1 Corinthians 12:16
in 1 Corinthians 12And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
KJV
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 12
Commentary
9 notes on this verseSecondly, he uses as examples the members or powers which serve knowledge and he mentions the eye, which serves sight, and the ear, which serves hearing. For these two senses are the special servants of human knowledge: sight, indeed, in regard to discovery, because it …
This site's exposition
For the body does not consist
on 1 Corinthians 12:14-17
Paul answers Corinth's drift toward a favored few gifts: the body does not consist of one part, but of many. Verse 17 presses the logic to its end, where uniformity would destroy the body the member wanted to join.
This site's exposition
And if the ear should say
The second pair sets the ear beside the eye, the two senses that take in speech and sight. Hodge applies the figure to Corinthians with humbler gifts who felt shut out by showier ones. Membership comes from the body itself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
It cannot be denied that he, who seems weak among the brothers, is of the body; because he is not powerful.
This however he states last; but for the present he goes to the members themselves, saying thus: "If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?" "And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?" For if the one being made inferior and the other superior, doth not allow their being of the body, the whole is done away. Do not say therefore, "I am not the body, because I am inferior." For the foot also hath the inferior post, yet is it of the body: for the being or not being part of the body, is not from the one lying in this place and the other in that; (which is what constitutes difference of place;) but from the being conjoined or separated. For the being or not being a body, arises from the having been made one or not. But do thou, I pray, mark his considerate way, how he applies their words to our members. For as he said above, "These things have I in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos," just so likewise here, to make his argument free from invidiousness and acceptable, he introduces the members speaking: that when they shall hear nature answering them, being thus convicted by experience herself and by the general voice, they may have nothing further to oppose. "For say, if you will," saith he, "this very thing, murmur as you please, you cannot be out of the body. For as the law of nature, so much more doth the power of grace guard all things and preserve them entire." And see how he kept to the rule of having nothing superfluous; not working out his argument on all the members, but on two only and these the extremes; having specified both the most honorable of all, the eye, and the meanest of all, the feet. […]
The Medieval Church1 voice
He presents the members of the body as speaking and murmuring that they are diminished before the other members, in order that, having demonstrated the senselessness of the murmuring of the members, he might expose those who in the Church murmur that there are some …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Shall it hereupon disown relation to the body? Because it is not fixed in the same station, or favoured with the same gifts as others, shall it say, "I do not belong to Christ?" No, the meanest member of his body is as much a member as the noblest, and as truly regarded by him. All his members are dear to him.
And if the ear shall say,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He tells us that the church is the body of Christ, and the members are variously gifted for the benefit of the whole body, and each particular member,
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐὰν | ean | if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| εἴπῃ | eipe | shall say | G2036 → | 925 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὖς· | ous | ear; | G3775 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | Because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εἰμὶ | eimi | I am | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὀφθαλμός, | ophthalmos | an eye, | G3788 → | 100 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εἰμὶ | eimi | I am | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σώματος, | somatos | body, | G4983 → | 142 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| παρὰ | para | on account of | G3844 → | 192 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔστιν | estin | is it | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐκ | ek | of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σώματος; | somatos | body? | G4983 → | 142 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐὰνif
eanG1437 →352 times
εἴπῃshall say
eipeG2036 →925 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
οὖς·ear;
ousG3775 →
ὅτιBecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
εἰμὶI am
eimiG1510 →2333 times
ὀφθαλμός,an eye,
ophthalmosG3788 →100 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
εἰμὶI am
eimiG1510 →2333 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
σώματος,body,
somatosG4983 →142 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
παρὰon account of
paraG3844 →192 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔστινis it
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἐκof
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
σώματος;body?
somatosG4983 →142 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
it leads to
- Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
- 1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Galatians 5:26
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.
- Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
- Ephesians 4:2
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
- Romans 12:10
Through
Romans 12:3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure…
it leads to
- Galatians 6:3
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
- Philippians 2:3–8
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- Galatians 6:3
Through
Romans 12:10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- Philippians 2:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrosiaster, Commentary on 1 Corinthians; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 30; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.