1 Corinthians 12:24
in 1 Corinthians 12whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God has composed the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked;
KJV
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
⋯
This verse in 1 Corinthians 12
Commentary
14 notes on this verseWe do not have to add anything to those whose eagerness for expertise and respectability is obvious—the honor due to them is given already. But an exhortation is necessary regarding the despised and lowly, to ensure that due honor is given to them, so that …
This site's exposition
The eye cannot say to
on 1 Corinthians 12:21-24
The proud member follows the discontented one: the eye cannot say to the hand, I do not need you. Verse 22 turns the argument over, since the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.
This site's exposition
God has composed the body
Composed translates synekerasen, a verb for mixing or blending, as wine is mixed with water. Hodge reads it of God blending strong and weaker members into one body by design. The extra honor comes from God first.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Aren't the hairs of your head certainly of less value than your other members? What is cheaper, more despicable, more lowly in your body than the hairs of your head? Yet if the barber trims your hair unskillfully, you become angry at him because he does not cut your hair evenly. Yet you do not maintain that same concern for unity of the members in the church.
"But our comely parts have no need:" That is, lest any should say, "Why what kind of speech is this, to despise the honorable and pay court to the less honored?" "we do not this in contempt," saith he, "but because they 'have no need.'" And see how large a measure of praise he thus sets down in brief, and so hastens on: a thing most conveniently and usefully done. And neither is he content with this, but adds also the cause, saying, "But God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor unto that part which lacked:" Now if He tempered it together, He did not suffer that which is more uncomely to appear. For that which is mingled becomes one thing, and it doth not appear what it was before: since otherwise we could not say that it was tempered. And see how he continually hastens by the defects, saying, "that which lacked." He said not, "to that which is dishonorable," "to that which is unseemly," but, "to that which lacked," ("that which lacked;" how? by nature,) "giving more abundant honor." And wherefore? "That there should be no schism in the body." Thus because, though they enjoyed an endless store of consolation, they nevertheless indulged grief as if they had received less than others, he signifies that they were rather honored. For his phrase is, "Giving more abundant honor to that which lacked." Next he also adds the reason, showing that with a view to their profit he both caused it to lack and more abundantly honored it. And what is the reason? "That there should be no schism," saith he, "in the body." (And he said not, "in the members," but, "in the body.") For there would indeed be a great and unfair advantage, if some members were cared for both by nature and by our forethought, others not even by either one of these. Then would they be cut off from one another, from inability to endure the connection. […]
The Medieval Church3 voices
He did not say "uncomely" or "dishonored," but "less perfect." For by nature no member is uncomely or dishonored. To the less perfect, he says, He gave greater honor. Therefore do not grieve, for you have been honored more than the others. Here is the …
Lest anyone should say: what reason is there to bestow care upon the uncomely and less honorable members, while leaving the comely ones in neglect? We do not, he says, despise them, but they, being by their nature comely, have no need of anything from …
Did He not mix and arrange into one? For that which is mixed becomes one; then in one thing, where is the greater and the lesser?
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, But God has so composed, he proposes the cause of the above-mentioned care, and first he assigns the first efficient cause. For although men do take care of the members in this way, nevertheless it proceeds from the divine plan; hence …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
So should the members of Christ's body behave towards their fellow-members: instead of despising them, or reproaching them, for their infirmities, they should endeavour to cover and conceal them, and put the best face upon them that they can.
For our comely parts have no need,....
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 Nineteenth Century2 voices
For our comely parts have no need - It would be easy to go into great detail in giving an anatomical description of the different members and parts to which the apostle refers, but it would not probably answer the end of general edification; and to explain every allusion made by the apostle, would require a minuteness of description which would not be tolerated except in a treatise on the anatomy of the human body. My readers will therefore excuse my entering into this detail.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For our comely parts - The face, etc. “Have no need.” No need of clothing or ornament. But God hath tempered the body together - Literally, “mingled” or mixed; that is, has made to coalesce, or strictly and closely joined. He has formed a strict union; he has made one part dependent on another, and necessary to the harmony and proper action of another. Every part is useful, and all are suited to the harmonious action of the whole. God has so arranged it, in order to produce harmony and equality in the body, that those parts which are less comely by nature should be more adorned and guarded by apparel. Having given more abundant honour ... - By making it necessary that we should labor in order to procure for it the needful clothing; thus making it more the object of our attention and care. We thus bestow more abundant honor upon those parts of the body which a suitable protection from cold, and heat, and storms, and the sense of comeliness, requires us to clothe and conceal. The “more abundant honor,” therefore, refers to the greater attention, labor, and care which we bestow on those parts of the body.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τὰ | ta | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | and | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εὐσχήμονα | euschemona | the presentable [parts] | G2158 → | |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| οὐ | ou | no | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| χρείαν | chreian | need | G5532 → | 49 times |
| ἔχει. | echei | have. | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| συνεκέρασεν | sunekerasen | [who] has composed | G4786 → | |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σῶμα | soma | body | G4983 → | 142 times |
| τῷ | to | to that which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑστερουμένῳ | husteroumeno | is become lacking | G5302 → | 16 times |
| περισσοτέραν | perissoteran | more excessive | G4055 → | 9 times |
| δοὺς | dous | having given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| τιμήν, | timen | honor, | G5092 → | 41 times |
τὰ<the>
taG3588 →19766 times
δὲand
deG1161 →2765 times
εὐσχήμοναthe presentable [parts]
euschemonaG2158 →
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
οὐno
ouG3756 →1664 times
χρείανneed
chreianG5532 →49 times
ἔχει.have.
echeiG2192 →707 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
συνεκέρασεν[who] has composed
sunekerasenG4786 →
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
σῶμαbody
somaG4983 →142 times
τῷto that which
toG3588 →19766 times
ὑστερουμένῳis become lacking
husteroumenoG5302 →16 times
περισσοτέρανmore excessive
perissoteranG4055 →9 times
δοὺςhaving given
dousG1325 →412 times
τιμήν,honor,
timenG5092 →41 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
Genesis 2:25And the man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.
it leads to
- Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.
- Genesis 3:10–11
“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
- Romans 10:11
It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
- Joel 2:26
You will have plenty to eat, until you are satisfied. You will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never again be put to…
- Jeremiah 17:13
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who abandon You will be put to shame. All who turn away will be written in the dust, for they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of…
- Genesis 3:7
Through
Genesis 3:11“Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
it leads to
- Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
- Genesis 4:10
“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
- Psalms 50:21
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
- Romans 3:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Augustine of Hippo, THE USEFULNESS OF FASTING 6; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Frederic Godet, Commentary on First Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 31; 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.