1 Corinthians 9:22

To the weak. became weak, that. might gain the weak:. am become all things to all men, that. may by all means save some.

'To weak. became weak' -note that Paul doesn't mention the "strong", that is what he already was. 'Among those with scruples' (F.F. Bruce p. 88)

'Why would he bother? In. society which cultivates the strong, why would he bother with the scrupulous? They're such. burden. They tire you out..But he who is willing to go beyond everything that people demand is. slave to nobody! He sat beside the weak who couldn't eat the meat for conscience sake and he too abstained...he bridled his power to eat and in doing so became lord of meat and slave to his weak companion. What. man! What. Lord who can make such. man!' (McGuiggan p. 131)

In this verse Paul has brought us back around to the issue in 1 Corinthians 8:13. For this principle in other passages see- Romans 14:13; Romans 15:1; 1 Corinthians 10:24; 1 Corinthians 10:31.

'I am become all things to all men' -'Yes, whatever. person is like,. try to find common ground with him' (Tay) 'He is not approving the maxim: "When in Rome do as the Romans do." Paul is referring to matters of moral indifference..'(Erdman p. 98)

'that. may by all means' -'by any and by all means' (Mon); 'every possible means. might win some to God.' (Phi)

Points to Note:

1. Are "we" this dedicated to the winning of lost souls?

2. 'Save some'-Paul didn't believe that everyone would become. Christian, and yet that fact didn't deter his efforts.

3. 'Save'-when he accommodated himself, it was for the purpose of "saving souls". He never thought that such Jews or Gentiles could be saved without Christ. He always remembered that such people were lost and he never allowed himself to view them as "possibly right with God".

4. If Paul were on this earth today, he would adapt himself to the Buddhists, Moslems, Native American Indians, etc..and yet he would never give anyone the impression that he considered such people saved without obedience to Christ.

'What does, "that. may by all means save some" imply? Paul is aware that only the gospel saves men.' (McGuiggan p. 131)