I cannot say into the hand. I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet. I have no need of you
so
You think about it like why is this passage of scripture in between chapter 12 when he's talking about spiritual gifts chapter 13 and 14?
referring to spiritual gifts
Well, the reason why is because the problem that they're facing here if you read all three chapters is what they're exalting
the gift of tongues
They're exalting the gift to be able to speak with tongues. They're exalting the gift of healing
They're exalting these miracles over what over prophesying
Now here's the thing because these miracles and these abilities were only subject to these special elite people
Who were there from the baptism of john to the resurrection and the ascension that means not everyone has this ability
You see what i'm saying? But here's the thing. What ability does everyone have prophesying?
preaching
Therefore what would we say? What would the bible say is the most important thing preaching?
soul winning
Preaching the gospel. This is the most important thing
Now we'll see later on in chapter 14 that the church at Corinth they were coveting
These spiritual gifts. I mean who wouldn't want like to be able to do that stuff
You know what I mean? Like just back heal and cast out demons and do miracles. This is and they're there to witness these things
Look at first corinthians 14 hold your place there in 12
Look at verse 26. How is it then brethren?
When you come together every one of you hath the psalm hath the doctrine hath a tongue hath the revelation hath the interpretation
Let all things be done into edifying verse 37
If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are
The commandments of the lord, but if any man be ignorant let him be ignorant wherefore brethren covet to prophesy
And forbid not to speak with tongues let all things be done decently and in order you see they were not esteeming
the ability to preach
Now with that in mind go back to chapter 12 and look at verse 21
And it kind of makes sense that people would would covet those great gifts, you know
But what paul's trying to do which he has those abilities is kind of basically redirect their focus and say hey
You need to covet to be able to preach
Why because our main responsibility as christians whether apostles or just regular disciples believers is to preach the gospel
That's the greatest thing and these things are going to pass away. These things are not going to be here forever
preaching is
Now with that in mind look at verse 21
And the eye cannot say into the hand. I have no need of thee nor again to head to the feet
I have no need of you
Look what it says here nay much more of 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 calmliness now think about this
He's saying look the things that we think are not necessary. They're actually the most necessary
preaching, right
Or how about this when he says the things we think are less honorable upon those we bestow more honor
What does that remind you of well first timothy chapter 5 or 17 says that those who rule well are worthy of double honor
Especially they who labor in in the word and in doctrine
So he's saying look you think like prophesying is not that important. We bestow more abundant honor on that person
Because they're laboring in the word of god. They're laboring in the bible. You see it takes work
To know the bible it doesn't take work for the apostles to do miracles
It doesn't take work to be able to slap your hand on someone's forehead and heal them
It does take work to know the bible
It takes years
Therefore someone who rules well, therefore someone who knows the word of god, they're laboring. They're rightly dividing the word of truth
They get more honor
He said well, what about the comeliness part? Well think what does comely mean beautiful
Because obviously everyone in the church is not going to be a pastor or a preacher
But everyone can still be a preacher of the gospel
And the bible says that these uncommonly parts the ones you think are not as important
They have more abundant comeliness. They're more beautiful. Why because how beautiful are the feet of them that preach glad tidings?
So what is paul doing he's redirecting
Their focus he's saying look you guys got it all backwards
Yeah
You know speaking what you look and he even said himself I speak more with tongues than y'all
Right. He was able to speak in more languages than anybody else in that church
But here's the thing he was saying you should covet to prophesy and both old and new testament emphasized that
You think of the story of moses when caleb came and he was complaining. He was whining
Oh, you know the prophesying in the camp. He's like what's the god that all god's people were prophesying?
The word to god that everyone would preach the word of god why because when it comes to the preaching of god's word
It's an even plane as far as the gospel is concerned
Everyone can get involved in preaching the gospel, you know, the gift of evangelism is not a gift
People used to say that I used to hear that back in the day. He has the gift of evangelism
No, you just have the gift of laziness
You have the gift of laziness and you don't want to go out there and preach the gospel because it's very easy to do
As long as you put in the work to do it
It doesn't require a gift in this now are some people more gifted in their ability to become a speaker of course
better personality
Easier to get along with some people are more shy than others
But here's the thing the apostle paul said this that god hath enabled me
So what god calls us to he enables us to do the work
As long as you're willing to put in the work to do so that's why we ought to covet prophesying