第十二章

12 正如身體是一個，卻有許多肢體，而且肢體雖然很多，身體仍是一個；基督也是這樣。 13 我們無論是猶太人，是希臘人，是作奴隸的，是自由的，都在那一位聖靈裡受了洗，成為一個身體，都飲了那一位聖靈。 14 原來身體有許多肢體，並不是只有一個肢體。 15 假如腳說：“我不是手，所以我不屬於身體。”它不能因此就不屬於身體。 16 假如耳朵說：“我不是眼睛，所以我不屬於身體。”它也不能因此就不屬於身體。 17 假如整個身體只是眼睛，怎樣聽呢？假如整個身體只是耳朵，怎樣聞味呢？ 18 但現在神按照自己的意思，把肢體一一放在身體上。 19 假如所有的只是一個肢體，怎能算是身體呢？ 20 但現在肢體雖然很多，身體卻只是一個。 21 眼睛不能對手說：“我不需要你。”頭也不能對腳說：“我不需要你們。” 22 相反地，身體上那些似乎比較軟弱的肢體，更是不可缺少的。 23 我們認為身體上不大體面的部分，就更加要把它裝飾得體面；不大美觀的部分，就更加要使它美觀。 24 我們身體上美觀的部分，就不需要這樣了。但神卻這樣把身體組成了：格外地把體面加給比較有缺欠的肢體， 25 好使肢體能夠互相照顧，免得身體上有了分裂。 26 如果一個肢體受苦，所有的肢體就一同受苦；如果一個肢體得榮耀，所有的肢體就一同快樂。

 

默想

1. 保羅以人的身體來解釋信徒彼此之間的關係，都是基督的身體。不論我是誰，我有什麼恩賜，對自己的教會或是整體的教會來說，我都是“不可缺少的”（22節）。
2. 當身邊的基督徒得榮耀時，我的反應如何？當有基督徒受苦時，我的反應又如何？我會與喜樂的人同樂，與哀傷的人同哭嗎（參羅 12:15）？

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

CHAPTER 12

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized byone Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

 

Meditation

1. Paul used the image of the body to explain our relation to one another.  We’re all parts of the body of Christ.  Whoever you are or whatever your spiritual gifts are, you are “indispensable” (v22) to the others in your church, and in the church.
2. What is my reaction when some other Christian gets recognition and honour？ Or when someone is suffering?  Do I rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep (Rm 12:15)? Or am I jealous of those who rejoice and apathetic to the weeping?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.