1 Corinthians 12:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Apostle did not say, "that we might belong to one body," but "we all into one body." He always strives to use the most precise expressions. He also said well, "we all," including himself.

'I, the Apostle, have no advantage over you in this respect,' he says. 'You are the body as I am, and I as you are. We all have one and the same Head and were born by the same birth. Therefore we constitute one and the same body.'

But why, he says, do I point to Jews? God also brought the Gentiles, who were so far from us, into the composition of one body. Therefore, after saying "we all," he does not stop there, but adds: "whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free."

If we, who were formerly so far from one another, have been united and become one, then much more, after union, ought we not to grieve or be despondent, since there is no longer room for difference.

If He has counted Gentiles and Jews, slaves and free, worthy of one and the same thing, will He divide us after having made us worthy? The very communication of gifts serves toward the most perfect union.

"And all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many" (1 Cor 12:13-14). That is, we all approach one and the same mystery and partake of one and the same table.

Why, then, did he not say, "we are nourished by one and the same body and drink one and the same blood"? Because by naming the Spirit, he indicated both, the blood and the flesh. Through both we are made to drink of one Spirit.

Nevertheless, it seems to me that he is speaking here of that descent of the Spirit which is accomplished over us at baptism, even before the mystery of communion.

He said, "were made to drink," because this figurative expression is highly fitting to the present subject. It is as though he were speaking of plants and a garden, where all trees are watered by one and the same spring, with one and the same water.

In precisely this way, he says, we are all made to drink of one and the same Spirit and are counted worthy of one and the same grace.

Therefore, if the one Spirit formed us and joined us all into one body, and this is what the words "were baptized into one body" mean, and if He bestowed one table and communicated one and the same watering to all. And this is what the words "were made to drink of one Spirit" mean, and if He joined together those so far apart from one another, and the many constitute a body only when they become one, then what difference are you insisting on?

If you say that the members are many and different, know that precisely this is wonderful and is the special property of the body: in it the many and different constitute one. If there were no multitude, it would not be so marvelous and wondrous that the body is one. Or rather, there would then be no body at all.

"And all were made to drink of one Spirit." He seems to be speaking of the spiritual table, of the bread and wine. For by the words, "the Spirit, Who gave us drink," he indicated both things, the Blood and the Flesh. Yet it is closer to the truth that he is speaking here of the Spirit's coming to us, which took place at Baptism, before Communion of the Holy Mysteries. He said "were made to drink," borrowing the image from trees watered by one and the same spring. Thus one Spirit gave us drink, watered us, and made us one body.

"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you'" (1 Cor 12:21). On the contrary, the members of the body that seem weaker, such as the tongue, the heart, and others, are much more necessary (1 Cor 12:22). Those that seem to us less honorable in the body, such as the stomach, the feet, and others, receive greater care from us (1 Cor 12:23). Therefore, if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it (1 Cor 12:26). "And you," the Apostle concludes, "are the Body of Christ, and individually members" (1 Cor 12:27).

They all proceed from one source and converge in the common purpose of serving the good of the Church of God. It is worth noting that the Apostle develops the comparison between the members of the Church and the members of the body in every way. He does so positively (vv. 12, 18), negatively (vv. 15-16), by showing the reasonableness, beauty, and usefulness of what he proves (vv. 22-26), and by showing the impossibility and even absurdity of the opposite (vv. 17, 19, 21).

'I too,' says the Apostle, 'have no advantage over you in this respect. You are the body as I am, and I as you are. We all have one and the same Head and were born by the same birth. Therefore we constitute one and the same body.

'Whether Jews.' But why do I point to Jews? God also brought the Gentiles, who were so far from us, into the composition of one body. 'Whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free.'

If we, who were formerly so far from one another, have been united and become one, then much more, after union, ought we not to grieve or be despondent. There is no longer room for difference.

If He has counted Gentiles and Jews, slaves and free, worthy of one and the same thing, will He divide us after having made us worthy? The very communication of gifts serves toward the most perfect union" (Chrysostom).

"And all were made to drink of one Spirit." This drinking is distinct from regeneration in baptism. There spiritual being is received. Here the spiritual being is given the Spirit to drink.

When does this occur? In the mystery of chrismation, and in the time of the Apostles through the laying on of hands. In this mystery the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given, and this is the drinking of the Spirit.

Oecumenius writes: "Through one Spirit we have the grace of spiritual gifts." Theophylact first said that this drinking occurs in communion, but then added: "Yet it is truer here to understand the descent upon us of the Holy Spirit, of which we are deemed worthy after baptism and before communion of the Holy Mysteries."

Clearly, he means holy chrismation. Such also is the thought of Chrysostom, from whom they both borrowed their interpretation.

After first mentioning the Holy Mysteries, he then adds: "Nevertheless, it seems to me that he is speaking here of that descent of the Spirit which is accomplished over us at baptism, or after baptism, even before the mystery of communion.

He said, 'we were made to drink,' because this figurative expression is highly fitting to the present subject. It is as though he were speaking of plants and a garden, where all trees are watered by one and the same spring, with one and the same water.

In precisely this way, he says, we are made to drink of one and the same Spirit, and are counted worthy of one and the same grace.

Therefore, if the one Spirit formed us and joined us all into one body, for this is what the words 'we were baptized into one body' mean, and if He then communicated one and the same watering to all of us. For this is what the words 'we were made to drink of one Spirit' mean, and if He joined together those so far apart from one another, and if the many constitute a body only when they become one, then what difference are you insisting on?

If you say that the members are many and different, know that precisely this is wonderful and is the special property of the body: in it the many and different constitute one. If there were no multitude, it would not be so marvelous and wondrous that the body is one. Or rather, there would then be no body at all."