“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:”
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function — the organic metaphor of the body (sōma) with many members (melē) establishes that unity does not require uniformity. Function (ergon) differs across members, yet all belong to one soma. This prepares for the charismata (gifts, grace-gifts) enumeration.
Church Fathers on Romans 12:4
Again he uses the same ensample as he does to the Corinthians, and that to allay the same passion. For great is the power of the medicine, and the force of this illustration for the correcting of this disease of haughtiness. Why (he means) do you think highly of yourself? Or why again does another utterly despise himself? Are we not all one body, both great and small? When then we are in the total number but one, and members one of another, why do you by your haughtiness…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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