Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 12:23
And those [members] of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness.
23. and those members of the body, which we think to be lets honourable, upon these we bestow (literally, these we surround with) more abundant honour ] i.e. by our admission that they are necessary to us. “The meanest trades are those with which we can least dispense. A nation may exist without an astronomer or philosopher, but the day-labourer is essential to the existence of man.” Robertson.
and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness ] Those parts which we are accustomed, from their ‘uncomeliness’ (rather, perhaps, unseemliness, since the word here used conveys an idea of shame), to conceal by clothing, do nevertheless perform nearly all the most important and necessary functions of the body.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
We bestow more abundant honour – Margin, Put on. The words rendered abundant honor here, refer to clothing. We bestow upon them more attention and honor then we do on the face that is deemed comely, and that is not covered and adorned as the other parts of the body are.
More abundant comeliness – We adorn and decorate the body with frivilous apparel. Those parts which decency requires us to conceal we not only cover, but we endeavor as far as we can to adorn them. The face in the mean time we leave uncovered. The idea is, that, in like manner, we should not despise or disregard those members of the church who are of lower rank, or who are less favored than others with spiritual endowments.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
All know what those parts of the body are, which are commonly judged less honourable and less comely; upon these we bestow more abundant honour and comeliness, by hiding them and covering them, that they are not, as the hands, and face, and head, (which we esteem more honourable parts of the body), exposed to the public view of those with whom we converse.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. less honourable“Wethink” the feet and the belly “less honorable,” thoughnot really so in the nature of things.
bestow . . . honourputtingshoes on (Margin) the feet, and clothes to cover thebelly.
uncomely partsthesecret parts: the poorest, though unclad in the rest of the body,cover these.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And those members of the body,…. As the back parts of it:
which we think to be less honourable; though greatly useful,
upon these we bestow more abundant honour; by clothing them, for a man’s garments are his honour and glory; [See comments on Mt 6:29], so the poor members of Christ’s church, who are thought to be, though they really are not, the less honourable, have the more abundant honour conferred on them by God and Christ: God has chosen the poor of this world; Christ has sent his Gospel to them; these the Spirit calls and sanctifies, and makes them all glorious within; these Christ has given his churches a particular charge to take care of now, and will own them as his brethren at the great day, before angels and men; as he now greatly honours them with his presence, a large experience of his grace, and the supply of his Spirit:
and our uncomely parts; which distinguish sexes, and are appointed for generation;
have more abundant comeliness; by an external covering and ornament, to preserve decency and modesty. I do not know who should be designed by these, unless backsliding believers, who have been suffered to fall into great sins; these are the uncomely parts of the church, who, when made sensible of their evils, are restored again, and received into the church; and a mantle of love is cast over all their failings; and all possible care taken that their faults may not be exposed to the world, that so the name of God, and ways of Christ, may not be blasphemed and evil spoken of.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
We bestow (). Literally, We place around as if a garland (Mr 15:17) or a garment (Mt 27:28).
More abundant comeliness ( ). One need only mention the mother’s womb and the mother’s breast to see the force of Paul’s argument here. The word, common in old Greek, from (, well, , figure), here only in N.T. One may think of the coal-miner who digs under the earth for the coal to keep us warm in winter. So (deformed, uncomely), old word, here only in N.T., but see 7:36 for .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
We bestow [] . Elsewhere in the New Testament the word is used, without exception, of encircling with something; either putting on clothing, as Mt 27:28; or surrounding with a fence, as Mt 21:33; or of the sponge placed round the reed, as Mr 14:36; Joh 19:29. So evidently here. Rev., in margin, put on. The more abundant honor is shown by the care in clothing.
Uncomely – comeliness [ – ] . See on honorable, Mr 14:43; shame, Rev 16:15. Compare ajschmonein behaveth uncomely, ch. 7 36. The comeliness is outward, as is shown by the verb we put on, and by the compounds of ochma fashion. See on transfigured, Mt 17:2.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And those members of the body,” (kai ha tou somatos) ‘And members of the body- which.” The members of the human body are still used to point out the importance of each in the proper function and balance and use of the entire body. –
2) “Which we think to be less honourable.” (dokoumen atimotera einai) “We think (consider) to be less honorable.” This refers to less attention daily given to covert members of the body, the hidden or uncovered, less visible members.
3) “Upon these we bestow more abundant honour;” (toutois timen perissoteran peritithemen) “To these (members) we confer more abundant honor.” Yet when the circulatory, digestive, respiratory, or nervous system’s function is disturbed, we give an increased or much greater degree of attention or care than to the visible members.
4) “And our uncomely parts have more abundant comeIiness.” (kai ta aschemona hemon euschemenosunen perissoteran echei) “And the uncomely or covert members of us have or hold more abundant, (or a greater degree of) comeliness.” The beauty of value of the comely, covert, or involuntary functioning members of the body are given special respect.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
23. Which are less honorable. Here we have a second argument — that the dishonor of one member turns out to the common disgrace of the whole body, as appears from the care that we take to cover the parts that are less honorable. “Those parts that are comely,” says he, “do not require adventitious ornament; but the parts that involve shame, or are less comely, are cared for by us with greater concern. Why so? but because their shame would be the common disgrace of the whole body.” To invest with honor is to put on a covering for the sake of ornament, in order that those members may be honorably concealed, which would involve shame if uncovered. (759)
(759) It is observed by Raphelius, that τιμὴν περιτιθέναι “signifies, in general, ( honorem exhibere ,) to give honor; but in this passage, by a metonymy, to cover over with a garment those members of the body which, if seen, would have a disagreeable and unseemly appearance; and this is a kind of honor put upon them.” — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
23. Less honourable The digestive and reproductive systems in the human frame, while, strange as is the problem, propriety shrinks from naming them, are still the objects of our most earnest care. In the apologue of Menenius Agrippa it was the belly that was the aristocracy. The sexual passion, as a sentiment or as an appetite, rules a large share of human life.
Uncomely comeliness We make an ornament of that dress which was originally a mere cover; a cover for comfort or for modesty. It is marvellous to note how small a share of the human system propriety allows to be uncovered.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Co 12:23. Which we think to be less honourable. It seems as if he had said, “The face, in which the image of God is particularly stamped, we leave uncovered; but as for those parts which decency or custom teach us to conceal, we contrive not only to cover, but also, as far as we conveniently can, to adorn by covering.” The force of the original in the next clause is, These are surrounded with more abundant honour. See Doddridge and Elsner.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
23 And those 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.
Ver. 23. And those members ] As the organs of excretion and generation, called less honourable and uncomely, non per se, sed comparate, comparatively in respect of those parts that are singularly comely.
Our uncomely parts, &c. ] It was at the abomination of Baal-peor, or Priapus, that his worshippers said, Nos, pudore pulso, stamus sub Iove, caelis apertis, &c. God taught our first parents to make coverings to hide their nakedness, and the contrary is often threatened as a curse, Isa 3:17 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
23. ] So also in the case of the parts on which usage has set the stamp of dishonour . Perhaps he alludes (as distinguished from . below) to those limbs which we conceal from sight in accordance with custom, but in the exposure of which there would be no absolute indecency. So Chrys., , (but I should draw a distinction between the two, in accordance with the above explanation of ., and render , which appear to be [of themselves], and , which we think [conventionally]: notice also and , on which see Act 16:20 , note) , . Hom. xxxi. p. 278.
. . .] viz. by clothing (garments of honour , as the Targ. of Onkelos on Gen 3:21 ): honouring them more than the face, the noblest part, which we do not clothe.
.] Here there is no , and no ambiguity. Chrys. (ibid.) says: , , .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
less honourable. Greek. atimos. See 1Co 4:10.
bestow. Literally put around. Greek. peritiheim. See first occurance: Mat 21:33.
uncomely. Greek. aschemon. Only here.
comeliness. Greek. euschemosune. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
23.] So also in the case of the parts -on which usage has set the stamp of dishonour. Perhaps he alludes (as distinguished from . below) to those limbs which we conceal from sight in accordance with custom, but in the exposure of which there would be no absolute indecency. So Chrys., , (but I should draw a distinction between the two, in accordance with the above explanation of ., and render , which appear to be [of themselves], and , which we think [conventionally]: notice also and , on which see Act 16:20, note) , . Hom. xxxi. p. 278.
. . .] viz. by clothing (garments of honour, as the Targ. of Onkelos on Gen 3:21): honouring them more than the face, the noblest part, which we do not clothe.
.] Here there is no , and no ambiguity. Chrys. (ibid.) says: , , .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 12:23. , [less noble] less honourable) as the feet. The comparative is used to soften the expression; positively dishonourable [ignoble] was too severe. But he so calls those parts which are covered with garments.-, uncomely) which stand in need of clothing.–) So the LXX., Est 1:20, ; likewise Pro 12:9.-, have) from the attention which they receive from the other members.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 12:23
1Co 12:23
and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor;- [Naturally no member of the body is dishonorable or uncomely, since God has made each and all to subserve the purposes for which the whole frame of members is put together; but we esteem some members less honorable than others.] The honor which seems to be comparatively wanting to the parts themselves we clothe, giving them in the clothing we put on them and the body a more comely appearance.
and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;- [The parts referred to, that in themselves are unseemly and immodest, have for that very reason more pains bestowed on them to give them seemliness.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
bestow: or, put on, Gen 3:7, Gen 3:21
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 12:23. Less honorable is from ATIMOS, which Thayer defines “less esteem.” The comparison is made to the feet and certain hidden parts of the body. According to Thayer, more abundant honor means more “preciousness or value.” That is true, for the feet and other parts referred to are prized very highly, even though we seek to cover them as not being comely or attractive.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 12:23. and those… we think less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honourin covering and careand our uncomely parts have more abundant comelinessto protect them from unjust disparagement in relation to other parts of the body.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Still our apostle proceeds in that elegant comparison betwixt the members of the body natural and the body mystical; showing, that as there are some members in the natural body that are less honourable, and some that are more honourable; and whereas we put more abundant honour upon the less honourable members by a decent covering and modest adorning of them, but upon our comely parts, such as the face, we put no covering, being comely enough of itself, and lacking no artificial beauty; in like manner all the members of the mystical body ought to be instructed that the meanest offices in the church, and the meanest members of the church, who have least gifts, are as well of that spiritual body, the church, as those that have more excellent offices and gifts: and as the meaner must not envy the more excellent, so neither must the more excellent despise the meaner, but put a due value and respect upon one another.
For practising of which duty, a double reason is here assigned:
1. That there may be no schism in the body, but the members have the same care for, and regard to, one another; if the members of the natural body should strive among themselves, the whole body would come to ruin by schism; so great mischief would arise to the church, the mystical body, by divisions and dissensions amongst the particular members of it.
2. Because there ought to be a sympathy between the members of the mystical body, as there is betwixt the members of the natural body. There is a feeling with each other, both of joy and grief, in and among the natural members: they all rejoice and mourn with one another: if one member be pinched, the whole body is pained.
Thus all the mystical members of Christ’s body, the church, ought to have the same common interest, the same common concern, the same common care, and the same mutual sympathy, with each other, both in weal and woe.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 23
We bestow more abundant honor, by the clothing with which we adorn and cover them.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
12:23 And those [members] of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant {q} honour; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness.
(q) We more carefully cover them.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
When dealing with our human bodies we bestow more honor on our less honorable parts by covering them up. This makes our unseemly members more seemly. Paul may have been referring to the sexual organs. [Note: Fee, The First . . ., pp. 613-14.] On the other hand, the more honorable parts, such as our faces, do not require special covering. The point is that we take special pains to honor our less esteemed physical members, and we should do the same in the church rather than neglecting or despising them. When is the last time your church gave public recognition to the nursery workers or the clean up crew?