Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 12:22
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
22. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary ] The more feeble parts of the body, those, that is, which are most delicate, least able to take care of themselves, are by no means the least valuable. The eye or the brain, for instance, are more necessary to the well-being of the body than other stronger and ruder organs.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Which seem to be more feeble – Weaker than the rest; which seem less able to bear fatigue and to encounter difficulties; which are more easily injured, and which become more easily affected with disease. It is possible that Paul may here refer to the brain, the lungs, the heart, etc., as more feeble in their structure, and more liable to disease than the hands and the feet, etc., and in reference to which disease is more dangerous and fatal.
Are more necessary – The sense seems to be this. A man can live though the parts and members of his body which are more strong were removed; but not if those parts which are more feeble. A man can live if his arm or his leg be amputated; but not if his brain, his lungs or his heart be removed. So that, although these parts are more feeble, and more easily injured, they are really more necessary to life, and therefore more useful than the more vigorous portions of the frame. Perhaps the idea is – and it is a beautiful thought – that those members of the church which are most retiring and feeble apparently which are concealed from public view, unnoticed and unknown – the humble. the meek, the peaceful, and the prayerful – are often more necessary to the true welfare of the church than those who are eminent for their talent and learning. And it is so. The church can better spare many a man, even in the ministry, who is learned, and eloquent, and popular, than some obscure and humble Christian, that is to the church what the heart and the lungs are to the life. the one is strong. vigorous, active, like the hands or the feet, and the church often depends on them; the other is feeble, concealed, yet vital, like the heart or the lungs. The vitality of the church could be continued though the man of talent and learning should be removed; as the body may live when the arm or the leg is amputated; but that vitality could not continue if the saint of humble and retiring piety, and of fervent prayerfulness, were removed, any more than the body can live when there is no heart and no lungs.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. Those members – which seem to be more feeble] These, and the less honourable and uncomely, mentioned in the next verses, seem to mean the principal viscera, such as the heart, lungs, stomach, and intestinal canal. These, when compared with the arms and limbs, are comparatively weak; and some of them, considered in themselves, uncomely and less honourable; yet these are more essential to life than any of the others. A man may lose an eye by accident, and an arm or a leg may be amputated, and yet the body live and be vigorous; but let the stomach, heart, lungs, or any of the viscera be removed, and life becomes necessarily extinct. Hence these parts are not only covered, but the parts in which they are lodged are surrounded, ornamented, and fortified for their preservation and defence, on the proper performance of whose functions life so immediately depends.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By feeble the apostle here doth not only mean most weak, but which seem to us most abject and contemptible; in which sense the word is used, 2Co 12:10; such are the belly and the entrails; the eye also is a feeble member, &c.; yet these parts are most necessary for the use of the body, being such without the use of which the body cannot live.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. more feeblemoresusceptible of injury: for example, the brain, the belly, the eye.Their very feebleness, so far from doing away with the need for them,calls forth our greater care for their preservation, as being felt”necessary.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Nay, much more those members of the body,…. The apostle, in a beautiful gradation, proceeds to take notice of such parts of the body as are more weak, dishonourable, and uncomely, showing the necessity and usefulness of them:
which seem to be more feeble; than others, do not consist of a strong bony substance, and are not fenced with sinews, as the belly and its intestines: yet these
are necessary; nor could the body be sustained, nourished, and refreshed, without them; so the more weak and feeble saints, whose hearts and hands are to be strengthened, whose infirmities are to be bore, have their usefulness; and the effectual working in the measure of every part, even of the feeble and tender, maketh increase of the body, to the edifying of itself in love: and these God has seen fit, as necessary to call by his grace, and place in the body, that his strength may be made perfect in their weakness, and to confound the mighty; and out of the mouths even of babes and sucklings to ordain strength and praise.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Nay, much rather ( ). Adversative sense of , on the contrary. So far from the more dignified members like the eye and the head being independent of the subordinate ones like the hands and feet, they are “much more” (argumentum a fortiori, “by much more” , instrumental case) in need of therm.
Those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary ( ). Things are not always what they seem. The vital organs (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys) are not visible, but life cannot exist without them.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Seem to be [ – ] . The allusion is probably to those which seem to be weaker in their original structure, naturally. This may be indicated by the use of uJparcein to be (see on Jas 2:15); compare einai to be, in ver. 23. Others explain of those which on occasion seem to be weaker, as when a member is diseased.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Nay, much more those members of the body.” (alla pollo mallon) “But by much more” (ta mele tou somatos) “the members of the body.” To a greater degree – degree of importance than those major members of the body already named – major members, the eye, ear, nose, head, hands, feet, and ears—
2) “Which seem to be more feeble.” (ta dokounta asthenestera huparchein) “The (members) seeming or appearing weaker to be” – the tongue the covert, internal members of the body, heart, lungs, etc. . . . These more visible members of the body receive greater recognition, yet the covert, less visible members are absolutely necessary for the best function of the body.
3) “Are necessary.” (anagkaia estin) “Are necessary.” Without the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, tongue, or vocal folds the body would be greatly or totally hindered from its harmonious function and usefulness. Let this illustration of necessity of each member of each physical body be recognized as a similar self-existent condition in each body or congregation of the Lord. Let each be pleased to use his own charismatic gift to the honor of the Lord and usefulness in his church, without jealousy or complaint against God or his fellow man. 1Co 9:26-27; Rom 14:11-12; Php_2:3-4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(22) Which seem to be more feeble.The general argument of this and the following verse (without attempting to identify the particular parts of the body referred to) is that the weakest parts of the body are as necessary to the body as the strongest; and those parts which are considered less seemly are more abundantly cared for by being carefully covered with clothes, as distinguished from the face and hands which are uncovered.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Nay, much more The ruled can do without the rulers even better than the vice versa. It is for the ruled that the rulers exist. And often, in some way or other, the ruled are the real rulers. Just as the humblest parts of the human system really rule the rest.
More feeble The most delicate nerves and fibres are most necessary to vitality.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary, and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honourable, on these we bestow more abundant honour, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness, whereas our comely parts have no need.’
Indeed it is the seemingly most unimportant parts of our bodies, our ‘less honourable’ members and our most uncomely members, on which we bestow the most honour and care, ensuring that they are covered and clothed. (The verb for ‘bestow’ is used of clothing in, for example, Mat 27:28). We treat them with honour and seek to make them comely. We clothe our feebler parts. So should God’s people care for the meanest of their number so as to ensure that they too are honoured and made comely, as they can be sure that Christ, Whose body they are, certainly does (compare Eph 5:25-32).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Co 12:22. Nay, much more those members, &c. Some think that in the words which seem to be more feeble, St. Paul refers to the brains and bowels, which are very tender, and liable to many disorders. Others understand it of the least muscular parts, veins, arteries, and other minute channels in the body, the least obstruction in some of which would be fatal. If more feeble be put for less noble, it suggests a very obviousandimportantsense,relatingtothechannelsnaturehasprovided for throwing off the dregs, which, dishonourable as they may seem, are so necessary, that if they be obstructed, intense torment and inevitable death must ensue. Doddridge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 12:22-23 . No; the relationship of the members is, on the contrary, of a different sort; those accounted weaker are necessary ; likewise those held to be less honourable are the more honourably attired ; those which are unseemly are invested with all the greater seemliness . What particular members Paul specially meant here by the weak (Theodoret, Estius, and several others hold: the brain and inward organs; Hofmann: “the delicate inward parts;” Bengel: the hands; most commentators, including Billroth: the eyes and ears) and by the ( usually : the feet; Grotius and Calovius: “venter cum iis quae sub ventre sunt;” Kypke: the intestines) cannot be definitely settled in detail, since he only says in a summary way: “How contrary it is to the natural relation of the members, if one were to say to the other (as in the preceding illustration the eye to the hand, or the head to the feet), I have no need of thee! Such contemptuous treatment can find no warrant either in the weakness, or the less honourable character, or the unseemliness of any member; for the members which we count weak are shielded from depreciation by their necessity; those held less honourable, by their more honourable dress; and those which are unseemly, by their seemly covering.” Since, however, it is of itself undoubted that he reckoned the pudenda ( ) and the breech among the , we may further, without arbitrariness, set down the delicate organs of sense, such as the eye and ear , among the , and among the again the members specially cared for in the way of adornment by dress, such as the trunk, hips, and shoulders.
] the logical multo potius .
] which appear , like , 1Co 12:23 . Chrysostom aptly says, that what is conveyed is not , but . The position is, as in Plato, Rep. p. 572 B, . Comp p. 334 C.
The first in 1Co 12:23 subjoins another category, the two members of which are put in order of climax ( ., .).
.] to be more dishonourable parts of the body , than others; “comparativus molliens,” Bengel.
.] honour in richer measure than others, namely, by the clothing , which is indicated by . (Mat 27:28 ; Gen 27:16 ; Est 1:20 ; Pro 12:9 ; 2Ma 11:13 ; 2Ma 12:39 ; 2Ma 3:32 ; Hom. Il. iii. 330, xiv. 187).
. .] our unseemly parts . Theodore of Mopsuestia says well: . Notice, too, that we have not here again the milder relative comparative.
] They have greater seemliness than others; it becomes their own , namely, through the more seemly covering in which they are attired. On the purport of the verse, Chrysostom remarks rightly: ; , , , . According to Hofmann, we are to supply from what goes before in connection with .; the words from to , again, are to be taken as: they bring with them a greater seemliness (a more seemly demeanour) on our part . Needlessly artificial, and contrary to the . which follows.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
Ver. 22. Which seem to be, &c. ] As the organs of nourishment, not so noble, but more necessary than those of the senses.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22, 23. ] Nay, the relation between the members is so entirely different from this, that the very disparagement , conventionally, of any member , is the reason why more care should be taken of it . I understand by the , those members which in each man’s case appear to be inheritors of disease , or to have incurred weakness . By this very fact , their necessity to him is brought out much more than that of the others.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 12:22-24 a . “On the contrary” ( ), instead of the more powerful and dignified (1Co 12:23 ) bodily parts dispensing with the humbler (1Co 12:21 ), it is “much more” the case that these latter “the weaker” or “less honourable as they may seem to be” ( ) “are necessary” in themselves (1Co 12:22 ), and treated with “more abundant honour” in our care of the body. By ( cf Plato, Phdo , 80 E, ), multo potius (Bz [1914] ) or a fortiori (Ev [1915] ), the position of 1Co 12:21 is more than negatived; the inferior members are not merely shielded from contempt, but guarded with exceptional respect. By the “weaker” and “ignobler” parts P. cannot mean the hands or feet spoken of in 1Co 12:21 , for these are strong and usually uncovered (see , 23); but members in appearance quite subordinate and actually feeble viz ., the more delicate vital organs. Amongst these the signify definitely , qu inhonesta sunt (Vg [1916] ); cf. Rev 16:15 , . The and , the “comparatively weak” and “feeble” ( comparativus molliens , Bg [1917] ), are wide categories applicable to the same members from diff [1918] points of view. Weakness , in the case, e.g ., of the heart, is compensated by needfulness; ignobility , as in the viscera, by careful tendance shown in ample clothing “we put about them (clothe them with) a more abundant honour” (for the use of , cf. in 1Co 11:10 ). The unseemliness (indecency) attaching to certain organs, always guarded from sight, “brings with it ( , cf. Heb 10:35 ) a more abundant seemliness”. Against most commentt. (Gd [1919] , e.g ., thinks only of “les soins de la toilette”!), Ed [1920] maintains that (1Co 12:23 ) has a moral sense, looking beyond the honour of apparel ; “the greater comeliness relates rather to function”. Is any office more responsible than that of parenthood, anything more sacred than the mother’s womb and mother’s breast? ( cf. Luk 11:27 ; also Heb 13:4 ). . . .: But our seemly parts” head and face, e.g. ( the human face divine ) “have no need,” their distinction being conspicuous; see 1Co 11:7 a , where this visible, but also moral, is raised to its highest grade. From this text Bg [1921] inferred the impiety of patches ! On , see note to 1Co 11:7 ; has in 1Co 12:22 f. its two meanings non-personal and personal of seem and suppose ; like methinks and I think , Germ., dnken and denken .
[1914] Beza’s Nov. Testamentum: Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab., 1642).
[1915] T. S. Evans in Speaker’s Commentary .
[1916] Latin Vulgate Translation.
[1917] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.
[1918]
[1919] F. Godet’s Commentaire sur la prem. p. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).
[1920] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians . 2
[1921] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.
1Co 12:24
[1922] Latin Vulgate Translation.
[1923] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians . 2
[1924] Calvin’s In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii .
[1925] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[1926] present tense.
[1927] subjunctive mood.
[1928] plural.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Nay = But.
to be. i.e. naturally. Greek. huparcho. See Luk 9:48.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22, 23.] Nay, the relation between the members is so entirely different from this, that the very disparagement, conventionally, of any member, is the reason why more care should be taken of it. I understand by the , those members which in each mans case appear to be inheritors of disease, or to have incurred weakness. By this very fact, their necessity to him is brought out much more than that of the others.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 12:22. , more feeble) the hand, compared with the eye.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 12:22
1Co 12:22
Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary;-The vital organs, as we call them, are the more weak and helpless, and must be carried, protected, supplied by the other members, yet the body is more dependent upon these members for life and strength than upon others. The body can lose the hand, the foot, the eye, and live; but it cannot lose any of those dependent organs and live.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Pro 14:28, Ecc 4:9-12, Ecc 5:9, Ecc 9:14, Ecc 9:15, 2Co 1:11, Tit 2:9, Tit 2:10
Reciprocal: Act 28:15 – he thanked Rom 15:1 – ought 1Co 12:16 – is it Phi 2:4 – General 1Pe 3:7 – giving
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 12:22. Every part of the human body is necessary and should not be removed by surgery, unless it becomes so diseased that medication will not cure it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 12:22. Nay, much rather those members . . . which seem . . . more feeble, are necessaryeven more than eyes, hands, feet.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 22. Nay more, the instant we reflect, we are convinced of the absolute necessity of the members which seem to play an altogether secondary part, more secondary even than the hand or the feet. These weak parts are no doubt the sensitive organs which are protected by their position in the body, the lungs and stomach, for example, on which, above all, the life and health of the whole body depend.
The has a logical (much rather) and not a quantitative sense (much more).
Hence it follows that the gifts and offices which have a modest appearance are necessary, no less than the others, to the prosperity of the whole.
Vers. 23, 24a. And the 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. 24a. Whereas our comely parts have no need.
Paul here appeals to a fact of natural instinct in man. : and moreover. There is a gradation from the , more feeble, to the and , less honourable and uncomely. These less honourable members are the arms, the throat, the breast, the belly, the legs, all the parts of the body on which chiefly the cares of the toilet are lavished.
The apostle pushes the comparison to the utmost. The second signifies: and even. Hofmann makes the , our, dependent not on , but on : derive from us greater comeliness; and similarly in 1Co 12:24 he makes the depend on : Those which are comely of themselves have no need of us to make them such. This commentator sometimes seems to amuse himself with exegetical feats rather than to speak seriously. The is added to the two adjectives and to express the solidarity which exists between the comeliness of one part of the body and that of our whole person. The shame of one of our members is ours. What the apostle wished thereby to impress on the proud Corinthians was, that it pertains to the honour of the whole Church that those who are charged with the humblest functions and the least prominent services should be the objects of the greatest marks of respect; we should say, if we dared so to paraphrase: To the brother serving in the agape, the best portion! To the brother who sweeps the floor, the most honourable place beside the president!
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary:
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 22
More feeble; more delicate.–Are necessary. The words much more, at the commencement of the verse, are to be connected with the word necessary. The more delicate vital organs are more necessary than the others.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
12:22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be {p} more feeble, are necessary:
(p) Of the smallest and vilest offices, and therefore mentioned last among the rest.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Rather than regarding themselves as superior, the "haves" in the church needed to remember that the "have nots" were important for the effective operation of the whole organism. Even the little toe, or the rarely appreciated pancreas, plays a crucial role in the physical body.