John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 12:27

"Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof." — 1 Corinthians 12:27 (ASV)

But ye are the body of Christ. Therefore, what has been said concerning the nature and condition of the human body must be applied to us; for we are not a mere civil society, but, being grafted into Christ’s body, are truly members of one another. Whatever, therefore, any one of us has, let him know that it has been given to him for the common edification of his brothers and sisters; and let him, accordingly, bring it forward and not keep it back — buried, as it were, within himself, or use it as his own.

Let not the person, who is endowed with superior gifts, be puffed up with pride and despise others; but let him consider that there is nothing so small as to be of no use — as, in truth, even the least among the pious brings forth fruit according to his limited capacity, so that there is no useless member in the Church. Let not those who are not endowed with so much honor envy those above them or refuse to do their duty to them, but let them maintain the station in which they have been placed. Let there be mutual affection, mutual fellow-feeling, (συμπάθεια,) mutual concern. Let us have regard for the common advantage, so that we may not destroy the Church by malice, or envy, or pride, or any disagreement; but may, on the contrary, every one of us strive to the utmost of his power to preserve it. This is a large subject, and a magnificent one; but I content myself with having pointed out the way in which the above simile must be applied to the Church.

Members severally. Chrysostom is of the opinion that this clause is added because the Corinthians were not the universal Church; but this appears to me rather forced. I have sometimes thought that it was expressive of impropriety, as the Latins say Quodammodo, (in a manner.) When, however, I view the whole matter more closely, I am rather disposed to refer it to that division of members of which he had made mention. They are then members severally, according as each one has had his portion and definite work assigned to him. The context itself leads us to this meaning. In this way, severally, and as a whole, will be opposite terms.