The Letters · New Testament

1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12: many gifts, one Spirit, and a body whose weakest parts are necessary

General context

The section is announced: "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant." Their past is recalled, "ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols", and a test given: "no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Three matched statements follow: gifts with "the same Spirit", administrations with "the same Lord", operations with "the same God", and "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal". Nine items are listed, from "the word of wisdom" to "the interpretation of tongues", all worked by one Spirit "dividing to every man severally as he will". Then the body: one body with many members, "so also is Christ", and "by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free". Parts are given speech and answered: the foot says it is not the hand, the ear says it is not the eye, and if the whole body were an eye there would be no hearing. God set the members "as it hath pleased him", so the eye cannot say to the hand "I have no need of thee". Those that "seem to be more feeble, are necessary", the less honourable receive "more abundant honour", and the purpose is "That there should be no schism in the body". Then the application: "ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular", and a numbered order of what God set in the church. Seven questions follow which all expect no, and the chapter ends pointing to "a more excellent way".

1 Corinthians 12 (KJV)

¹Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

²Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

³Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

⁴Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

⁸For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

⁹To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

¹⁰To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

¹¹But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many.

¹⁵If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁶And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

¹⁸But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

¹⁹And if they were all one member, where were the body?

²⁰But now are they many members, yet but one body.

²¹And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

²²Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

²³And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

²⁴For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

²⁵That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

²⁸And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

²⁹Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

³⁰Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

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Historical context

No person is named in this chapter and no Old Testament verse is quoted. The readers' background is stated only in general terms, "carried away unto these dumb idols", with no idol, shrine or place identified. Two lists of gifts appear and they do not match. Verses 8 to 10 name nine items and give them no rank; verse 28 gives a numbered order, "first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers", then continues with miracles, healings, helps, governments and tongues, so helps and governments appear only in the second list and several items of the first are absent from it. The chapter does not say who in Corinth held any gift, how anyone was recognised, or what the tongues were. It states that the Spirit divides "as he will" and gives no procedure for assigning anything.

Cited passages: 1 Corinthians 12:2, 1 Corinthians 12:8, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Corinthians 12:11, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Literary context

Sameness is the chapter's drumbeat: the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God, then the same Spirit again through the list of gifts, so difference is always stated against a fixed background. The body section is the only place in the letter where parts of a body are given speech, and each complaint is answered with a question rather than a rebuke. The order of honour is then reversed, feeble parts called necessary and less honourable parts given more honour, which runs against the numbered ranking the chapter itself gives at verse 28, where apostles come first. The seven questions near the end are shaped so that no is the only possible answer, and the last sentence refuses to close the subject, promising something better instead.

Cited passages: 1 Corinthians 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:16, 1 Corinthians 12:17, 1 Corinthians 12:22, 1 Corinthians 12:23, 1 Corinthians 12:29, 1 Corinthians 12:30, 1 Corinthians 12:31

Key moments

A test for speech (1 Corinthians 12:3). Saying Jesus is the Lord is tied to the Holy Ghost.
Diversities of gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4). Difference and sameness are stated together.
Dividing as he will (1 Corinthians 12:11). The distribution of gifts is credited to the Spirit's choice.
Baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13). Jews, Gentiles, bond and free are placed in one body.
I have no need of thee (1 Corinthians 12:21). One part is forbidden to dismiss another.
One member suffers (1 Corinthians 12:26). Suffering and honour are said to be shared by all.
A more excellent way (1 Corinthians 12:31). The chapter closes by pointing beyond the gifts.

For reflection

The chapter gives the parts that seem weakest the most honour and says that is how schism is prevented. What would that ordering change about a group you belong to?

People in this chapter

Also indexed here:

Javan