1 Corinthians 12:12

Unity in the Midst of Diversity

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, [although they] are many, are one body, thus also Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 12:12

For as the body is one
That is, an human body; for of this the apostle speaks, and takes a simile, and forms a comparison from, showing the union among saints, and their mutual participation of the various gifts of the Spirit; for an human body is but one body, and not more.

And hath many members;
as eyes, ears, hands, feet, &c].

And all the members of that one body being many are one body;
as numerous as they may be, they all belong to, and make up but one body; performing different offices, for which they are naturally fitted for the good of the whole:

so also to Christ;
not personal, but mystical; not the head alone, or the members by themselves, but head and members as constituting one body, the church. The church, in union with Christ, the head, is but one general assembly, and church of the firstborn written in heaven, though consisting of the various persons of God's elect, who are closely united one to another, and their head Christ; and therefore are denominated from him, and called by his name; see ( Romans 9:3 ) ( Jeremiah 33:16 ) .

1 Corinthians 12:12 In-Context

10 to another {miraculous powers}, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues.
11 But in all these [things] one and the same Spirit is at work, distributing to each one individually just as he wishes.
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, [although they] are many, are one body, thus also Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free [persons], and all were made to drink one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. *Here "[although]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("are") which is understood as concessive
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.