Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 12:17

"If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?" — 1 Corinthians 12:17 (ASV)

If the whole body, etc. The idea in this verse is that all the parts of the body are useful in their proper place, and that it would be as absurd to require or expect that all the members of the church should have the same endowments, as it would be to attempt to make the body all eye.

If all were the same, if all had the same endowments, important offices which are now secured by the other members would be unknown. All, therefore, are to be satisfied with their allotment; all are to be honoured in their appropriate place.