Third Sunday after the Epiphany 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

The Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

The Body as Metaphor

The text from 1 Corinthians is one of several in which the apostle Paul uses the imagery of the body to describe both the unity and diversity of the Body of Christ.

The commentaries on this passage argue as to whether “Body of Christ” is a metaphor, and if so, how detailed or complex is its description of the church. Others argue that the “Body of Christ” is a mystical reality, i.e., the church is the true, embodied presence of Christ on earth.

The use of “body” as a metaphor for how communities or societies were organized was not unknown at the time of Paul’s writing. Menenius Agrippa, a Roman consul had written several centuries earlier that the…

1. How would you describe the difference between toleration of diversity and the necessity of diversity?

2. Many church staffs read books on best business practices and there are many conferences that features successful leaders from the business community to share their insights about achieving success. How do you think these practices and inputs correlate to Paul’s metaphor of the Body of Christ?

3. What seems to be the biggest challenge in identifying and deploying the spiritual gifts of congregational members?

4. In your own congregation where do you see the giftedness of your members –outwardly in involvement in God’s mission or inwardly in its care for one another? How would assess the balance? Does it need to be balanced equally or is it…