The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
1 Corinthians 12:21-26 ESV
Understanding this passage requires us to understand the context of the letter and chapter. The Corinthians were a divided church and had many significant problems. Much of the letter reads like an indictment to how far off they had wandered. Paul demonstrates that throughout most of the epistle, but particularly in chapters 1 through 6.
From chapter 7 onwards Paul is addressing issues that they wrote to him for advice. In Chapter 12 Paul is addressing the spiritual people within the church (1 Corinthians 12:1-3) and the source of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). He then refers to the body as a unity of members, baptised as individuals into this single entity (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) and deals with how members reflect inwardly on that truth (1 Corinthians 12:14-20).
Paul now turns this same metaphor from an internal reflection towards the external:
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
1 Corinthians 12:21 ESV
Where before the metaphor deals with jealousy and confidence, here it deals with disdain and condemnation. Does an eye have need of the hand to see? Does the head have need of a foot to think? But even though each part has no need of another for the purpose it is tasked, the body as a whole does need all of the bodily functions.
A person that can see but not reach, or think but not act is fit for no good deeds. Likewise a church that can speak but not listen, or talk but not walk has no use. So the Corinthians are to desire and tolerate a variety of people. They are not to venerate others or esteem themselves any more than is appropriate for their function.
On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
1 Corinthians 12:22-25 ESV
To show how this works in practice, he shows them that even within their own physical body, this can be observed. For each person uses their body parts as appropriately required.
He breaks this down into three categories:
Weakest
Least Honourable
Unpresentable
The weakest body parts are the most vital of all parts. There’s no question that hands and feet are worn the most, but is it not our heart and brain that are protected by layers of bone? For a body can handle the loss of a hand, but the loss of an organ proves fatal. So it is with the church. The weakest are to be protected most for they are indispensable both to God and to the church.
The least honourable parts are surely our extremities. Our hands and our feet endure all sorts of filth and hard work that we would not subject our eyes and mouth. Yet what they lack in beauty, they are deemed valuable in their servitude. The hardened skin on a craftsman’s hand is testament to how valuable they have served. So it is with the church. Is it not the faithful and meek that are revered?
Lastly we have the unpresentable parts, which many take to mean the reproductive organs. However, even these parts are presentable within marriage. Instead, what about the parts of our body that we deem unpresentable? A birth mark, a blemish or imperfection that we find shameful. Do we not show the greatest modesty to these parts? So it is with the church. For the gospel penetrates even the most perverted and wicked of souls, that they may be saved. They require the greatest modesty, do not parade or champion a sinner, nor reject them from the body entirely.
Always we should remember that it is God who composed the body. Each of, and our flaws, are brought together into the single body of Christ. And in this body, the least honourable received the greatest honour that all are united in their difference.
Which leads to the final point:
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV
The body will inevitably have flaws. But the heart of the church is that if one member suffers, all suffer together. If one member is honoured, all rejoice together. The spirit of unity should prevail within the body at all times.
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