1 Corinthians 12:12

Contextual Overview

¹² A person has only one body, but it has many parts. Yes, there are many parts, but all those parts are still just one body. Christ is like that too. ¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹² For as the body is one and hath many mebres and all the membres of one body though they be many yet are but one body: even so is Christ. ¹² For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Messiah. ¹² For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, form one body, so it is with Christ.Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Galatians 3:16; Ephesians 4:4,16;">[xr] ¹² For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.¹² A person's body is one thing, but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. ¹² For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. ¹² For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also [is] Christ. ¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as: 1 Corinthians 10:17, Romans 12:4, Romans 12:5, Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 4:12, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:16, Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:30, Colossians 1:18, Colossians 1:24, Colossians 2:19, Colossians 3:15

so: 1 Corinthians 12:27, Galatians 3:16

Reciprocal: Exodus 12:46 - one house Exodus 26:3 - coupled together Exodus 35:35 - the cunning Exodus 40:33 - up the court Job 29:15 - eyes John 15:5 - vine John 17:11 - that John 17:21 - they all John 17:26 - and I Acts 4:32 - the multitude Acts 9:4 - why Acts 11:26 - were Acts 22:8 - whom 1 Corinthians 8:12 - ye sin against 1 Corinthians 11:11 - General 1 Corinthians 12:14 - General Galatians 3:28 - for Ephesians 1:3 - in Christ Ephesians 2:14 - both Ephesians 3:6 - the same Ephesians 4:3 - General Ephesians 4:25 - for Philippians 1:27 - in one

Cross-References

Genesis 12:8
From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord .

Genesis 12:8
And he removed from there to the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east: and there he built an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.

Genesis 12:8
Then he traveled from Shechem to the mountain east of Bethel and set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. There Abram built another altar to the Lord and worshiped him.

Genesis 12:8
Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord .

Genesis 12:8
And he removed from thence to a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, [having] Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he erected an altar to the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 12:8
He left from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.

Genesis 12:8
Then he moved on from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving].

Genesis 12:8
And fro thennus he passide forth to the hil Bethel, that was ayens the eest, and settide there his tabernacle, hauynge Bethel fro the west, and Hay fro the eest. And he bildide also there an auter to the Lord, and inwardli clepide his name.

Genesis 12:8
And he removeth from thence towards a mountain at the east of Beth-El, and stretcheth out the tent (Beth-El at the west, and Hai at the east), and he buildeth there an altar to Jehovah, and preacheth in the name of Jehovah.

Genesis 12:8
From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For as the body is one,.... That is, an human body; for of this the apostle speaks, and takes a simile, and forms a comparison from, showing the union among saints, and their mutual participation of the various gifts of the Spirit; for an human body is but one body, and not more.

And hath many members; as eyes, ears, hands, feet, c].

And all the members of that one body being many are one body as numerous as they may be, they all belong to, and make up but one body; performing different offices, for which they are naturally fitted for the good of the whole:

so also to Christ; not personal, but mystical; not the head alone, or the members by themselves, but head and members as constituting one body, the church. The church, in union with Christ, the head, is but one general assembly, and church of the firstborn written in heaven, though consisting of the various persons of God's elect, who are closely united one to another, and their head Christ; and therefore are denominated from him, and called by his name; see Romans 9:3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For as the body is one - The general sentiment which the apostle had been illustrating and enforcing was, that all the endowments which were possessed in the church were the work of the same Holy Spirit, and that they ought to be appropriately cherished and prized, as being all useful and valuable in their places. This sentiment he now illustrates 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 by a beautiful similitude taken from the mutual dependence of the various parts of the human body. The human body is one, and yet is composed of various members and parts that all unite harmoniously in one whole.

Being many - Or, although they are many; or while they are in some respects separate, and perform distinct and different functions, yet they all unite in one harmonious whole.

So also is Christ - The church is represented as the body of Christ 1 Corinthians 12:27, meaning that it is one, and that he sustains to it the relation of Head; compare Ephesians 1:22-23. As the “head” is the most important part of the body, it may be put for the whole body; and the name “Christ” here, the head of the church, is put for the whole body of which he is the head; and means here the Christian society, or the church. This figure, of a part for the whole, is one that is common in all languages; see the note at Romans 12:4-5.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 12:12. For as the body is one — Though the human body have many members, and though it be composed of a great variety of parts, yet it is but one entire system; every part and member being necessary to the integrity or completeness of the whole.

So also is Christ. — That is, So is the Church the body of Christ, being composed of the different officers already mentioned, and especially those enumerated, 1 Corinthians 12:28, apostles, prophets, teachers, &c. It cannot be supposed that Christ is composed of many members, &c., and therefore the term Church must be understood, unless we suppose, which is not improbable, that the term ο χριστος, Christ, is used to express the Church, or whole body of Christian believers.