How does one body illustrate diverse gifts?

Paul turns to spiritual things and recalls that the readers, when heathens, went to dumb idols as they were led. No one speaking by God’s Spirit says anathema to Jesus, and no one says the Lord Jesus except by the Holy Ghost. Graces differ but the Spirit is the same; ministries differ but the Lord is the same; operations differ but God working all in all is the same. Manifestation of the Spirit is given to each unto profit. This span supplies no history of competing ecstatic frenzies or individual jealousy.

He lists the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning spirits, kinds of tongues and interpretation of speeches. One Spirit works them and divides to each as he wills. The words faith and knowledge are not expanded here into unwavering faith or a particular doctrinal expertise. As the body is one with many members, so is Christ. In one Spirit all were baptized into one body, Jews or Gentiles, bond or free, and made to drink in one Spirit. The printed text says Gentiles, not Greeks, and does not specify baptism by immersion.

A body has many members. If a foot rejects membership because it is not a hand, or an ear because it is not an eye, would that make it outside the body? If all were an eye, where is hearing; if all hearing, where is smell? God set each member as he pleased. If all were one member, where is the body? Many members are one body. These are hypothetical anatomical questions rather than narrated disputes among particular members.

The eye cannot tell the hand it needs no help, nor the head dismiss the feet. Members seeming more feeble are more necessary; those thought less honourable receive more honour, and uncomely parts more comeliness. God tempered the body, giving more abundant honour to what lacked it, that there might be no schism and members might care for each other. This is the stated purpose, not a report that divisions were already eliminated or a claim about which organs medically sustain life. If one suffers, all suffer with it; if one glories, all rejoice. The readers are the body of Christ and members of member.

God set in the church first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly doctors, then miracles, healings, helps, governments, tongues and interpretations. Paul asks whether all are apostles, prophets, doctors, miracle workers, healers, tongue speakers or interpreters. He urges zeal for better gifts and says he shows a more excellent way. This chapter does not yet name that way as charity or report a completed change in the readers.