Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [1 Corinthians: Chapter 12].
organs degrading. He gives a noble picture of the body with its
wonderful organs planned to be the temple of God's Spirit
(6:19) in opposition to the Epicurean sensualists in Corinth.
{To that part which lacked} (\t•i husteroumen•i\). It is a true
instinct that gives superior honour to the unseen organs of life.
12:25 {That there should be no schism} (\hina m• •i schisma\).
Purpose of God in his plan for the body. Trouble in one organ
affects the whole body. A headache may be due to trouble
elsewhere and usually is. {Have the same care} (\to auto
merimn•sin\). The very verb \merimna•\ used by Jesus of our
anxiety (Mt 6:27,31). Paul here personifies the parts of the
body as if each one is anxious for the others. The modern
knowledge of the billions of cells in the body co-working for the
whole confirms Paul's argument.
12:26 {Suffer with it} (\sunpaschei\). Medical term in this sense
in Hippocrates and Galen. In N.T only here and Ro 8:17 (of our
suffering with Christ). One of Solon's Laws allowed retaliation
by any one for another's injuries. Plato (_Republic_, V, 462)
says the body politic "feels the hurt" as the whole body feels a
hurt finger. {Rejoice with it} (\sunchairei\). This is
fortunately true also. One may tingle with joy all over the body
thanks to the wonderful nervous system and to the relation
between mind and matter. See 13:6 for joy of love with truth.
12:27 {Severally} (\ek merous\). See Ro 11:25 \apo merous\ (in
part). Each has his own place and function in the body of Christ.
12:28 {God hath set some} (\hous men etheto ho theos\). See verse
18 for \etheto ho theos\. Note middle voice (for his own use).
Paul begins as if he means to say \hous men apostolous, hous de
proph•tas\ (some apostles, some prophets), but he changes the
construction and has no \hous de\, but instead \pr•ton, deuteron,
epeita\ (first, second, then, etc.). {In the church} (\en t•i
ekkl•si•i\). The general sense of \ekkl•sia\ as in Mt 16:18 and
later in Col 1:18,24; Eph 5:23,32; Heb 12:23. See list also in
Eph 4:11. See on ¯Mt 10:2 for \apostolous\, the official title
given the twelve by Jesus, and claimed by Paul though not one of
the twelve. {Prophets} (\proph•tas\). For-speakers for God and
Christ. See the list of prophets and teachers in Ac 13:1 with
Barnabas first and Saul last. Prophets are needed today if men
will let God's Spirit use them, men moved to utter the deep
things of God. {Teachers} (\didaskalous\). Old word from
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