1 Corinthians 12:23

1Co 12:23. Ἀτιμότερα, [less noble] less honourable) as the feet. The comparative is used to soften the expression; positively dishonourable [ignoble] was too severe. But he so calls those parts which are covered with garments.—ἀσχήμονα, uncomely) which stand in need of clothing.—τιμὴν—περιτίθεμεν) So the LXX., Est 1:20, περιθήσουσι τιμήν; likewise Pro 12:9.—ἔχει, have) from the attention which they receive from the other members.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_12:22, 1Co_12:23

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and those (members) of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely (parts) have more abundant comeliness.

The fourth inference from the apostles doctrine is, that the least attractive gifts are the most important. As in the human frame the heart is more important than the tongue, so in the church the gift of prayer is more important than eloquence. Those who in the closet, however obscure, wrestle with God, often do more for his glory and for the advancement of his kingdom than those who fill the largest space in the public eye. What would the tongue do without lungs, which are neither seen nor heard? Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts. The childish Corinthians prized the gift of tongues, which, as they used it, could edify no one, to the gift of prophecy by which the whole body of Christ could be instructed and comforted. And those persons and offices in the church which are most admired or coveted, are often of little account in the sight of God. There is another idea presented in these verses. It is an instinct of nature to adorn most the least comely portions of the body; and it is an instinct of grace to honor most those members of the church who least attract admiration. Those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, i.e. less likely to be honored; on those we bestow the more abundant honor, i.e. we on that account honor them the more. It is thus with a mother. The child which is the least admired, she cherishes with special affection. And it is thus with the church. The true people of God are only the more disposed to honor those of their number who are undervalued or despised. In the body, as the apostle says, our uncomely parts have (i.e. they receive) more abundant comeliness, i.e. are specially adorned.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We more carefully cover them.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

less honourable--"We think" the feet and the belly "less honorable," though not really so in the nature of things.

bestow . . . honour--putting shoes on (Margin) the feet, and clothes to cover the belly.

uncomely parts--the secret parts: the poorest, though unclad in the rest of the body, cover these.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

23. Which are less honorable. Here we have a second argument — that the dishonor of one member turns out to the common disgrace of the whole body, as appears from the care that we take to cover the parts that are less honorable. “Those parts that are comely,” says he, “do not require adventitious ornament; but the parts that involve shame, or are less comely, are cared for by us with greater concern. Why so? but because their shame would be the common disgrace of the whole body.” To invest with honor is to put on a covering for the sake of ornament, in order that those members may be honorably concealed, which would involve shame if uncovered.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

23. and those members of the body, which we think to be lets honourable, upon these we bestow (literally, these we surround with) more abundant honour] i.e. by our admission that they are necessary to us. “The meanest trades are those with which we can least dispense. A nation may exist without an astronomer or philosopher, but the day-labourer is essential to the existence of man.”—Robertson.

and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness] Those parts which we are accustomed, from their ‘uncomeliness’ (rather, perhaps, unseemliness, since the word here used conveys an idea of shame), to conceal by clothing, do nevertheless perform nearly all the most important and necessary functions of the body.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And those members of the body,.... As the back parts of it:

which we think to be less honourable; though greatly useful,

upon these we bestow more abundant honour; by clothing them, for a man's garments are his honour and glory; See Gill on Mat 6:29, so the poor members of Christ's church, who are thought to be, though they really are not, the less honourable, have the more abundant honour conferred on them by God and Christ: God has chosen the poor of this world; Christ has sent his Gospel to them; these the Spirit calls and sanctifies, and makes them all glorious within; these Christ has given his churches a particular charge to take care of now, and will own them as his brethren at the great day, before angels and men; as he now greatly honours them with his presence, a large experience of his grace, and the supply of his Spirit:

and our uncomely parts; which distinguish sexes, and are appointed for generation;

have more abundant comeliness; by an external covering and ornament, to preserve decency and modesty. I do not know who should be designed by these, unless backsliding believers, who have been suffered to fall into great sins; these are the uncomely parts of the church, who, when made sensible of their evils, are restored again, and received into the church; and a mantle of love is cast over all their failings; and all possible care taken that their faults may not be exposed to the world, that so the name of God, and ways of Christ, may not be blasphemed and evil spoken of.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

Ver. 23. And those members] As the organs of excretion and generation, called less honourable and uncomely, non per se, sed comparate, comparatively in respect of those parts that are singularly comely.

Our uncomely parts, &c.] It was at the abomination of Baal-peor, or Priapus, that his worshippers said, Nos, pudore pulso, stamus sub Iove, caelis apertis, &c. God taught our first parents to make coverings to hide their nakedness, and the contrary is often threatened as a curse, Isa 3:17.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We bestow more abundant honour - Margin, “Put on.” The words rendered “abundant honor” here, refer to clothing. We bestow upon them more attention and honor then we do on the face that is deemed comely, and that is not covered and adorned as the other parts of the body are.

More abundant comeliness - We adorn and decorate the body with frivilous apparel. Those parts which decency requires us to conceal we not only cover, but we endeavor as far as we can to adorn them. The face in the mean time we leave uncovered. The idea is, that, in like manner, we should not despise or disregard those members of the church who are of lower rank, or who are less favored than others with spiritual endowments.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

All know what those parts of the body are, which are commonly judged less honourable and less comely; upon these we bestow more abundant honour and comeliness, by hiding them and covering them, that they are not, as the hands, and face, and head, (which we esteem more honourable parts of the body), exposed to the public view of those with whom we converse.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

23. Less honourable—The digestive and reproductive systems in the human frame, while, strange as is the problem, propriety shrinks from naming them, are still the objects of our most earnest care. In the apologue of Menenius Agrippa it was the belly that was the aristocracy. The sexual passion, as a sentiment or as an appetite, rules a large share of human life.

Uncomely… comeliness—We make an ornament of that dress which was originally a mere cover; a cover for comfort or for modesty. It is marvellous to note how small a share of the human system propriety allows to be uncovered.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which we think to be less honourable. The shelter and ornament of clothing are used to cover those parts of the body which are conventionally regarded as the least seemly. The whole of this illustration is meant to show that rich and poor, great and small, high and low, gifted and ungifted, have all their own separate and indispensable functions, and no class of Christians can wisely disparage or forego the aid derived from other and different classes. The unity of the members in one body corresponds to "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" which should prevail in the Church.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We surround with more abundant honour - By so carefully covering them. More abundant comeliness - By the help of dress.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Still our apostle proceeds in that elegant comparison betwixt the members of the body natural and the body mystical; showing, that as there are some members in the natural body that are less honourable, and some that are more honourable; and whereas we put more abundant honour upon the less honourable members by a decent covering and modest adorning of them, but upon our comely parts, such as the face, we put no covering, being comely enough of itself, and lacking no artificial beauty; in like manner all the members of the mystical body ought to be instructed that the meanest offices in the church, and the meanest members of the church, who have least gifts, are as well of that spiritual body, the church, as those that have more excellent offices and gifts: and as the meaner must not envy the more excellent, so neither must the more excellent despise the meaner, but put a due value and respect upon one another.

For practising of which duty, a double reason is here assigned:

1. That there may be no schism in the body, but the members have the same care for, and regard to, one another; if the members of the natural body should strive among themselves, the whole body would come to ruin by schism; so great mischief would arise to the church, the mystical body, by divisions and dissensions amongst the particular members of it.

2. Because there ought to be a sympathy between the members of the mystical body, as there is betwixt the members of the natural body. There is a feeling with each other, both of joy and grief, in and among the natural members: they all rejoice and mourn with one another: if one member be pinched, the whole body is pained.

Thus all the mystical members of Christ’s body, the church, ought to have the same common interest, the same common concern, the same common care, and the same mutual sympathy, with each other, both in weal and woe.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness ;

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

23. τιμὴν περισσοτέραν περιτίθεμεν. These we surround with more abundant honour, i.e. (1) by our admission that they are necessary to us, and (2) by the care we take of them. ‘The meanest trades are those with which we can least dispense. A nation may exist without an astronomer or philosopher, but the day-labourer is essential to the existence of man.’ Robertson. St Paul makes a distinction between the feebler and the less honourable members of the body.

ἀσχήμονα. See note on 1Co 7:36. Many of the most important, or at least the most necessary, functions of the body are performed by the parts which we thus regard.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23.] Nay, the relation between the members is so entirely different from this, that the very disparagement, conventionally, of any member, is the reason why more care should be taken of it. I understand by the τὰ δοκοῦντα μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενέστερα ὑπάρχειν, those members which in each man’s case appear to be inheritors of disease, or to have incurred weakness. By this very fact, their necessity to him is brought out much more than that of the others.

23.] So also in the case of the parts ἃ δοκοῦμεν ἀτιμότερα εἶναι—on which usage has set the stamp of dishonour. Perhaps he alludes (as distinguished from τὰ ἀσχήμ. below) to those limbs which we conceal from sight in accordance with custom, but in the exposure of which there would be no absolute indecency. So Chrys., καλῶς εἶπε τὰ δοκοῦντα, καὶ ἃ δοκοῦμεν (but I should draw a distinction between the two, in accordance with the above explanation of ἀσθενέστ., and render τὰ δοκοῦντα, which appear to be [of themselves], and ἃ δοκοῦμεν, which we think [conventionally]: notice also ὑπάρχειν and εἶναι, on which see Act 16:20, note) δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ τῆς φύσεως τῶν πραγμάτων, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν πολλῶν ὑπονοίας ἡ ψῆφος. Hom. xxxi. p. 278.

τιμ. περισς. περιτίθ.] viz. by clothing (garments of honour, as the Targ. of Onkelos on Gen 3:21): honouring them more than the face, the noblest part, which we do not clothe.

καὶ τὰ ἀσχ.] Here there is no ἃ δοκοῦμεν, and no ambiguity. Chrys. (ibid.) says: … ἀλλʼ ὅμως πλείονος ἀπολαύει τιμῆς· καὶ οἱ σφόδρα πένητες, κἂν τὸ λοιπὸν γυμνὸν ἔχωσι σῶμα, οὐκ ἂν ἀνάσχοιντο ἐκεῖνα τὰ μέλη δεῖξαι γυμνά.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. καὶ ἃ δοκοῦμεν ἀτιμότερα … περιτίθεμεν. ‘And the parts of the body which we deem to be less honourable, these we clothe with more abundant honour.’ Elsewhere in the N.T. περιτίθημι occurs only in the Gospels and there only in the literal sense, and generally of clothing (Mat 27:28), or the crown of thorns (Mar 15:17), or a fence (Mat 21:33; Mar 12:1), etc.; but in the LXX we have this same metaphor; καὶ οὕτως πᾶσαι αἱ γυναῖκες περιθήσουσιν τιμὴν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἑαυτῶν (Est 1:20): τιμὴν ἑαυτῷ περιτιθείς (Pro 12:9).

The division of the verses is unfortunate, and the punctuation of the A V. is wrong, while that of the RV. might be improved. Put a comma at the end of v. 23, and a full stop at the end of the first clause of v. 24. ‘And so our uncomely parts have a comeliness more exceeding, whereas our comely parts have no need.’ This is the result of giving more abundant honour to the less honourable; acting on that principle, we give most honour to the least honourable. The ‘more exceeding comeliness’ refers to the abundance of clothing, which, even when other parts are unclothed, τὰ ἀσχήμονα receive. For these the Vulg. has inhonesta, Beza indecora, Calv. minus honesta. There are three classes; τὰ εὐσχήμονα, which have no need of clothing or adornment, and are commonly exposed to view; τὰ ἀτιμότερα, which are usually clothed and often adorned; and τὰ ασχήμονα, which are always carefully clothed, ut membra quae furpiter paterent, lateant honeste (Calv.). The least honourable are not only not despised, they are treated with exceptional care.*. There is no doubt that here, as elsewhere, εὐσχημοσύνη refers to external grace, elegance, or decorum. It does not refer to dignity of function. It is true that fatherhood has high responsibility, and that the womb and the breast are sacred, but εὐσχημοσύνη is not the word to express that. Throughout the passage the Apostle is thinking of the members of the Church, and therefore more or less personifies the organs of the body. We might render οὐ χρείαν ἔχει ‘feels no need,’ no need of anything additional, nullius egent (Vulg.), which is better than the more definite iis decore non est opus (Beza). We do not adorn the eye, or protect the fact as we protect the feet. Ἀσχήμων occurs several times in LXX, but nowhere else in N.T.; εὐσχημοσύνη in 4 Mac. 6:2, but nowhere else in N.T. or LXX. See Abbott, Son of Man, p. 178.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We bestow [περιτιθεμεν] . Elsewhere in the New Testament the word is used, without exception, of encircling with something; either putting on clothing, as Mt 27:28; or surrounding with a fence, as Mt 21:33; or of the sponge placed round the reed, as Mr 14:36; Joh 19:29. So evidently here. Rev., in margin, put on. The more abundant honor is shown by the care in clothing.

Uncomely - comeliness [ασχημονα - ευσχημοσυνην] . See on honorable, Mr 14:43; shame, Rev 16:15. Compare ajschmonein behaveth uncomely, ch. 7 36. The comeliness is outward, as is shown by the verb we put on, and by the compounds of ochma fashion. See on transfigured, Mt 17:2.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.