1 Corinthians 9
The Rights of an Apostle
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
In the Greek, these four questions demand a yes answer. Paul was free. He was an apostle. He had seen the risen Lord on the Road to Damascus. The Corinthian church was founded by Paul.
2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the confirming sign of my apostleship in the Lord.
The existence of the church in Corinth was evidence of Paul’s apostolic authenticity.
3 This is my defense to those who examine me.
The Greek word for “defense” is ἀπολογία (apologia). It is the origin of the English word apologetics. This term was used in ancient legal courts. Paul was about to defend his rights as an apostle, just like he would in a courtroom of law.
4 Do we not have the right to financial support?
As an apostle, Paul possessed the liberty to accept financial support.
5 Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
The Lord's half-brothers were James and Jude. Apparently, the brothers of Jesus and the apostles were married. They traveled with their believing wives. As an apostle, Paul possessed the liberty to marry and travel with his believing wife.
6 Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?
Paul was using sarcasm to drive home the point that he and Barnabas supported their own ministry by having a tent business, but it was actually the Corinthians who should have been supporting them.
7 Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?
The soldier, farmer, and shepherd were all supported by their work. Therefore, spiritual leaders, who fed the people, should in return be fed by the people.
8 Am I saying these things only on the basis of common sense, or does the law not say this as well?
The Mosaic Law confirmed this divine principle.
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” God is not concerned here about oxen, is he?
Paul quoted Deuteronomy 25:4 in order to support his premise.
10 Or is he not surely speaking for our benefit? It was written for us, because the one plowing and threshing ought to work in hope of enjoying the harvest.
The Mosaic Law was written for men, not ox. The divine principle was that the teachers of the Law were to be supported.
11 If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you?
Paul and Barnabas were teaching the Corinthian church divine viewpoint which would result in them receiving eternal rewards in heaven. If these believers were receiving spiritual blessings from their teachers, then should not the teachers receive material things from the congregation? The responsibility of the congregation was to support their teachers so that they could study and teach.
12 If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
If the Corinthians were rewarding other teachers, then they should do the same with Paul and Barnabas. However, Paul and Barnabas never exercised this right. They used their Christian liberty to support their own ministry.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings?
Those who served in these temples were the pagan priests. They were supported for their service. Those who served at the altar were the Levitical priests. They were also supported for their service.
14 In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.
Just as pagan and Levitical priests were supported, Christian pastors were to be supported as well.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these things so that something will be done for me. In fact, it would be better for me to die than – no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!
Paul had the right to demand support, but he refused. Paul supported his own ministry by tent making. He was not making this point in order to become a paid pastor.
16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
It is impossible for a pastor with the gift of teaching to not teach the gospel. Those who possess the gift of teaching will not be satisfied with life unless they are teaching.
17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.
Paul did not teach the gospel for some ulterior method. Paul would receive an eternal reward for teaching the gospel, so he did not need the material reward from the Corinthian congregation. Paul taught because he loved God, he loved the Corinthian church, and he could do nothing else. It was not a job, but a divine passion that was given to him as a gift.
18 What then is my reward? That when I preach the gospel I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights in the gospel.
Paul's reward was the results that he saw in his teaching.
19 For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people.
Paul used his freedom to make himself a slave to Christ. In the Book of Romans, he desired that all would be blessed by making themselves slaves to Christ.
20 To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law.
Although Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, he always took the gospel to the Jew first. Notice that Paul was no longer under the law. He had the freedom to keep it or not keep it.
21 To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law.
When teaching the Jews, Paul became as one under the Mosaic Law. When working with Gentiles, he accommodated to them. He was never lawless, because he was always submitting himself to the highest law, the law of Christ.
22 To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some.
Paul stooped to make the gospel appeal to those who were at a low level of spiritual knowledge. He taught at the level of his audience.
23 I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.
Paul stooped down and sometimes taught at a lower level so that he could be a participant in sharing the gospel.
24 Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win.
Believers are God's representatives on earth. They are to be trained as athletes who run a race in the satanic Olympic Games. Paul commanded them to run and run to win.
25 Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
The riches on earth will eventually perish. The crown that men win on earth will perish. The crown won from God will never perish.
26 So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air.
Paul was not just shadow-boxing. There was a real enemy out there who is throwing real punches.
27 Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.
The purpose of Paul's body was to preach the gospel. It is God's will for Christians to work for an eternal reward. Believers receive rewards for fulfilling God's purpose. If a believer is not working for eternal rewards, then he is not in the will of God.
