour to that which lacked-As being cared for and served by the noblest parts.

Verse 24. For our comely parts have no need] It would be easy to go into great detail in giving an anatomical description of the different members and parts to which the apostle refers, but it would not probably answer the end of general edification; and to explain every allusion made by the apostle, would require a minuteness of description which would not be tolerated except in a treatise on the anatomy of the human body. My readers will therefore excuse my entering into this detail.

Verses 24-26. For our comely and graceful parts have no need — Of being so adorned, as they appear to greater advantage uncovered; but God hath tempered the body together — Sunekerase, hath attempered and united in just proportions the several parts thereof; having given — To such as are naturally weak and without beauty; more abundant honour — Through their greater efficacy in the nourishment and preservation of the body, and by causing them to be cared for and served by the noblest parts. That there should be no schism in the body — No division of separate interests; but that the members should have the same care one for another — As being each an important part of the whole. And whether one member suffer, all the members — In consequence of their close union with, and dependance on each other, should suffer with it — As losing the assistance of the disabled member, and concerned to remove the cause of its suffering. Or one member be honoured — Clothed and gratified; all the members should rejoice with it — Deriving advantage from its welfare, and the ornament of one part being looked upon as that of the whole. “By comparing schism in the church to schism in the body, we are taught that it consists in a natural want of affection in some of the members toward their fellow-members, whereby contentions and animosities are produced. Further, by showing that the members of the body are so united as to be necessary to each other’s existence, the apostle hath taught us that there should be no envy nor strife among the disciples of Christ; but that each, by the right exercise of his proper gift, should assist his neighbour, and rejoice when his welfare is promoted.”

Ver. 24. God hath tempered the body together. The head cannot say of the weakest member, even of a little finger, I have no need of you. Admirable inference to teach us fellow-feeling for the poor, the weak, and the sick. They were all made in the image of God, redeemed with the Saviour’s blood, and made heirs of the same hope. The poor widow may do us unspeakable good by her prayers.

24. Comely… no need—The ruling parts of the body in active life, the head, the hands, and sometimes the feet, need no concealments nor ornamental dress. Tempered—Adjusted.

Ver. 24b.-25. But God etc.: parallel to 1 Corinthians 12:18; as, in some sense, are 1 Corinthians 12:21-24a to 1 Corinthians 12:15-17.

Mixed together: He has so joined the members as to make them one body. Having given etc.; represents the honor paid to the less conspicuous parts of the human body as ordained by God. And rightly so. For God has put the members of the body in such relation to each other that the stronger and more beautiful are compelled for their own good and indeed for their existence to defend and care for, and thus to honor, the weaker members. Consequently, by God's design, in the body there is no schism; i.e. no member seeks its own good to the disadvantage of others, thus separating itself and its aims from the other members.

Have the same care: a bold personification. Each member acts as though moved by anxious care for the well-being of the others. And it was in order to evoke this harmony and mutual care that God 80 joined the members together that they are compelled to pay special honor to the less honored ones. In other words, God has so linked our bodies together that we are compelled to treat our members not according to their beauty but their need; and has done this that there may be complete harmony in the body, and that each of our members may put forth its peculiar powers for the general good, thus securing for every part of our body the benefit of all the various powers with which its various members are endowed.

Verse 25. That there should be no schism in the body] That there should be no unnecessary and independent part in the whole human machine, and that every part should contribute something to the general proportion, symmetry, and beauty of the body. So completely has God tempered the whole together, that not the smallest visible part can be removed from the body without not only injuring its proportions, but producing deformity. Hence the members have the same care one for another. The eyes and ears watch for the general safety of the whole; and they are placed in the head, like sentinels in a tower, that they may perceive the first approach of a foe, and give warning. The hands immediately on an attack exert themselves to defend the head and the body; and the limbs are swift to carry off the body from dangers against which resistance would be vain. Even the heart takes alarm from both the eyes and the ears; and when an attack is made on the body, every external muscle becomes inflated and contracts itself, that, by thus collecting and concentrating its force, it may the more effectually resist the assailants, and contribute to the defence of the system.

Verses 24-26. For our comely and graceful parts have no need — Of being so adorned, as they appear to greater advantage uncovered; but God hath tempered the body together — Sunekerase, hath attempered and united in just proportions the several parts thereof; having given — To such as are naturally weak and without beauty; more abundant honour — Through their greater efficacy in the nourishment and preservation of the body, and by causing them to be cared for and served by the noblest parts. That there should be no schism in the body — No division of separate interests; but that the members should have the same care one for another — As being each an important part of the whole. And whether one member suffer, all the members — In consequence of their close union with, and dependance on each other, should suffer with it — As losing the assistance of the disabled member, and concerned to remove the cause of its suffering. Or one member be honoured — Clothed and gratified; all the members should rejoice with it — Deriving advantage from its welfare, and the ornament of one part being looked upon as that of the whole. “By comparing schism in the church to schism in the body, we are taught that it consists in a natural want of affection in some of the members toward their fellow-members, whereby contentions and animosities are produced. Further, by showing that the members of the body are so united as to be necessary to each other’s existence, the apostle hath taught us that there should be no envy nor strife among the disciples of Christ; but that each, by the right exercise of his proper gift, should assist his neighbour, and rejoice when his welfare is promoted.”

25. No schism—Paul suggests here the application of the apologue to the schisms between the rival possessors of charisms.

Ver. 24b.-25. But God etc.: parallel to 1 Corinthians 12:18; as, in some sense, are 1 Corinthians 12:21-24a to 1 Corinthians 12:15-17.

Mixed together: He has so joined the members as to make them one body. Having given etc.; represents the honor paid to the less conspicuous parts of the human body as ordained by God. And rightly so. For God has put the members of the body in such relation to each other that the stronger and more beautiful are compelled for their own good and indeed for their existence to defend and care for, and thus to honor, the weaker members. Consequently, by God's design, in the body there is no schism; i.e. no member seeks its own good to the disadvantage of others, thus separating itself and its aims from the other members.

Have the same care: a bold personification. Each member acts as though moved by anxious care for the well-being of the others. And it was in order to evoke this harmony and mutual care that God 80 joined the members together that they are compelled to pay special honor to the less honored ones. In other words, God has so linked our bodies together that we are compelled to treat our members not according to their beauty but their need; and has done this that there may be complete harmony in the body, and that each of our members may put forth its peculiar powers for the general good, thus securing for every part of our body the benefit of all the various powers with which its various members are endowed.

Verse 26. And whether one member suffer] As there is a mutual exertion for the general defence, so there is a mutual sympathy. If the eye, the hand, the foot, &c., be injured, the whole man grieves; and if by clothing, or any thing else, any particular member or part is adorned, strengthened, or better secured, it gives a general pleasure to the whole man.

Verses 24-26. For our comely and graceful parts have no need — Of being so adorned, as they appear to greater advantage uncovered; but God hath tempered the body together — Sunekerase, hath attempered and united in just proportions the several parts thereof; having given — To such as are naturally weak and without beauty; more abundant honour — Through their greater efficacy in the nourishment and preservation of the body, and by causing them to be cared for and served by the noblest parts. That there should be no schism in the body — No division of separate interests; but that the members should have the same care one for another — As being each an important part of the whole. And whether one member suffer, all the members — In consequence of their close union with, and dependance on each other, should suffer with it — As losing the assistance of the disabled member, and concerned to remove the cause of its suffering. Or one member be honoured — Clothed and gratified; all the members should rejoice with it — Deriving advantage from its welfare, and the ornament of one part being looked upon as that of the whole. “By comparing schism in the church to schism in the body, we are taught that it consists in a natural want of affection in some of the members toward their fellow-members, whereby contentions and animosities are produced. Further, by showing that the members of the body are so united as to be necessary to each other’s existence, the apostle hath taught us that there should be no envy nor strife among the disciples of Christ; but that each, by the right exercise of his proper gift, should assist his neighbour, and rejoice when his welfare is promoted.”

26. One… all… suffer—So wonderfully is our nervous system diffused through the body that every part sympathizes with every other part, and the whole with any one part. All… rejoice—Joy, like pain, experienced in one part becomes the joy of the whole. A striking illustration of the oneness of a true Christian Church.

c. Of this figurative body, the Church is the literal counterpart, 27-31.

Ver. 26. Instinctive recognition, by the members, of this common interest. Pain to any member at once affects all, thus moving them to joint action for its alleviation.

Suffer with: the Greek original of our word “sympathize.”

Rejoice-with it: a bold personification prompted by the intense feeling of oneness which pervades the human body.

V. 27. Now ye-Corinthians.

Are the body and members of Christ-part of them, I mean, not the whole body.

Verse 27. Now ye are the body of Christ] The apostle, having finished his apologue, comes to his application.

As the members in the human body, so the different members of the mystical body of Christ. All are intended by him to have the same relation to each other; to be mutually subservient to each other; to mourn for and rejoice with each other. He has also made each necessary to the beauty, proportion, strength, and perfection of the whole. Not one is useless; not one unnecessary. Paul, Apollos, Kephas, &c., with all their variety of gifts and graces, are for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephesians 4:12. Hence no teacher should be exalted above or opposed to an other. As the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, so luminous Apollos cannot say to laborious Paul, I can build up and preserve the Church without thee. The foot planted on the ground to support the whole fabric, and the hands that swing at liberty, and the eye that is continually taking in near and distant prospects, are all equally serviceable to the whole, and mutually helpful to and dependent on each other. So also are the different ministers and members of the Church of Christ.

From a general acquaintance with various ministers of Christ, and a knowledge of their different talents and endowments manifested either by their preaching or writings, and with the aid of a little fancy, we could here make out a sort of correspondency between their services and the uses of the different members of the human body. We could call one eye, because of his acute observation of men and things, and penetration into cases of conscience and Divine mysteries. Another hand, from his laborious exertions in the Church. Another foot, from his industrious travels to spread abroad the knowledge of Christ crucified: and so of others. But this does not appear to be any part of the apostle’s plan.

Verse 27. Now ye — Believers at Corinth; are the body of Christ — A part of it, not the whole body; and members in particular — That is, each believer is a particular member thereof, and ought to behave himself accordingly. This is the application of the foregoing allegory, which the apostle is thought by some to have formed on our Lord’s words, Matthew 25:35-45. As if he had said, Ye believers are formed into one church or body, of which Christ is the head, soul, and ruler. And in the application he signifies, that “what he had said concerning the order, the situation, and the offices of the members of the human body, the union which subsists among them, and the care which they have of each other, and concerning the perniciousness of dissensions among its members, was all applicable to the members of the church of Christ. They were therefore to attend to the things he had written, that there might be no envy among them, nor discontent, nor arrogant preferring of themselves before others, but that in peace and love they might all promote each other’s happiness.” — Macknight.

27. Now ye, the Corinthian Church, are the literal of this body, being as ye are the body of Christ.

Ver. 27. Sudden transition from the human body, to which our attention has been for a time exclusively directed, to Paul's readers, to remind them that, as proved in 1 Corinthians 12:13, a human body is a picture of their relation to Christ and to each other.

Part with part: each having only a part needing to be supplemented by the other parts.

V. 28. First apostles-Who plant the gospel in the heathen nations. Secondly prophets-Who either foretel things to come, or speak by extra-ordinary inspiration, for the edification of the church. Thirdly teachers-Who precede even those that work miracles. Under prophets and teachers are comprised evangelists and pastors, Ephesians 4:11.

Helps, governments-It does not appear that these mean distinct offices: rather, any persons might be called helps, from a peculiar dexterity in helping the distressed; and governments, from a peculiar talent for governing or presiding in assemblies.

Verse 28. God hath set some in the Church] As God has made evident distinctions among the members of the human body, so that some occupy a more eminent place than others, so has he in the Church. And to prove this, the apostle numerates the principal offices, and in the order in which they should stand.

First, apostles] apostolouv, from apo from, and stello, I send; to send from one person to another, and from one place to another. Persons immediately designated by Christ, and sent by him to preach the Gospel to all mankind.

Secondarily, prophets] profhtav, from pro, before, and fhmi, I speak; a person who, under Divine inspiration, predicts future events; but the word is often applied to these who preach the Gospel. See Clarke on “1 Corinthians 12:8”.

Thirdly, teachers] didaskalouv, from didaskw, I teach; persons whose chief business it was to instruct the people in the elements of the Christian religion, and their duty to each other. See Clarke on “Romans 8:8”.

Miracles] dunameiv. Persons endued with miraculous gifts, such as those mentioned Mark 16:17, 18; casting out devils, speaking with new tongues, &c. See Clarke on “1 Corinthians 12:8”, and at the end of the chapter. See Clarke “1 Corinthians 12:31”

Gifts of healings] carismata iamatwn. Such as laying hands upon the sick, and healing them, Mark 16:18; which, as being one of the most beneficent miraculous powers, was most frequently conceded. See Clarke on “1 Corinthians 12:8”.

Helps] antilhyeiv. Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that these were the apostles’ helpers; persons who accompanied them, baptized those who were converted by them, and were sent by them to such places as they could not attend to, being otherwise employed.

The Levites are termed by the Talmudists helps of the priests. The word occurs Luke 1:54; Romans 8:26.

Governments] kubernhseiv. Dr. Lightfoot contends that this word does not refer to the power of ruling, but to the case of a person endued with a deep and comprehensive mind, who is profoundly wise and prudent; and he thinks that it implies the same as discernment of spirits, 1 Corinthians 12:8, where see the note. He has given several proofs of this use of the word in the Septuagint.

Diversities of tongues.] genh glwsswn. Kinds of tongues; that is, different kinds. The power to speak, on all necessary occasions, languages which they had not learned. See Clarke on “1 Corinthians 12:8”.

Verses 28-31. And God hath set in the church first apostles — Who planted the gospel in the heathen nations, being honoured with an office of the highest distinction, and furnished with endowments peculiar to themselves; secondly, prophets — Who either foretold things to come, or spake by extraordinary inspiration for the edification of the church; thirdly, teachers — Of an inferior class. Under prophets and teachers, are comprised evangelists and pastors. After that, miracles — Persons endowed on some particular occasions with miraculous powers; then gifts of healing — Diseases, by anointing the sick with oil, and praying for their recovery: the expression denotes the persons who possessed these gifts. Helps — Or helpers, who, speaking by inspiration to the edification of the church, were fitted to assist the superior officers, and to help the faith and joy of others. Governments — Or governors, the thing performed, as in the former clause, being put for the persons who performed it. The word kubernhseiv, is properly the steering of a ship with skill by a pilot; and seems to be put here metaphorically for persons directing or managing affairs with judgment. It does not appear, however, that these two last expressions were intended by the apostle to signify distinct offices. Rather any persons might be called helps or helpers, from a particular dexterity in helping the distressed; and governors or governments, from a peculiar talent for governing or presiding in assemblies. Are all the members or ministers of the church apostles, &c. — Seeing God has not given all sorts of gifts to one, but some to one, and others to another, that each one might stand in need of the others; therefore let none despise another, but all join together in employing their gifts for the common good of the church. But covet earnestly the best gifts — For they are well worth your desire and pursuit, though but few of you can attain them; and yet I show you a more excellent way — I point out unto you a more excellent gift than any or all of them, and one which all may, yea, must attain, or perish.

Ver. 28. God hath set some in the church — first, apostles, as stated in the tenth of Matthew. These different orders held their rank by divine appointment; and all this exterior dignity in the church, though often followed with hunger, exile, and martyrdom, was real dignity in the eyes of heaven. We must account those that rule well, worthy of double honour. If christianity have conquered in the fight, let the princes of the congregation wear their laurel. Let them enjoy all the mitred honours for which dignified writers, and especially the Latin critics, contend. — On the other hand, the truth must be declared. If those bishops, as in many instances is delicately apparent from their works, have abandoned Christ the Son of God, for Jesus the son of Mary; if revelation be substituted by philosophy, their apostolic claims are all nugatory. The divine right of episcopacy must be covered with crape. “The salt has lost its savour; it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden underfoot of men.”

28. God hath set—As all are inspired from one Spirit, (verses 1-13,) so all are set by God. First—Paul traces the first three in order of rank, the remainder miscellaneously. Apostles—Men who had seen Christ, like the twelve (note on Luke 1:2) and like Paul, who were personally commissioned by him, and endowed with plenary powers. Prophets— Note 1 Corinthians 5:10. Teachers—Perhaps catechists. Note Luke 1:4. Persons, like Luke himself, profoundly interested in the Christian history, and qualified to educate the young Christian in its first principles. Notes on Luke 1:1-4. Miracles—Paul now leaves the officials and takes up the gifts that were not confined to ranks but distributed miscellaneously. Healings—Note on verse 9. Helps— Assistants or aids to official men in the subordinate parts of their duties; as deacons and curates. Something like this Mark, Timothy, and Titus were to Paul in his travels. Governments—Superintendents over any department; such are stewards and class leaders in John Wesley’s system. Tongues— Though an order of rank is not, probably, extended through the whole list, yet as apostles are placed first, as if in honour, so tongues are placed last, probably as least.

Ver. 28. That believers are “Christ's body,” inasmuch as they are a visible community animated by the one Spirit of Christ, was proved in 1 Corinthians 12:13. Paul will now prove, by evident matters of fact, that they are “members part with part;” and that therefore the mutual relation of the members of a human body has a counterpart in them.

God put; corresponds with the same words in 1 Corinthians 12:18. Same word put (R.V. made.) in Acts 20:28.

In the Church; corresponds with “in the body”; 1 Corinthians 12:18. The word apostles proves that Paul refers, not to the church at Corinth, but to the entire Christian community. So Philippians 3:6. Of this universal Church, each local church is a miniature pattern. Instead of continuing “some to be apostles, others prophets etc.,” Paul breaks off the construction (cp. Romans 5:12; 7:12) to say that in the Church the apostles hold the first, and the prophets the second rank. This would remind the readers that no one at Corinth stood in the first rank of the servants of Christ; and that the useful, but underestimated (cp. § 25,) gifts of prophecy and teaching were next in worth.

Apostles: see under 1 Corinthians 15:7; Romans 1:1: to be discussed under Galatians 1:19.

Prophets: see note, 1 Corinthians 14:40.

Teachers: probably men who communicated knowledge acquired (under guidance of the Spirit) by ordinary methods, and held as a constant mental possession: the prophets spoke, apparently, under extraordinary and temporary impulses of the Spirit. In choosing elders or bishops, the church would naturally select for the more part men endowed with this gift. Cp. 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9. But the words God put directs attention, not to an official position, but to a divinely-given capacity for church work. Same order in Ephesians 4:11.

Then etc.: conspicuous mark of inferiority. By endowing certain men with miraculous powers, God put the powers in the Church.

Gracious-gifts of healings: converse order to 1 Corinthians 12:9, descending here from the general to the particular. The inferior position of these brilliant gifts is explained in § 25.

Helpings: probably assistance to the sick and poor. (Same word in 2 Macc. 8:19; 3 Macc. 5:50, for miraculous help from God in time of need.) Cp. Acts 20:35, where the cognate verb is used.

Tongues etc.: last pair here, as in 1 Corinthians 12:10.

Verse 29. Are all apostles, &c.] That is: All are not apostles, all are not prophets, &c.; God has distributed his various gifts among various persons, each of whom is necessary for the complete edification of the body of Christ. On these subjects see the notes on 1 Corinthians 12:7-10.

Verses 28-31. And God hath set in the church first apostles — Who planted the gospel in the heathen nations, being honoured with an office of the highest distinction, and furnished with endowments peculiar to themselves; secondly, prophets — Who either foretold things to come, or spake by extraordinary inspiration for the edification of the church; thirdly, teachers — Of an inferior class. Under prophets and teachers, are comprised evangelists and pastors. After that, miracles — Persons endowed on some particular occasions with miraculous powers; then gifts of healing — Diseases, by anointing the sick with oil, and praying for their recovery: the expression denotes the persons who possessed these gifts. Helps — Or helpers, who, speaking by inspiration to the edification of the church, were fitted to assist the superior officers, and to help the faith and joy of others. Governments — Or governors, the thing performed, as in the former clause, being put for the persons who performed it. The word kubernhseiv, is properly the steering of a ship with skill by a pilot; and seems to be put here metaphorically for persons directing or managing affairs with judgment. It does not appear, however, that these two last expressions were intended by the apostle to signify distinct offices. Rather any persons might be called helps or helpers, from a particular dexterity in helping the distressed; and governors or governments, from a peculiar talent for governing or presiding in assemblies. Are all the members or ministers of the church apostles, &c. — Seeing God has not given all sorts of gifts to one, but some to one, and others to another, that each one might stand in need of the others; therefore let none despise another, but all join together in employing their gifts for the common good of the church. But covet earnestly the best gifts — For they are well worth your desire and pursuit, though but few of you can attain them; and yet I show you a more excellent way — I point out unto you a more excellent gift than any or all of them, and one which all may, yea, must attain, or perish.

Ver. 29.-30. By question after question Paul compels his readers to acknowledge how many capacities for usefulness each of them lacks and how much they need their own powers to be supplemented, as in a human body, by others. He thus completes his exposition of 1 Corinthians 12:4. Compare, in 1 Corinthians 12:8ff, the repetition of “to another.” To rebuke murmuring or contempt prompted by the lack of the possession of the more conspicuous gifts, “to each one according as He pleases,” 1 Corinthians 12:11; viz. that the Church may be a living body, in which each member both needs and helps the others and shares their joys and sorrows, that thus each member may be raised above the little circle of his own immediate interests to care for the general good. Consequently, our lack of certain brilliant gifts is no proof that we do not belong to Christ. For we possess other gifts incompatible with those we lack and needful for the highest good of the community. An allotment of various gifts to various men is by the thoughtful care of God, and is needful for the welfare of the Church. All the members have capacities of usefulness; and all need to be supplemented by others. The human body is, therefore, both a picture of our relation to each other, and a pattern for our treatment of others. So far as a church imitates the action of a healthy human body, it attains its ideal and realizes the purpose of God. For then the endowment of each becomes an enrichment to the whole; and the church becomes the noblest embodiment of what is found in all God's works, viz. Harmony amid infinite Variety.

That the Church is the Body of Christ, follows logically from the great fundamental doctrine of Romans 8:1-11 in connection with the obvious fact that the members of the Church, which in Paul's day was one community throughout the world, are endowed with different capacities. Indeed this analogy is suggested by the word “Spirit.” For, of this word the central idea is, an inward invisible principle permeating visible organized matter and giving to it unity, life, intelligence, power, and activity. See note, Romans 8:17. The analogy thus suggested is the most wonderful known to us. And its deep mark on the mind of Paul may be traced in Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 6:15; 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:23; 4:12, 16, 25; 5:30; Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:19. In man we find, joined in most intimate and wonderful partnership, two elements absolutely different and belonging to different realms of being. The body is akin to the earth from which it came and with which it will soon mingle: the spirit is akin, not only to the immortal spirits around God's throne, but to God Himself. Bodily life is the mysterious link binding together these elements. When this link is broken, each element returns (Ecclesiastes 12:7) whence it came. The body is the living dwelling place kept from corruption and kept alive and erect by the presence of the spirit; the instrument with which the spirit lays hold of, and uses, and enjoys, the material world, and the medium through which it reveals itself to other kindred spirits. The spirit is the animating principle giving to its material abode life, unity, intelligence, and power.

Now Paul has taught (Romans 8:1-11) that in each believer dwells the Spirit of Christ, as the source of immortal life and moral uprightness and the main-spring of new activity. Consequently, the Church is the material and living dwelling place of the Spirit of Christ, and the medium through which Christ manifests Himself to the world and works out His purposes of mercy. Through His people He smiles upon men, speaks words of life, and saves the lost. Therefore, since the spirit is One and believers many, and the many believers were joined in one outward and visible community, Paul could correctly speak of the Church as the body of Christ. Again, in the Church as in a human body, each member is designed and fitted to do service for the whole, a service which can be rendered only so far as each member is animated by the one spirit. This service corresponds with the natural constitution of each member. But just as without life the eye cannot see, so, apart from the Spirit of Christ, the noblest human powers are powerless to do the work of God. Consequently, these various powers are gifts of the Spirit.

We notice also, as matter of fact, that in the church various men are endowed with various capacities, wealth, rank, learning, intellectual power, eloquence, administrative tact; and that these capacities seldom found together in one man, may be used for the good of the entire community. Even the helpless ones, by their cheerful patience reveal to those around the grace and glory of God.

Once more. The whole church, both the universal family of God on earth and any portion of it large or small, has one interest. Whatever develops or lessens the spiritual life of an individual is gain or loss to the whole community: for his influence will directly or indirectly affect the whole, for good or ill. And each church is a gainer or loser (cp. Romans 11:14) by the progress or the imperfection of neighboring churches. And all this is true, whether individuals and churches recognize it or not. We cannot benefit or injure others without thereby affecting ourselves. This wonderful oneness results from the presence of the One Spirit of God in the whole people of God. Therefore, by giving His Spirit to each believer, God has bound together the whole company of believers into one body having one interest.

From the foregoing analogy we may learn our relation to Christ and to each other. In a healthy human body each member is completely controlled and guided by the one spirit: and each member is instinctively conscious that the interest of the body is its own interest and puts forth all its powers for the general good. And so far as we are in spiritual health shall we be controlled by the Spirit of Christ, animated by desire for the general good, and in harmony with all other members. We cannot despise others; nor they despise us. We need, and may be enriched by, even the humblest: and it is our privilege if Christ abide in us, to be a benefit to all around. Again, just as every man defends every part of his body with his whole strength, so will Christ defend with His infinite power every one of His people. And just as a man's body shares his fortunes, for good or ill, so we shall share the fortunes of Christ and shall sit down with Him, clothed in His royal raiment, upon His throne.

It is evident to all that the community of believers is not one in outward and visible form in the same sense now as in Paul's day. This is to Catholics an argument against Protestantism. And this argument, which has some force, I cannot discuss here. But very strong reasons now keep back both individuals and churches from submitting to the sway of that great Church which is the lineal descendant of the apostolic Church. And the felt presence and life-giving activity of the Holy Spirit in these individuals and churches is to them complete proof that their separation from the See of Rome does not involve separation from Christ.

It is worthy of note that the important comparison of this section is peculiar, among the sacred writers, to Paul; but is found in the Latin writers. It is embodied in a well-known fable of Menenius Agrippa (B.C. 493) narrated by Livy, bk. ii. 32; and is found in Seneca, On Anger bk. ii. 31;* (* “It is wrong to injure the Fatherland: therefore, a citizen also; for he is a part of the Fatherland.... What if the hands wish to injure the feet? the eyes to injure the hands? How all the members agree among themselves, because it is the interest of the whole that each be preserved.”) and elsewhere. That the analogy was observed by heathens, need not surprise us. For society was ordained by God; and is, even in its fall, a rough outline of the kingdom of God. It is therefore an unconscious prophecy of the Church. We need not doubt that the comparison was suggested to Paul by modes of thought current among heathens. And, that this classic conception is reproduced only by the apostle who came most in contact with Greeks and Romans, is a mark of genuineness. The same metaphor is found (see Appendix A) in ch. 37 of Clement's Epistle to the Corinthians; but is evidently a reference to the Epistle before us, which in other places Clement quotes expressly.

Verses 28-31. And God hath set in the church first apostles — Who planted the gospel in the heathen nations, being honoured with an office of the highest distinction, and furnished with endowments peculiar to themselves; secondly, prophets — Who either foretold things to come, or spake by extraordinary inspiration for the edification of the church; thirdly, teachers — Of an inferior class. Under prophets and teachers, are comprised evangelists and pastors. After that, miracles — Persons endowed on some particular occasions with miraculous powers; then gifts of healing — Diseases, by anointing the sick with oil, and praying for their recovery: the expression denotes the persons who possessed these gifts. Helps — Or helpers, who, speaking by inspiration to the edification of the church, were fitted to assist the superior officers, and to help the faith and joy of others. Governments — Or governors, the thing performed, as in the former clause, being put for the persons who performed it. The word kubernhseiv, is properly the steering of a ship with skill by a pilot; and seems to be put here metaphorically for persons directing or managing affairs with judgment. It does not appear, however, that these two last expressions were intended by the apostle to signify distinct offices. Rather any persons might be called helps or helpers, from a particular dexterity in helping the distressed; and governors or governments, from a peculiar talent for governing or presiding in assemblies. Are all the members or ministers of the church apostles, &c. — Seeing God has not given all sorts of gifts to one, but some to one, and others to another, that each one might stand in need of the others; therefore let none despise another, but all join together in employing their gifts for the common good of the church. But covet earnestly the best gifts — For they are well worth your desire and pursuit, though but few of you can attain them; and yet I show you a more excellent way — I point out unto you a more excellent gift than any or all of them, and one which all may, yea, must attain, or perish.

Ver. 29.-30. By question after question Paul compels his readers to acknowledge how many capacities for usefulness each of them lacks and how much they need their own powers to be supplemented, as in a human body, by others. He thus completes his exposition of 1 Corinthians 12:4. Compare, in 1 Corinthians 12:8ff, the repetition of “to another.” To rebuke murmuring or contempt prompted by the lack of the possession of the more conspicuous gifts, “to each one according as He pleases,” 1 Corinthians 12:11; viz. that the Church may be a living body, in which each member both needs and helps the others and shares their joys and sorrows, that thus each member may be raised above the little circle of his own immediate interests to care for the general good. Consequently, our lack of certain brilliant gifts is no proof that we do not belong to Christ. For we possess other gifts incompatible with those we lack and needful for the highest good of the community. An allotment of various gifts to various men is by the thoughtful care of God, and is needful for the welfare of the Church. All the members have capacities of usefulness; and all need to be supplemented by others. The human body is, therefore, both a picture of our relation to each other, and a pattern for our treatment of others. So far as a church imitates the action of a healthy human body, it attains its ideal and realizes the purpose of God. For then the endowment of each becomes an enrichment to the whole; and the church becomes the noblest embodiment of what is found in all God's works, viz. Harmony amid infinite Variety.

That the Church is the Body of Christ, follows logically from the great fundamental doctrine of Romans 8:1-11 in connection with the obvious fact that the members of the Church, which in Paul's day was one community throughout the world, are endowed with different capacities. Indeed this analogy is suggested by the word “Spirit.” For, of this word the central idea is, an inward invisible principle permeating visible organized matter and giving to it unity, life, intelligence, power, and activity. See note, Romans 8:17. The analogy thus suggested is the most wonderful known to us. And its deep mark on the mind of Paul may be traced in Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 6:15; 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:23; 4:12, 16, 25; 5:30; Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:19. In man we find, joined in most intimate and wonderful partnership, two elements absolutely different and belonging to different realms of being. The body is akin to the earth from which it came and with which it will soon mingle: the spirit is akin, not only to the immortal spirits around God's throne, but to God Himself. Bodily life is the mysterious link binding together these elements. When this link is broken, each element returns (Ecclesiastes 12:7) whence it came. The body is the living dwelling place kept from corruption and kept alive and erect by the presence of the spirit; the instrument with which the spirit lays hold of, and uses, and enjoys, the material world, and the medium through which it reveals itself to other kindred spirits. The spirit is the animating principle giving to its material abode life, unity, intelligence, and power.

Now Paul has taught (Romans 8:1-11) that in each believer dwells the Spirit of Christ, as the source of immortal life and moral uprightness and the main-spring of new activity. Consequently, the Church is the material and living dwelling place of the Spirit of Christ, and the medium through which Christ manifests Himself to the world and works out His purposes of mercy. Through His people He smiles upon men, speaks words of life, and saves the lost. Therefore, since the spirit is One and believers many, and the many believers were joined in one outward and visible community, Paul could correctly speak of the Church as the body of Christ. Again, in the Church as in a human body, each member is designed and fitted to do service for the whole, a service which can be rendered only so far as each member is animated by the one spirit. This service corresponds with the natural constitution of each member. But just as without life the eye cannot see, so, apart from the Spirit of Christ, the noblest human powers are powerless to do the work of God. Consequently, these various powers are gifts of the Spirit.

We notice also, as matter of fact, that in the church various men are endowed with various capacities, wealth, rank, learning, intellectual power, eloquence, administrative tact; and that these capacities seldom found together in one man, may be used for the good of the entire community. Even the helpless ones, by their cheerful patience reveal to those around the grace and glory of God.

Once more. The whole church, both the universal family of God on earth and any portion of it large or small, has one interest. Whatever develops or lessens the spiritual life of an individual is gain or loss to the whole community: for his influence will directly or indirectly affect the whole, for good or ill. And each church is a gainer or loser (cp. Romans 11:14) by the progress or the imperfection of neighboring churches. And all this is true, whether individuals and churches recognize it or not. We cannot benefit or injure others without thereby affecting ourselves. This wonderful oneness results from the presence of the One Spirit of God in the whole people of God. Therefore, by giving His Spirit to each believer, God has bound together the whole company of believers into one body having one interest.

From the foregoing analogy we may learn our relation to Christ and to each other. In a healthy human body each member is completely controlled and guided by the one spirit: and each member is instinctively conscious that the interest of the body is its own interest and puts forth all its powers for the general good. And so far as we are in spiritual health shall we be controlled by the Spirit of Christ, animated by desire for the general good, and in harmony with all other members. We cannot despise others; nor they despise us. We need, and may be enriched by, even the humblest: and it is our privilege if Christ abide in us, to be a benefit to all around. Again, just as every man defends every part of his body with his whole strength, so will Christ defend with His infinite power every one of His people. And just as a man's body shares his fortunes, for good or ill, so we shall share the fortunes of Christ and shall sit down with Him, clothed in His royal raiment, upon His throne.

It is evident to all that the community of believers is not one in outward and visible form in the same sense now as in Paul's day. This is to Catholics an argument against Protestantism. And this argument, which has some force, I cannot discuss here. But very strong reasons now keep back both individuals and churches from submitting to the sway of that great Church which is the lineal descendant of the apostolic Church. And the felt presence and life-giving activity of the Holy Spirit in these individuals and churches is to them complete proof that their separation from the See of Rome does not involve separation from Christ.

It is worthy of note that the important comparison of this section is peculiar, among the sacred writers, to Paul; but is found in the Latin writers. It is embodied in a well-known fable of Menenius Agrippa (B.C. 493) narrated by Livy, bk. ii. 32; and is found in Seneca, On Anger bk. ii. 31;* (* “It is wrong to injure the Fatherland: therefore, a citizen also; for he is a part of the Fatherland.... What if the hands wish to injure the feet? the eyes to injure the hands? How all the members agree among themselves, because it is the interest of the whole that each be preserved.”) and elsewhere. That the analogy was observed by heathens, need not surprise us. For society was ordained by God; and is, even in its fall, a rough outline of the kingdom of God. It is therefore an unconscious prophecy of the Church. We need not doubt that the comparison was suggested to Paul by modes of thought current among heathens. And, that this classic conception is reproduced only by the apostle who came most in contact with Greeks and Romans, is a mark of genuineness. The same metaphor is found (see Appendix A) in ch. 37 of Clement's Epistle to the Corinthians; but is evidently a reference to the Epistle before us, which in other places Clement quotes expressly.

V. 31. Ye covet earnestly the best gifts-And they are worth your pursuit, though but few of you can attain them. But there is a far more excellent gift than all these; and one which all may, yea, must attain or perish. The necessity of love is shown, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. The nature and properties, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. The duration of it, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.

Verse 31. But covet earnestly] To covet signifies to desire earnestly. This disposition towards heavenly things is highly laudable; towards earthly things, is deeply criminal. A man may possess the best of all these gifts, and yet be deficient in what is essentially necessary to his salvation, for he may be without that love or charity which the apostle here calls the more excellent way, and which he proceeds in the next chapter to describe. Some think that this verse should be read affirmatively, Ye earnestly contend about the best gifts; but I show unto you a more excellent way; i.e. get your hearts filled with love to God and man-love, which is the principle of obedience, which works no ill to its neighbour, and which is the fulfilling of the law. This is a likely reading, for there were certainly more contentions in the Church of Corinth about the gifts than about the graces of the Spirit.

1. AFTER all that has been said on the different offices mentioned by the apostle in the preceding chapter, there are some of them which perhaps are not understood. I confess I scarcely know what to make of those which we translate helps and governments. Bishop Pearce, who could neither see Church government nor state government in these words, expresses himself thus: “These two words, after all that the commentators say about them, I do not understand; and in no other part of the New Testament is either of them, in any sense, mentioned as the gift of the Spirit; especially it is observable that in 1 Corinthians 12:29, 30, where the gifts of the Spirit are again enumerated, no notice is taken of any thing like them, while all the other several parts are exactly enumerated. Perhaps these words were put in the margin to explain dunameiv, miracles or powers; some taking the meaning to be helps, assistances, as in 2 Corinthians 12:9; others to be kubernhseiv, governments, as in Romans 8:38; and from being marginal explanations, they might have been at last incorporated with the text.” It must, however, be acknowledged that the omission of these words is not countenanced by any MS. or version. One thing we may fully know, that there are some men who are peculiarly qualified for governing by either providence or grace; and that there are others who can neither govern nor direct, but are good helpers. These characters I have often seen in different places in the Church of God.

2. In three several places in this chapter the apostle sums up the gifts of the Spirit. Dr. Lightfoot thinks they answer to each other in the following order, which the reader will take on his authority.

Verses 8, 9, and 10.

Is given

The word of Wisdom;

The word of Knowledge.

Ver. 9. Faith;

Gifts of Healing.

Ver. 10. Working of Miracles;

Prophecy;

Discerning of Spirits;

Divers kinds of Tongues;

Interpretation of Tongues.

Verse 28.

God hath set some

First, APOSTLES;

Secondly, PROPHETS;

Thirdly, TEACHERS;

After that, MIRACLES;

The GIFTS of HEALINGS;

HELPS;

GOVERNMENTS;

Divers kinds of TONGUES.

Verses 29, and 30.

Are all

Apostles;

Prophets;

Teachers;

Miracles;

Ver. 30. Gifts of Healing.

Speak with Tongues;

Interpret.

If the reader think that this is the best way of explaining these different gifts and offices, he will adopt it; and he will in that case consider, 1. That the word or doctrine of wisdom comes from the apostles. 2. The doctrine of knowledge, from the prophets. 3. Faith, by means of the teachers. 4. That working of miracles includes the gifts of healing. 5. That to prophecy, signifying preaching, which it frequently does, helps is a parallel. 6. That discernment of spirits is the same with governments, which Dr. Lightfoot supposes to imply a deeply comprehensive, wise, and prudent mind. 7. As to the gift of tongues, there is no variation in either of the three places.

3. It is strange that in this enumeration only three distinct officers in the Church should be mentioned; viz. apostles, prophets, and teachers. We do not know that miracles, gifts of healing, helps, governments, and diversity of tongues, were exclusive offices; for it is probable that apostles, prophets, and teachers wrought miracles occasionally, and spoke with divers tongues. However, in all this enumeration, where the apostle gives us all the officers and gifts necessary for the constitution of a Church, we find not one word of bishops, presbyters, or deacons; much less of the various officers and offices which the Christian Church at present exhibits. Perhaps the bishops are included under the apostles, the presbyters under the prophets, and the deacons under the teachers. As to the other ecclesiastical officers with which the Romish Church teems, they may seek them who are determined to find them, any where out of the New Testament.

4. Mr. Quesnel observes on these passages that there are three sorts of gifts necessary to the forming Christ’s mystical body. 1. Gifts of power, for the working of miracles, in reference to the Father. 2. Gifts of labour and ministry, for the exercise of government and other offices, with respect to the Son. 3. Gifts of knowledge, for the instruction of the people, with relation to the Holy Ghost.

The FATHER is the principle and end of all created power; let us then ultimately refer all things to him.

The SON is the Institutor and Head of all the hierarchical ministries; let us depend upon him.

The HOLY GHOST is the fountain and fulness of all spiritual graces; let us desire and use them only in and by him.

There is nothing good, nothing profitable to salvation, unless it be done in the power of God communicated by Christ Jesus, and in that holiness of heart which is produced by his SPIRIT. Pastors are only the instruments of God, the depositaries of the authority of Christ, and the channels by whom the love and graces of the Spirit are conveyed. Let these act as receiving all from God by Christ, through the Holy Ghost; and let the Church receive them as the ambassadors of the Almighty.

I CORINTHIANS

Verses 28-31. And God hath set in the church first apostles — Who planted the gospel in the heathen nations, being honoured with an office of the highest distinction, and furnished with endowments peculiar to themselves; secondly, prophets — Who either foretold things to come, or spake by extraordinary inspiration for the edification of the church; thirdly, teachers — Of an inferior class. Under prophets and teachers, are comprised evangelists and pastors. After that, miracles — Persons endowed on some particular occasions with miraculous powers; then gifts of healing — Diseases, by anointing the sick with oil, and praying for their recovery: the expression denotes the persons who possessed these gifts. Helps — Or helpers, who, speaking by inspiration to the edification of the church, were fitted to assist the superior officers, and to help the faith and joy of others. Governments — Or governors, the thing performed, as in the former clause, being put for the persons who performed it. The word kubernhseiv, is properly the steering of a ship with skill by a pilot; and seems to be put here metaphorically for persons directing or managing affairs with judgment. It does not appear, however, that these two last expressions were intended by the apostle to signify distinct offices. Rather any persons might be called helps or helpers, from a particular dexterity in helping the distressed; and governors or governments, from a peculiar talent for governing or presiding in assemblies. Are all the members or ministers of the church apostles, &c. — Seeing God has not given all sorts of gifts to one, but some to one, and others to another, that each one might stand in need of the others; therefore let none despise another, but all join together in employing their gifts for the common good of the church. But covet earnestly the best gifts — For they are well worth your desire and pursuit, though but few of you can attain them; and yet I show you a more excellent way — I point out unto you a more excellent gift than any or all of them, and one which all may, yea, must attain, or perish.

31. Covet—Earnestly desire and aim at. Best gifts—Namely, not tongues, but prophecy, the word of knowledge, of wisdom, and others that profited the Church. For though they be the gift of God, they are given to those who are qualified by faith, prayer, piety, and culture. More excellent way—Than the attainment of, or the aiming at, spiritual gifts. Said comparatively; for the main purpose of Paul’s vivid portraiture of love, in the next chapter, is to show the superiority of that one grace of love permanently in the Church, over the transient charisms which were but the temporary stagings while the structure was being built.

I CORINTHIANS

SECTION 24 — LOVE IS BETTER THAN THE

BEST GIFTS CH. 12:31-13

Be emulous for the greater gifts. And, further, a surpassingly good way I show you.

If with the tongues of men I speak, and of the angels, but have not love, I am become sounding bronze or a noisy cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know the mysteries, all of them, and all the knowledge, and if I have all the faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, nothing am I. And if I give as food all my possessions, and if I give up my body that I may be burned, but have not love, I am nothing profited.

Love is longsuffering, is kind. Love is not jealous: love does not vaunt itself, is not puffed up, is not unseemly, does not seek its own, is not moved to anger, does not reckon the evil, does not rejoice at unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never falls. But both if there be prophecies they will come to nought; and if tongues, they will cease; and if knowledge, it will come to nought. For, in part we know, and in part we prophesy: but, when the fully developed have come, that which is in part will come to nought. When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, I used to think as a child, I used to reckon as a child: when I became a man I made as nought the things of the child. For we see now through a mirror, in a dark saying; but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall understand, according as also I have been understood. And now remain faith, hope love; these three. But the greatest of these is love. After asserting the broad foundation truth that in the Church, as in a human body, the various members are endowed by God with various gifts, all useful and all needful for the general good, Paul now says that we must, nevertheless, make these gifts objects of desire and effort, and that some of them are greater than others and therefore more worthy of pursuit. But, instead of naming at once the greater gifts, (see 1 Corinthians 14.,) he interposes 1 Corinthians 13. to show us the best way of pursuing them. And, in so doing, he gives us a standard by which to measure their relative worth. (Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 8., before discussing his subject from the point of view of knowledge, he proves that love is better than knowledge.) He then, in 1 Corinthians 14., repeats the exhortation of 1 Corinthians 12:31 and goes on to show that prophecy is more worthy of pursuit than the gift of tongues.

Ver. 31. Be-emulous-for: one Greek word combining the sense of “zealous” and “jealous,” both which are English forms of it. It denotes an emotion aroused in us by superior worth, whether it be earnest desire to gain for ourselves a like superiority, or a jealous care to keep for ourselves alone the object of desire, or mere idle vexation. Same word in 1 Corinthians 13:4; 14:1, 12, 39; 3:3; 2 Corinthians 7:7, 11; 9:2; 11:2; 12:20. The capacities for usefulness possessed by others ought to rouse us to seek the same.

Greater gifts: producing greater results. This exhortation implies that these gifts of God's grace were to be obtained by human effort. How the extraordinary gifts were thus obtained, is not clear to us now, because of their cessation in the early dawn of church history. But we may suppose that the Spirit gave them only to those who had some natural and spiritual fitness for them as He now bestows His ordinary gifts. If so, by earnest desire to obtain and develop this fitness, men might be emulous for the greater gifts. Their effort, for both ordinary and extraordinary gifts, would include cultivation of the corresponding natural powers, prayer and faith for the Spirit's presence and activity, and use of the spiritual power already possessed. Paul goes further than mere exhortation to pursue these gifts, and adds (in 1 Corinthians 13.) an indication of a way along which his readers may find them, a way surpassing all others.

Chap. XIII. This better “way” Paul begins to point out by asserting abruptly and solemnly that even a combination of the most highly prized gifts, each in its highest degree, is worthless apart from love: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. The worth of love, he shows by describing its various manifestations in human conduct, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; and show its superiority to spiritual gifts, by proving that they will become worthless like the toys of childhood, whereas love abides, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.