Why does Paul use ridiculous examples like the ear saying it is not part of the body?
Paul uses ridiculous bodily-member examples to grab attention and force hearers to think. Just as an ear is not an eye yet remains part of the body, differences among believers do not remove them from the Body of Christ. Every member belongs and functions together for the body's purpose.
Les explains that Paul goes through all the bodily members to show that if the foot says it is not of the hand, or the ear says it is not of the eye, it is still part of the body. Paul takes it to the edge of being ridiculous because that gets people's attention; if you can get ridiculous enough, it makes them think. The point is that the whole thing functions together, each member in its place of function, for the purpose of using and energizing the body. Believers are a compilation of the many into one whole, and that is the whole picture of the Body of Christ, where we are one in Christ.
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
More Questions
Why does Paul use such ridiculous examples of body parts talking in 1 Corinthians 12?
Paul pushes the body-member example to the edge of being ridiculous on purpose, because getting ridiculous enough gets people's attention and makes them think.