1 Corinthians 12:27

Contextual Overview

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁷All of you are part of the body of Christ. Each and every one of you serves a great part of that body. ²⁷ Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.²⁷Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and every one of you the separate parts of it. ²⁷ Now *ye* are Christ's body, and members in particular. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ²⁷ Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in part.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Corinthians 12:12, 1 Corinthians 12:14-20, Romans 12:5, Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 4:12, Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:30, Colossians 1:24

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:10 - General John 13:34 - That ye love John 15:5 - vine Acts 22:8 - whom Romans 12:4 - General 1 Corinthians 1:30 - in 1 Corinthians 6:15 - your 1 Corinthians 10:17 - we being Galatians 3:16 - which Ephesians 3:6 - the same

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now ye are the body of Christ,.... Not his natural body, which his Father prepared for him, in which he bore our sins on the tree, and which was offered up once for all; nor his sacramental body, or the bread in the supper, which is a representation of his body; but his body mystical, the church; not that the Corinthians were the whole of the body, only a part of it, as every single congregational church is of the church universal. This is an accommodation of the simile the apostle had to so much advantage enlarged upon:

and members in particular; or in part: meaning either that they as single members were part of the general body: or that only a part of them were so, there being some among them, as in all particular and visible churches, who had not the true grace of God; and so are neither members of Christ, nor of the general assembly and church of the firstborn: or the sense is, that they were not only members of Christ, and of his body, but were particularly members one of another, in strict union and close communion, and of mutual use and service to each other.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now ye - Ye Christians of Corinth, as a part of the whole church that has been redeemed.

Are the body of Christ - The allusion to the human body is here kept up. As all the members of the human body compose one body, having a common head, so it is with all the members and parts of the Christian church. The specific idea is, that Christ is the Head of the whole church; that he presides over all; and that all its members sustain to each other the relation of fellow-members in the same body, and are subject to the same head; compare the note at 1 Corinthians 11:3. The church is often called the body of Christ; Ephesians 1:23; Colossians 1:18, Colossians 1:24.

And members in particular - You are, as individuals, members of the body of Christ; or each individual is a member of that body.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 27. Now ye are the body of Christ — The apostle, having finished his apologue, comes to his application.

As the members in the human body, so the different members of the mystical body of Christ. All are intended by him to have the same relation to each other; to be mutually subservient to each other; to mourn for and rejoice with each other. He has also made each necessary to the beauty, proportion, strength, and perfection of the whole. Not one is useless; not one unnecessary. Paul, Apollos, Kephas, &c., with all their variety of gifts and graces, are for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephesians 4:12. Hence no teacher should be exalted above or opposed to an other. As the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, so luminous Apollos cannot say to laborious Paul, I can build up and preserve the Church without thee. The foot planted on the ground to support the whole fabric, and the hands that swing at liberty, and the eye that is continually taking in near and distant prospects, are all equally serviceable to the whole, and mutually helpful to and dependent on each other. So also are the different ministers and members of the Church of Christ.

From a general acquaintance with various ministers of Christ, and a knowledge of their different talents and endowments manifested either by their preaching or writings, and with the aid of a little fancy, we could here make out a sort of correspondency between their services and the uses of the different members of the human body. We could call one eye, because of his acute observation of men and things, and penetration into cases of conscience and Divine mysteries. Another hand, from his laborious exertions in the Church. Another foot, from his industrious travels to spread abroad the knowledge of Christ crucified: and so of others. But this does not appear to be any part of the apostle's plan.