1 Corinthians 12:19

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

1 Corinthians 12:14

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And if they were all one member,.... As all eye, or all ear, or all hand, or all foot:

where were the body? where would be the body? it would not be a body consisting of such proper and suitable members, as now it is: so if the community of the saints were either all ministers, or all hearers, c. there would be no body, consisting of different persons, to receive any benefit or usefulness from either the church of Christ would not be that uniform, useful, and consistent community it is.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And if all were one member - If there were nothing but an eye, an ear, or a limb, there would be no body The idea which this seems intended to illustrate is, that if there was not variety of talent and endowment in the church, the church could not itself exist. If, for example, there were nothing but apostles, or prophets, or teachers; if there were none but those who spoke with tongues or could interpret them, the church could not exist. A variety of talents and attainments in their proper places is as useful as are the various members of the human body.