CHAPTER 9 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. He proceeds to show by his own example how offences are to be avoided, and he says that he had refused to accept payment, or the maintenance due to a preacher of the Gospel, both to gain greater merit and for the sake of edification. ii. He then (ver. 7) prove... [ Continue Reading ]
_Am I not an apostle? am I not free?_ It may be asked what connection this has with the preceding chapter: it seems to be an abrupt transition to another subject. I reply that Paul had spoken at the end of the last chapter of the necessity of avoiding all that might cause offence. Now, that he may e... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the seal of mine Apostleship are ye in the Lord._ A proof of my apostleship may be seen in you, in my preaching, in my miracles, in the toil and the dangers which I have either borne or performed amongst you for your conversion; by such things as by Divine seals have I sealed, confirmed, and pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mine answer to them that do examine me is this_, Those who ask about my Apostleship may take what I have said as their answer. So Anselm. But Chrysostom and Ambrose just as suitably refer this to the following verse. To examine of interrogate in a judicial term, and is purposely used by S. Paul to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Have we not power to eat and to drink?_ Viz., at your expense. This is the glory and defence of me and my apostleship, that it is gratuitous, unlike that of the false apostles. Notwithstanding I have the same right, the same power to look for means from you for my eating and drinking.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles?_ The Greek is _ảδελφὴν γυναξκα_, which the Latin version turns _mulierem sororem_; and Beza, Peter Martyr, Vatablus, and Valle render _sororem uxorem_. They argue from this that Paul was married, urging that, though the G... [ Continue Reading ]
_Say I these things as a man?_ Do I prove or strengthen my arguments by human reasons merely, and by similitudes drawn from the life of the soldier, the vine-grower, the shepherd. By no means. Nay, rather I establish and fortify them from the law of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_For it is written in the law of Moses_, &c. Deuteronomy 25:4. The reason doubtless was that it was right that the animals who laboured should also eat. Hence God forbade that the mouths of the oxen that trod out the corn should be muzzled, to prevent them from eating of what they trod out. It was t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt this is written._ The argument is here, as so often in S. Paul's writings, from the mystical, not the literal sense; or rather it is an _à fortiori_ argument from the literal to the mystical sense, thus: If the ox lives of what he trea... [ Continue Reading ]
_If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather?_ The Apostle proves by six arguments that that he and other ministers of the Word of God and the Church may receive their expenses from their flocks: (_a_) By the examples of the other Apostles (ver. 5); (_b_) by comparisons drawn fr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel._ It appears from this that strict injunctions were given to the Apostles (S. Mat 28:19) to preach the Gospel and teach all nations, insomuch that, if they had neglected to do so, they would have sinned mortally. For on those that neglect this their duty he... [ Continue Reading ]
_For if I do this thing willingly I have a reward._ That is, as Chrysostom, Theophylact, Œcumenius, and Anselm say, if I freely preach without charge, I have not merely the reward given to a work that has been enjoined on me, as other Apostles have, but the exceeding reward of abounding glory given... [ Continue Reading ]
_What is my reward then?_ That glorious and supreme reward spoken of. Observe that _reward_ is put by metonymy for merit, or for a heroic and meritorious work, that calls for a great reward. This work, he goes of to say, is to preach the Gospel without charge. From these words it is evident that n... [ Continue Reading ]
_For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all._ I humbled myself to all things, even to want and hunger; I accommodated myself to the weaknesses of all, insomuch that, when I saw the Corinthians slow and niggardly in their support of the Apostles, I refused to accept an... [ Continue Reading ]
_To them that are under the law, as under the law._ To the Jews I became as one under the Mosaic law. This took place, _e.g_., says Œcumenius, when he circumcised Timothy, when, after purifying himself, he went to the Temple, because he had a vow (Act 21:26).... [ Continue Reading ]
_To them that are without law, as without law._ To the Gentiles I became as though I followed nature only as my light and leader, as the Gentiles do. So Œcumenius, Theophylact, and Chrysostom.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am made all things to all men._ Not by acting deceitfully or sinfully, but through sympathy and compassion, which made me suit myself to the dispositions of all men, so, as far as honesty and God's law allow, that I might be able to heal the indispositions of all. Cf. S. Augustine (_Epp._ 9 and 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you._ That I may with other preachers receive, in fu time, fruit of the Gospel that I have preached. The Greek denotes _a partaker with others_. Hence in the second place Chrysostom understands "partaker thereof" to mean a f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?_ For this I preach the Gospel without charge, for this I am made all things to all men; for this I labour, that I may obtain that best prize of all, given to those who run in this race. As it is in a race, so is it in t... [ Continue Reading ]
_So fight I, not as one that beateth the air._ The comparison is still maintained. I fight as an athlete, but I do not spend my toil for nought, but I wound my enemy, _i.e._, I subdue my body and my flesh; and when I have subdued this foe, the remaining two, the world and the devil, are easily overc... [ Continue Reading ]
_But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection. I keep under_ means, says S. Ambrose, "I repress it by fastings;" "I wound it with stripes," says S. Basil (_de Virginitate_); "I starve it," says Origen. S. Augustine (_de Utilit. Jejun_.) says: " _The devil often takes it upon him to protect... [ Continue Reading ]