1 Corinthians 12:27 – holistic

Now you are the body of Christ, and members of a part

All that Paul puts forward in this argument is an explanation of what it means to be “one body.” Seen individually, that is to say, considered per part, they are all different members. As an aside: in Dutch, “parts” is an anagram of “members”. However, if we look at it from a distance, we no longer see individual members, but one body.

A body is not a collection of individual parts. To understand the functioning of a body part, one has to look at it holistically. Not as a separate part but as part of one whole. A specialist looks at a separate part, but for a wise assessment that approach is too limited and short-sighted. You need an overview to see the coherence of everything.

If all this is true for any body on earth, how much more does that not apply to the “body of Christ,” the ecclesia? Literally and figuratively at a much higher level! That body that Paul called “the Christ” in verse 12. As a whole it is destined to be at the highest position in the universe. That perspective gives value to each individual member!

Delen: