1 Corinthians 9
9
The Rights of an Apostle
1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4Do we not have the right to our food and drink? 5Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife,#9.5 Gk a sister as wife as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7Who at any time pays the expenses for doing military service? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not get any of its milk?
8Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the same? 9For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10Or does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. 11If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? 12If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more?
Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is sacrificed on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.
15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this so that they may be applied in my case. Indeed, I would rather die than that—no one will deprive me of my ground for boasting! 16If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
19For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
24Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. 25Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 26So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; 27but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.
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1 Corinthians 9: NRSV
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 9
9
Paul’s Apostolic Freedom
1Am I not completely free and unrestrained? Absolutely! Am I not an apostle? Of course! Haven’t I had a personal encounter with our Jesus face-to-face—and continue to see him? # 9:1 As implied by the perfect active indicative. Paul has seen the Lord, but the effects of that “seeing” continue on in full force (i.e., “I continue to have him in my sight”). Emphatically yes! Aren’t you all the proof of my ministry in the Lord? # 9:1 These four forceful rhetorical questions are emphatic in the Greek construction, which means they each demand an answer in the affirmative. Although some commentators view these four questions as qualifications of an apostle, there is no indication that this is indeed the purpose of his questions. Paul is defending his apostleship, not listing qualifications of apostles. The seven arguments he makes in defense of his apostleship are the following: (1) He enjoys freedom from all bondage, both from the world and religion (v. 1). (2) He had face-to-face encounters with Jesus (v. 1; 15:8). (3) The formation of the church of Corinth validates his apostleship (vv. 1–2; Acts 18). (4) His unselfish lifestyle resulted in not demanding to be paid for his ministry (vv. 3–15). (5) He was given a divine stewardship (vv. 16–18). (6) He was determined to win everyone through the gospel of Christ (vv. 19–23). (7) He lived a disciplined life in order to succeed in the obstacle course of ministry for Christ (vv. 24–27). Certainly! 2If others do not recognize me as their apostle, at least you are bound to do so, for now your lives are joined to the Lord. You are the living proof, the certificate of my apostleship.
3So to those who want to continually criticize my apostolic ministry, here’s my statement of defense. # 9:3 The Aramaic is quite blunt: “Those who judge me I rebuke in [the] spirit.” 4Don’t we apostles have the right to be supported financially? # 9:4 Or “to eat and drink,” a euphemism to describe financial support. 5Don’t we have the right to travel accompanied by our believing wives and be supported as a couple, as do the other apostles, such as Peter the Rock and the Lord’s brothers? # 9:5 See Mark 6:3; John 2:12. 6Of course we do! # 9:6 Made explicit from the Greek disjunctive particle. Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to stop working for a living? # 9:6 Apostles were usually cared for and financially supported by the church so they didn’t have to engage in secular work for their wages, although Paul and Barnabas, on different occasions, supported themselves without being a burden to the congregations (see vv. 12–15).
Responsibility to Financially Support God’s Servants
7Who serves in the military at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not enjoy the grapes for himself? Who would nurture and shepherd a flock and never get to drink its fresh milk? 8Am I merely giving you my own opinions, or does the Torah teach the same things? 9For it is written in the law of Moses:
You should never put a muzzle over the mouth of an ox
while he is treading out the grain. # 9:9 See Deut. 25:4; 1 Tim. 5:18.
Tell me, is God only talking about oxen here? 10Doesn’t he also give us this principle so that we won’t withhold support from his workers? # 9:10 Or “Doesn’t he say this for our sake [as apostles]?” It was written so that we would understand that the one spiritually “plowing” and spiritually “treading out the grain” also labors with the expectation of enjoying the harvest. 11So, if we’ve sowed many spiritual gifts # 9:11 The Greek word pneumatikos is often used for spiritual gifts, not just spiritual blessings. See 1 Cor. 12:1; 14:1. The Aramaic is explicit: “Since we have planted the Spirit in you, we should harvest financially from you.” among you, is it too much to expect to reap material gifts from you? 12And if you have supported others, don’t we rightfully deserve this privilege even more?
But as you know, we haven’t used that right. Instead, we have continued to support ourselves # 9:12 Or “We have endured all things.” so that we would never be a hindrance to the spread of the gospel of Christ. 13Don’t you know that the priests # 9:13 Or “those who work with sacred things.” employed in sacred duty in the temple # 9:13 The Aramaic word for temple is “house of blessing.” are provided for by temple resources? And the priests who serve at the altar receive a portion of the offerings? # 9:13 Or “what is offered on the altar.” See Lev. 6:9–11, 19. 14In the same way, the Lord has directed those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel. As for me, I’ve preferred to never use any of these rights for myself. 15And keep in mind that I’m not writing all this because I’m hinting that you should support me.
Paul Renounces His Rights for the Sake of the Gospel
Actually, I’d rather die than to have anyone rob me of this joyous reason for boasting! # 9:15 Paul uses the rhetorical device of abruptly breaking off his statement (“I would rather die than—”). This is known as an aposiopesis, meant to intensify the importance of having the joy of boasting in the fact that Paul provided for his own needs in ministry. 16For you see, even though I proclaim the good news, I can’t take the credit for my labors, for I am compelled to fulfill my duty by completing this work. It would be agony to me if I did not constantly preach the gospel! 17If it were my own idea to preach as a way to make a living, I would expect to be paid. Since it’s not my idea but God’s, who commissioned me, I am entrusted with the stewardship of the gospel whether or not I’m paid. 18So then, where is my reward? It is found in continually depositing the good news into people’s hearts, without obligation, free of charge, and not insisting on my rights to be financially supported.
Paul, a Servant to All
19Now, even though I am free from obligations to others, # 9:19 That is, Paul lived free from the obligation of pleasing those who paid him a salary. He lived by faith, yet he still became the servant of all. I joyfully make myself a servant to all in order to win as many converts as possible. 20I became Jewish to the Jewish people in order to win them to the Messiah. I became like one under the law to gain the people who were stuck under the law, even though I myself am not under the law. 21And to those who are without the Jewish laws, I became like them, as one without the Jewish laws, in order to win them, although I’m not outside the law of God but under the law of Christ. 22I became “weak” to the weak to win the weak. I have adapted to the culture of every place I’ve gone # 9:22 Or “I have become all things to all different kinds of people”; that is, he adapted culturally wherever he ministered. so that I could more easily win people to Christ. 23I’ve done all this so that I would become God’s partner for the sake of the gospel. # 9:23 Paul is declaring the five motivating principles for his ministry: (1) Always start by finding common ground with those you want to reach. (2) Avoid projecting to others that you are a know-it-all. (3) Accept everyone regardless of his or her issues. (4) Be sensitive to the culture of others. (5) Use every opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ with people.
Paul’s Disciplined Lifestyle
24Isn’t it obvious that all runners on the racetrack # 9:24 Or “the runners in a stadium.” This refers to the Pan-Hellenic stadium near Corinth where the Isthmian games were held. keep on running to win, but only one receives the victor’s prize? Yet each one of you must run the race to be victorious. 25A true athlete will be disciplined in every respect, practicing constant self-control in order to win a laurel wreath that quickly withers. But we run our race to win a victor’s crown that will last forever. 26For that reason, I don’t run just for exercise # 9:26 Or “I don’t run aimlessly.” That is, Paul ran with his eyes on the goal of ending well. or box like one throwing aimless punches, 27but I train like a champion athlete. I subdue my body # 9:27 Or “I beat my body black and blue.” This is an obvious metaphor of placing the desires of one’s body as second place to the desires of the Holy Spirit. See Rom. 8:13. and get it under my control, so that after preaching the good news to others I myself won’t be disqualified.
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