AM I NOT A FREE MAN? The false teacher at Corinth was a Christian (see note on 1 Corinthians 3:5), but his motives were not right. He thought the gospel was a way to get rich (1 Timothy 6:5), although it would not be right to say that he was totally wicked. But because of his attitude toward money,... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY YOU DO! He had worked among them with power and the Holy Spirit. Compare 2 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:5. YOU YOURSELVES. The Corinthian Christians were living proof of Paul's preaching and power.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS HOW I DEFEND MYSELF. By pointing to the Corinthian Christians as living proof!... [ Continue Reading ]
DON'T I HAVE THE RIGHT? Even though he did not use this right, he had it. Compare 2 Thessalonians 3:9 and note.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TAKE A CHRISTIAN WIFE WITH ME? The other apostles did this, and asked the church to pay their bills wherever they went. THE LORD'S BROTHERS, who would be of special interest to the false teacher, also DID THIS, AND PETER. [_Cephas_ is the Aramaic version of _Peter._] Peter was a married man and... [ Continue Reading ]
OR ARE BARNABAS AND I? Both Barnabas and Paul refused to take money from the people they were teaching the gospel (_but see note on_ 2 Corinthians 11:8). As an apostle, Paul had the right to: (1) receive a salary from the church; (2) have a wife; (3) not have to work at other things for his living.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT SOLDIER? He uses three examples to show his right to receive a salary from them: (1) soldiers were paid to go on a campaign; (2) farmers ate their own produce; (3) shepherds used milk from their own sheep.... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THE LAW SAYS THE SAME THING. The Law was terminated as a means of salvation (Romans 3:19-21); but it remains a revelation of truth and right (Romans 7:12-14), and Paul uses it to teach a lesson to us.... [ Continue Reading ]
WE READ. Deuteronomy 25:4. The people of the East threshed their grain by making cattle walk on the heads of grain to free the individual grains from the stalk. See note on Matthew 3:12. NOW, IS GOD? "Does God speak here only about humane treatment of oxen?... [ Continue Reading ]
OF COURSE THIS WAS WRITTEN FOR US. To teach us that we ought to support those who work to help us. _Material gain_ is not in itself a _bad motive!_ Both the man who plows and the man who reaps expect to get a share of the crop. Not _money,_ but the _love of money_ is a source of all kinds of evil (1... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE SOWN. They brought the Good News to them, made them disciples of Christ, and made them strong in the faith. IF WE REAP MATERIAL BENEFITS? "Some food and drink - a salary, in other words.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF OTHERS HAVE THE RIGHT? The false teacher and his associates demanded financial support from the Corinthian church. If they thought these had the right to these things, didn't they understand Paul had an even greater claim on their resources??? BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE use. Paul felt that taking a sala... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY YOU KNOW. The Temple teaches the same lesson. Part of the sacrifice was burnt on the altar, and part went to the Priests and Levites.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME WAY. It is the Lord himself who has ordered that those who preach should be supported by the group (church). Compare Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; Galatians 6:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I HAVEN'T MADE USE. "Even though I have shown you that both the Law and the gospel authorize these rights for me, I have purposely not used them!" From here on Paul finishes this chapter writing in the first person singular, telling us his thoughts, motives, and reasons for his actions. NOR AM I... [ Continue Reading ]
JUST BECAUSE I PREACH THE GOSPEL. Being a teacher gives Paul no right to boast about it. The false teacher boasted very much about himself, so Paul makes a strong statement that he is Christ's slave (1 Corinthians 9:17; see note on 1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 4:6). AND HOW TERRIBLE IT WOULD BE!... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A MATTER OF FREE CHOICE. Here again we see Paul contrasting himself with the false teacher who was a "self-appointed apostle." Paul emphasizes that he is a slave of Christ, only doing his duty. Therefore he had no reason to boast about it (compare Luke 17:7-10). [Don't _read too much_ into what P... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT PAY DO I GET THEN? Only the satisfaction felt by the generous mind who does volunteer service (compare Acts 20:33-35). Paul "boasts" that while the Corinthians spend nothing on him, he spends himself on them! Compare 2 Corinthians 12:14-15.... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM A FREE MAN. See 1 Corinthians 9:1 and note. IN ORDER TO WIN. There is a special beauty in this verse. Slaves worked for their masters without pay, and jumped to obey their every wish! Paul, in preaching the Good News, makes himself a slave by refusing to take pay from those he works to turn to... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE WORKING WITH THE JEWS. Paul shows us how he _identified_ with those he worked among. When he worked with Jews, he was as Jewish as anyone could be. He followed their dietary laws, attended their feasts (Acts 21:26), and had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3). But in doing this, he did not comprom... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN WITH GENTILES. Only the Jews had The Law, so everyone else was a Gentile. Neither Paul nor any Christian preacher, was an _enforcer_ of the Law (_compare_ Acts 15:19-21). When Paul was in Athens (_Acts 17),_ he spoke to the people there _as a Gentile!_ He "forgot" his _Jewishness,_ yet he never... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG THE WEAK IN FAITH. Who still believe some things are sins which are perfectly lawful. An example of this is the vegetarian (Romans 14:1-3). Paul advised the _strong_ to adapt themselves to the _weak (1 Corinthians 8)._ SO I BECOME ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN. Paul speaks of no unchristian compromise... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THIS I DO FOR THE GOSPEL'S SAKE. When Paul made himself everybody's slave, it was for one purpose: to promote the gospel! Compare Philippians 3:7-14. Every Christian ought to have this as their highest priority of life: _to promote the gospel!_... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY YOU KNOW. Paul uses symbolism that they understand. In a race, only the winner gets the prize. The Isthmian Games (see _introduction)_ were held at Corinth. "If you run in the race, you run to win the prize!" [But in the Christian Race, the success of one does not disqualify the others.]... [ Continue Reading ]
SUBMITS TO STRICT DISCIPLINE. "If you expect to have a chance to win in the games, you must go into training to develop and strengthen your body." THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. The wreath of flowers or pine leaves would soon wither and dry up. We expect to win a crown that is _eternal_ (1 Peter 5:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT IS WHY. Paul has a definite goal! He runs straight for the finish line, and ignores all else! As a boxer, he wastes no time _shadow boxing!_ In the games, the judges watched each contestant closely.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BRING IT UNDER COMPLETE CONTROL. Paul accepts as necessary the strict discipline of his own body, if he is to win the race. Compare 2 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Peter 4:1-2. TO KEEP FROM BEING REJECTED. I cannot believe that Paul had any great fear of this, even though it was a possibility. AFTER HAVIN... [ Continue Reading ]