Interdependence, Not Independence
12: 20-31a
Interdependence, not independence DIG: How does the human body demonstrate diversity? How does Paul counter the tendency toward spiritual pride? How does the variety of gifts in a Messianic congregation or church give greater value to the giftedness of the individual? Why are apostles, prophets, and teachers ranked and the others not? From his rhetorical questions in verses 29-30, what do you see as another problem in this church?
REFLECT: How can you keep diversity from becoming disunity? Of the spiritual gifts listed here, do any have your name on it? How so? How can you support others’ spiritual gifts where you worship? How does your place of worship view the working of spiritual gifts? Take time to reflect on how God has used you to make a difference in His Church. Thank Him for the opportunities and ask Him to help you be more sensitive to being used by Him in the future.
We need others in our lives.
In this chapter Paul deals with two primary reasons some believers never become involved in ministry. Some feel they have no gifts or abilities that are worthwhile, and so they sit back and let others do the work (12:15-17). Now Paul looks at the other side of the coin. He turns from the humbler members, to those who possessed great gifts, who evidently thought they could manage well enough without the “unimportant” contributions of lowly people.384 Paul’s delightful and playful use of the body metaphor continues with more personification to state, one more time, that each part of the body is needed, though this time the stress is a little different. Before he emphasized that no body part should become so depressed as to feel it is unneeded by the rest of the body. But here, he emphasizes that no body part should become so proud and arrogant as to say, “I don’t need you,” to the other body parts. But as it is, there are indeed many parts, yet just one body. So, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you”; or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you” (12:20-21).385
With this statement, Paul seems to be getting closer to the difficult issue being faced in Corinth. As we have seen on several occasions in this letter, pride was indeed a problem among them (1:29, 3:3-4, 4:18-19, 5:1 and 6, 11:18-22). The eye and the head are transparent metaphors for those in leadership roles, who are likely to be more affluent and better educated. The hands and the feet represent the laboring class or slaves. The eyes and the heads in Corinth were getting special treatment and then began to think that they were special. This bred a sense of pride and self-sufficiency, since those who think they are all-important can imagine that the “minor players” are superfluous and dispensable.386 However, they overestimated their own importance and underestimated that of the other believers. Disobeying the principles of Matthew 18:10 and Romans 14:1 to 15:7, they disdain those they saw as weak and less significant (to see link click Bm – The Weaker Brother or Sister).
On the contrary, Paul continues, the parts of the body that seem to be less important turn out to be all the more necessary (12:22). As important as some of the prominent parts of the human body are, it is possible to live without them. They are important, but not absolutely necessary. You can lose an eye or an ear, a hand or a leg, and still live. Our internal organs are hidden, but more vital. You might notice the breathing of your lungs or the pulse of your heartbeat, but their work is not nearly as obvious as what we do with our hands or feet. Those less noticed parts (internal organs) seem to be less important than the rest of the body (external limbs), but they are actually more necessary. As a result, they are protected by our skeleton and the rest of the body. They are indispensable. The body cannot live without them. You can live without legs, but not without lungs.
The most vital ministries always include some with gifts that are not obvious. The faithful prayers and services of a few dedicated believers who hold no office frequently are the most reliable and productive channels of spiritual power in a congregation. The Corinthian church had failed to be considerate and appreciative of those who did not have the “out front” gifts, such as prophecy, healings, or languages. Those with less noticeable ministries are sometimes vulnerable to misunderstanding, and often to neglect and lack of appreciation. They should be protected by fellow believers, just as the body protects its vital organs.
Continuing the analogy, Paul reminds us that upon body parts which we consider less dignified (Greek: aschemona) we bestow greater dignity. And the parts that are less presentable are the ones we make as attractive as we can (12:23). Unseemly probably refers to the parts of our body that are not especially attractive. It seems to be referring to the torso in general. It might be flabby thighs or a paunch, but is usually covered and considered less attractive. The use of the word bestow (Greek: peritithemi, meaning to put around) suggests the idea of clothing around a body in general. We spend more time and money clothing those parts of our body than the ones that are more obvious (such as the face and hands), and by doing so, we bestow greater dignity . The less presentable parts (Greek: aschemona, meaning shameful, unseemly, or unpresentable) refer to those private parts of the body that are needed for reproduction, but need to be treated with modesty. The face, in the meantime, we leave uncovered. The idea is, that, in like manner, we should not despise or disregard those members of the church who are “seemingly” of lower rank who are “covered up,” or not noticed. It is not those body parts themselves, but the display of them, that is unseemly or shameful. They are not, like the hands, face, and head, exposed to public view.
It is from a warped sense of values that a believer, well known because of a prominent gift, looks down on other believers who possess no obvious gift, and seeks great honor on his or her own. That attitude is a direct contradiction of the principle of concern that characterizes a body. It is far more consistent with self-preservation that the parts of a body that have great outward beauty and more abilities, devote themselves to the well-being of those parts that are not so well equipped, but are essential to life. Sensible people are more concerned about their heart than their hair. Those in leadership positions and prominence not only should not look down on those whose gifts are less noticeable, but should take special care to show them appreciation and to protect them when necessary. More gifted believers are especially obligated to encourage the timid, to assist the weak, and to be patient with everyone (First Thessalonians 5:14).387
While those who have the more noticeable and attractive gifts have no need for such encouragement and protection. Greater dignity and honor comes to them almost as a matter of course, and that honor they should share with members whose gifts are less attractive and more likely to be ignored. Indeed, God has put the body together in such a way that he gives greater dignity to the parts that lack it. It is clear from what Paul says here that heavenly reward will be based not only on what we do with our own gifts and ministries, but on our attitudes toward and support of the gifts and ministries of others. Mutual support is necessary to avoid both overconfidence and lack of confidence. It is also necessary so that there will be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others (12:24-25).
Drawing his conclusion, Paul states that mutuality is at the heart of fellowship: building reciprocal relationships, sharing responsibilities and helping each other out. Thus, if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness (12:26). All have experienced, at one time or another, how the whole physical body suffers when one part hurts. What is natural in the human body should also be apparent in the body of Messiah. Suffering and rejoicing together (13:5-6) are a sign of unity in which each one truly seeks the advantage of the other.388
After drawing the conclusion, Paul makes the application. This is how Paul began the discussion about the body: For just as the body is one but has many parts; and all the parts of the body, though many, constitute one body, and so it is with the Messiah (12:12). and now he ends in a similar manner: Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it (12:27). These two verses frame the entire discussion of the Church as the Body of Messiah. You are in the emphatic position, put first for emphasis. In case the Corinthians have missed the point, Paul clarifies that he is talking about them!
Paul now reverts back to the subject of spiritual gifts in the Church and gives a different list of those whom God has appointed: And God has placed in the Church first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers. In this listing the apostle does some ranking, the same as he does in Ephesians 4:11. Most important for the Church are the apostles, there are only twelve (Mt 19:28; Rev 21:14), and they have served the unique function of establishing the foundation of the Church by telling the truth about Yeshua and preserving the writings we now have in the B’rit Chadashah. Next comes the prophets, who will receive more attention in Chapter 14 (see Dk – The Priority of Prophecy over Tongues), Third, comes teachers, who take the message of the apostles and teach it to believers in the local congregation and so build them up in the faith. After these first three there is no longer any ranking, merely a listing. Paul includes some of the gifts he listed earlier in 12:8-10, and added a few others. Then those who work miracles; then those with gifts of healing; those with ability to help; those skilled in administration; and those who speak in various tongues (12:28).
As Paul concludes this section, he resorts, as he so often has done, to another series of rhetorical questions, all of which expect a negative answer. By using these questions, the apostle is expressing in a different form what he has already taught earlier (see Cj – The Varieties of Spiritual Gifts), namely, that there is a variety of gifts, and that each believer has received at least one, and that no person has all the gifts. But there is one added implication here: there is no single gift that everyone has received. Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? or teachers? or miracle-workers? Not all have gifts of healing, not all speak in tongues, not all interpret, do they (12:29-30)? The fact that the Ruach inspired Paul to declare: Not all speak in tongues suggests that this is not the second work of grace needed for salvation. It is only one gift among many – and in the context of the church at Corinth, it was a gift fraught with problems from the onset.389
Eagerly seek the better gifts (12:31a). The way this verse is usually translated presents some serious interpretive problems. Since Paul stresses the Spirit’s sovereignty in distributing the gifts, and he writes to rebuke the Corinthians for favoring the showy gifts, why would he command them to eagerly seek the better gifts? Wouldn’t that just encourage them to continue competing for status? But in fact, the verse is not actually commanding that at all. The English translation is misleading as to Paul’s meaning. The verb form used here can be either indicative (a statement of fact) or imperative (a command). A better translation using the indicative form would be: However, you are eagerly seeking the better gifts. In other words, Paul was actually saying, “However, you are jealously coveting the showy gifts.” That is a rebuke, which makes better sense of Paul’s next words: But now I will show you the best way of all (12:31b). He is not commanding them to seek certain gifts, but condemning them for seeking the showy ones. They coveted the admiration of others. They craved the applause of men. They wanted to seem “spiritual.”390
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