Paul
the apostle told the church members in Corinth “there
should be no schism in the body; but that
the members should have the same care one for another”,
and in chapter twelve and verse twenty-six
of First Corinthians, Paul shared with the Corinthian church about
when, “one member
suffers, all the members suffer with it”,
where we read:
And
whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it;
or
one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.
The
verse begins, “And
whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it;”.
Paul began
with the words, “and whether”
which means “and if” “one member”
which means “a sole and only limb or part” “suffers”
or “is
affected, feels, experiences and undergoes the pain, passion or
vexing” “all the members”
or “each, every, the whole and everyone of the limbs or part”
“suffer with it”
which means “are affected, feels, experiences and undergoes the
pain, passion and vexing alongside that limb or part”. When one
part of the “body”
encounters “pain” and “suffering”,
all the other parts “suffer”
with that part.
The
verse continues, “or
one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
Paul added
the words, “or one member” which
means “or when a sole and only part” “be
honored”
or “is praised, extolled, magnified, celebrated, made glorious,
adorned with luster and clothed with splendor”, “all”
which means
“each, every, the whole and everyone of” “the
members”
or “the limbs or parts” “rejoice
with it”
which means “sympathize with gladness and congratulate that limb or
part”. When one part of the “body”
is “magnified and extolled”, the other parts “of
the body”
celebrate with that part.
When
we consider these words from Paul, we see how each of the “parts”
of the “body” has “compassion” and “celebration”
for the other “parts” of the body. For example, if we stub our
little toe, our entire body has “compassion” upon it. We feel it
throughout our entire physical being, and the “body” works in
cooperation with that little toe to bring it back to health. So also
does the “body” respond when something honorable happens
such as eating a favorite food or drinking a favorite drink. Paul's
idea was that the “church of Jesus”, which is comprised of
“believers in Him”, should both have empathy for others in the
church when they suffer and should celebrate with them when they are
honored. The “body of Christ” should reflect the natural way of
God, and He understood both “suffering” and “honor”, and His
attention and empathy are toward us. Let us live in such a manner
that we reflect our God find as we “suffer with those who suffer”,
and “rejoice with those who are honored”.
Next
time Paul shares with the church members concerning how, “you
are the body of Christ”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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