1 Corinthians 12:27 - Meaning and Application

Here the apostle brings his argument to a close and applies the picture of the body to Christ’s church. First, he shows the bond that Christians have with Christ and with one another. The whole church, in every age, is Christ’s body, and every believer is a member of that body, a part rather than the whole (1 Corinthians 12:27). That means all Christians share a common life, depend on one another, and should care for one another in a real way.

This is why indifference, and even more, contempt, hatred, envy, and quarreling, are so out of place among Christians. It is as unnatural as the parts of the same body ignoring each other or fighting among themselves. Paul is trying to put down the proud, boastful, and argumentative spirit that had grown in Corinth because of spiritual gifts.

Second, he points to the many offices and gifts God has placed in the church (1 Corinthians 12:28). God set some in the church as apostles, the chief messengers with the authority needed to plant the church and reveal God’s will fully. He also set prophets, people given special insight by the Spirit, like the evangelists; teachers, who labored in instruction, whether or not they also had pastoral care; miracle-workers; those with gifts of healing; helpers, who cared for the sick and weak; governors, who managed the church’s gifts for the poor; and those with different kinds of tongues.

Notice the rich variety of these gifts and offices. God was generous to the early church and did not hold back what they needed. Also notice the order. The offices that served teaching and spiritual growth come first, because they were the most valuable. Apostles, prophets, and teachers helped people understand God’s truth and grow in holiness. The others were useful too, but they did not directly serve that same central purpose.

Even the gift of tongues, which Corinthians prized so highly, comes last. Speaking in many languages could impress people, but if it was only for display, it did little good for others. Healing the sick, helping the weak, and caring for the poor were all useful. But empty display could not build up the church. Paul’s point is plain, people often value most what is least worth much, and it helps to show them the true value of what they boast in.

Third, Paul reminds them that these gifts are not given to everyone in the same way (1 Corinthians 12:29, 30). Not all are apostles, and not all are prophets. If everyone had the same role, the church would be as strange as a body made up only of eyes or only of ears. The Spirit gives different gifts to different people, and each person should be content with the place and measure God has given.

Those with less should not envy those with more. Those with more should not grow proud and look down on others. Each member should keep to its own place and do its own work, while serving the good of the whole body. A Christian church would be truly blessed if every member did this well.

Paul closes with advice, or, as some read it, with a rebuke. He tells them to desire the better gifts, that is, the gifts that are more useful and more serviceable to others. The best gifts are those that honor God most and build up the church most. Grace, God’s help that changes the heart, is better than gifts, and among gifts, those that help others most are to be preferred.

But some understand his words as a correction: “You are competing over one another’s gifts.” That fits the problem at Corinth. They were arguing and striving over rank and place. Pride is the root of contention, and disputes about status usually grow out of it. When everyone wants the highest place, people end up pushing, crowding, and harming one another. Gifts are good when they help others, but they become dangerous when they feed pride and strife.

So Paul points them to a more excellent way, love, or charity, meaning true Christian love and good will. This is the right way to calm their spirits and bind them together. It would make their gifts serve the church’s good, soften their sharpness toward one another, and end their small jealousies and disputes about rank. Those who show the most real Christian love are the ones who stand in the highest place in Paul’s view.

True charity, meaning real Christian love, is far better than the most impressive gifts. It is far better for believers to have hearts warmed with mutual love than to shine with grand titles, offices, or powers.