The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (191 page)

12:1 Now concerning:
Paul responds to a question that was put to him in an earlier letter from the Corinthians.
See note on 1 Cor 7:1
. 
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12:2 led astray to mute idols:
Many Corinthians were I formerly pagans and idolaters (8:7). • Paul's perspective on idols is that of the OT—they are lifeless and therefore speechless (Ps 135:15-18; Hab 2:18-19; CCC 2112). 
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12:3 Jesus be cursed!
The origin of this alarming declaration is uncertain. Among various possibilities, it may be
(1)
an ecstatic utterance spoken by false charismatics,
(2)
a heretical slogan used by some to drive a wedge between the historical Jesus and the risen Christ of faith, or
(3)
the slanderous words of Jewish opponents who attacked the gospel.
Jesus is Lord:
A distinctly Christian confession (Rom 10:9; Phil 2:11). The Spirit empowers us to say it with conviction and live it out through conversion (CCC 449, 683). The title "Lord" (Gk.
Kyrios
) resonates against the background of Jewish and Gentile traditions:
(1)
it is used repeatedly in the Greek OT to translate the divine name "Yahweh";
(2)
it was used in the Greco-Roman world to address rulers and emperors. 
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12:4-6
The charismatic gifts flow from the Holy
Spirit,
Christ the
Lord,
and
God
the Father. The unity and diversity within the Trinity is the divine model of the unity and diversity of gifts shared by believers (Eph 4:4-7). 
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12:4 gifts:
Translates the Greek
charismata,
which is theologically and linguistically related to the term "grace" (Gk.
charis
). Charismatic gifts are thus graces given to build up the Church (CCC 799-801, 951). The inventory in 1 Cor 12:8-10 lists extraordinary charisms of instruction and healing. The list in Rom 12:6-8 also includes more ordinary gifts, such as generosity and works of mercy. 
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12:7 the common good:
Charisms are given as personal gifts but not merely for private benefit (12:11). They unite us with the Spirit's mission to build up all members of the Church and bring them to salvation (1 Pet 4:10-11). • Catholic teaching distinguishes between sanctifying grace, which imparts the gift of divine
sonship,
and charismatic or ministerial grace, which equips the saints for
service
to others (CCC 2003). 
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12:9 faith:
Not the gift of saving faith possessed by all Christians (Eph 2:8), but an extraordinary trust in God that encourages others who witness it (1 Cor 13:2; Mk 11:23). 
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12:10 tongues:
May be the earthly languages of men (Acts 2:1-6) or the heavenly speech of angels (1 Cor 13:1). The gift of
interpretation
is the complement of the gift of tongues, enabling unintelligible utterances to be understood by the assembled community (14:9-19). 
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12:13 by one Spirit:
That is, by the divine action of the Spirit working in Baptism.
one body:
This is not simply a metaphor for the Church, with the focus on her organizational unity, but it expresses the metaphysical reality that every believer is truly united with Christ by the Sacraments (10:17; CCC 790). The Spirit is the soul of this mystical body, giving life, growth, and direction to each of its members (CCC 797).
Jews or Greeks:
Union with Christ makes ethnic and social distinctions irrelevant in the eyes of God (Gal 3:28; CCC 1267).
to drink of one Spirit:
Baptism renews (Tit 3:5) and refreshes us through the Spirit (Jn 7:37-39), as does the spiritual drink of the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:4). 
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12:14-26
Everyone serves a vital and indispensable function in the Body of Christ. As the constituent parts of a body perform different functions and yet work together in harmony, so every member of Christ's Body is assigned an important task for the good of the whole (CCC 791). Some Corinthians apparently disputed the validity of certain gifts—a presumptuous attitude that called into question God's wise arrangement of the body (1 Cor 12:18) and his free distribution of charisms (12:11). •
Allegorically:
the eyes of the body serve knowledge and signify the contemplative life of the Church, whereas the hands serve movement and signify the active life of the Church. So, too, the head of the body is the clergy in authority over the Church, while the feet are the laity who follow the lead of their head (St. Thomas Aquinas,
Commentary on 1 Corinthians
12, 3). 
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12:21 the head:
Paul visualizes the body as the collective person of Christ, with his members compared to anatomical features of the body from top (ears and eyes, 12:16) to bottom (feet, 12:15, 21). The picture changes somewhat in later Pauline letters, where the "head" represents Christ as distinct from his "body", the Church (Eph 5:23; Col 1:18; 2:19). Paul may have developed the illustration over the years, or perhaps he was using the imagery in different ways in different letters. For a summary discussion, see word study:
Head
at Eph 5. 
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12:26 suffer together . . . rejoice together:
Unity among believers rules out indifference toward others and encourages mutual support and compassion among them (Sir 7:34; Rom 12:15). 
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12:28 first apostles:
Apostleship is given pride of place among the ministerial gifts. This is because the apostles saw Christ risen from the dead (15:5) and were directly charged by him with spreading the gospel (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 9:1-16). Their mission to lay the initial foundations of the Church in the world is essentially unrepeatable (Eph 2:20; Rev 21:14; CCC 858-60). Their work of teaching and sanctifying the world, however, is carried on by their successors, the bishops.
See note on 1 Tim 3:1
. 
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12:31 desire the higher gifts:
Paul prepares readers for the following exposition of God's greatest gifts: the virtues of faith, hope, and love (13:1-13). 
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13:1-13
Chapter 13 is a poetic interlude on "love" that summarizes Paul's moral instructions in the letter (16:14) and stands as the centerpiece of his teaching on spiritual gifts (chaps. 1214). Because some in Corinth esteemed more spectacular charisms like tongues, Paul writes to temper their charismatic enthusiasm by insisting that charity must inspire and direct the exercise of all ministerial gifts (CCC 800). Without love, the other charisms bring no benefit to the Body of Christ and may even cause divisions among its members. 
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13:1 clanging cymbal:
Possibly an allusion to ecstatic pagan worship. Speaking in tongues can produce the same meaningless noise if its purpose is thwarted by a failure to love. 
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13:2 I am nothing:
Knowledge of saving mysteries and the exercise of extraordinary faith amount to nothing unless coupled with active charity toward others (CCC 1826). • Some believe faith alone is sufficient for salvation; others believe they will be saved by Christ's sacraments alone; others rely on works of mercy alone and think they can sin with impunity. Such people fail to understand that nothing avails without charity (St. Thomas Aquinas,
Commentary on 1 Corinthians
6, 2). 
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13:3 deliver my body to be burned:
A reference to martyrdom by fire (Dan 3:23; 2 Mac 7:1-6). Even such heroic acts are profitless toward eternal life without a supernatural love for God. 
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13:4-7
Paul personifies
love
to explain its true nature and greatness. Because love (charity) is a virtue that is supernatural and God-given, it cannot be reduced to a feeling or emotion that comes and goes over time. It is foremost the love of God and neighbor that the Spirit pours into our hearts (Rom 5:5; CCC 735). It bears burdens, patiently suffers injuries, restrains pride, and is not self-assertive or oversensitive. Vices contrary to love were displayed by those Corinthians who were
jealous
(1 Cor 3:3),
boastful
(4:7), or
arrogant
(4:18). 
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13:8 will pass away:
The charismatic gifts will expire when "the perfect comes" (13:10), that is, when the Lord comes again in glory to reveal himself to the Church "face to face" (13:12). Interpretations that link the cessation of charismatic grace with the compilation of the NT books have absolutely no footing in the text. 
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13:12 in a mirror dimly:
Ancient Corinth manufactured mirrors of polished bronze. Although known for their excellent quality, their reflected images would nonetheless remain hazy and indistinct. Our present perception of God is similarly imperfect (CCC 163-64, 314).
then face to face:
Life in heaven will consist of a clear and direct vision of God "as he is" (1 Jn 3:2; CCC 1023). 
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13:13 faith, hope, love abide:
The translation is misleading because it fails to render the Greek adverb
nuni
("now"). Paul is not saying that all three virtues are eternal, but instead he ties them to the present age. Faith and hope will pass away when we
see
the Lord in heaven and
possess
the eternal happiness we yearned for in this life. But love "never ends" (13:8). Rather than passing away, love reaches perfection in the everlasting embrace of the Trinity that awaits the saints beyond this life. A close connection between these virtues is also noted in Rom 5:1-5, Gal 5:5-6, and 1 Thess 1:3. • Catholic tradition calls faith, hope, and love "theological virtues" because they come from God (Gk.
Theos
) and lead us back to God (CCC 1812-29).
the greatest . . . love:
The preeminence of love follows from its permanence, i.e., it outshines other divine gifts precisely because it outlasts them (13:8). 
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