A STUDY OF FIRST CORINTHIANS

Chapter 9

Introduction: Chapter 8 dovetails nicely into chapter 9. Previously, Paul considered the need to forfeit liberties. Initially in chapter 9, Paul talks about his right as a preacher of the gospel to be supported. However, he chose to forfeit his right to support from them so that he would not appear to them as one who abuses his right or authority in the gospel. He presents himself to the Corinthians as a servant of all men. Since preaching the gospel is his main desire, he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep people from casting him aside along with his message.

An Example of Denying Oneself 

Verses 1-2. Paul begins with a set of rhetorical questions asked to impress upon the Corinthians’ minds that he had as much right as any other Christian to be supported in his endeavors. As an apostle, he had the authority to assert those rights. An apostle held an office that was higher than another Christian. From this point in Paul’s argument, he begins to defend his apostleship. Some in Corinth may have questioned the authenticity of Paul’s apostleship. Having seen the risen Lord while traveling to Damascus (Acts 9), helped to qualify Paul as an apostle (Acts 1:22). Paul pointed to the Corinthians themselves as evidence of the genuineness of his ministry. The Corinthians were Christians because of Paul’s efforts.

Verses 3-7. Paul argues that he had a right to receive wages for his work in the ministry of the Lord. The statement “My defense to those who examine me is this” is not a reference to what follows but what had preceded the phrase. Paul first made his defense of his apostleship because others were being critical (ANAKRINO) of his apostleship. Nonetheless, Paul is making the point that, though he and his coworkers had a right to be supported by the church, he did not assert that right that the preaching of the gospel may have greater influence. By this, we see how chapter eight dovetails into nine. Though a person may feel he has the right to do thus and so, sometimes it is expedient to forfeit those rights for a greater good. In addition, Paul retorts that he and his companions had a right to take along a believing wife. Some translations have “a sister, a wife” (KJV). Catholics have played games with the Greek ADELPHEN GUNAIKA. Their interpretation leaves one with the understanding that a priest had the right to have sisters to help him in the ministry. They translate the phrase “sisters who are women.” Well, I do not know of any sister who is not a woman. The word woman is the same word from which we get wife. Paul leaves us with the impression that a preacher can be supported, if he is single or married to a Christian woman. The force of the passage also suggests that it was a common expectation that a man be married in those days. Some of the other apostles including Peter were married (Matt. 8:14). The brothers of Jesus also were married (Matt. 13:55-56; John 7:3-5). This passage so far is effective in dismantling centuries of Catholic dogma (Perpetual virginity; Celibate priests and nuns; Peter was the first pope). Paul argued that he and Barnabas had a right to refrain from secular work to focus on doing the work of the Lord. He provides illustrations where people are supported in and from the endeavors they take up (Military; farmers; shepherds).

Verses 8-11. Up to now Paul has been using human wisdom (dialectics in this great polemic). However, what he had previously cited is not authoritative enough to constitute as proof. They were simple illustrations or analogies to his point. Nevertheless, if they needed more proof of the point, Paul had the word of God. He quotes from the Law of Moses in Deuteronomy 25:4. Though Paul did not have a specific passage that said that you must support the evangelist, he did have a general principle. While threshing, it was unethical for a person to keep the ox from eating the corn. Paul says that God is not concerned for the ox. Paul is not saying that God is not concerned about animals (Matt. 6:26), for the Law in its context was written to help preserve the ox and provide for its proper treatment. However, since the ox cannot read, there must be a deeper meaning behind the law intended for man, namely that the laborer is worthy of his hire (1 Tim. 5:18). If animals deserve ethical and fair treatment in their labors, how much more those men who would preach the gospel of Jesus. Thus, as a man so labors he should do so with the hop of being supported in those efforts. As a preachers sows in the missions fields he should be able to eat from the fruit that is born of those efforts.

Verse 12. After Paul left Corinth, other preachers came in to labor with the congregation there. Evidently, they requested support that the Corinthians seemed glad to supply. Paul’s point is this, if the Corinthians found those brethren worthy of their support, how much more was Paul and his companions? Paul was instrumental in establishing that congregation. Upon that basis Paul could have said, “Now, since I am worthy of support, support me.” However, Paul said that they would not partake of the right that they had. He took great steps to make sure that he was not a hindrance to the gospel. He wrote that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress (hold down) the truth in unrighteousness.” Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Whenever we allow are actions and attitudes to hold down and hinder the truth, we are setting ourselves up for the wrath of God. There are people watching. Let us do everything to promote the truth of God’s word.

Verses 13-14. In solidifying his argument, Paul refers to the mosaic practice of supporting the laborers in the temple. They performed services in the temple for which the Law says they should be supported (Deu. 18:1-8). As if that point was not enough to assert his right to receive support, Paul points to the fact that the Lord Jesus Himself, commanded that such support be given (Matt. 10:5-10; Luke 10:1-10).

Verse 15. Paul proved quite convincingly that a minister of the gospel had an undisputed right to receive wages from the church with which he labors. Unless he made that point clear, this next point carries no weight. Since Paul had this undeniable right to receive support, he, however, did not assert that right. He uses the plural “things” I believe as a reference also to the right to lead about a believing wife. Paul forfeited his right to take support and to marry in order to move the gospel forward. Again, Paul hold himself up as an example of one who did what he was calling upon the Corinthians to do in chapter 8. Keep in mind, Paul did not write to encourage them to support him, but to encourage them to make concessions of their own rights for the sake of weak brethren. Paul them in the heat of passion begins to say, “It is better for me to die than—no, no one will make my boasting an empty thing.” His boast is that he was willing to forgo a right for the gospel’s sake. I believe this is glorying in the Lord or in the Lord’s cause. This boast is similar to that in 2 Corinthians 11:17, 22-33 and 12:11-13. He is glorying or reveling in the fact of his accomplishments and circumstances, not as an indication of pride, but of purpose of substantiating a point. “This is much like a parent saying to his child, you never saw me drink, smoke, do drugs or hit your mother. You should not do those things either.”

Verses 16-18. Paul is saying that he has no grounds to boast in preaching the gospel. This he is doing because of necessity. That is, he is doing such under compulsion; he had no choice in the matter. Notice the following passages: Acts 9:10-16; Acts 26:12-19; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1). Paul became a minister of the gospel, not of his own will, but because the Lord chose him to do such. Therefore, whether he was paid or not, he felt compelled to preach the gospel. His only choice was whether he was going to be obedient to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19). Since Jesus handpicked Paul for the task of taking the gospel to the Gentiles, if he refused to do this, he feared such would result in calamity to his soul. If Paul entered the ministry voluntarily, he would certain have a reward (reason for boasting or inward feeling of elation). However, since he was chosen for this position, his position his more servile. He was entrusted with a stewardship. As such, Paul was not entitled to anything special (Luke 17:10). Paul received elation in preaching the gospel without charge. Though e was chosen to this position, he still was within his right to request support. Yet, he chose to forgo any support from the Corinthians to further the gospel. This helped to provide a great example to the point he made in 8:13. He also did not want to come off as one who asserted his power to make money off the gospel.

A Servant to All 

Verse 19. Back in verse 1, Paul said that he was a free man. He was free to marry, he was free to eat anything he wanted, and he was free to receive support from the church in Corinth. However, he made himself a slave to men to win more people to Christ. He forfeited his liberties in order to reflect true love in service (Gal. 5:13-15).

Verses 20-22.  When Paul preached to the Jews, he did not oppose their Sabbath observance, but observed it with them (Acts 17:2). He did not oppose their feast days (Acts 20:16). He did not oppose their ordinances (Acts 16:1-3). He did not oppose their dietary laws. He did not want to be an obstacle to the Jews concerning obedience to the gospel. He observed the law without himself being under the Mosaic Law. He was under the law of Christ. To those who were without the Law of Moses, Paul approached them without imposing Jewish standards. He did not refuse to eat with them. This was the reason Paul withstood Peter (Gal. 2:11-14). Peter was compromising the gospel’s effectiveness by his insistence in catering to the Jewish mindset. Verse 21 speaks to the fact that there was a change in the law. In addition, although we are under grace, we still must observe the law. We must observe the law of Christ. Those who were weak concerning meats offered to idols, Paul become as they were. It may be that some of them were losing their faith and Paul had to win them back to Christ. This passage helps us to understand the need to be culturally sensitive to others. If our aim is to win them to Christ, we cannot chase them away because they happen to forfeit what we believe are liberties in Jesus Christ. Some people do not observe various holidays, eat certain items or wear certain clothes because of what they perceive to be an issue of faith. We cannot defy their sensibilities by insisting on our rights. Try preaching the gospel to Arabs in the company of a woman whom does not cover her face. They will never hear what you have to say for the fact that the woman has violated their cultural understanding.

Verse 23. Paul was willing to forgo any liberty he might have to further the gospel. Paul had demonstrated to them the very thing he called upon them to do.

Attaining unto the Prize 

Verses 24-27. Paul uses another analogy to strengthen his point. He gleans his analogy from the Isthmian Games. Those who participated in the sporting events in Paul’s day went to great lengths to make sure that they would win the prize. The prize was a head wreath that would fade in about three days. Yet, those athletes made great sacrifices and trained no less than ten months to win that perishable crown. Though they had the liberty to lounge around, eat fatty foods and drink alcohol, they forfeited those liberties for the sake of running in a way that would help them win. Paul is saying that, as Christians, we must be willing to put for just as much in not more of an effort to obtain the eternal crown. We cannot be indifferent to the brethren, lack fervency in our love for the brethren, and zeal in our service to the Lord and expect to receive the Crown of righteousness and life (James 1:12; Rev. 2:10; 2 Tim. 4:8). We must have a goal and hit it if we hope to win. This is Paul’s analogy of boxing. First, Paul does not run with uncertainty: he knows what the prize is and how he should run the race. He knows the layout of the course. When a boxer has an opponent, he ought to know what he must do to win. He cannot swing aimlessly at his opponent. He would be knocked out because he would be sure to “miss the mark” (sin). As a herald who tells the contestants the rules of the game, what would happen if he were to violate those rules himself? He would be disqualified, reprobate, and castaway. By demonstrating the need for serious effort in obtaining the prize, Paul here lays to rest the notion that “once saved, always saved” and “There is nothing you can do to be saved.”