The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 12:26 Explained

1 Corinthians 12:26

KJV: And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

YLT: and whether one member doth suffer, suffer with it do all the members, or one member is glorified, rejoice with it do all the members;

Darby: And if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; and if one member be glorified, all the members rejoice with it.

ASV: And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the members  suffer with it;  or  one  member  be honoured,  all  the members  rejoice with it. 

What does 1 Corinthians 12:26 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The suffering of one means the suffering of all, and the well-being of one means the well-being of all.
"Plato had pointed out that we do not say, "My finger has a pain," we say, "I have a pain."" [1]
In view of this we can and should honestly rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep ( Romans 12:15).
"Ancients emphasized that true friends shared each other"s joys and sorrows." [2]
Paul"s preceding comments about the body ( 1 Corinthians 12:12-26) are applicable to both the physical body and the spiritual body of Christ. However, he was speaking about the human body primarily, as an illustration of the spiritual body.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 12:20-31 - Each Contributing His Part
The hand and the foot obviously stand in need of each other; but the same interdependence marks the feebler and humbler parts of our frame. Indeed, it would appear as if we bestow more abundant honor on them by covering them with clothes or ornaments. In this way the least important parts of our nature are leveled up and compensated.
The Apostle's aim throughout this passage is to enforce the interdependence of believers. One gives to others that in which they are deficient, and he derives help from each of them in turn. The Christian Church is not an inert mass of mere learners and subjects who are to be authoritatively taught and ruled by a small fraction of its members. It is a great co-operative society, in which each is for all and all for each, and the object is to bring Christ into every department of our being and our fellowship, as the life-blood nourishes the body of man. A new word has lately come into use, to express the interdependence and mutual interests of men and nations; and nothing could more aptly describe the Apostle's ideal than that word solidarity. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 12

1  Spiritual gifts,
4  are diverse,
7  yet to profit all
8  And to that end are diversely bestowed;
12  as the members of a natural body tend all to the mutual decency,
22  service,
26  and helpfulness of the same body;
27  so we should do for one another, to make up the body of Christ

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:26

Suffer with it [συνπασχει]
Medical term in this sense in Hippocrates and Galen. In N.T only here and Romans 8:17 (of our suffering with Christ). One of Solon‘s Laws allowed retaliation by any one for another‘s injuries. Plato (Republic, V, 462) says the body politic “feels the hurt” as the whole body feels a hurt finger. [source]
Rejoice with it [συνχαιρει]
This is fortunately true also. One may tingle with joy all over the body thanks to the wonderful nervous system and to the relation between mind and matter. See note on 1 Corinthians 13:6 for joy of love with truth. [source]
Suffer with it []
Compare Plutarch of Solon's Laws: “If any one was beaten or maimed or suffered any violence, any man that would and was able might prosecute the wrongdoer; intending by this to accustom the citizens, like members of the same body, to resent and be sensible of one another's injuries” (Solon). And Plato: “As in the body, when but a finger is hurt, the whole frame, drawn towards the soul and forming one realm under the ruling power therein, feels the hurt and sympathizes all together with the part affected” (“Republic,” v., 462). [source]
Is honored [δοξάζεται]
Or glorified. Receives anything which contributes to its soundness or comeliness. So Chrysostom: “The head is crowned, and all the members have a share in the honor; the eyes laugh when the mouth speaks.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 12:26

Romans 11:13 I magnify mine office [τὴν διακονίαν μου δοξάζω]
Lit., I glorify my ministry, as Rev. Not I praise, but I honor by the faithful discharge of its duties. He implies, however, that the office is a glorious one. The verb, which occurs about sixty times in the New Testament, most frequently in John, is used, with very few exceptions, of glorifying God or Christ. In Romans 8:30, of God's elect. In 1 Corinthians 12:26, of the members of the body. In Revelation 18:7, of Babylon. For ministry, see on minister, Matthew 20:26. [source]
Galatians 5:13 To the flesh [τῃ σαρκί]
See on Romans 7:5. The flesh here represents lovelessness and selfishness. Christian freedom is not to be abused for selfish ends. Paul treats this subject at length in 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 1 Corinthians 12:25, 1 Corinthians 12:26. Individual liberty is subject to the law of love and mutual service. Comp. 1 Peter 2:16. [source]
Hebrews 4:15 That cannot be touched with the feeling [μη δυναμενον συνπατησαι]
“Not able to sympathize with.” First aorist passive infinitive of συνπατεω — sunpatheō late compound verb from the late adjective συνπατος — sunpathos (Romans 12:15), both from συνπασχω — sunpaschō to suffer with (1 Corinthians 12:26; Romans 8:17), occurring in Aristotle and Plutarch, in N.T. only in Hebrews (here and Hebrews 10:34). One that hath been tempted Perfect passive participle of πειραζω — peirazō as already shown in Hebrews 2:17. Without sin This is the outstanding difference that must never be overlooked in considering the actual humanity of Jesus. He did not yield to sin. But more than this is true. There was no latent sin in Jesus to be stirred by temptation and no habits of sin to be overcome. But he did have “weaknesses” Satan used his strongest weapons against Jesus, did it repeatedly, and failed. Jesus remained “undefiled” This is our ground of hope, the sinlessness of Jesus and his real sympathy. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 12:26 mean?

And if suffers one member suffer with [it] all the members is honored one rejoice with [it]
καὶ εἴτε πάσχει ἓν μέλος συμπάσχει πάντα τὰ μέλη δοξάζεται [ἓν] συνχαίρει

πάσχει  suffers 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πάσχω  
Sense: to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo.
ἓν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
μέλος  member 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: μέλος  
Sense: a member, limb: a member of the human body.
συμπάσχει  suffer  with  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: συμπάσχω  
Sense: to suffer or feel pain together.
μέλη  members 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: μέλος  
Sense: a member, limb: a member of the human body.
δοξάζεται  is  honored 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δοξάζω  
Sense: to think, suppose, be of opinion.
[ἓν]  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
συνχαίρει  rejoice  with  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: συγχαίρω  
Sense: to rejoice with, take part in another’s joy.

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