1 Corinthians 12:17

17 If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell.

1 Corinthians 12:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 12:17

If the whole body were an eye
And nothing else,

where were the hearing?
there would be no ear, and so no sense of hearing: and if the whole were hearing: or only consisted of a member capable of the sense of hearing,

where were the smelling?
there would be no nose, the organ of smelling, and that sense would be wanting: thus if the church only consisted of ministers of the Gospel, of men of eminent light and knowledge, qualified for the preaching of the word to others, there would be no hearers; and on the other hand, if it only consisted of hearers, of such who only could hear the word to their own advantage, there would be none of a quick understanding, or of a quick smell to discern perverse things, to distinguish truth from error, to discern spirits, and direct the rest of the members to wholesome and savoury food, and preserve them from what would be hurtful and pernicious to them.

1 Corinthians 12:17 In-Context

15 The foot might say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body.

16 The ear might say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the ear from being a part of the body.

17 If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell.

18

19 If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them.