Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 12:24
For our comely [parts] have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that [part] which lacked:
24. tempered ] So Wiclif. Disposed, Tyndale. Temperavit, Vulgate. Literally, mingled together.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God hath, in the wisdom of his providence, so ordered it, that as we have some parts of our body which are judged uncomely, and not for those noble uses that others are; so we have other parts that are, for use, more noble, yet in common repute more ignoble and uncomely: and the same wise God hath so built the body of man, as of both these to make a temperament so as they all concur in the composition of the same body, and more abundant honour in covering and clothing them is given to those parts, that, in the judgment of men, seemed most to lack honour, that their uncomeliness might by some artificial means be taken away.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
24. tempered . . . togetheronthe principle of mutual compensation.
to that part which lackedtothe deficient part [ALFORD],(1Co 12:23).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For our comely parts have no need,…. As the face, eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, c. which stand in no need of an external covering, of any outward ornament: so such as are blessed with the bounties of nature and providence, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and are eminent for grace and holiness, and are enabled to walk worthy of their calling, and to have their conversations as become the Gospel of Christ, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, these have no need of such a covering, as the former have, to hide and conceal them from the world:
but God hath tempered the body together he hath composed it in such a forth, constituted it in such an order, mixed and united all its parts in such a manner, as that they are all beneficial to each other; and such is the harmonious contexture of the whole, that it is a most beautiful structure:
having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked; or, as the Syriac version renders it, “which is the least”; and such is the temperament and constitution of the church, having mixed rich and poor persons, of greater and lesser gifts, together, for mutual good.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Tempered the body together ( ). First aorist active indicative of , to mix together, old word, but in N.T. only here and Heb 4:2. Plato used this very word of the way God compounded () the various elements of the body in creating soul and body. Paul rejects the idea of the later Gnostics that matter is evil and the physical organs degrading. He gives a noble picture of the body with its wonderful organs planned to be the temple of God’s Spirit (6:19) in opposition to the Epicurean sensualists in Corinth.
To that part which lacked ( ). It is a true instinct that gives superior honour to the unseen organs of life.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Tempered together [] . Only here and Heb 4:2. Lit., mixed together. Here the idea of mutual adjustment is added to that of mingling. Compare Plato on God ‘s creating the soul and body. “He made her out of the following elements, and on this manner. Of the unchangeable and indivisible, and also of the divisible and corporeal He made (xunekerasato compounded) a third sort of intermediate essence, partaking of the same and of the other, or diverse” (see the whole passage, “Timaeus,” 35).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For our comely parts have no need:” (ta de euschemona hemon ou chreian echei) “Yet the comely or covert members of us need not have.” Evidently this refers to the more nearly involuntary functioning members of the body that do not require daily grooming and care.
2) “But God hath tempered the body together.” (alla ho theos sunekerasen to soma) “But the God (trinity) blended together the body.” This alludes to the fact that man is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” Psa 139:14; Psa 8:4-6.
3) “Having given more abundant honour,” (perissoteran dous timen) “giving a greater degree (of) honor.” God doled out special honors to other less comely members of the human body or being, the intangible, yet members as a) the heart, b) the mind, and c) the spirit of man – essences of his soul-existence.
4) “To that part which lacked.” (to husteroumeno) “To the (member) lacking.” The “lacking” seems to refer to physical, outward demonstration of the uncomely members – 1) as the heart, the source of love, and 2) the mind, the source of knowledge, and 3) the spirit and will, invisible, covert, yet capacities of each person – to which the highest degree of honor and respect are given.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
24. But God hath tempered the body together He again repeats, what he had stated once before, (1Co 12:18,) but more explicitly, — that God has appointed this symmetry, and that with a view to the advantage of the whole body, because it cannot otherwise maintain its standing. “For whence comes it, that all the members are of their own accord concerned for the honor of a less comely member, and agree together to conceal its shame? This inclination has been implanted in them by God, because without this adjustment a schism in the body would quickly break out. Hence it appears that the body is not merely shattered, and the order of nature perverted, but the authority of God is openly set at naught, whenever any one assumes more than belongs to him.” (760)
(760) “ Et que ne porte sa vocation;” — “And does not keep within his calling.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(24) For our comely parts have no need.These words (better, and our comely parts have no need) conclude the former verse. The words, But God hath tempered, commence a new sentence, in which the natural practice of covering parts of the body is stated to be in harmony with Gods evident intention.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. Comely no need The ruling parts of the body in active life, the head, the hands, and sometimes the feet, need no concealments nor ornamental dress.
Tempered Adjusted.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
For God, in tempering (combining) the body together in Christ, has given more abundant honour to those parts which were lacking, so that all would be as one and there might be no schism, so that all may care for one another. In mind here especially would seem to be those Christians who in their physical poverty had not been cared for but had been allowed to go hungry (1Co 11:21-22). There may also be in mind some who criticised the use of spiritual gifts by others, and those who were criticised. The use of tongues seems to have been one of the dividing factors. Thus Paul says that while control was certainly necessary, their use was not to be forbidden (1Co 14:39). God’s whole concern is that there be no schism in the body.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The application of the figure:
v. 24. For our comely parts have no need; but God hath, tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked,
v. 25. that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another.
v. 26. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. In the covering and adorning of the dishonorable, indecorous parts of the body we do not include the seemly parts, the head and the face, unless we wish to display barbarous tendencies. Their distinction is so evident that any ornament jars upon the beholder. But God caused to mix together, He compounded the members of the body, having assigned more honor to the part which is in need of it. The Greek word signifies the mixing of ingredients as it is done in the laboratory, and indicates “such a mutual adjustment of the parts in the body as shall counterbalance differences, so that one part shall qualify another. ” It is not thus that the fine and honorable members are all in one place and the ignoble and indecorous in another, but that there is a complete harmony in appearance and in function of the body, together with an agreeable manifoldness and interchange. And the object is: that there be no schisms, no divisions, in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If the chief organs of the body should refuse to perform their work properly so long as the dishonorable members were still connected with the body, obviously the entire body would suffer. It is the will of the Creator that every part should contribute something to the general proportion, symmetry, and beauty of the body. It will also follow, quite naturally: And if one member should suffer, all the members suffer with it, and if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it. Here is an illustration of the unselfish care and solicitude of the members of the body for one another. So closely are they all united in the one organism of the body that the pain of any one organ is normally felt by the whole body as such; and, on the other hand, a special honor shown to any one member, especially to the comely members, causes the whole body to be filled with gladness, the attitude of the mind being reflected in the pose, in the gestures, in every lineament of the body.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
1Co 12:24 . . . . .] which should be separated from what precedes it only by a comma, is not designed to set aside an objection (Chrysostom, Theophylact), but it appertains to the completeness of the subject that, after the have been spoken of, the remark in question should be added regarding the also, in order to let nothing be wanting in the exhibition of the adjustment which takes place in connection with the variety of relation subsisting between the members. . naturally supplies itself from the foregoing context to . All the less ground is there for connecting with . . (Hofmann, comp Osiander), which would give the thought: they stand in no need of us , which is too general, and which would still need to be limited again by what precedes it.
. . [2000] ] cannot be antithesis to the foregoing negative (Hofmann), which would bring the special subordinate thought into a connection quite disproportionately grand and far transcending it. There should, on the contrary, be a full stop placed before , so as to mark the beginning of a new sentence; and rather breaks off ( at , see Baeumlein, Partik. p. 15) the delineation of the mutual relations of the members, which has been hitherto given, in order now to raise the readers to the higher point of view from which this relationship is to be regarded, that of the divine appointment and destination .
] He has mingled together, i.e. united into one whole out of differently constituted parts.
] to that which stands after, remaining back behind others, 1Co 1:7 , 1Co 8:8 ; Plato, Pol. vii. p. 539 E, Epin. p. 987 D (see also on Mat 19:20 ), i.e. to the part which, according to human estimation, is meaner than others. [2001]
. .] is contemporaneous with : so that He gave, namely, when He granted to them, according to 1Co 12:22-23 , respectively their greater necessity and the destination of being clad in a more honourable and more seemly way.
[2000] . . . .
[2001] In how far, is stated in vv. 22, 23. By a very arbitrary importation of ideas, Hofmann holds that to means the loins and genitals , a part of the body which, while falling behind the rest in honour, is distinguished by the honour of serving for the self-propagation of man . Neither that specific reference in itself, nor this more precise definition of the greater honour referred to, out of place as it is in this connection, could ever have been guessed by a reader from ver. 22 f.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
Ver. 24. For our comely parts ] A fair face needs no dress, is its own testimonial, a bait without a hook, said Socrates, ..
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
24. ] The comely parts are in some measure neglected , not needing to be covered or adorned: but (opposed to ) God (at the creation) tempered the body together (compounded it of members on a principle of mutual compensation), to the deficient part giving more abundant honour ,
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
comely. Greek. euschemon. See Act 13:50.
hath. Omit.
tempered . . . together = mingled together, or compounded. Greek. sunkerannumi. Only here and Heb 4:2.
lacked = came short. Greek. hustereo. See Rom 3:23.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
24.] The comely parts are in some measure neglected, not needing to be covered or adorned: but (opposed to ) God (at the creation) tempered the body together (compounded it of members on a principle of mutual compensation),-to the deficient part giving more abundant honour,
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 12:24. have no need) Why then is it necessary to adorn smooth cheeks with patches?[112]-) hath tempered together.-, honour) comp. 1Co 12:23, at the beginning.
[112] As was the custom, in Bengels days, among fops.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 12:24
1Co 12:24
whereas our comely parts have no need:–The comely parts of the body-the ear, the eye, the nose, the mouth-add of themselves comeliness to the body, so do not need to be ornamented or covered up.
but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked;-God has put the members of the body in such relation to each other that the stronger and the more beautiful are compelled, for their own good and indeed for their existence, to defend and care for, and thus to honor, the weaker members.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Gen 2:25, Gen 3:11
Reciprocal: 1Co 12:18 – hath
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 12:24. The comely or more attractive parts of the body, such as the face and hands, need no special attention, but are able to “take care of themselves.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 12:24-26. whereas our comely parts have no need, etc. The language, it will be observed, is studiously so framed as to apply equally to the natural and the spiritual body.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
1Co 12:24-26. For our comely and graceful parts have no need Of being so adorned, as they appear to greater advantage uncovered; but God hath tempered the body together , hath attempered and united in just proportions the several parts thereof; having given To such as are naturally weak and without beauty; more abundant honour Through their greater efficacy in the nourishment and preservation of the body, and by causing them to be cared for and served by the noblest parts. That there should be no schism in the body No division of separate interests; but that the members should have the same care one for another As being each an important part of the whole. And whether one member suffer, all the members In consequence of their close union with, and dependance on each other, should suffer with it As losing the assistance of the disabled member, and concerned to remove the cause of its suffering. Or one member be honoured Clothed and gratified; all the members should rejoice with it Deriving advantage from its welfare, and the ornament of one part being looked upon as that of the whole. By comparing schism in the church to schism in the body, we are taught that it consists in a natural want of affection in some of the members toward their fellow-members, whereby contentions and animosities are produced. Further, by showing that the members of the body are so united as to be necessary to each others existence, the apostle hath taught us that there should be no envy nor strife among the disciples of Christ; but that each, by the right exercise of his proper gift, should assist his neighbour, and rejoice when his welfare is promoted.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vv. 24a. But, as to functions which of themselves honour those who fill them, there is nothing to add to this intrinsic honour. They resemble the beautiful parts of the body, which would be wronged were they covered. Transparent as the meaning of this parable is applied to the Church, the apostle does not go beyond the figure, as we still find in what follows.
Vers. 24b, 25. But God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that which lacked: 25. that there should be no schism in the body; but that all the members should have the same care one for another.
The , but, seems to me to be well explained by Holsten: But as to this contrast which meets the eyes of men God gives the solution of it by the end which He had in view in creating it. God has intermingled feeble members with strong in the human body, comely parts with others not comely, that the latter might be the objects of particular care and attention on the part of the others, and that thus the body might not present the spectacle of two orders of members, the one glorious and the other despicable, which would destroy the harmony of the whole and would even impair the favourable effect produced by the first. God has thus succeeded in making every member have an interest in the comely and honourable appearance of all the others. Love on their part thus becomes a matter of rightly understood self-interest. The singular , schism, is certainly the true reading; the plural , schisms, has been substituted for it, because it was thought there was an allusion here to the divisions in the Church of Corinth. There must not be the contrast between parts beautiful and ugly, glorious and vile, in the masterpiece of creation. The signifies: to have a common care, to be all concerned about one result. This common end is the harmonious beauty of the whole.
By adding , one for another, the apostle means that all should be watchful for the honour of all in order to the dignity of the whole. Those members which are of themselves less honourable thus turn out to be the objects of the special interest of all, that there may be procured for them the nobility which they had not naturally. For this end it is that God has established between them all such a close solidarity. And indeed, as the following verse says, there is between them an instinctive sympathy of satisfaction or shame which impels each to provide for the honour of all.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked;
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
God has constructed bodies, both human and spiritual, so the different members can care for one another. He does not ignore any member but makes provision for each one. We do not always see this in the human body, but it is true. Likewise God’s honoring the less prominent members in the church may not be apparent now, but it will be at the judgment seat of Christ if not before then.
God does not want dissension (Gr. schisma) in His body. There was some in the Corinthian church (1Co 1:10; 1Co 11:18). Rather (strong contrast in the Greek, alla) the members should have anxious care for one another. Paul illustrated this attitude with what follows.