If you want to know something about what the church as "the body of Christ" means, you want to read first Corinthians 12. There Paul uses a metaphor for the body politic for the Christian community. It was common to talk about the community, the city, the state as a "body," where there were many members, and where each member had a part. So Paul wants the Corinthians to consider that they are united in one common purpose, even though they are diverse in gifts. Paul, of course (as always) tweaks the metaphor so that the weaker members have greater honor.
And then he puts all of the talk about the body in the context of spiritual gifts, gifts given to the Corinthians, but for the common good. That seems to be a growing edge for the Corinthians, who love spiritual gifts, the glitz and glamour of them, but don't seem to get the idea that the purpose of gifts is to share and to build up the body, rather than to divide and sow contention.
Chapter 14 is an entire chapter devoted mostly to one of the spiritual gifts: speaking in tongues. Although Paul is careful to note that tongues is one of the gifts of God, and he also boasts that he "speaks in tongues more than you all", he gives careful guidelines to the use of this gifts, and also seems to disparage it. (I'll just come right out and say that I don't understand what Paul means when he says that tongues are a sign for unbelievers. Especially since he contradicts himself afterwards by saying that if unbelievers come into your church and hear you speaking in tongues, they will think you are crazy.)
Speaking in tongues still seems to be controversial even today. Some churches deny that the phenomenon exists (it was supposed to have died out after the apostolic era.) Others make tongues the sign of a more mature faith. Where are you at?
Then, in the middle, is Chapter 13. Often read at weddings (although there is no word about marriage here), this beautiful chapter seems sometimes out of place. In fact, you can take chapter 13 out and read chapter 12 and go directly to 14 and it won't seem like anything is missing. Where does chapter 13 come from? and why is it here?
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
As for tongues, they will cease.
Maybe in the middle of all the arguing and the glitziness of spiritual gifts, Paul wants to set down the most important things, remind them of what it worth seeking, of what they have already been given.
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