The Unity and Diversity of the Body

Introduction

v. 7—provides the thesis for this chapter:

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

In vv.8-11 Paul laid out the first half of the argument—to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit

In verse 12-31 Paul now proves the second half of his argument, emphasizing, “for the common good.”

Paul now illustrates the unity and diversity of the church by using the most important metaphor for the church in all of Scripture—the body.

We often take this analogy of the church as Christ’s body for granted

This isn’t the first time that Paul has used the concept of the church being the body.

Both a metaphor and an essential, “ontological reality”

Here’s what I mean:

The New American Commentary: 1 Corinthians (3) One Body, Many Members (12:12–31)

That Paul intends an analogy of church to the human body is clear (12:12, 14–27), but that he also asserts more than analogy is equally clear. In other words, there is both analogy and ontological reality involved in Paul’s argument; that is, the analogy of the body is an apt p 295 metaphor of the reality that the church is the body of Christ constituted by the Spirit (12:27). Believers are immersed by/in one Spirit into one body (12:13). Believers are, in fact, the body of Christ (12:27)

We have witnessed Paul identifying the church as Christ’s body multiple times already in 1 Cor.—

several times in chapter six in reference to the need to flee sexual immorality

Again, in ch. 10—exhorts to flee idolatry

10:16—participation in the Lord’s body at the LS

11:27—unworthy participation in the LS=guilty of the body and blood of Christ; 11:29—instructions for the LS—discern the body

None of the above speak of the body as simply analogies or metaphors, but rather ontological realities.

Clear identification—church = the actual body of Christ on earth (this is a mysterion)

Furthermore, throughout our verses tonight--Paul clearly drives home the point that there is one body with many members as he reiterates this four times throughout these verses—12, 14, 20, 27

Again, the emphasis remains on the “one Spirit” who gifts the body with the diversity of the gifts for the common good.

The purpose of the spiritual gifts remains—the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good and Paul now uses the direct analogy of the human body to explain the proper ordering of the body of Christ, the church.

I. The Church Is One, Like the Human Body (12-13)

A. Unified in One Body (12)

Summary-- (12a)—explaining the body metaphor

Just as body is one w/ many members, all are members of the body, though many, are one body . . .

MacArthur: “The human body is by far the most amazing organic creation of God. It is marvelously complex yet unified, with unparalleled harmony and interrelatedness. It is a unit; it cannot be subdivided into several bodies. If it is divided, the part that is cut off ceases to function and dies, and the rest of the body loses some of its functions and effectiveness. The body is immeasurably more than the sum of its parts.”

The Body (church) identified with Christ (12b)

“So it is with Christ” — Paul clearly identifies the church as the body of Christ

“We can no more separate Christ from his church than we can separate a body from its head.”

In this short statement, “So it is with Christ,” Paul is saying “the church is Christ.”

Do we see the church this way?

This one verse shows us the utter foolishness of Christians who try to live the Christian life apart from the church!

to reject the church is to reject Jesus himself.

Christ is more than simply with us as a church—he is in the church!

B. Baptized with One Spirit (13)

In v. 13 we learn how we are all one with Christ

Read 13

We learn a great deal in this verse about the nature of the Holy Spirit and his work both in baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

in one Spirit—

Much confusion in this regard, especially in light of discussions of the baptism of the Holy Spirit

in vs. of

Jesus is the one who baptizes the church (Matt 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16)

The Holy Spirit is the agent or content of our baptism

As believers, when we are converted we are baptized into the one Spirit of God; this is how we are united to Christ and his body and how we share in the life of God.

Furthermore—made to drink of one Spirit—Paul is most likely making another reference to the Lord’s Table, harkening back to his exhortations in the last two chapters—participation in Christ’s Body and Blood

Remember a few weeks ago

Baptism—outward sign and symbol of our spiritual union with Christ as we are born again by the Spirit

the Lord’s Supper—an ongoing sign and symbol of our spiritual communion with Christ and his church.

Thus, in these verses we learn that as the human body is made of many interdependent parts, so to Christ’s Body—the church—is made of many members that are interrelated and dependent upon each other to make up the whole. The reason for this oneness comes from their spiritual baptism by Christ in the Spirit into one body.

II. The Church Is Made Up of Many Members, Like the Human Body, and Each Is Essential (14-27)

The next major section of this text includes all of verses 14-27

Here Paul furthers his argument of Spirit-wrought diversified unity by addressing and correcting two wrong views of the gifts of the Spirit.

List the sections

A. Correction--Diversified by One Body (14-17)

Read vv. 14-17

Summary statement (14)

Here Paul summarizes

MacArthur: “The most important characteristic of the Body is unity; but diversity is essential to that unity. The church is one Body, but the body is not one member, but many.”

Correcting a Wrong View—no worthwhile gifts that leads to withdrawal from participation (15-17)

This is the first of the two wrong views of the Spirit that Paul addresses

Here he is imagining parts of the body thinking to lowly and applying this to those members of the church he would withdraw and disengage from participation in the corporate worship of God

This represents a sort of self-pity form of pride

Victim mentality

Many of the Corinthians were apparently unhappy with their gifts and envied those who they perceived to have “greater” spiritual gifts

It seems that everyone had a “gift” that someone else wanted

MacArthur: “Selfishness is never satisfied and envy is never content”

We may wonder why Paul brings the charge to the “self-pitying” and envious Corinthians first. Richard Pratt:

Holman New Testament Commentary: I & II Corinthians C. Unity and Diversity of Members in the Body (12:12–30)

One might expect Paul to have reversed the perspective of this section, attacking those who valued themselves too highly rather than addressing those who had low opinions of themselves. Paul probably took this approach for two reasons. First, he wanted to make doubly certain that the arrogant Corinthians had no basis to discriminate against other Christians. Second, he recognized the harm that such discrimination does to its victims, and he saw the need to build up those who had been abused.

Furthermore—even if they believe—they are still no less a part of the body

If all had the same gifts or that were uneven distrubition of the gifts, the body couldn’t function properly

Do you fall under this category? Do you view your gifts as lesser?

God has a reminder to you through Paul’s next words:

B. Gifted by One Lord (18-19)

READ 18-19

GOD! has arranged the members of the body just as he has willed

Reminder—the Spirit gifts freely based solely on his sovereign will, not our merits

He is reminding us of what he said in vv.1-11

C. Many Parts, One Body (20)

Once again—reiterates:

The many parts —even the ones which may “seem” less important—are just as important as the other seemingly important parts!

D. Correcting a Wrong View—Believers’ Proper Relationship (21-27)

Beg. in v. 21 Paul corrects the other major wrong view

Read 21-24a

Correcting a Wrong View—the Openly Arrogant Boasting in the Superiority of One’s Supposed Gift

This incorrect view says, “I don’t need you,” whereas the previous view said “you don’t need me.”

Paul undoubtedly recalls the shameful treatment of those who have less that he addressed in the issue with the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:22)

Eye—hand

Head—feet

Obvious metaphors for more important parts of the human bods speaking down to perceived lesser parts

Paul then asserts, “on the contrary”

Parts that we seem weaker—indispensable

parts that we think less honorable—we bestow greater honor

“unpresentable parts”—greater modesty

The language—weakness, honor, shame—remind of major themes of the letter

1 Cor 1:25, 27

1 Cor. 4:10—Paul contrasts the Corinthians extravagant living like royalty with the suffering and humiliation of the Apostles lifestyles.

1 Cor. 8:9-10—Paul warned those with knowledge to watch their so-called freedom lest their liberty causes their weaker brother to stumble.

1 Cor. 9:22—Paul explicitly identifies himself with the weak

11:2-16—emphasis on shame and honor with the issue of headship and headcoverings

Likewise, shame and honor with Lord’s Supper—11:17-34

Again, God Sovereignly Composes the Body According to His Purposes (24b-26)

Essentially—restatement of v.18

But, he goes on to clarify with the purpose statement: 1 Cor. 12:25

No Division

But Care for one another

Working together for the common good

Be eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace

Division, one of the main concerns of this letter from Paul to the Corinthians, is the antithesis of the church’s existence. Paul is writing to address division and it presents itself at every turn.

Selfish, self-centered, sinful behavior always leads to division of the body. It is a sign of immaturity and worldliness and it cannot be tolerated in the church.

When the all members of the body are working together for the common good, the body will function properly and (v. 26) when one member suffers all will suffer together, when one is honored, all will rejoice together.

Reiteration: 1 Cor. 12:27

This verse really summarizes all that is written in 14-26, and so belongs with these verses.

After once again restating this fundamental truth Paul continues.

III. God’s Perfect Provision for the Body (28-31)

A. God’s Sovereign Ordering of the Gifts for Building Up the Church (28-30)

READ 28-30—In these verses we see God’s Perfect Provision for the Body

Here Paul gives another list of spiritual gifts,

But notice how he begins, “GOD has appointed in the church..”—emphasis on God’s Sovereign gifts

But this time placing and ordering with a prioritization or hierarchy

Why does he do this? What does he mean?

This list is actually different from the earlier list (8-10)

This is a combination of both actual spiritual gifts and persons who exercise certain gifts or hold certain offices

Mark Taylor says: chronological priority (Eph. 2:20; 4:11)

Paul is clearly emphasizing the prioritizing of the offices in relationship to the gifting to the church

Part of what Paul appears to be establishing here is turning the Corinthians whole understanding of “prioritizing” gifts on its head—

“you think that the most important spiritual gifts are the ones that make you look super spiritual; however your whole concept of greatness is utterly influenced by worldly, fleshly desires and passions.”

To further this point, we can look at what Paul has written earlier:

Apostles first—what does Paul say earlier in this letter about the plight of the Apostles?

1 Corinthians 4:9-13

Paul is once again, in this passage showing the Corinthians how they have confused worldly wisdom and honor with the true wisdom and power that are only from God.

They have been abusing, misusing, and counterfeiting the gifts and Paul is once again rebuking them and correcting them by addressing their clearly wrong understanding.

B. The Proper Response—The More Excellent Way (31)

Read

At first reading—sounds like a contradiction

We must take into account Paul’s main point and clear correction

In other words— “earnestly desire the higher gifts” probably means earnestly desire what are actually the higher gifts and not just what you have been wrongly perceiving as the higher gifts.

Earnestly desire what is most beneficial for building up the church in love

As we will see in chapter 14—prophecy over tongues

The New American Commentary: 1 Corinthians (3) One Body, Many Members (12:12–31)

To desire the “greater” gifts is simply a different way of stating what the overall argument makes clear, namely, that all things should be done for the edification of the whole. In every way, individual members of the body should seek the welfare of others. To seek what is more useful is an exhortation to the church to recognize the value and the place of every gifted believer.

However, there is still a more excellent way besides desiring the “higher gifts” and Paul is about to show the Corinthians in chapter 13—the way of love.

Conclusion

In summarizing this chapter we look back to 1 Cor. 12:7

Paul has . . . (summarize the argument)

A right understanding of the spiritual gifts is absolutely essentilal. That right understanding includes knowing that Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, applying all the benefits of the person and work of Christ to the church. Likewise, the One Spirit sovereignly gifts the church with varieties of gifts for building up the body in love. Just so a human body has many individual parts and members that are interrelated and interconnected, so too are the all the members of Christ. As the church we are Christ, we are his body here on earth.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.